Wire Floors Research Articles

Dietary inclusion of phytase and stimbiotic decreases mortality and lameness in a wire ramp challenge model in broilers

ABSTRACT Lameness due to bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is an infection of weak bone by opportunistic bacteria that infiltrate the circulation as a result of immune suppression or gastrointestinal deterioration. One mitigating strategy is the dietary inclusion of products to support overall broiler robustness and bone health. To test the ability of phytase and stimbiotic supplements to alleviate lameness, broilers were reared for 56 days on either litter flooring or wire ramps to induce BCO and fed one of 6 diets: positive control (PC); negative control (NC, Ca and P deficient); PC plus stimbiotic; PC plus stimbiotic and phytase; NC plus phytase; NC plus stimbiotic and phytase. Stimbiotic was added at 100 g/tonne, and phytase at 3000 FTU/kg. Birds were scored for BCO on d56, or when culled for lameness. All-cause mortality was higher on ramp as compared to litter, regardless of treatment. Lameness was significantly induced by wire ramps, with the greatest incidence in the NC diet. Importantly, the addition of stimbiotic and phytase to the NC diet reduced lameness by ∼50%. Femur BCO scores were similarly reduced, with ∼60% of femurs scored ≥1 in the NC group compared to 30–37% in stimbiotic and phytase supplemented groups, indicating that these supplements can impact the onset/progression of lameness in poultry. There was no correlation between plasma and bone inositol levels; however, wire flooring reduced bone inositol, regardless of diet. Additionally, blood pH was greater and circulating PCO2, HCO3, BE, TCO2, K, haematocrit, and haemoglobin were lower on ramp compared to litter flooring. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Wire ramp model reproducibly induced lameness/BCO in broilers. Treatments did not affect growth, but phytase with stimbiotic significantly reduced BCO. Phytase increased circulating inositol, and wire flooring decreased bone inositol.

Deoxynivalenol and fumonisin predispose broilers to bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis lameness

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness is the most critical animal health and welfare issue facing the broiler industry worldwide. It is estimated that 1 to 2% of bird condemnation at marketing age is caused by BCO lameness, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in annual losses. Fast-growing broilers are prone to mechanical stress that triggers bacterial translocation across epithelial barriers into the bloodstream, followed by bacterial colonization in the growth plate of long bones, and eventually, bone necrosis and lameness. Mycotoxins (MTX) are secondary metabolites produced naturally by microfungi, of which deoxynivalenol (DON), fumonisin (FUM), and zearalenone are the most prevalent in corn and soybean-meal-based diets. The presence of these mycotoxins in feed has been proven to reduce the barrier strength of the intestinal tracts and trigger immunosuppressive effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of the DON and FUM-contaminated feeds on the incidence of BCO lameness in broilers reared in both wire- and litter-floors. 720 one-day-old broiler chicks were assigned to the 2 × 2 factorial design: 2 MTX diets containing DON and FUM on wire flooring (MTX-W) and litter flooring (MTX-L), and 2 diets without MTX contamination on control wire flooring (CW) and control litter flooring (CL). Throughout the trial, the cumulative incidence of lameness per treatment was assessed by necropsying the lame birds. Birds in the MTX-W group had a higher incidence of lameness compared to those in CW (73.3% vs. 62.0%) (P < 0.05), and birds in the MTX-L group had a higher incidence of lameness compared to birds in CL (54.0% vs. 34.0%) (P < 0.05). MTX elicited net increases in BCO to a greater degree on litter (+20%) than on wire flooring (+12%). The increased incidence of BCO lameness in the MTX-W coincided with increased intestinal permeability supporting a correlation between intestinal barrier integrity and BCO lameness. To conclude, DON and FUM are predisposing factors for increasing BCO. However, no significant interaction exists between the diet and floor types in inducing lameness in broilers.

