scholarly journals Comparison of Behavioral Time Budget and Welfare Indicators in Two Local Laying Hen Genotypes (Atak-S and Atabey) in a Free-Range System

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 46
Author(s):  
Arda Sözcü ◽  
Aydın İpek ◽  
Züleyha Oğuz ◽  
Stefan Gunnarsson ◽  
Anja B. Riber
Keyword(s):  
Tonic Immobility ◽  
Time Budget ◽  
Drinking Behavior ◽  
Laying Hen ◽  
Feather Pecking ◽  
Welfare Indicators ◽  
Free Range ◽  
System A ◽  
Bone Damage ◽  
Foot Lesions

Free-range systems are considered to improve bird health and welfare, thereby satisfying consumer demands. Behavioral time budget, fear level and clinical welfare indicators were compared for two Turkish laying hen genotypes, Atak-S (brown) and Atabey (white), reared in a free-range system. A total of 420 laying hens (210 Atak-S, 210 Atabey) were studied between 19 and 72 weeks of age. Higher percentages of eating and drinking behavior, feather pecking, and explorative pecking were observed for Atak-S hens, whereas Atabey hens were preening, walking–standing, and resting more. The duration of tonic immobility was longer, and the number of inductions was lower in Atabey compared with Atak-S hens. Atabey hens had less keel bone damages and better plumage conditions on the breast, wing, and tail at 56 and 72 weeks of age than Atak-S hens. Footpad dermatitis was more common in Atabey hens at 40 weeks, whereas Atak-S hens had a higher prevalence of footpad dermatitis with moderate lesions at 72 weeks of age. These findings indicate that free-range Atak-S hens may be more prone to keel bone damage and development of feather pecking, but they showed less foot lesions and were less fearful.

scholarly journals Husbandry Conditions and Welfare Outcomes in Organic Egg Production in Eight European Countries

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2102
Author(s):  
Lisa Jung ◽  
Christine Brenninkmeyer ◽  
Knut Niebuhr ◽  
Monique Bestman ◽  
Frank A. M. Tuyttens ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Egg Production ◽  
Preventive Measure ◽  
European Countries ◽  
European Research ◽  
Light Conditions ◽  
Welfare Indicators ◽  
Free Range ◽  
Protein Levels ◽  
Worm Infestation ◽  
Bone Damage

In the European research project HealthyHens, welfare indicators as well as husbandry and management conditions were recorded in 107 organic laying hen farms in eight countries. Farms were visited at peak and end of lay. Egg production was on average comparable to breeder specifications. A mean mortality of 5.7% and mean prevalences of footpad lesions of 30.5%, keel bone damage of 44.5%, 57.3% of flocks with on average >200 Ascarid eggs per gram faeces and 28.2% of flocks with >100 mites/trap were recorded. A large variation between flocks indicated options for improvement. Based on the results, the following measures can be recommended: (i) decreasing mite and worm infestation and (ii) providing an attractive covered veranda, because of their association with decreased mortality; (iii) maximising access to the free range, because of its relation to decreased A. galli infection and less injurious pecking; (iv) feeding sufficient protein levels and (v) providing adequate litter as preventive measure against feather pecking and cannibalism; (vi) ensuring that the birds have sufficient weight and (vii) preventing accidents by adequate hen house facilities and light conditions to reduce keel bone damage. These primarily management-based measures have the potential to improve bird welfare both in terms of behavioural and health aspects.

scholarly journals Case Study of an Automatic Enrichment Device for Laying Hens on a Free-Range Laying Hen Farm

Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie Schmidt ◽  
Jenny Stracke ◽  
Katja Kulke ◽  
Nicole Kemper ◽  
Birgit Spindler
Keyword(s):  
Laying Hens ◽  
Laying Hen ◽  
Maize Silage ◽  
Feather Pecking ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Free Range ◽  
Potential Indicator ◽  
Similar Area

Access to adequate foraging material can reduce the occurrence of feather pecking and cannibalism in laying hens. Technical devices may help farmers provide enrichment material more effectively. However, research in this field is rare. On a commercial free-range farm with 15,000 laying hens (Lohmann Tradition), an enrichment device was evaluated from the 30th to the 58th week of age (LW). It ran at five time points (TP) in the afternoon and offered five grams of dried maize silage per hen per day. The numbers of hens residing in defined scratching areas (ScA) either beneath the device (ScA 1 and 3) or in a similar area without the device (ScA 2) were determined. Significantly more hens were found in ScA 1 and ScA 3 when the device was running. On average, only 6.96 (±7.00) hens stayed in ScA 2, whereas 31.45 (±5.38) and 33.83 (±6.16) hens stayed in ScA 1 and ScA 3, respectively. The hen numbers for ScA 1 and ScA 3 did not differ significantly, nor did the TPs have an influence on number of hens within ScA 1 and ScA 3. The number of hens beneath the device can serve as a potential indicator of the device’s usage.

scholarly journals Ranging behavior relates to welfare indicators pre- and post-range access in commercial free-range broilers

2018 ◽  
Vol 97 (6) ◽  
pp. 1861-1871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peta S. Taylor ◽  
Paul H. Hemsworth ◽  
Peter J. Groves ◽  
Sabine G. Gebhardt-Henrich ◽  
Jean-Loup Rault
Keyword(s):  
Ranging Behavior ◽  
Welfare Indicators ◽  
Free Range

The influence of stocking density and enrichment on the occurrence of feather pecking and aggressive pecking behavior in laying hen chicks

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 9-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Zepp ◽  
Helen Louton ◽  
Michael Erhard ◽  
Paul Schmidt ◽  
Franziska Helmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stocking Density ◽  
Laying Hen ◽  
Feather Pecking

scholarly journals Feather Pecking and Cannibalism in Non-Beak-Trimmed Laying Hen Flocks—Farmers’ Perspectives

Animals ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eija Kaukonen ◽  
Anna Valros
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Laying Hen ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Negative Attitudes ◽  
Feather Pecking ◽  
Intervention Measures ◽  
Beak Trimming

Pecking-related problems are common in intensive egg production, compromising hen welfare, causing farmers economic losses and negatively affecting sustainability. These problems are often controlled by beak trimming, which in Finland is prohibited. An online questionnaire aimed to collect information from farmers about pecking-related problems in Finnish laying hen flocks, important risk factors and the best experiences to prevent the problems. Additionally, the farmers’ attitudes towards beak trimming were examined. We received 35 responses, which represents about 13% of all Finnish laying hen farms with ≥300 laying hens. The majority of respondents stated that a maximum of 5–7% incidence of feather pecking or 1–2% incidence of cannibalism would be tolerable. The majority of respondents (74%) expressed that they would definitely not use beak-trimmed hens. Only two respondents indicated that they would probably use beak-trimmed hens were the practice permitted. Among risk factors, light intensity earned the highest mean (6.3), on a scale from 1 (not important) to 7 (extremely important). Other important problems included those that occurred during rearing, feeding, flock management and problems with drinking water equipment (mean 5.9, each). The most important intervention measures included optimal lighting and feeding, flock management, and removing the pecker and victim. Concluding, Finnish farmers had strong negative attitudes towards beak trimming. The study underlines the importance of flock management, especially lighting and feeding, in preventing pecking problems and indicates that it is possible to incorporate a non-beak-trimming policy into sustainable egg production.

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