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Better Farming Ontario Featured Articles

Better Farming Ontario magazine is published 11 times per year. After each edition is published, we share featured articles online.


SL virtual reality game . . . for chickens

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

An assistant professor at Iowa State University has created what may be the first video game for chickens. Second Livestock, named after the online game Second Life, uses a virtual reality headset and an omnidirectional treadmill to give a caged bird the illusion of wandering around a field.

"Even the best-intentioned producers only have so much land available to raise chickens," says the Second Livestock website. 'Virtual Free Range' allows chickens to be truly free range with no confines on their movements about their virtual worlds."

So is this for real? Yes and no. The Ames Tribune reported that designer Austin Stewart debuted a version adapted for human use at an exhibition in Ames, Iowa. But, Stewart told the Tribune, implementing the full system for chickens would be too expensive to be practical. The game's true purpose is to open a discussion about animal husbandry. BF

Current Issue

November 2025

Better Farming Magazine

Farms.com Breaking News

CGC issues multiple licences in early November

Thursday, November 6, 2025

The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has been busy in the first week of November. The CGC issued four licences on Nov. 1 with three going to companies in Saskatchewan. Eskdale Seed Farm in Leross received a primary elevator licence. This type of licence goes to “an operator of an... Read this article online

Railroads push record grain shipments

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

As Ontario farmers wrap up a season marked by weather extremes and yield variability, Canada’s two major railways—Canadian National Railway Company (CN Rail) and Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (CPKC)—are reporting strong performance in moving corn, soybeans, and grain across the... Read this article online

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