Bone Marrow and Blood Pictures of Broilers with BCO

The aim is to describe the hematology of broilers raised on sloped wire flooring in order to induce a high frequency of Bacterial Chondronecrosis With Osteomyelitis (BCO). Blood and bone marrow samples were obtained on d49 or d50 from both a pure strain and a cross, all were symptomatic

The Type of Floor and its Impact on the Growth, Physiological and Performance of Broilers

This study was conducted to find out the effect of floor type on the growth, some physiological characteristics and welfare standards for broilers. 120 unsexed one-day-old ROSS 308 broiler chicks were used. The study included two groups with three replicates (20 birds for each replicate). The first treatment, the birds were raised on the Rice husks litter, and the second treatment the birds were raised on a wire floor, 15 cm high. Feed and water were provided freely throughout the study period. The results showed that raising broilers on different floor type did not show significant differences in body weight, weight gain rate and feed conversion factor between groups, and significant differences were found in feed consumption in favor of the second treatment at the age of 21 days, and no significant differences appeared in the standards of productive performance. for broilers at the age of 38 days, and there were no significant differences in the percentage of dressing, the relative weight of the internal organs and the concentration of ammonia NH3 gas, while rearing on the wire floor reduced the concentration of carbon dioxide Co2 and raised the body temperature of the birds raised on the wire floor, there was a significant improvement in measures of well-being, the incidence of inflammation of the hock burn and footpad dermatitis. The biochemical and hormonal characteristics were not significantly affected when raising birds on wire floor, and there was an improvement in the level of antioxidants in the bird’s body through an increase in GSH. We conclude from this study that raising broilers on the wire floor did not affect the productive performance, but it improved the status of antioxidants and welfare standards for broilers.

The effects of age, size, and cage complexity on the behaviour of farmed female chinchillas (Chinchilla lanigera)

Even though chinchillas have been farmed for a century, there are not many studies concerning their behaviour in captivity or their optimal housing conditions, both of which are important factors in the assessment of their welfare. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different cage types on chinchillas’ behaviour and their reactions towards humans. Female chinchillas (n = 12) were kept in three types of cages: standard with a wire floor (S); standard with a deep litter floor of shavings (SR); and enlarged with a deep litter floor of shavings (LR). Animals spent 11 weeks in each type of cage. The chinchillas’ reactions toward humans were observed via intruder test. Ethograms were prepared based on round-the-clock video recordings. The activity of the chinchillas was compared, taking into account the different cage types and the animals’ varying responses to the hand test. The generalized ordered logistic regression model was used to ascertain whether cage type has an effect on a chinchilla’s behaviour towards humans. To compare the time distribution of various activity between chinchillas, the non-parametric Scheirer–Ray–Hare test was used. Animals kept in LR cages presented significantly less timid reactions in comparison to those kept in S and SR cages. The chinchillas spent most of their time resting (68% of the day), in locomotion (23%), and eating or drinking (8%); they spent only 1% on grooming behaviour. Cage enrichment generally reduced the fear of humans. However, the average chinchilla response to the hand test was classified in each type of cage as “cautious”. Analyses of the ethograms indicated that the chinchillas were active mostly during the dark stage of the day. In conclusion, the larger cage size and its enrichment (particularly litter) reduced the fearfulness and passivity of the animals, which could be evidence of better welfare conditions.

PSIII-5 Effect of Graded Eimeria Vaccine Challenges on Broiler Chicken Performance

Abstract Infection with apicomplexan parasites of the genus Eimeria causes damage to gastrointestinal epithelial cells and increases the malabsorption of nutrients in broiler chickens, resulting in depressed performance and economic loss. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of graded Eimeria vaccine challenges on growth performance, oocyst shedding, and plasma carotenoid levels. A total of 140 one-day-old Cobb 500 broiler chicks (55.49 ± 2.55 g BW) were housed in environmentally controlled Petersime battery brooders with modified wire floors, containing 5 birds per pen with 7 replicate pens per treatment. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments: a negative control and 3 positive treatments that received 15×, 20×, or 25× the recommended vaccination dose. At 10 d of age, positive treatment birds orally received the ADVENT coccidiosis vaccine containing unattenuated strains of Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria tenella. Body weight, average daily gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were determined after 10, 15, and 20 d of age. On d 15 and 20, one random bird per pen was bled for plasma carotenoid analysis and feces from each pen was collected for oocyst quantification. Body weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio were significantly depressed (P &amp;lt; 0.05) among all positive treatments when compared with the negative control on d 20, but no treatment effect on feed intake was observed. Similarly, birds in positive treatment groups had decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) plasma carotenoid levels and greater (P &amp;lt; 0.05) oocysts per gram of feces than the negative control on d 20. No differences were observed in performance, plasma carotenoid levels, and fecal oocysts among treatments on d 15. These results indicate that 15, 20, or 25 doses of the ADVENT vaccine can be used to replicate subclinical coccidiosis in broiler chickens.

