Animal Welfare and Behaviour

Livestock farming in the UK needs to remain competitive while responding to the need to improve welfare standards and decrease any negative impacts on the environment. A major aim of Roslin Institute's research on animal welfare is to provide objective evidence to ensure proposed changes in codes of practice and methods of husbandry have a sound scientific base. Research in this area includes studies on:

• environmental enrichment
• transport of animals by road
• feather pecking and social stress
• metabolic stress in dairy cows
• pain perception in birds and fish

A second major theme is a search for genetic solutions to welfare problems that have arisen as a direct or indirect of intensive breeding. Research in this area combines basic studies on the mechanisms responsible for the observed traits and a search for molecular markers and genes that could help breeding companies in their efforts to select improved stock

• osteoporosis in laying hens
• muscle damage in rapidly growing meat-type chickens
• reproduction in laying hens
• skeletal and bone disorders in rapidly growing poultry

Copyright 2001 by Team C0123260
The Legenders , RJC, Singapore