Cage Housing, Beak Trimming, and Induced Molting of Layers: A Review of Welfare and Production Issues

Since the advent of the animal welfare movement in the early sixties, a considerable amount of research has been generated in an attempt to address questions surrounding cage housing, beak trimming, and induced molting practices for poultry. Although researchers have had difficulty in clearly defining and accurately measuring welfare from a scientific perspective, some interesting and useful results have nevertheless been obtained. The purpose of this paper is to review some of the more important findings regarding cage housing, beak trimming, and induced molting of layers as they relate to the future of these practices.