Impact of experimentally induced bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lameness on health, stress, and leg health parameters in broilers

Stress and lameness negatively affect the health, production, and welfare of broilers. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is a leading cause of stress and lameness in commercial broilers. External changes in skin temperature related to changes in blood flow can be detected with infrared thermography (IRT), offering a noninvasive tool to assess the health of animals. This study compared physiological and noninvasive measures of stress and lameness in clinically healthy and lame male broiler chickens between 25 and 56 d. Birds were raised in pens within separate environmental chambers containing either litter flooring (sound) or wire flooring, with the latter established to induce BCO lameness (lame). Physiological and noninvasive measures of stress and lameness were collected: body weight, (BW), relative bursa weight, core body temperature, corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in serum and feathers, surface temperatures of the head (eye and beak) and leg (hock, shank, and foot) regions by infrared thermography (IRT), leg blood oxygen saturation (leg O2), and BCO lesion severity scores of tibial head necrosis (THN) and femoral head necrosis (FHN). Lame birds exhibited greater FHN and THN lesion severities, core body temperatures, and serum CORT (P < 0.05), but had lower BW, relative bursa weight, leg O2, and IRT surface temperatures of the beak, hock, shank, and foot compared with sound birds (P < 0.05). The difference in THN lesion severity between sound and lame birds decreased with age. Linear relationships between leg O2 with IRT leg surface temperatures were positive and negative between leg O2 with BCO lesion severity (P < 0.05). There were negative correlations between serum CORT with hock, shank and foot temperatures (P < 0.001), indicating that BCO is stressful. These results indicate that birds lame from BCO are stressed, have reduced oxygen saturation of blood in their legs, and that IRT surface temperatures can be used as noninvasive indicators of stress and lameness in broilers.

Chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers: further defining a bacterial challenge model using standard litter flooring and protection with probiotics

This report demonstrates that high levels of lameness can be induced by a limited bacterial challenge in drinking water for birds raised on litter flooring, comparable with lameness induced by the gold standard for inducing lameness, growth on suspended wire flooring. The bacterium used in the challenge was cultured from lesions in birds induced for bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) in the wire-flooring model so the epidemiology appears similar. The litter-flooring model could better approximate broiler operations. Furthermore, the work demonstrates that 2 commercial probiotics (GalliProTect and GalliProMax) can reduce lameness in the bacterial challenge litter-flooring model. Lameness attributable to BCO is one of the most significant animal welfare issues for broiler production. The wire-flooring and litter-flooring models afford alternatives for understanding the etiology, and epidemiology of BCO, and development of management strategies to reduce lameness. Probiotics afford a promising management strategy. The results suggest that the probiotic protection may extend beyond just intestinal health and intestinal barrier function.

Chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers: further defining lameness-inducing models with wire or litter flooring to evaluate protection with organic trace minerals

The feed additive Availa-ZMC was investigated for the ability to reduce lameness in broilers using 2 alternative models for inducing lameness. The mixture of organic trace minerals was effective in reducing lameness by 20% in the wire flooring model and 25% in the litter flooring model with the bacterial challenge. Lameness in both models is overwhelmingly attributable to bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis. The reduction in lameness was associated, at least in part, with enhanced intestinal barrier integrity mediated by elevated expression of tight junction proteins and stimulation of bactericidal killing of adherent peripheral blood monocytes obtained from the birds treated with Availa-ZMC. Lameness is a major animal welfare concern in broiler production. The wire flooring model and litter flooring model with the bacterial challenge are effective models for evaluation of management strategies for mitigating infectious causes of lameness.

A risk assessment of health, production, and resource occupancy for 4 laying hen strains across the lay cycle in a commercial-style aviary system

