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The Welfare of Domestic Fowl and Other Captive Birds pp 219–235Cite as

Managing Poultry: Human–Bird Interactions and Their Implications

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Part of the book series: Animal Welfare ((AWNS,volume 9))

Abstract

Human–animal interactions are a common feature of modern intensive livestock systems and these interactions may have marked effects on animal productivity and welfare. Research, particularly in the dairy and pig industries, has shown that the interactions between stockpeople and their animals can limit the productivity and welfare of livestock (Hemsworth and Coleman, 1998). Many of these interactions are routinely and, at times, habitually used by stockpeople. While these interactions may appear harmless to the animals, this research has shown that the frequent use of some of these routine behaviours by stockpeople can result in farm animals becoming highly fearful of humans. It is these high fear levels, through stress, that appear to limit animal productivity and welfare (Hemsworth and Coleman, 1998).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Welfare Science Centre, The Melbourne School of Land and Environment, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Paul Hemsworth

  2. School of Psychology, Psychiatry and Psychological Medicine, Animal Welfare Science Centre, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia

    Grahame Coleman

Authors
  1. Paul Hemsworth
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  2. Grahame Coleman
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Correspondence to Paul Hemsworth .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Animal & Poultry Science, University of Guelph, Guelph, N1G 2W1, Canada

    Ian J. H. Duncan

  2. Cruelty to Animals, Royal Society for the Prevention of, Wilberforce Way, Horsham, W.Sussex, RH13 9RS, United Kingdom

    Penny Hawkins

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Hemsworth, P., Coleman, G. (2010). Managing Poultry: Human–Bird Interactions and Their Implications. In: Duncan, I., Hawkins, P. (eds) The Welfare of Domestic Fowl and Other Captive Birds. Animal Welfare, vol 9. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3650-6_9

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