Behaviour and animal welfare indicators of broiler chickens housed in an enriched environment

The present study aimed to assess the influence of adding straw bales, step platforms, and laser projectors as environmental enrichment resources on the behaviour and welfare indicators of broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus). A sample of 4,000 day-old male Cobb® 500 birds was used. The experimental treatments consisted of No Environmental Enrichment (NEE)—similar to a conventional environment; and Environmental Enrichment (EE)—environment enriched with straw bales, step platforms, and laser projectors, with four replicates per treatment of 500 animals. Behavioural characteristics (ethological observation through cameras, grab test, and modified touch test) and animal welfare indicators (pododermatitis and dorsal cranial myopathy) were assessed. The birds submitted to the EE treatment exhibited greater exploratory activity and expression of behaviours associated with comfort and welfare, whereas those in the NEE group were less active. Locomotion and play fighting behaviour decreased and behaviours associated with comfort increased as age advanced. The frequencies of interaction with laser spots and birds lying around straw bales were the highest in the 1st week (P<0.01). The behaviours of pecking at straw bales (P<0.0004), using the step platforms (P = 0.0001) and being on top of straw bales (P<0.0002) gradually increased. The chickens accessed the feeding troughs the most in the period of 0800 hours (P<0.0001) and expressed the highest frequencies of behaviours associated with comfort in the 1400 hours and 1700 hours periods. The birds in the EE group were calmer in face of human presence and touch and scored higher in animal welfare indicators. Adding straw bales, step platforms, and laser projectors increased locomotion, reduced expression of fear, and improved animal welfare indicators of broiler chickens.

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Associations between animal welfare indicators and Campylobacter spp. in broiler chickens under commercial settings: A case study

Preventive Veterinary Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.prevetmed.2017.09.005 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 147 ◽

pp. 186-193 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Irene Alpigiani ◽

Josè Cortinas Abrahantes ◽

Virginie Michel ◽

Adeline Huneau-Salaün ◽

Marianne Chemaly ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Welfare Indicators ◽

Campylobacter Spp

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Evaluation of Inter-Observer Reliability of Animal Welfare Indicators: Which Is the Best Index to Use?

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11051445 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (5) ◽

pp. 1445

Author(s):

Mauro Giammarino ◽

Silvana Mattiello ◽

Monica Battini ◽

Piero Quatto ◽

Luca Maria Battaglini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Confidence Intervals ◽

Bootstrap Method ◽

Dairy Goat ◽

Microsoft Excel ◽

Bootstrap Methods ◽

Welfare Indicators ◽

Observer Reliability ◽

High Concordance ◽

Variance Estimates

This study focuses on the problem of assessing inter-observer reliability (IOR) in the case of dichotomous categorical animal-based welfare indicators and the presence of two observers. Based on observations obtained from Animal Welfare Indicators (AWIN) project surveys conducted on nine dairy goat farms, and using udder asymmetry as an indicator, we compared the performance of the most popular agreement indexes available in the literature: Scott’s π, Cohen’s k, kPABAK, Holsti’s H, Krippendorff’s α, Hubert’s Γ, Janson and Vegelius’ J, Bangdiwala’s B, Andrés and Marzo’s ∆, and Gwet’s γ(AC1). Confidence intervals were calculated using closed formulas of variance estimates for π, k, kPABAK, H, α, Γ, J, ∆, and γ(AC1), while the bootstrap and exact bootstrap methods were used for all the indexes. All the indexes and closed formulas of variance estimates were calculated using Microsoft Excel. The bootstrap method was performed with R software, while the exact bootstrap method was performed with SAS software. k, π, and α exhibited a paradoxical behavior, showing unacceptably low values even in the presence of very high concordance rates. B and γ(AC1) showed values very close to the concordance rate, independently of its value. Both bootstrap and exact bootstrap methods turned out to be simpler compared to the implementation of closed variance formulas and provided effective confidence intervals for all the considered indexes. The best approach for measuring IOR in these cases is the use of B or γ(AC1), with bootstrap or exact bootstrap methods for confidence interval calculation.

