In New Zealand, chicken meat is the largest single source of human campylobacter infections.1 Commercial and backyard poultry also contribute significantly to the spread of diseases in our wild bird populations.2
As surveyed within the Poultry Industry, there is high variability in how serious the farmers take biosecurity.3
MPI reports most of the thousands of chickens and fowls used each year being used for “animal husbandry” research. The majority of the birds used are killed for or in the end of the studies.4
The majority of publications we found on poultry revolved around maximising feeding efficiency and, therefore, profit. This is no surprise, with a retail value of 1.8 billion NZD and around 20 chickens consumed in NZ per capita each year, according to the Poultry Industry Association.5 The demand for their bodies and products creates an incentive for this research. You can learn more about the connection between animal testing and the business of animal agriculture here.
Similarly to the other animals used in farming, this creates a demand for animal experiments as the industry aims to:
- maximise the dollar output per animal;
- innovate its’ way out of climate obligations, as well as
- innovate its way into creating new consumer markets and product trends.
Chickens and markets.
While most chickens are used for research relating to animal agriculture, they are also used for other areas of research; some might surprise you!
For example, Chickens in NZ have been used for:
- agricultural research, including:
- the effect of particle size, preparation temperature, the chickens age or breed,
- how their digestion works
- testing cheaper feedstuffs (meat and bone meal)
- testing feed supplements
- interaction of different nutrients during digestion
- other industry related studies like
- developing easier testing of hormone levels
- testing painkillers and brain activity while in pain
- behaviour research, including:
- remembering a negative experience
- learning to extrapolate between objects and photos of the objects
- telling the duration of something
- if they lose motivation if the correct response at a task is a lot of work
- if expecting a small or big reward influences their behaviour
- studies around unwanted species control to investigate the used toxins
- research trying to model human eyesight in chicks
- cancer drug testing.
We barely found studies on the other species conflated under the “chicken/fowl” section by MPI. But we will keep looking.
Chickens used for science in NZ came mostly from commercial sources, with fewer birds sourced from farms and breeding units.
Discover real-life examples of how chickens have been used in NZ below! We chose a small selection of the studies around maximising feed digestibility or weight gain, as they are all very similar in their setup.
Testing the lead exposure of backyard chickens
Chickens and their eggs were tested for lead exposure.
Measuring chickens’ brain response to pain
Ten young hens were anaesthetised, and their reaction to different kinds of pain was measured in the brain. All were killed without waking up again.
Studying the effect of halothane on brain activity in chickens
Twelve hens were anaesthetised and intubated. Needle electrodes were used to measure brain activity.
Testing the effect of painkillers on lame and healthy chickens
Groups of lame/limping and healthy chickens were injected with sedatives or saline before several rounds of obstacle courses or forced standing were timed.
Testing the effects of probiotic and enzyme feed supplements in chickens
Over one thousand chicks were kept in floor pens or cages under 24-hour fluorescent lighting. Groups were fed test diets for different times before some were killed.
Studying if chickens behave the same as pigeons in reward tests
Hens were put in test chambers to peck to get rewards. The schedules and rewards differed.
Testing if hens can generalise between an object and its photo
Hens were trained to tell different Lego pieces apart. They were then tested on this.
Modelling shortsightedness of humans in chicks
Chicks were kept under different light conditions, with one eye covered for several days. All were killed after eye examinations.
Studying digestive muscle function of chickens
Young chickens were killed and immediately dissected to use their intestines for experiments.