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Composer writes symphony for chickens
Research suggests that listening to classical music can be beneficial to livestock.

The piece has been designed to improve chicken wellbeing.

Chickens on a farm in New Zealand were treated to a performance of a special symphony on Friday, 6 October.

Musicians from the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, smartly dressed as if in a concert hall, sat in a field to give a performance at the Bosktock Brothers farm in Hawke’s Bay.

Their feathered audience wandered around as the musicians played the new composition, Chook Symphony No. 1, which had been especially created for the chickens.

Scientific research has suggested that classical music can be beneficial for hens and other livestock, and so the Bostock Brothers decided to partner with the orchestra to try to boost the wellbeing of their free-range birds.

Composer Hamish Oliver tested different sounds and instruments to discover which ones the chickens responded to best.

Mr Oliver said: “The Bostock Brothers chickens were responsive to the viola, oboe, and bassoon, so I combined a string quartet with the squawkiest instruments of the woodwind family (oboe and bassoon) and added some inspiration from the chicken sound-world.”

The symphony combines these imitation chicken noises with a distinctly baroque sound.

The composer added: “It’s not everyday that composing opportunities for a feathered audience come up and this has been a new kind of musical challenge for me, a definite career highlight – a quirky project that has a serious intent and purpose behind it too.”

A recording of the symphony has been released on Spotify and YouTube.

 

Image (C) Shutterstock

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
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RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."