1
|
Lim CI, Choo HJ, Heo KN, Kim HK, Hassan MR, Sulatana S, Whiting IM, Mansbridge SC, Pirgozliev VR. Refining dietary metabolisable energy and crude protein levels in relation to duck performance and behaviour. Br Poult Sci 2024; 65:1-7. [PMID: 38047715 DOI: 10.1080/00071668.2023.2278482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
1. The study evaluated the effect of dietary metabolisable energy (ME) content and crude protein (CP) level on the growth performance and behaviour of ducks.2. A total of 720, Cherry Valley ducks were allocated to 36 pens in groups of 20 birds. For the initial period, from 1 to 21 d age, six diets, containing a standard (SME), low (LME) and high (HME) ME of 12.14, 11.93 and 12.35 MJ/kg, and standard (SCP) or high (HCP) CP contents of 210 or 220 g/kg diet, respectively, were mixed. For the period from 22 to 42 d age, the diets contained ME of 12.98 (SME), 12.77 (LME), 13.19 (HME) MJ/kg and the levels of CP were 170 (SCP) or 180 (HCP) g/kg, respectively.3. An ME by CP interaction was seen from 1 to 21 d age in ducks fed HME + HCP diet, which had greater weight gain than those fed LME + SCP (P < 0.05). Compared to LME + SCP, dietary HME decrease feeding but increased walking behaviour compared to LME + SCP and SME + SCP (P < 0.05). High CP in LME and SME diets increased drinking behaviour (P < 0.05), but there was no change in HME diet. Compared to LME, feeding HME reduced ground pecking (P < 0.05). Feeding HME reduced feeding behaviour (P < 0.05) from 22 to 42 d age. During the same period, standing behaviour was reduced in HCP + LME (P < 0.05). Drinking was reduced in LME + SCP compared to SME + HCP and HME + HCP (P < 0.05).4. A diet formulated with HME and HCP is effective for enhancing growth performance of ducks aged 1-21 d and saving time for feeding or ground pecking, which may induce spending more time on other activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C I Lim
- Poultry Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea
| | - H J Choo
- Poultry Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea
| | - K N Heo
- Poultry Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea
| | - H K Kim
- Poultry Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea
| | - M R Hassan
- Poultry Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Bangladesh
| | - S Sulatana
- Poultry Production Research Division, Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, Savar, Bangladesh
| | - I M Whiting
- The National Institute of Poultry Husbandry, Harper Adams University, Newport, UK
| | - S C Mansbridge
- The National Institute of Poultry Husbandry, Harper Adams University, Newport, UK
| | - V R Pirgozliev
- The National Institute of Poultry Husbandry, Harper Adams University, Newport, UK
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Schober JM, Merritt J, Swanson M, Tetel V, Oluwagbenga E, Frey D, Parnin H, Erasmus M, Fraley GS. Preening cups increase apparent wet preening behaviors, but have no impact on other behaviors, body condition, growth, or body morphometrics of grow-out Pekin ducks. Poult Sci 2023; 102:103145. [PMID: 37844528 PMCID: PMC10587528 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Preening cups may be a form of open water that would allow ducks to express preening behaviors. We set out to test the hypothesis that preening cups would not have detrimental effects on ducks or their environment. Control pens (N = 6, 65 ducks/pen) had nipple lines while experimental pens (N = 6, 65 ducks/pen) had the same nipple line plus one preening cup (PC). Body weights of 30 ducks per pen, and body condition scores on 50 ducks per pen were recorded weekly. On d 18 and 43, 5 ducks per pen were euthanized and their spleens, Bursas, liver, and uropygial glands were weighed. Behavior data were collected using scan sampling with video being recorded for 72 continuous hours at 4 different ages: 25 d, 30 d, 36 d, and 40 d. Body morphometrics were analyzed by 2-way ANOVA with repeated measures. Body condition scoring was analyzed by Pearson's chi-square. The GLIMMIX procedure (SAS 9.4) was used for behavioral analyses to examine treatment differences in the proportion of ducks performing dry preening, wet preening, eating, drinking, standing, and laying down. Feather pecking, feather picking, preening conspecifics (also known as allopreening), dunking head, and drinking from preening cup were analyzed using PROC LOGISTIC with the Firth bias correction for quasi-complete separation and odds ratios were calculated. More PC ducks housed with PC performed wet preening compared to control ducks (25 d: F1,26 = 6.90, P = 0.0143; 30, 36, and 40 d; F1,78 = 24.53, P < 0.0001). Ducks in the PC group were also more likely to lay down compared to controls (25 d: F1,33 = 4.95, P = 0.0330). No differences were observed for any other behavior, body condition score, body weight or morphometrics at any age. Although ducks in the preening cup group showed an increase in wet preening, our data suggest that open water is not necessary to maintain feather condition or uropygial gland size.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J M Schober
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - J Merritt