Different strains of commercial laying hens have been molded by varying selection pressures, impacting their production, health, and behavior. Therefore, assumptions that all laying hen strains use the given resources within aviary systems similarly and maintain equal health and performance may be false. We investigated interactions among patterns of aviary resource use by 2 strains of white and 2 strains of brown laying hens (4 units per strain, 144 hens per unit) with daily egg production, location of egg laying, keel fractures, and footpad damage across the lay cycle. Hens' distribution among resources (litter, nest, wire floor, ledge, and perch) was recorded during light and dark periods at 28, 54, and 72 wk of age. Daily egg production and location were recorded, and 20% of hens per unit were randomly selected and assessed for keel bone damage, foot health, and plumage quality. Production and health risks associated with hens' resource use were assessed using multivariable regression. During the day, more brown hens occupied wire floors, while larger numbers of white hens were on perches and litter. More brown hens were on lower-tier wire floors in the dark, while more white hens occupied top tiers. Brown hens laid more eggs outside nests, showed lower incidence of keel fractures, and had better plumage quality than white hens. White hens had higher odds of keel fractures (4.2) than brown hens. Odds of keel fractures were 3.7 and 5.7 times higher at 54 and 72 wk than at 28 wk in all strains (P ≤ 0.05). Occupying the upper tier at night increased odds of keel fractures by 5.4 times. Occupying perches was associated with lower odds of foot lesions and poor plumage quality in all strains across the lay cycle (P ≤ 0.05). Finally, white hens were associated with lower odds of non-nest laying (0.76), whereas higher nest use by brown hens resulted in higher odds of non-nest egg laying (1.56) across the lay cycle (P ≤ 0.05). Distinct strain differences in resource use in an aviary were associated with different risks to hens' production, health, and welfare.

Impact of flooring type on the sham dustbathing behaviour of caged laying hens

Feed particles are preferred for foraging and they are also a stimulus for sham dustbathing. Most sham dustbathing bouts start with bill raking in the feed by caged hens. As hens often exhibit a floor scratching behaviour, an element of both sham dustbathing and foraging, by moving their legs back and forth while kicking the substrates before and after bill raking in the feed, some stimuli exerted on their legs might promote floor scratching behaviour. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the effects of four types of floor stimuli at feed trough side on sham dustbathing. Behaviours performed just before sham dustbathing were also simultaneously examined. Commercial White Leghorn pullets were transferred to the poultry house and housed in simplified furnished cages at 17 weeks of age. Experiments with floor stimuli began when hens were 70-week-old. In total, 48 hens that had been reared on a wire floor without litter were tested. Four groups of three hens were taken from their furnished home cages and introduced to four non-furnished experimental cages. One-third of the floor of wire mesh at feed trough side was covered with one of the four floor stimuli: net, artificial turf, wooden board or draining board. Two groups were tested with one of floor stimuli, while the other two were used as controls for 2 days; then, the treatments were switched so that all the birds received both control and floor stimulus treatments. When hens were provided with a net, floor scratching behaviours were significantly increased (P < 0.05), stimulating bill rakes and other bouts of sham dustbathing. Floor scratching behaviours were also strengthened after treatment with an artificial turf. Fifty and thirty percent of the behaviours exhibited 1 min before sham dustbathing comprised resting and preening behaviours, and feed-related behaviours, respectively. These results suggest that some floor materials could promote floor scratching behaviours by stimulating a tactile sensation for their legs. The hens had exhibited sham dustbathing in feed in their home wire-floor cages; therefore, previous experience of sham dustbathing and observation of other hen during resting and preening may influence the hens to react sensitively and start sham dustbathing themselves. Feeding, foraging and sham dustbathing are supposed to reinforce each other; therefore, feed-related behaviours observed just before sham dustbathing might account for the close relationship among feeding, foraging, and sham dustbathing.

Broiler stress responses to light intensity, flooring type, and leg weakness as assessed by heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, serum corticosterone, infrared thermography, and latency to lie

Stress and leg weakness are detrimental to broiler production, health, and welfare. Traditional methods to evaluate stress may be stressful to the bird because they are invasive and require handling and restraint. Two studies examined the effects of light intensity and flooring on the following in broilers: 1) traditional methods for assessing stress using heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios and serum corticosterone (CORT) concentrations, 2) noninvasive measures of stress from infrared thermography (IRT) eye and beak surface temperatures, and 3) latency-to-lie (LTL) test times of birds tested individually and in groups of 5. Day-of-hatch male broiler chicks were placed into 6 pens (N = 120 chicks/pen). At 1 wk, pens were allocated to 3 light intensity treatments (2, 5, or 10 lux). At 4 wk, half of the birds from each pen were moved to a pen with wire flooring and the same light intensity. At 1, 4, 5, and 8 wk, blood samples were collected and IRT images of the heads of 5 clinically healthy broilers from each pen were captured. In study 2, IRT images of the heads of birds that became lame in the wire flooring pens were taken. There were no treatment effects on the LTL times of birds tested in groups or individually (P > 0.05). On day 56 in study 1, birds on wire flooring had elevated heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratios and CORT concentrations (P ≤ 0.002) and depressed IRT eye and beak temperatures (P < 0.0001). In both studies, there were negative correlations between CORT concentrations and IRT beak surface temperatures (P < 0.05). Lame birds had lower IRT eye and beak surface temperatures than sound birds (P ≤ 0.004), and the IRT beak surface temperatures of lame birds were lower than their eye surface temperatures (P = 0.004) in study 2. These studies indicate that the IRT surface temperatures of the eye, and more distinctly of the beak, can be used as sensitive noninvasive indicators of stress.

