Effect of debeaking on laying hen performance

Poultry farmers have concerns about the possibility of keeping non-debeaked laying hens without a loss of production performance. A Dutch study, which examined the behaviour of non-debeaked laying hens, shares these concerns. From 2018 onwards, it will be forbidden to debeak laying hens in the Netherlands. For poultry farmers affiliated to the German KAT association the ban on beak trimming has been in place since the start of 2017. Dutch animal nutrition facility, Schothorst Feed Research, in