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Animal welfare indicators for sheep during sea transport: the effect of voyage day and time of day

Applied Animal Behaviour Science ◽

10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105304 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 105304

Author(s):

Renee S. Willis ◽

Patricia A. Fleming ◽

Emma J. Dunston-Clarke ◽

Anne L. Barnes ◽

David W. Miller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Sea Transport ◽

Welfare Indicators

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Molecular mechanisms of growth depression in broiler chickens (Gallus Gallus domesticus) mediated by immune stress: a hepatic proteome study

Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology ◽

10.1186/s40104-021-00591-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Aijuan Zheng ◽

Anrong Zhang ◽

Zhimin Chen ◽

Shoaib Ahmed Pirzado ◽

Wenhuan Chang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Broiler Chickens ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Gallus Gallus ◽

Gallus Domesticus ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Poultry Production ◽

Gallus Gallus Domesticus ◽

Growth Depression ◽

Stress Group ◽

Immune Stress

Abstract Background Immunological stress decreases feed intake, suppresses growth and induces economic losses. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Label-free liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (LC-MS) proteomics techniques were employed to investigate effects of immune stress on the hepatic proteome changes of Arbor Acres broilers (Gallus Gallus domesticus) challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Results Proteomic analysis indicated that 111 proteins were differentially expressed in the liver of broiler chickens from the immune stress group. Of these, 28 proteins were down-regulated, and 83 proteins were up-regulated in the immune stress group. Enrichment analysis showed that immune stress upregulated the expression of hepatic proteins involved in defense function, amino acid catabolism, ion transport, wound healing, and hormone secretion. Furthermore, immune stress increased valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation pathways. Conclusion The data suggests that growth depression of broiler chickens induced by immune stress is triggered by hepatic proteome alterations, and provides a new insight into the mechanism by which immune challenge impairs poultry production.

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Evaluation of an automated assessment system for ear and tail lesions as animal welfare indicators in pigs at slaughter

Meat Science ◽

10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.107934 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 159 ◽

pp. 107934

Author(s):

Lara Blömke ◽

Nina Volkmann ◽

Nicole Kemper

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Assessment System ◽

Automated Assessment ◽

Welfare Indicators

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Intestinal Barrier Function and Performance of Broiler Chickens Fed Additional Arginine, Combination of Arginine and Glutamine or an Amino Acid-Based Solution

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11082416 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 2416

Author(s):

Reza Barekatain ◽

Tristan Chalvon-Demersay ◽

Clive McLaughlan ◽

William Lambert

Keyword(s):

Amino Acid ◽

Intestinal Permeability ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Intestinal Inflammation ◽

Intestinal Barrier ◽

Basal Diet ◽

Intestinal Barrier Function ◽

Glutathione Synthetase ◽

Feed Conversion ◽

Experimental Treatments

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of arginine (Arg); the combination of Arg and glutamine (Gln); as well as an amino acid-based solution (MIX) containing Arg, Gln, threonine (Thr), and grape extract, on performance, intestinal permeability, and expression of selected mechanistic genes. Using 240 male Ross 308 off-sex broiler chickens, four experimental treatments were replicated six times with 10 birds per replicate. The experimental treatments included 5 g/kg Arg, 2.5 g/kg Arg and 2.5 g/kg Gln, and 1 g/kg MIX added to a basal diet as control. In the second study, the four dietary treatments were then given to 24 birds with or without a synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX), as a gut dysfunction model. Feed conversion ratio was improved by all the supplemented treatments from day 7 to 35 of age (p < 0.001). DEX injections increased (p < 0.001) the intestinal permeability in all treatments, which tended to be reversed by Arg or MIX. Additional Arg, Arg-Gln, and MIX suppressed (p < 0.05) the overexpression of IL-1β generated by DEX. Feeding birds with MIX treatment increased (p < 0.05) expression of SGLT-1 and glutathione synthetase. In conclusion, tested amino acid supplements were effective in improving feed efficiency and restraining intestinal inflammation caused by DEX through IL-1β pathway.

