Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being
The relentless drive to meet global demand for poultry products has pushed for rapid intensification in chicken farming, dramatically boosting efficiency and yield. Yet, these gains have exposed a host of complex welfare challenges that have prompted scientific scrutiny and ethical reflection. In th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Poultry |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1164/4/2/20 |
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| author | Suresh Neethirajan |
| author_facet | Suresh Neethirajan |
| author_sort | Suresh Neethirajan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The relentless drive to meet global demand for poultry products has pushed for rapid intensification in chicken farming, dramatically boosting efficiency and yield. Yet, these gains have exposed a host of complex welfare challenges that have prompted scientific scrutiny and ethical reflection. In this review, I critically evaluate recent innovations aimed at mitigating such concerns by drawing on advances in behavioral science and digital monitoring and insights into biological adaptations. Specifically, I focus on four interconnected themes: First, I spotlight the complexity of avian sensory perception—encompassing vision, auditory capabilities, olfaction, and tactile faculties—to underscore how lighting design, housing configurations, and enrichment strategies can better align with birds’ unique sensory worlds. Second, I explore novel tools for gauging emotional states and cognition, ranging from cognitive bias tests to developing protocols for identifying pain or distress based on facial cues. Third, I examine the transformative potential of computer vision, bioacoustics, and sensor-based technologies for the continuous, automated tracking of behavior and physiological indicators in commercial flocks. Fourth, I assess how data-driven management platforms, underpinned by precision livestock farming, can deploy real-time insights to optimize welfare on a broad scale. Recognizing that climate change and evolving production environments intensify these challenges, I also investigate how breeds resilient to extreme conditions might open new avenues for welfare-centered genetic and management approaches. While the adoption of cutting-edge techniques has shown promise, significant hurdles persist regarding validation, standardization, and commercial acceptance. I conclude that truly sustainable progress hinges on an interdisciplinary convergence of ethology, neuroscience, engineering, data analytics, and evolutionary biology—an integrative path that not only refines welfare assessment but also reimagines poultry production in ethically and scientifically robust ways. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8fdf8cd576924208b72225908777faed |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2674-1164 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Poultry |
| spelling | doaj-art-8fdf8cd576924208b72225908777faed2025-08-20T03:29:39ZengMDPI AGPoultry2674-11642025-04-01422010.3390/poultry4020020Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-BeingSuresh Neethirajan0Faculty of Agriculture and Computer Science, Dalhousie University, 6050 University Avenue, Halifax, NS B3H 1W5, CanadaThe relentless drive to meet global demand for poultry products has pushed for rapid intensification in chicken farming, dramatically boosting efficiency and yield. Yet, these gains have exposed a host of complex welfare challenges that have prompted scientific scrutiny and ethical reflection. In this review, I critically evaluate recent innovations aimed at mitigating such concerns by drawing on advances in behavioral science and digital monitoring and insights into biological adaptations. Specifically, I focus on four interconnected themes: First, I spotlight the complexity of avian sensory perception—encompassing vision, auditory capabilities, olfaction, and tactile faculties—to underscore how lighting design, housing configurations, and enrichment strategies can better align with birds’ unique sensory worlds. Second, I explore novel tools for gauging emotional states and cognition, ranging from cognitive bias tests to developing protocols for identifying pain or distress based on facial cues. Third, I examine the transformative potential of computer vision, bioacoustics, and sensor-based technologies for the continuous, automated tracking of behavior and physiological indicators in commercial flocks. Fourth, I assess how data-driven management platforms, underpinned by precision livestock farming, can deploy real-time insights to optimize welfare on a broad scale. Recognizing that climate change and evolving production environments intensify these challenges, I also investigate how breeds resilient to extreme conditions might open new avenues for welfare-centered genetic and management approaches. While the adoption of cutting-edge techniques has shown promise, significant hurdles persist regarding validation, standardization, and commercial acceptance. I conclude that truly sustainable progress hinges on an interdisciplinary convergence of ethology, neuroscience, engineering, data analytics, and evolutionary biology—an integrative path that not only refines welfare assessment but also reimagines poultry production in ethically and scientifically robust ways.https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1164/4/2/20poultry welfareprecision livestock farming (PLF)automated behavioral monitoringemotional states in poultryclimate resilience in poultrysustainable poultry production |
| spellingShingle | Suresh Neethirajan Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being Poultry poultry welfare precision livestock farming (PLF) automated behavioral monitoring emotional states in poultry climate resilience in poultry sustainable poultry production |
| title | Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being |
| title_full | Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being |
| title_fullStr | Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being |
| title_short | Rethinking Poultry Welfare—Integrating Behavioral Science and Digital Innovations for Enhanced Animal Well-Being |
| title_sort | rethinking poultry welfare integrating behavioral science and digital innovations for enhanced animal well being |
| topic | poultry welfare precision livestock farming (PLF) automated behavioral monitoring emotional states in poultry climate resilience in poultry sustainable poultry production |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2674-1164/4/2/20 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sureshneethirajan rethinkingpoultrywelfareintegratingbehavioralscienceanddigitalinnovationsforenhancedanimalwellbeing |