Karen Schwean-Lardner is an associate professor at the University of Saskatchewan, working with turkeys, broilers and laying hens. Her work is often multi-dimensional, using production, behaviour and physiological indicators, to examine how various management practices impact both the welfare and productivity of birds.  Karen completed her B.Sc. (thesis – equine behaviour), M.Sc. (thesis – Alternative Housing Systems for Laying Hens) and her Ph.D. (Impact of Daylength on Broiler Production and Welfare) at the University of Saskatchewan. During the time of and after completing her Ph.D., she managed the University of Saskatchewan Poultry Research and Teaching Centre, giving her considerable experience in the production aspects of poultry production.  She is also heavily involved in teaching poultry sciences, including production and management, but also behaviour and welfare of poultry and other livestock species.

Animal and Poultry Science

Poultry welfare
Poultry management
Poultry production
Turkeys
Broilers
Laying hens

B. Sc. (Agr), University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. 1984. Department of Animal & Poultry Science, Animal Science Major. 
M. Sc., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. 1995. Poultry welfare and management
Ph. D., University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. 2011. Broiler welfare and management

Herwig, E., K. Schwean-Lardner, A. Van Kessel, R. Savary, and H.L. Classen. 2020. Assessing the effect of starch digestion characteristics on ileal brake activation in broiler chickens. PLOS ONE https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228647.

Baker, B., K.L. Machin, and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2019. When pain and stress interact: looking at stress-induced analgesia and stress-induced hyperalgesia in birds. World Poultry Science Journal 75:457-468.

Bandara, R.M.A.S., S. Torrey, P. Turner, A. zur Linden, A. Bolinder, K. Schwean-Lardner, and T. Widowski. 2019. Efficacy of a novel mechanical cervical dislocation device in comparison to manual cervical dislocation in layer chickens. Animals 9, 407; doi:10.3390/ani9070407.

Hughes, C., S. Struthers, T. Shynkaruk, S. Gomis, A. Gupta, and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2020. Research Note: Beak morphology of infrared beak-treated laying hens and its impact on production and welfare. Poultry Science 99:1395-1399.

Struthers, S., A. Gupta, S. Gomis, E. Herwig, and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2019. Understanding how infrared beak treatment affects the beak tissue and the healing response of brown and white feathered layer pullets. Animals 9, 665; doi:10.3390/ani9090665.

Herwig, E., H.L. Classen, C.L. Walk, M. Bedford, and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2019. Dietary inositol reduced fearfulness and avoidance in laying hens. Animals 9, 938; doi:10.3390/ani9110938.

Hernandez, E., F. James, S. Torrey, T. Widowski, K. Schwean-Lardner, G. Monteith, and P. Turner. Evaluation of brain death in laying hens during on-farm killing by cervical dislocation or pentobarbital sodium injection. Frontiers in Veterinary Medicine 03 https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2019.00297.

Bandara, R.M.A.S., S. Torrey, P. Turner, A. zur Linden, A. Bolinder, K. Schwean-Lardner and T. Widowski. Efficacy of a novel mechanical cervical dislocation device in comparison to manual cervical dislocation in layer chickens. Animals. 9, 407; doi: 10.3390/ani9070407.

Struthers, S., H.L. Classen, S. Gomis and K. Schwean-Lardner. The impact of beak tissue sloughing and beak shape variation on the behavior and welfare of infrared beak-treated layer pullets and hens. Poultry Science (Editor’s Choice) 98:4269-4281. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez274

Hernandez, E., F. James, S. Torrey, T. Widowski, K. Schwean-Lardner, G. Monteith and P. Turner. Electroencephalograhic, physiologic and behavioural responses during cervical dislocation euthanasia in turkeys. BMC Veterinary Research 15:132 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-019-1885-x

Struthers, S., H.L. Classen, S. Gomis and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2019. The effect of beak tissue sloughing and post-treatment beak shape on the productivity of infrared beak treated layer pullets and hens. Poultry Science 98:3637-3646. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez230 

Beaulac, K., H.L. Classen, S. Gomis, K.S. Sakamoto, T.G. Crowe and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2019. The effect of stocking density on turkey tom performance and environment to 16 weeks of age. Poultry Science 98:2846-2857. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez087

