Animal welfare act

This study aims to examine the importance that different intrinsic and extrinsic attributes represent for young Italian consumers of honey, analysing how these aspects influence the quality perceived during consumption. In addition, demographic and lifestyle aspects have been considered as possible discriminants influencing millennial generation honey consumers.,The authors performed a non-parametric rank-based test (Mann–Whitney U test) to analyse which attributes millennials value most, relating these to gender, sports activity or rural and urban origin. Then, to identify consumption patterns, principal component analysis, applying Kaiser normalisation and varimax rotation, was used.,This study confirms the remarkable sensitivity of the millennials towards environmental sustainability aspects. This attribute of choice seems particularly important for a clearly identifiable segment of the sample examined, represented by women who regularly practice sports and who come from urban areas. This result makes it possible to identify a type of consumer who, from early adulthood, is mindful of their lifestyle and ecological footprint. Moreover, it emerges that the most important attributes during purchasing are those related to label information, local product and origin, highlighting the awareness of young people and their maturity in the consumption of agro-food products.,The authors identified a trend in consumption that diverges from the classic patterns based on brand and the intrinsic characteristics of honey, but which forges new pathways more closely intertwined with the aspects of sustainability and the relationship with the territory, in addition to food safety.

The role of intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of honey for Italian millennial consumers

There is a lack of precision tools for automated poultry preening monitoring. The objective of this study was to develop poultry preening behavior detectors using mask R-CNN. Thirty 38-week brown hens were kept in an experimental pen. A surveillance system was installed above the pen to record images for developing the behavior detectors. The results show that the mask R-CNN had 87.2 ± 1.0% MIOU, 85.1 ± 2.8% precision, 88.1 ± 3.1% recall, 95.8 ± 1.0% specificity, 94.2 ± 0.6% accuracy, 86.5 ± 1.3% F1 score, 84.3 ± 2.8% average precision and 380.1 ± 13.6 ms·image−1 processing speed. The six ResNets (ResNet18-ResNet1000) had disadvantages and advantages in different aspects of detection performance. Training parts of the complex network and transferring some pre-trained weights from the detectors pre-trained in other datasets can save training time but did not compromise detection performance and various datasets can result in different transfer learning efficiencies. Resizing and padding input images to different sizes did not affect detection performance of the detectors. The detectors performed similarly within 100–500 region proposals. Temporal and spatial preening behaviors of individual hens were characterized using the trained detector. In sum, the mask R-CNN preening behavior detector could be a useful tool to automatically identify preening behaviors of individual hens in group settings.

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/10/1762/pdf

Developing and Evaluating Poultry Preening Behavior Detectors via Mask Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network.

Technological advances in the field of proteomics have enabled researchers to visualize and characterize diverse physiological states in organisms. In the field of avian research, the proteome responsible for egg composition, embryonic development, behavior, and plumage has been further expounded. In addition, production traits of the modern broiler chickens including reproduction as well as meat production continue to be investigated using high-throughput proteomic technology. As performance of modern meat birds reaches historic heights, disease, myopathy, and infection threaten the challenged broiler physique. Proteomic research allows for culpable biological pathways to be identified and investigated at the tissue of origin. Avian research also extends to a growing area of concern, animal welfare. With the use of proteomics, avian welfare can not only be measured but also defined. With the identification of biomarkers and molecular signatures in disease and welfare states, proteomics provides valuable approaches to prevention, treatment, and interpretation of animal husbandry in the poultry industry. Proteomics continues to offer novel insights into the challenges facing the poultry industry and the inquiries of avian biology through elucidating the interplay between genome, transcriptome, and proteome of birds. The versatility and range of proteomics tells the story of proteins in a way that has transformed our interpretation of the building blocks of life and their impact. 

Avian proteomics

The use of essential oils (EOs) in poultry production has gained attention due to their potential benefits as natural alternatives to feed additives. However, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews synthesizing the existing literature on the application of EOs in laying hen production. This review paper aims to discuss this research gap by providing a critical review of the current state of knowledge regarding the efficacy, modes of action, and practical considerations of using EOs in layer diets. Through a narrative review of empirical studies, the paper evaluates the effects of various EOs on key performance parameters in laying hens, including egg production, egg quality, feed efficiency, and antioxidative activities. Additionally, the review examines the underlying mechanisms through which EOs exert their beneficial effects, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. In addition, the review identifies and discusses the challenges and limitations associated with the use of EOs in layer production, including issues related to dosage, administration methods, interactions with other feed components, and potential variations in EO composition and quality. By highlighting these challenges, the review offers insights into future research directions and practical recommendations for optimizing the use of EOs in layer production systems. Furthermore, this review paper distinguishes itself from existing literature by providing a comprehensive and critical review of the application of EOs in laying hen production, an area that has received limited attention previously. By synthesizing the current knowledge, this review aims to guide future investigations and facilitate the development of effective and sustainable strategies for incorporating EOs into layer production practices. 

Role of essential oils as feed additives in egg production and future perspectives

As the public has expressed increasing concerns regarding the humane raising and handling of farm animals, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and industry organizations have developed a series of standards enforcing animal welfare in the poultry industry. Labels and value-added claims were created and defined to differentiate products and to inform consumers’ purchasing decisions. This study identified five labels related to animal welfare that are frequently found on food packages in the U.S. grocery stores, including both the mandatory labels and third-party, voluntary labels. Using a controlled online experiment (N=249), we examined the labels’ effects on consumers’ perception of humane treatment and purchasing tendencies toward egg products. Results showed that while most consumers lack knowledge regarding the labels’ meaning and certification standards, they rely on the labels with simplistic terms (e.g., "certified humane," "cage free") as heuristic cues to judge the ethical treatment of hens on the farm. However, the selected labels did not lead consumers to pay a higher premium for the labeled products. We discussed the implications for regulators, food marketers, and agricultural communicators.