Effect of commercial guar meal (CGM) on the performance and nutrient utilization in broilers

A biological trial was undertaken to study the effect of inclusion of graded levels of commercial guar meal (CGM) in diet on the performance and nutrient digestibility in commercial broiler chickens. A total of 350 oneday- old broiler male chicks (Cobb 400) were reared on wire floor electrically heated battery brooders. The chicks were randomly divided into 7 groups. Each treatment had 10 replicates of 5 chicks each. All the groups received iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets. First group was fed maize-SBM; 2nd, 3rd and 4th groups were fed control diet during pre-starter phase (1–14 days), later (starter and finisher phase) CGM was incorporated at 6, 12 and 18% respectively, replacing SBM. In rest 3 groups (5th, 6th and 7th), CGM was incorporated at 6% during pre-starter phase followed by (starter and finisher phase) incorporation of CGM at 6, 12 and 18% respectively. The results showed that body weight gain (BWG) was significantly better at 6% CGM inclusion and depressed at 12 and 18% CGM. There was no significant effect of non-inclusion of CGM in juvenile phase on BWG; though feed intake did not differ significantly by CGM inclusion but FCR was significantly higher at all inclusion levels of CGM (6, 12 and 18%). The slaughter parameters, nutrient digestibility, serum parameters did not differ significantly. It can be concluded that CGM could be incorporated up to 6% (60 g/kg diet) in broiler diets without affecting growth performance, nutrient utilization and slaughter variables.

Nighttime roosting substrate type and height among 4 strains of laying hens in an aviary system

ABSTRACTMulti-tiered aviaries for laying hens are designed to provide resources, such as perches, that allow birds to perform natural behaviors, thus improving their welfare. This research examined nighttime roosting heights and substrates used by laying hens of 4 genetic strains (Dekalb White: W1, Hy-Line W36: W2, Hy-Line Brown: B1, Bovans Brown: B2), in multitier aviaries (144 hens/unit, 4 units/strain) at 25 to 28 wk of age (peak lay). Influence of litter provision on roosting patterns of the strains was also tested. Direct observations of hens’ nighttime roosting patterns on wire floors, ledges and perches across tiers were conducted before (PRE), immediately after (IMM), and 3 wk after (ACC) hens gained access to litter. During all periods, more W1 and W2 hens roosted on middle and upper ledges than B1 and B2 hens (all P≤0.05), while more B1 and B2 hens used perches throughout the aviary than W1 and W2 hens (all P≤0.05). W1 (15±1.9, 14±3.36) and W2 (19±2.1, 18±2.6) hens occupied perches in the upper tier in greater numbers than B1 (7±3.2, 3±4.6) and B2 (11±2.1, 5±3.36) hens during PRE (P = 0.01) and ACC (P = 0.02) periods, respectively. B1 and B2 hens occupied wire floors in larger numbers than W1 and W2 hens during PRE (P = 0.02) and IMM (P = 0.03) periods, though this difference disappeared in the ACC period. During the IMM period, more W1 and W2 roosted in the lower tier, while more B1 and B2 hens were observed in the middle and upper tiers (all P ≤ 0.05). These findings demonstrate the importance of perches for B1 and B2 hens and space to roost higher in aviary units for W1 and W2 hens during the night, and underscore the need to consider aviary design, management practices, and preferences of different hen strains to ensure good hen welfare in aviaries.

