Institute of Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry (ITT)

Research projects

Heart rate variability in hens selected on feather pecking behaviour
Investigation of pecking preferences in chickens from layer lines divergently selected on feather pecking behaviour

Research topics

• My areas of research are mainly connected to welfare in poultry and other birds. The behaviour, health and physiology of different laying strains in egg production systems alternative to battery cages have been a key issue. 
• Genetic studies on feather pecking have been conducted resulting in divergent selection lines differing in level of feather pecking. Selection lines differing in general locomotor activity are in development.  
• Keywords: poultry science, poultry welfare, laying hens, broilers, game birds, ethology, genetics, genomics, cognitive tests, stress physiology, locomotor activity, corticosterone, feather pecking, cannibalism, foot pad dermatitis