The effects of free range keeping and cage system on the plumage status of Prelux-G laying hens
Kulcsszavak:
hens, plumage status, free range, battery cagesAbsztrakt
Plumage damage was measured on hens of Slovenian provenance Prelux-G in two housing systems. Hens were grown from one-day old as a single group on deep litter. At 18 weeks of age, they were randomly assigned to group of 113 hens in a conventional cage system (group I) and to a group of 50 hens and one cock in a free range system (group II). Plumage observations were performed individually at the age of 36 and 72 weeks. The body of a layer was divided into six parts that were measured for denuded areas. Two parts (wings-primary feathers and tail) were examined for damaged and broken feathers. Significantly worse plumage status was found on the head and neck above, head and neck below, breast and wings-coverts at both recordings (36 and 72 weeks) in the group I compared to group II. In contrast, group I had a significantly better feather status on the back compared to group II that is ascribed to the presence of a cock in group II. Denuded areas significantly increased with age for head and neck above in group I, for head and neck below in both groups and for back also in both groups. At the age of 72 weeks more damage for wing primaries was recorded in group I, while more damage for tail feathers was noticed in group II.
Hivatkozások
Appleby, M. C., Hughes, B. O. (1991). Welfare of laying hens in cages and alternative systems; environmental, physical and behavioural aspects. J. World Poult. Sci., 47(2), 109–128. https://doi.org/10.1079/WPS19910013
Bestman, M. W. P., Wagenaar, J. P. (2003). Farm level factors associated with feather pecking in organic laying hens. Livest. Prod. Sci., 80(1–2), 133–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(02)00314-7
Bilcik, B., Keeling, L. J. (1999). Changes in feather condition in relation to feather pecking and aggressive behaviour in laying hens. Br. Poult. Sci., 40(4), 444–451. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071669987188
Freire, R., Walker, A., Nicol, C. J. (1999). The relationship between trough height, feather cover, and behaviour in laying hens in modified cages. Appl. Anim. Beh. Sci., 63(1), 55–64. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(98)00244-5
Hughes, B. O. (1980). Feather damage in hens caged individually. Br. Poult. Sci., 21(3), 149–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071668008416652
Keppler, C., Trei, G., Lange, K., Hörning, B., Fölsch, D. W. (2001). Beurteilung des Integuments bei Legehennen – eine Möglichkeit zur Bewertung von Haltungssystemen und Herkünften in der alternativen Legehennenhaltung? In: Tierschutz und Nutztierhaltung. 15 – IGN – Tagung, Halle – Kröllwitz, 4–6 okt. 2001. Martin – Luther – Universität, Halle – Wittenberg, Landwirtschaftliche Fakultät, Institut für Tierzucht und Tierhaltung. 118–123.
Kjaer, J. (2000). Diurnal rhythm of feather pecking behaviour and condition of integument in four strains of loose housed laying hens. Appl. Anim. Beh. Sci., 65(4), 331–347. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(99)00064-7
LaBrash, L. F., Scheideler, S. E. (2005). Farm feather condition score survey of commercial laying hens. J. Appl. Poult. Res., 14(4), 740–744. https://doi.org/10.1093/japr/14.4.740
Mahboub, H. D. H. (2004). Feather pecking, body condition and outdoor use of two genotypes of laying hens housed in different free range systems. Thesis for the degree of Doctor medicinae veterinariae. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Leipzig. 1–89.
Oden, K., Vestergaard, K. S., Algers, B. (1999). Agonistic behaviour and feather pecking in single-sexed and mixed groups of laying hens. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 62(2–3), 219–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-1591(98)00226-3
SAS/STAT User's Guide. 2000. Version 8. Vol. 2. Cary, SAS Institute.
Tauson, R. (1984). Plumage condition in SCWL laying hens kept in conventional cages of different designs. Acta Agric. Scand., 34(2), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1080/00015128409435391
Tauson, R., Kjaer, J., Maria, G. A., Cepero, R., Holm, K. E. (2005). Applied scoring of integument and health in laying hens. 7th The European Symposium on Poultry Welfare, WPSA Polish Branch, Agricultural University in Lublin, 15–19 June 2005.
Ward, J. M., Houston, D. C., Ruxton, G. D., McCafferty, D. J., Cook, P. (2001). Thermal resistance of chicken (Gallus domesticus) plumage: a comparison between broiler and free range birds. Br. Poult. Sci., 42(5), 558–563. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071660120088335
Letöltések
Megjelent
Folyóirat szám
Rovat
License
Copyright (c) 2006 Dušan Terčič, Špela Malovrh, Antonija Holcman

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