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - M Swanson
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - V Tetel
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - E Oluwagbenga
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - D Frey
- Culver Duck Farms, Inc., Middlebury, IN, USA
| | - H Parnin
- Culver Duck Farms, Inc., Middlebury, IN, USA
| | - M Erasmus
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - G S Fraley
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Oluwagbenga EM, Tetel V, Schober J, Fraley GS. Chronic Heat Stress Part 2: Increased Stress and Fear Responses in F 1 Pekin Ducks Raised from Parents That Experienced Heat Stress. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1748. [PMID: 37889638 PMCID: PMC10251918 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of HS on the welfare of poultry have been reported to have a transgenerational effect on phenotype plasticity. The goal of our experiment was to determine whether parental exposure to HS would impair the performance, HPA axis response, or behavior of their offspring. We treated adult drakes and hens (n = 80 ducks/treatment) at peak lay with HS or the control temperature for 3 weeks and incubated eggs collected from the last 3 days of the experiment. We utilized 76 ducklings/parental treatment group: control (CON-F1) and HS (HS-F1). Weekly data for body weights, body condition scores (BCSs), and novel object test (NOT) were collected. At 3 weeks of age, the ducks (n = 6/treatment) were subjected to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH/cosyntropin, 0.0625 mg/kg) challenge or vehicle as the control. Blood samples were collected at 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h relative to treatment for serum glucocorticoid and heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (HLR) analyses. All injected birds were euthanized with pentobarbital on the second day relative to ACTH administration, and the spleen and bursa were removed and weighed immediately. Duck level analyses were completed using one- or two-way ANOVA as appropriate. BCSs were analyzed using a chi-squared test. The HS-F1 ducks had a lower hatch weight (p < 0.05) compared with the CON-F1 ducks but no significant difference in growth rates during the 5-week period. NOT (n = 4) analyses showed that the HS-F1 ducks had a greater fear response (p < 0.001) compared with the CON-F1 ducks. Similarly, an ACTH stimulation test showed that the HS-F1 ducks had significantly (p < 0.05) heightened corticosterone and HLR responses compared with the CON-F1 ducks. The HS-F1 ducks showed altered baseline and ACTH-stimulated levels of cortisol compared with the controls. Our data suggest that parental exposure to HS impacts the HPA response and fearfulness of the F1 generation in Pekin ducks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Gregory S. Fraley
- Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (E.M.O.); (V.T.); (J.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nielsen SS, Alvarez J, Bicout DJ, Calistri P, Canali E, Drewe JA, Garin‐Bastuji B, Gonzales Rojas JL, Schmidt CG, Herskin M, Michel V, Miranda Chueca MÁ, Padalino B, Roberts HC, Spoolder H, Stahl K, Viltrop A, Winckler C, Berg C, Edwards S, Knierim U, Riber A, Salamon A, Tiemann I, Fabris C, Manakidou A, Mosbach‐Schulz O, Van der Stede Y, Vitali M, Velarde A. Welfare of ducks, geese and quail on farm. EFSA J 2023; 21:e07992. [PMID: 37200855 PMCID: PMC10186070 DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2023.7992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023] Open
Abstract
This Scientific Opinion concerns the welfare of Domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos domesticus), Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata domesticus) and their hybrids (Mule ducks), Domestic geese (Anser anser f. domesticus) and Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) in relation to the rearing of breeders, birds for meat, Muscovy and Mule ducks and Domestic geese for foie gras and layer Japanese quail for egg production. The most common husbandry systems (HSs) in the European Union are described for each animal species and category. The following welfare consequences are described and assessed for each species: restriction of movement, injuries (bone lesions including fractures and dislocations, soft tissue lesions and integument damage and locomotory disorders including lameness), group stress, inability to perform comfort behaviour, inability to perform exploratory or foraging behaviour and inability to express maternal behaviour (related to prelaying and nesting behaviours). Animal-based measures relevant for the assessment of these welfare consequences were identified and described. The relevant hazards leading to the welfare consequences in the different HSs were identified. Specific factors such as space allowance (including minimum enclosure area and height) per bird, group size, floor quality, characteristics of nesting facilities and enrichment provided (including access to water to fulfil biological needs) were assessed in relation to the welfare consequences and, recommendations on how to prevent the welfare consequences were provided in a quantitative or qualitative way.
