A systematic review of potential productivity, egg quality, and animal welfare implications of extended lay cycles in commercial laying hens in Canada.

Lay cycle lengths in the Canadian egg industry are currently 50 to 52 wk (68-70 wk of age). In light of increased productivity in commercial laying hens over the last few decades, the much longer lay cycle lengths already implemented in other countries, extending lay cycle lengths in Canada, should be considered with careful attention to potential environmental, economic, and animal welfare implications. However, there is a lack of information in the public domain that provides robust evidence of performance levels and potential trade-offs to support comprehensive consideration of the desirability of extending lay cycles beyond current Canadian norms.

Do Consumers Value Welfare and Environmental Attributes in Egg Production Similarly in Fresh Eggs and Prepared Meals?

Food items are increasingly chosen based on sustainability attributes as the public is becoming increasingly aware of the environmental and animal welfare impacts of production systems, in addition to the traditional consideration for nutrition. Although surveys have been used to investigate the demand for these attributes in unprocessed products, little information exists on how these attributes impact consumer preferences in the case of processed products or prepared meals. This study uses a stated preference survey to examine Quebec (Canada) consumers' preferences for eggs from four production systems with different impacts on animal welfare and on the environment.

Commercial Poultry Production Stocking Density Influence on Bird Health and Performance Indicators.

This study examines poultry production stocking density (SD) effect on bird welfare and economic performance. It is based on a large dataset from commercial production including observations for 2.2 million male broilers and 2.

Sex and cultural differences in the acceptance of functional foods: a comparison of American, Canadian, and French college students.

Objective: Functional foods (FF)--foods containing nutritional supplements in addition to natural nutrients--have an increasing presence in the marketplace. Expanding on previous research, the authors investigated college students' acceptance of FF.

Participants: In September--March 2004, 811 undergraduates in Canada, the United States, and France participated in the study.