Herwig, E., D. Abbott, K. Schwean-Lardner and H.L. Classen. 2019. Assessing the effect of rate and extent of starch digestion on laying hen performance. Poultry Science 98:2940-2947. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez044

Bandara, R. M. A. S., S. Torrey, P. V. Turner, K. Schwean-Lardner, and T. Widowski. 2019. Anatomical pathology, behavioral, and physiological responses induced by application of non-penetrating captive bolt devices in layer chickens. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 28. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2019.00089

Wang, A., K. Schwean-Lardner and N. Hogan. 2019.  Feed preference and feeding behaviours in growing broilers fed diets containing wheat naturally contaminated with fusarium mycotoxins. British Poultry Science 60:309-316. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071668.2019.1596224

Shynkaruk, T., H.L. Classen, T.G. Crowe and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2019. The impact of dark exposure on broiler feeding behavior and weight of gastrointestinal tract segments and contents. Poultry Science 98:2448-2458. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pez018

Herwig, E., D. Abbott, K. Schwean-Lardner and H.L. Classen. 2019. Effect of rate and extent of starch digestion on broiler chicken performance. Poultry Science 98:3676-3684. https://doi.org/10.3382/ps/pey580

Baker, B., S. Torrey, T. M. Widowski, P. V. Turner, T. D. Knezacek, J. Nichols, T. G. Crowe and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2019. Evaluation of carbon dioxide induction methods for the euthanasia of day-old cull broiler chicks. Poultry Science (Editor’s Choice) 98:2043-2053

Herwig, E., H. L. Classen and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2018. Assessing the effect of rate and extent of starch digestion in broiler and laying hen feeding behaviour. Applied Animal Behaviour Science. 211:54-60

Beaulac, K. and K. Schwean-Lardner. 2018. Assessing the effects of stocking density on turkey tom health and welfare to 16 weeks of age. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 5, 213 https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00213

Brockhoff, E., J. Brown, M. Cockram, T. Crowe, L. Faucitano, D. Haley, K. Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K. Schwean-Lardner, J. StoPeer jkov and F. Rioja-Lang. 2018. Review of scientific research on priority welfare issues for the code of practice for the care and handling of farm animals: transportation. https://www.nfacc.ca/resources/codes-of-practice/transport/transportation_sc_report_mar2018.pdf

Woolcott, C. R.., S. Torrey, P. Turner, H. Chalmers, L. Levison, K. Schwean-Lardner and T. Widowski. 2018. Assessing a method of mechanical cervical dislocation as a humane option for on-farm killing using anesthetized poults and young turkeys. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. 5, 275. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2018.00275

Kumar, D., C. Raginski, K. Schwean-Lardner and H.L. Classen. 2018. Assessing the response of hen weight, body composition, feather score, egg quality and level of excreta nitrogen content to digestible balanced protein intake of laying hens. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 98:619-630

Kumar, D., C. Raginski, K. Schwean-Lardner and H.L. Classen. 2018. Assessing the performance response of laying hens to intake levels of digestible balanced protein from 27 to 66 weeks of age.  Canadian Journal of Animal Science 98:801-808.

Henrikson, Z.A., C.J. Vermette, K. Schwean-Lardner and T.G. Crowe. 2018. Effects of cold exposure on physiology, meat quality, and behavior of turkey hens and toms crated at transport density. Poultry Science 97:347-357.

Aviagen Inc.
Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan
Chicken Farmers of Canada
Egg Farmers of Saskatchewan
Egg Farmers of Alberta
Egg Farmers of Canada
Canadian Poultry Research Council
NSERC

Poultry Related Courses:

ANSC 440.3 Poultry Production and Aquaculture

VLAC 310 Animal Production and Management II (Poultry Section)
Animal Science 212 Livestock and Poultry Production (Poultry Section)

Welfare Related Courses:

ANSC 811 Welfare of Agriculture Animals 
ANBI 411 Social Behaviour of Domestic Anim 
Undergraduate Thesis Supervision
ANSC 492.3 and 494.6