/pdf/consumers-evaluation-of-animal-welfare-labels-on-poultry-1lja83fu2v.pdf

Consumers’ Evaluation of Animal Welfare Labels on Poultry Products

Knowledge of agricultural practices has declined in recent years, resulting in consumers becoming uncertain of where and how their food has been produced and the marketing tactics used to promote the product. Historically, the U.S. population’s rich agricultural heritage coincided with higher levels of agricultural literacy. Some scholars, however, have maintained that U.S. culture has begun to lose touch with its agricultural foundations. More recent evidence has demonstrated that consumers acquire knowledge about their food from various media, most notably the Internet and social media. Often these sources use incorrect information and promote food and agricultural marketing trends that may not be grounded in scientific data. In response, this historical narrative analyzed a reform effort that occurred in U.S. food labeling policy and practice in the 1900s, which contributed to food labeling issues and consumer distrust in the agricultural industry. Based on the findings of this investigation, we concluded that food labels were initially intended to provide consumers with more profound knowledge of the food they purchased. However, key legislative acts such as the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act shifted the food labeling movement into a branding device to differentiate products and brands. We recommend that agricultural practitioners explore new ways to communicate their message more effectively. We also call for producers to incorporate more personal and emotional appeals when marketing agricultural products to better compete with third-party branding efforts.

A Historical Examination of Food Labeling Policies and Practices in the United States: Implications for Agricultural Communications

When purchasing food, many consumers have reported they question the ethical and humane treatment of products derived from animals at the point of purchase. To complicate this issue further, many U.S. consumers lack exposure, interaction, and involvement with the agricultural industry. As a result, they have reported a willingness to pay premium prices for meats, dairy, and eggs whose packaging suggests quality welfare practices. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was three-fold: (1) establish operational definitions for poorly understood poultry industry terms, i.e., cage-free, free-range, pasture-raised, and organic; (2) describe experts’ perceptions of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of poultry industry practices such as packaging, labels, and on-farm welfare practices; and (3) examine the egg production practices that may contribute to consumers’ concerns about hen welfare. To achieve this, I researched the phenomenon through a three-article anthology using a Delphi approach. In the first article, I used consensus building theory (CBT) to achieve consensus using a panel of experts regarding commonly misunderstood terms, i.e., cage-free, free-range, pasture-raised, and organic, used to market eggs to consumers. The second article examined experts’ perceptions of the strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of producers raising laying hens for niche markets. In the final article, I aimed to reach a consensus among the study’s selected expert panelists about the egg production practices that may contribute to consumers’ concerns about hen welfare. Findings from this study provided a better understanding of the perspectives of experts in the U.S. egg industry regarding commonly misunderstood egg labeling terms while also creating a case for food marketing and branding agencies to address product differentiation tactics that more effectively benefit consumers. Moving forward, future research should explore these issues more acutely to determine what strategies could be effective to reinvent food marketing ideology and develop more comprehensive food labeling policies. 

Experts� Views on Issues Affecting Egg Labeling in the United States: A Delphi Study

Advocating for Agricultural Education: The Lived Experiences of Secondary Teachers

Marketing Hemp: A Qualitative Exploration of Hemp Product Labeling Perceptions of Undergraduate Students at a Land-Grant University

Popular Tasks used by Researchers

How can I help with your research?

Get more enhanced response by uploading the PDFs you want me to reference.

No relevant PDFs in your library

SciSpace is the AI research assistant for academics. Run systematic literature reviews on 280M+ papers, and write papers with cited sources. Trusted by 1M+ students, PhDs & researchers.

SciSpace | AI for Research

We encountered an error while loading the panel. Please try refreshing the page.

Something went wrong

Analyze PDFs

Code & Manuscripts

Funding & Grants

Literature & Patents

Medical & Clinical Data

Systematic Review

Visualize & Present

Web & Data

Build a Google Scholar-like website for your research.

Build a website

Create charts and images for your research

Create a Chart

Write a paper for submission to a journal

Draft a manuscript

Patent Search

Design eye-catching scientific posters in minutes.

Scientific Poster Generation

Systematic Literature Review

Anyone with the link can view this chat. You can switch it back to private anytime.

One task is running at the moment. Your messages will be shown right after.

Drag and drop or click here to browse

Loved by <highlight>1 million+</highlight> researchers

Extract a list of specific topics and their sources from unstructured text

Topics

Compare and analyze relevant papers that matches with your search

Papers

Get insights from PDFs and bookmarked papers from your library

My library

Recent searches

Try searching for:

Catch AI-generated content in scholarly and non-scholarly content

{ai} Detector

Ai Writer

Get PDF Summaries, highlighted text explanations 

Chat with PDF

Effortlessly create in-text citations and bibliographies in APA and 2,500 other formats

Citation generator

Get explanations, summaries, and answers on academic papers

Ease up your research workflow with {scispace}'s cohort of exciting AI tools

Elevate your academic writing skills and convey your ideas the way you want

Paraphraser

Explore our range of reading and writing tools

Your file is being prepared and should be ready in a few minutes. If it's a large file, it might take a bit longer. You can close this window, and we'll email you the file when it's done.

You have reached a maximum limit of <strong>{limit}</strong> columns in the table. Remove at least <strong>1</strong> column to add or create another one.

Rexanna Powers

Author Tools

Chat about Author