
Online training modules developed by the International Poultry Welfare Alliance and the Center for the Optimization of Poultry (COOP) at Fresno State University offer education and training about welfare for broilers, turkeys and layers.
There is a lack of welfare training at universities and colleges with poultry departments across the U.S., said Dr. Katy Tarrant, co-chair of the education and training committee and director of COOP at the 2025 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta.
“When we think about welfare and when we think about preparing, studying for the poultry industry with knowledge topics about welfare, there is a lack of these types of resources,” she added.
Designed for ease of use
The interactive format of the online modules means that training workers about poultry welfare can be conducted asynchronously at any time, making it easy for a diverse audience, including higher education learners, industry professionals and executives, to use.
The development of these modules was focused on ease of use, schedule flexibility and location independence to benefit autonomous adult learners economically with a positive impact on learning, Tarrant said.
The modules are aligned with the key performance indicator (KPI) guides on broiler, turkey and layer welfare published by IPWA.
Going forward
The online training module went in person at IPPE, where users were encouraged to gather together to use the training modules in person. Future events are also planned.
The online training modules are also experimenting with extended reality, which Tarrant said improves engagement and experiential learning, allowing users to visualize concepts and provide spatial learning.