EU Directives 90/539, 89/437 and, namely, 1999/74 (the Laying Hen Directive) were analysed. Cages allowing less than 550 cm² per hen were banned as from 1 January 2003, and 12 minimum recommended requirements comprise cage size per hen of 750 cm², available floor space per hen of 600 cm², and...

In this paper, welfare assessment using the methodology of the Welfare quality® assessment protocol for cattle (2009) was performed for dairy cows maintained in the loose system of rearing on three dairy farms. This methodology includes quantitative measurements and qualitative evaluation of...

Increasing cage floor area for egg-laying hens from the current 450 cm² to 550 cm² in 2003-2012 and ultimately to 600 cm² after 2012, increasing cage height to 45 cm, guaranteeing feeding and perching space, ban on debeaking for fowls, housing density for broilers, ban on light and feed restriction ...

The paper deals with animal welfare definitions and animal welfare assessment. Animal welfare is a prolonged mental state, resulting from how the animal experiences its environment over time. There are different methods for animal welfare assessment. The four basic criteria for animal welfare...

In the development of the production of table eggs, from the middle of the XX century up until today, very different and contrasting trends can be observed. Firstly, these trends were directed towards achieving the maximum production intensity, which was followed by the introduction and rapid...

Biosecurity, welfare, good manufacturing practice and risk analysis at critical control points are very important elements for intensive pig production. Planned application of biosecurity measures is crucial for the protection of pig health and production success. In order to have an ongoing active ...

Housing egg laying hens in cages in Serbia will be terminated in 2020. Reasons for, types and incidence of keel bone damage (KBD) in Serbia were given, and reference to the EU COST project CA15224 was given.

Poultry health problems related to bone disorders are mainly related to broiler chickens and laying hens. The etiology is various, including genetic, nutritional and environmental factors. The rapid growth of broilers leads to irregularities in skeletal development if the diet is not properly...

The study was conducted to determine the effect of stocking density on the slaughter traits of broiler chickens. Broilers were housed at either 12 birds/m² (treatment) or 16 birds/m² (control). Results showed that the body mass of broilers in the treatment group (p<0.01) was higher than the control. The average body mass of male and female broilers in the treatment group were 2460.91 and 2063.33 g, respectively, which were higher than those of the control at 2078.67 and 1740 g, respectively. Carcass weight was also significantly higher in the treatment group. The percentage of major carcass portions were also significantly higher (p>0.05) in the treatment group....

Producers in the EU had more than a decade to adapt to the Directive 1999/74/EC, which prohibits keeping laying hens in battery cages after 2012. Meanwhile, numerous studies have been done in order to assess the economic implications of this ban and to evaluate consumers' willingness to support...