The welfare of laying hens in cage systems is of increasing concern. Represented by the European Union’s ‘End the Cage Age’ initiative, more and more countries have advocated cage-free farming. China, an important country for poultry farming and consumption in the world, is highly dependent on cage systems and lacks […]
‘Island ark’ suggested for bird safety
Following the release of the national 2021 State of the Environment Report recently, there have been calls from several Tasmanian conservation groups and organisations for the state government to release a similar report specific to the island state. Although a State of the Environment Report is required every five years […]
Abstracts: Welfare issues and potential solutions for laying hens
In free-range and organic production systems, hens can make choices according to their needs and desires, which is in accordance with welfare definitions. Nonetheless, health and behavioural problems are also encountered in these systems. The aim of this article was to identify welfare challenges observed in these production systems in […]
Breeding out bad genes to protect biodiversity
Although their presence in the landscape has been relatively short, the impact feral cats have made on Australia’s native wildlife has been significant, with estimates of nearly two thousand native animals – birds, reptiles, mammals, and frogs – falling prey to feral cats every minute. These cats are also considered […]
Vets respond to environment report
Veterinarians around the country are responding to the latest State of the Environment report, which paints a grim picture of our nation’s environment under extreme pressure. The report, released in July 2022, found that “[o]verall, the state and trend of the environment of Australia are poor and deteriorating as a […]