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Association between animal welfare indicators and microbiological quality of beef carcasses, including Salmonella spp., from a slaughterhouse in Ecuador

Veterinary World ◽

10.14202/vetworld.2021.918-925 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 918-925

Author(s):

María Cevallos-Almeida ◽

Ana Burgos-Mayorga ◽

Carlos A. Gómez ◽

José Luis Lema-Hurtado ◽

Leydi Lema ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Animal Welfare ◽

Microbiological Quality ◽

Salmonella Spp ◽

E Coli ◽

Welfare Indicators ◽

Beef Carcasses ◽

Logistic Regressions ◽

The Mean ◽

Poor Management

Background and Aim: Pre-slaughter management and slaughter operations are considered critical factors for animal welfare and meat quality. Previous studies have found poor animal welfare management at municipal slaughterhouses in Ecuador, and little is known about how this affects the microbiological quality of the meat. Therefore, the aim of the study was to analyze the association of the microbiological quality of beef carcasses and animal welfare indicators in a municipal slaughterhouse in Ecuador. Materials and Methods: Data for 6 months were collected from a municipal slaughterhouse in Ecuador. Five trained researchers were strategically located along the slaughter process. A total of 351 animals were observed with regard to welfare indicators, and their carcasses were sampled to evaluate microbiological quality. Antemortem (slipping, falling, and vocalization) and postmortem animal welfare indicators (bleed interval, pH, temperature, and bruises) were measured. To determine the total aerobic bacteria (TAB) and Escherichia coli counts and the presence of Salmonella spp., we collected samples by swabbing four different points of each carcass. The association between microbiological quality and animal welfare indicators was studied using univariate and multivariate logistic regressions. Results: The mean TAB count was 5.3 log CFU/cm2, and the mean total count of E. coli was 2.4 log CFU/cm2. Salmonella spp. were isolated in 3.1% of the carcasses. An electric goad was used in all animals, 19.1% slipped at least once, and 19.9% vocalized. The mean pH of the carcasses was 7.2, and 79.2% of carcasses had bruises. Multivariate analysis showed that Salmonella spp. and the TAB count were associated with pH and the number of bruises (p = 0.01 in both cases). Conclusion: Although there was non-significant association between the majority of animal welfare indicators and microbiological quality, the poor management affecting animal welfare and carcass hygiene are worrisome.

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Effect of Insect Live Larvae as Environmental Enrichment on Poultry Gut Health: Gut Mucin Composition, Microbiota and Local Immune Response Evaluation

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11102819 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 2819

Author(s):

Elena Colombino ◽

Ilaria Biasato ◽

Ilario Ferrocino ◽

Sara Bellezza Oddon ◽

Christian Caimi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Immune Response ◽

Broiler Chickens ◽

Environmental Enrichment ◽

Staining Intensity ◽

Local Immune Response ◽

Gut Health ◽

Insect Larvae ◽

A Minor ◽

Dietary Treatments ◽

Caecal Microbiota

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Hermetia illucens (HI) and Tenebrio molitor (TM) live larvae as environmental enrichment on the mucin composition, local immune response and microbiota of broilers. A total of 180 four-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments (six replicates/treatment; ten animals/replicate): (i) control (C); (ii) C+HI; (iii) C+TM. Live larvae were distributed based on 5% of the expected daily feed intake. At slaughter (39 days of age), samples of duodenum, jejunum and ileum (twelve animals/diet) were submitted to mucin histochemical evaluation. Expression of MUC-2 and cytokines was evaluated by rt-qPCR in jejunum. Mucin staining intensity was not influenced by diet (p > 0.05); however, this varied depending on the intestinal segment (p < 0.001). No significant differences were recorded for IL-4, IL-6 TNF-α, MUC-2 and INF-γ gene expression in jejunum, while IL-2 was lower in the TM group compared to HI and C (p = 0.044). Caecal microbiota showed higher abundance of Clostridium, Saccharibacteria and Victivallaceae in the HI group, while Collinsella was higher in the TM group. The results suggested that live insect larvae did not impair mucin composition or local immune response, and can slightly improve caecal microbiota by enhancing a minor fraction of short chain fatty acid-producing taxa.

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