STUDY ON THE EFFECT OF STOCKING DENSITY AND FLOOR SPACE ALLOWANCE ON BEHAVIOUR, HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

thenative breed were used in this investigation (sex ratio equal to one).Birds were randomly assigned into 3 groups, each of 20 broilers, 10males and 10 females. Each group was housed under the prevalentenvironmental conditions in a well ventilated and well lighted room withdifferent floor areas according to the experimented stocking density.Birds were freely fed the commercial concentrate mixture for thegrowing turkey broilers where the maximum necessary number offeeders was eventually distributed through the room. Drinking tap waterwas freely available throughout the experiment. Each group of theexperimented turkeys was reared from one week old to 12 weeks oldunder. one of the following stocking densities: 1-Treatment one CEESbirds / m’ where the total floor area = 4 m* 2-Treatment two (T2): 6.5birds / m? where the total floor area = 3.08 m? 3-Treatment three (T3): 8birds / m? where the total floor area = 2.5 m? . The behavior of thebroilers under experiment was observed and recorded. Plasmacorticosterone level was estimated. Body weight was calculated and itshealth status was observed. The obtained results indicated that turkeywelfare was poorer at the highest stocking density with a significantreflection on their behavior, blood corticosterone level, body weight andhealth status. Therefore, stocking density and floor space allowance mustput in consideration during rearing of turkeys and construction of theirfarms.