The utility of infrared thermography for evaluating lameness attributable to bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is a leading cause of lameness in broilers. Infrared thermography (IRT) is a noninvasive technique for measuring infrared radiation from an object and can be used to evaluate clinical health. Two replicated studies compared the effect of light intensity on broilers grown on a wire flooring model that experimentally increased their susceptibility to and incidence of BCO lameness. Day-of-hatch male broiler chickens were placed into 6 pens on wood shavings litter, and at 1 wk one of 3 light intensity treatments (2, 5, or 10 lux) was allotted. At 4 wk half of the population from each pen was moved to a pen with wire flooring and the same light intensity. At 1, 4, 5, and 8 wk, an IRT image of the legs of 5 clinically healthy broilers from each pen was taken. The right and left proximal femora and tibiae of sound and lame broilers were scored for femoral head necrosis (FHN) and tibial head necrosis (THN) lesion severity. There were minimal effects of light intensity and flooring. In Study 1, but not Study 2, broilers on wire flooring weighed less on day 38 (P = 0.007) and days 57 to 58 (P = 0.003) compared to those on litter. The proportion of broilers that became lame on wire flooring was 52% in Study 1 and 14% in Study 2. The proportion of sound broilers from litter and wire flooring pens with subclinical signs of BCO in their right or left proximal growth plates was over 45% for FHN and 92% for THN, and lame broilers had more severe (P < 0.0001) FHN and THN compared to sound broilers. IRT surface temperatures of the hock joint, shank, and foot were consistently lower (P < 0.0001) in broilers that became lame when compared to sound. Therefore, IRT surface temperatures of broiler leg regions may be useful for detecting lesions attributed to BCO.

Daytime occupancy of resources and flooring types by 4 laying hen strains in a commercial-style aviary

In response to consumer demands and legislative measures for improving hens' welfare, many laying hen producers are replacing conventional cages with aviaries. Aviary resources, such as nest boxes, litter areas, ledges, and perches, are intended to increase the display of natural behaviors. However, commercial laying hen strains have been differentially selected for varying traits including egg quality, feed efficiency, and behavior. Therefore, the assumption that laying hens are using the given resources similarly, irrespective of their genetic strain, may be false. This research examined the influence of laying hen strains (brown hens: Hy-Line Brown, Bovans Brown; white hens: DeKalb White and Hy-Line W36) on resource or flooring substrate occupancy (litter areas, nests, elevated wire tiers, ledges, and perches) inside aviaries during peak lay (25 to 28 weeks of age), and whether this occupancy changed in response to litter access. Live observation and video-recording of hens' distribution among different resources were conducted at 3 different times (morning, midday, and evening) for 3 consecutive days, immediately before (PRE), immediately after (IMM), and 3 weeks after (ACC) hens gained access to litter. Observations were conducted in 16 aviary units; 4 units/strain, 144 hens/unit. Data were analyzed in R using generalized linear mixed model with Tukey's post hoc test and α set at 0.05. More brown hens were in nests than white hens during morning across all periods (PRE; P = 0.002, IMM; P = 0.012, and ACC; P = 0.015), but more white hens were recorded in nests than brown hens during midday of all periods (PRE; P = 0.026, IMM; P = 0.028, and ACC; P = 0.024). More white hens were on litter compared with brown (P = 0.002), particularly when litter was first accessible. White hens occupied the open litter area in larger numbers than brown hens during midday and evening of IMM and ACC periods (P ≤ 0.05). Brown hens occupied the underneath litter area in larger numbers than white hens during midday and evening of the ACC period (P ≤ 0.05). Throughout the day, brown hens occupied wire floors in higher numbers than white hens, whereas the latter occupied both ledges and perches more (all P ≤ 0.05). These strain differences suggest that specific aviary designs may be best suited to specific hen strains.

A comparison of the growth performance, carcass traits, and behavior of guinea pigs reared in wire cages and floor pens for meat production

To achieve efficient production of guinea pigs for meat, it is essential to determine the most suitable housing system. A total of 220 guinea pigs were maintained in either wire cages (n = 11, 10 animals per cage) or floor pens (n = 11, 10 animals per pen) containing a deep litter of woodchips, both housing systems having the same dimensions (2 × 1 × 0.4 m). Growth traits, food intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded weekly and expressed as the difference between the two groups. After 77 days, the animals were slaughtered, and carcass traits were evaluated. Growth performance and carcass trait parameters, as well as mortality and behavior trends, were not affected by the housing system type. Nonetheless, the use of wire cages is recommended for raising guinea pigs since water, urine and feces pass through the wire floor, resulting in cleaner animals.

Sustainable floor type for managing turkey production in a hot climate.

