Providing organic macro minerals and an elevated platform improved tibia characteristics, and increased locomotion and performance of fast- and slower-growing broilers

Abstract

Improving leg health will support broiler health and welfare. Known factors to improve leg health are: replacing inorganic by organic macro minerals in the diet, providing environmental enrichments and using slower-growing broilers. However, it remains unknown how fast- and slower-growing broilers respond to a combination of providing organic macro minerals and an elevated platform as enrichment with regard to leg health. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify whether a combined treatment of organic macro minerals and a platform affected leg health, tibia characteristics, behavior and performance of fast- and slower-growing broilers in a semicommercial setting. The experiment had a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 12.800 fast-growing (Ross 308) and 12.800 slower-growing (Hubbard JA757) broilers that were randomly allocated to a control (i.e., inorganic macro minerals without enrichment) or adapted treatment (i.e., organic macro minerals and a platform). Broilers were housed in groups of 800 per pen (47.5 m2), with 8 replicates per treatment (total of 32 pens). Performance was measured weekly and over the total rearing period. Behavior was observed via scan sampling at a target weight of 0.6 and 1.9 kg for both breeds. Walking ability (gait score), footpad dermatitis, and hock burn were assessed in 10 broilers per pen just prior to slaughter weight. Leg disorders and tibia characteristics were assessed in the same broilers at slaughter weight (2.3 kg). Hardly any interaction effects between breed and treatment were found on leg health, tibia characteristics, behavior or performance, suggesting fast- and slower-growing broilers responded to the treatment similarly. The adapted treatment improved tibia characteristics, and increased locomotion and performance, but did not affect leg disorders, walking ability or contact dermatitis in both fast- and slower-growing broilers. The positive effects of the adapted treatment on tibia characteristics in both fast- and slower-growing broilers may improve leg health, although the current study did not confirm this for leg disorders, walking ability or contact dermatitis.