Introduction to Virtual Reality for Hens
Watching videos of free-range environments can have a positive impact on the welfare and health of hens, based on a recent study by researchers at Iowa State University. The study used virtual reality technology to simulate a free-range environment in laying hen housing, with interesting results.
The Pilot Study
The pilot study, led by Melha Mellata and Graham Redweik, involved displaying video projections of chickens in free-range environments to a gaggle of 34 hens from business poultry flocks. The videos were shown on all 4 partitions of their housing over a period of 5 days, during a high-risk period for stress. The visual-only recordings showed diverse groups of free-range chickens performing activities related to positive poultry behaviors, akin to preening, perching, dust-bathing, and nesting.
Methodology
The researchers compared the outcomes of the treatment group to a control group of the identical size and age in the identical variety of housing, but without the video projections. After the treatment period, the researchers analyzed blood and tissues from the chickens, in addition to samples of their intestinal microbiota. The results showed that the chickens within the treatment group had lower indicators of stress and an increased resistance to Avian Pathogenic E. coli bacteria.
Benefits of Virtual Reality for Hens
The study found that showing hens VR scenes of chickens in additional natural environments reduced indicators of stress within the hens’ blood and gut microbiota. The VR scenes also induced biochemical changes related to increased resistance to E. coli bacteria, which poses health risks to poultry and to humans who eat contaminated eggs. According to Mellata, "hens in free-range environments do tend to interact more often in positive, ‘normal’ behaviors that appear to reinforce their overall health and immunity."
Future Research
The team hopes to expand the research to conduct the same study over an extended time, with more chickens and chickens at different stages, to see if the outcomes will be replicated. Future research in collaboration with partners in veterinary medicine can be needed to research the neurochemical mechanisms linking the visual stimuli to changes within the chickens’ intestines.
Conclusion
The use of virtual reality technology to simulate free-range environments for hens shows promise as a straightforward and comparatively inexpensive option to improve poultry health in confined environments and improve food safety. While more research is required, the outcomes of this pilot study are intriguing and suggest that virtual reality could possibly be a worthwhile tool in reducing infections and the necessity for antibiotics in egg production. With further study, virtual reality could develop into a key component in promoting the welfare and health of hens in business poultry flocks.
