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OpticFlock: Automated Monitoring of Broiler Chicken Behavior That Prioritizes Animal Welfare 

Year Awarded  2020

FFAR award amount   $232,063

Total award amount   $232,063

Location   Oxford, United Kingdom

Program   SMART Broiler

Matching Funders   McDonald’s Corporation, Munters and Tyson Foods

Grantee Institution   University of Oxford

Existing methods for assessing animal welfare rely on human observation and subjective scoring, which can be inaccurate and time consuming. University of Oxford researchers are testing a novel camera/computer system, called OPTICFLOCK, inside chicken houses to monitor bird behavior and alert producers to early signs of welfare issues, like foot pad lesions and lameness.

FFAR Applauds RIPE Research Team for Breakthrough in Crop Engineering that Boosts Crop Yield by Almost 50 Percent 

A Practical Phenotypic Solution to Reduce Keel & Skeletal Bone Damage in Laying Hens 

Year Awarded  2017

FFAR award amount   $243,296

Total award amount   $486,594

Location   Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Matching Funders   Open Philanthropy Project

Grantee Institution   University of Edinburgh

Keel, or breastbone fractures, which cause pain and decrease egg production, are a challenge to raising hens in cage-free housing systems. To improve the health and productivity of egg-laying hens and prevent these fractures, University of Edinburgh researchers are developing an x-ray-based measurement system for on-farm use to breed hens with stronger bones.