Floor type management is an important factor in turkey production in hot climates exceeding 30°C. In this study, a total of 360 turkeys aged 4 wk were randomly distributed to investigate growth performance, carcass characteristics, certain health aspects (breast blisters score, footpad burns, hock discoloration, and plumage condition), and airborne conditions. Birds in the first group were raised on a littered floor (control; C), whereas birds in the other groups (T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5) were raised on cement, wire net, rubber mat, plastic and wooden slatted floors, respectively. The results indicated that growth performance and meat quality were improved, with increases in body weight, daily body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and tenderness and juiciness values, when plastic and wooden slatted floors were used. Moreover, the use of plastic and wooden slatted floors attenuated body temperature, airborne dust particulates, and ammonia concentrations. In conclusion, placing plastic, wooden slatted, or wire floors reduced the incidence of health disorders and alleviated heat stress effects by decreasing body temperature and the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio. Thus, plastic and wooden slatted floors are suitable for growing turkeys under the conditions of this study.

Effects of stocking density on growth performance, meat quality and tibia development of Pekin ducks.

This study was performed to investigate the effects of stocking density on performance, meat quality and tibia development in Pekin ducks reared on a plastic wire floor. A total of 372 healthy, 21-day-old, male ducks with similar body weight (BW) were randomly allotted to stocking densities of five (low), eight (medium) and 11 (high) birds/m2 . Each group had six replicates. Results showed that compared with the low density group, medium and high stocking density caused a decrease in final BW at 42days old, and in average daily gain, European performance index (p<.01) and meat pH at 45min postmortem (p<.001), and an increase of meat drip loss (p<.01). High stocking density resulted in an increase of feed/gain ratio (p<.001), but a decrease of tibia calcium (p<.01) and phosphorus content (p<.05). Meat color, shear force values, tibia size (weight, length, and width) and breaking strength were not significantly influenced by stocking density. In conclusion, stocking density over eight birds/m2 negatively affects growth performance, but meat quality and tibia development are not dramatically influenced. Based on this study, the stocking density of male Pekin ducks should be adjusted between five and eight birds/m2 .

Effects of group housing system, pen floor type, and lactation management on performance and behaviour in rabbit does

This work aimed at evaluating the effects of housing system, pen floor type, and lactation management on rabbit doe and kit performance throughout a reproductive cycle, including categorization of aggressiveness and injuries. Forty multiparous pregnant does were assigned to six experimental groups: i) individual pens with plastic floor (4 does), ii) individual pens with wire floor and plastic mats (4 does), iii) collective pens with plastic floor and fixed lactation (8 does), iv) collective pens with plastic floor and random lactation (8 does), v) collective pens with wire floor and plastic mats and fixed lactation (8 does), and vi) collective pens with wire floor and plastic mats and random lactation (8 does). In collective pens, does were kept in groups from 8 d until 2 d before kindling and from 2 d until 33 d after kindling. In the fixed group, does always nursed their own litter; in the random group, a random litter from pen-mates. Behaviours were video-recorded at 8 d before kindling (−8 d), and 2 d (+2 d) and 18 d (+18 d) after kindling. Injuries were scored at 5, 12, 19, 26, and 34 d after kindling. Bayesian inference was used to study the differences between experimental groups. During controlled lactation, doe feed intake (+17.3 g/d; ProbR = 0.84) and milk production (+11.5 g/d; ProbR = 0.83) were higher in collective pens than in individual modules, and kit weaning weight was slightly lower (−20.4 g; ProbR = 0.55). Feed intake and kit weight at weaning were lower in the fixed than in the random lactation group (ProbR = 0.61−0.89). Aggression was lower at −8 d than at +2 d (−39.1 events; ProbR = 0.98), higher at +2 d than at +18 d (+50.2 events; ProbR = 1.00), and higher in pens with plastic mats than with plastic slats (average across all observation days, −14.7 events; ProbR = 0.69). Injury rate was higher at 3 d (34%) and 10 d (47%) after does regrouped from an isolation period, compared with later time points (P < 0.05). In conclusion, aggression was high in collective pens during the short period around kindling, but doe and kit performance were not substantially affected compared with individual housing. Plastic-slatted floors reduced aggression more than plastic mats, without affecting performance. Finally, lactation method had no relevant effect. Thus, random lactation in part-time collective systems may be transferred to commercial farms without negative outcomes.