Tech x FAW reading group discussion topic list

[rhjiang]

Comment new ideas below, and I'll periodically go through and add to the index below. Please alert me if you think I've neglected to add something.

Context

I'm copying over topics that have been suggested in this thread about setting up the reading group as well as this PollUnit page. I'm not 100% sure what's the best platform/format to organize topic suggestions. Ideally, we have the ability to vote/react and comment, while also not having things get too messy long-term with prior discussion topics hanging around. I also want it to feel low-stakes to contribute an idea -- if something comes to mind, we can add it to the list, but we can later decide to take it off. For now, let's add ideas in comments on this thread, and organize them via an index up top.

Topics index

In no particular order:

• Autonomously euthanizing lame broiler chickens
  • Mortality prediction for broiler chickens (predict fatal lameness early on)
• Autonomously collecting eggs + cleaning manure from floors of battery cages
• Improved chicken slaughter tech
  • More effective stunning
  • Alternatives to hanging upside down
  • More effective throat cutting that doesn't miss (or detection of misses)
• Are there automation bottlenecks for in-ovo sexing, like pick-and-place?
• Reducing aggression in pregnant pigs, toward eliminating gestation crates?
• Environmental monitoring
  • In aquaculture (January 4 2026. Discussion page, discussion summary)
• Enrichment
  • Matrix/VR for caged animals
• Solutions for sea lice?
• Tamper-proof third-party validation of welfare measures/interventions
• Gene drives to eradicate screwworms
• Frog stunner
• Solutions for discarded "Ghost Gear," like degradable/retrievable nets
• Ways to render animals unconscious for slaughter
• Develop windows visible for birds, reducing deadly collision
• Improvements in bioreactors for cultivated meat
• Improvements in poultry biosecurity
• Reduce incidence of keel bone fractures via safer aviary systems (February 1 2026. Discussion page, discussion summary)
• In-ovo programming of chickens
• Automation for cultivated meat (March 1 2026. Discussion page, discussion summary)
• Aeration in aquaculture (March 29 2026, Discussion page)

[rhjiang]

Autonomously euthanizing lame broiler chickens

[rhjiang]

Autonomously collecting eggs + cleaning manure from floors of battery cages

[rhjiang]

Improved chicken slaughter tech

• More effective stunning
• Alternatives to hanging upside down
• More effective throat cutting that doesn't miss (or detection of misses)

[rhjiang]

Are there automation bottlenecks for in-ovo sexing, like pick-and-place?

[rhjiang]

Reducing aggression in pregnant pigs, toward eliminating gestation crates?

[rhjiang]

Environmental monitoring

[rhjiang]

Enrichment

• e.g., matrix/VR for caged animals

[rhjiang]

Solutions for sea lice?

[rhjiang]

Tamper-proof third-party validation of welfare measures/interventions

[rhjiang]

Gene drives to eradicate screwworms

[rhjiang]

Frog stunner

[rhjiang]

Solutions for discarded "Ghost Gear," like degradable/retrievable nets

[rhjiang]

Ways to render animals unconscious for slaughter

Description contributed by Fabian:
Sounds strange, but why not make a paradigm shift > many people wish to die while asleep > no fear, no death experience, just going to sleep and not waking up > could it be favourable for non-human animals as well?

What is needed to make that happen for mass slaughtering > How to make animals go fall asleep (w/out a sledge hammer) and then take them off.

First stupid thought (and not what I would call "kill asleep" but anyway: close main artery and make them go dizzy, drunk and blackout.

[rhjiang]

Develop windows visible for birds, reducing deadly collision

[rhjiang]

Improvements in bioreactors for cultivated meat

[JoePaterJoePaterJoePater]

Improvements to poultry biosecurity

[JoePaterJoePaterJoePater]

Possibly more tractable as this is aligned with industry goals.
Viral infections (e.g. H5N1) cause both suffering due to the illness and suffering due to mass depopulation. Plus, the dead birds need replacing.
Bacterial infections are responsible for BCO, which is the biggest cause of lameness and generally a big issue in poultry.

[robert-iaa]

Possibly relevant: https://www.cuimc.columbia.edu/news/columbia-test-new-strategy-curbing-bird-flu-poultry-farms

[JoePaterJoePaterJoePater]

Reduce incidence of keel bone fractures via safer aviary systems

[JoePaterJoePaterJoePater]

One of the disadvantages of cage-free systems is much higher prevalence of keel bone fractures (up to 97%!) due to the silly birds jumping off things. Perhaps aviary systems can be designed with more protections against injury.

[JoePaterJoePaterJoePater]

In-ovo programming of chickens

[JoePaterJoePaterJoePater]

There's some research showing that you can do things to eggs before they hatch that affect the physiology of the live chickens:

• Temperature: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0032579119321765?via%3Dihub
• Injection of pre- and pro-biotics before hatch: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/veterinary-science/articles/10.3389/fvets.2021.658301/full