Collapse
|
5
|
Liao SC, Lyu PX, Shen SY, Hsiao CC, Lien CY, Wang SD, Lin TY, Tu PA. Effects of Swimming Pool Conditions and Floor Types on White Roman Geese's Physical Condition Scores and Behaviors in an Indoor Rearing System. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233273. [PMID: 36496793 PMCID: PMC9740521 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Biosecurity problems, including the continual risk of avian influenza spread by wild birds, have severely affected traditional free-range waterfowl production systems. Regulations and techniques for indoor goose production require more considerations for animal welfare. This study investigated the effects of swimming pool conditions and different floor types on the physical condition scores and behaviors of indoor-reared White Roman geese. A total of 48 male and 48 female White Roman geese reared from the age of 15 to 84 days were randomly allocated to pens with or without a swimming pool and with either mud or perforated plastic floors. Providing a swimming pool improved geese's eye and feather cleanliness and breast blister scores at the age of 84 days. Compared with geese reared on a mud floor, those reared on a perforated plastic floor had better feather cleanliness and higher breast blister scores at the age of 56 and 84 days. Providing a swimming pool to indoor-reared geese may reduce the proportion of abnormal behaviors, such as injurious feather pecking, by increasing water-related behaviors. This study suggests a more appropriate environment design for better balancing commercial goose production with animal welfare in an indoor rearing system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Chieh Liao
- Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Xuan Lyu
- Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Yi Shen
- Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chang Hsiao
- Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Yi Lien
- Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan
| | - Sheng-Der Wang
- Changhua Animal Propagation Station, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Changhua 512, Taiwan
| | - Tsung-Yi Lin
- Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Tainan 71246, Taiwan
| | - Po-An Tu
- Hsinchu Branch, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Miaoli 36848, Taiwan
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +886-37-911696
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Campbell DLM, Belson S, Erasmus MA, Lea JM. Behavior and welfare impacts of water provision via misting in commercial Pekin ducks. J Anim Sci 2022; 100:6761087. [PMID: 36239449 PMCID: PMC9733503 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skac341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ducks will access water to maintain feather condition and exhibit natural water-related behaviors such as wet preening. Providing water to ducks commercially is challenging as it may reduce litter and air quality leading to higher duck mortality or illness. This research aimed to measure the behavioral and welfare impacts of water provision via a misting system for commercial Pekin grower ducks in Victoria, Australia. Seven grower flocks were observed (four misted and three nonmisted in open-sided sheds) during May and November 2021. From 26 until 33 d of age, treatment ducks were provided 1 h of misting with shed curtains closed in both treatment and control sheds. At the start and end of the misting application period, external health and welfare measures were taken directly on the ducks via transect walks throughout each shed and catch-and-inspect observations on a sample of 150 ducks from each shed. Video recordings were also made of the misted and nonmisted ducks for 3 h representing time periods prior to, during, and after the 1-h misting across all sheds for all 8 d of the treatment period. Observations were made of all behavior that ducks exhibited at 10-min scan sample intervals across four cameras per shed, totaling 4,198 scans across the seven sheds. General linear mixed models showed the misting application predominantly had impacts on the patterns of behavioral change across the treatment time periods between the misted and nonmisted ducks rather than increasing or decreasing the overall expression of specific behaviors (interaction terms all P ≤ 0.003). The misted ducks increased drinking, tail wagging, and walking, and reduced preening, rooting litter, sitting, and stretching during misting relative to what they showed prior. The nonmisted ducks showed less sitting and more panting during misting relative to prior. Pearson's Chi-square tests showed some differences between the treatment groups in feather cleanliness on the back and wings (both P < 0.0001), likely resulting from pre-existing differences between sheds in blood from pin feathers. Most welfare indicators showed no positive or negative effect of the misting treatment. These results indicate overhead misting does affect duck behavior to some degree without compromising their welfare, but further research with larger water droplet sizes resulting in greater accumulation of surface water or extended durations of misting may lead to greater effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sue Belson
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Marisa A Erasmus
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Jim M Lea
- Agriculture and Food, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Makagon MM, Riber AB. Setting research driven duck-welfare standards: a systematic review of Pekin duck welfare research. Poult Sci 2022; 101:101614. [PMID: 35042179 PMCID: PMC8777151 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2021.101614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Globally, the production of Pekin ducks for meat and eggs is considerable, with an estimated >200 million ducks slaughtered yearly for their meat in the United States and the European Union alone. However, despite the size of the Pekin duck industries, there is a lack of research-based guidance regarding the welfare of the ducks. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine and summarize available scientific literature related to the welfare of Pekin ducks raised on commercial farms for meat and eggs. Specifically, we aimed to identify topics where sufficient literature exists to support best-practice duck welfare recommendations, as well as further research needs. The literature search targeted original research papers and review articles published in English. Six pre-establish inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied, yielding 63 publications. We summarized their content based their main topic of focus. For all original studies, we additionally recorded the country where the study was executed, scale of the project (commercial or experimental barns), general information about the housing system and management (waterers, flooring, ventilation, group size, and space allowance), and the types of outcome variables collected. We begin with an overview of key publication trends. We then synthesize and discuss welfare outcomes related to key housing/management decisions: bathing water, flooring and litter, stocking density and space availability, ventilation/air quality, lighting, outdoor access, and for egg laying birds the availability of nest boxes. Throughout, we outline specific research gaps, as well as overarching research needs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maja M Makagon
- Center for Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science, University of California-Davis, Davis, CA 95618, USA.
| | - Anja B Riber
- Section Welfare, Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Tjele, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Babington S, Campbell DLM. Water for Domestic Ducks: The Benefits and Challenges in Commercial Production. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.782507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although we have been farming ducks for at least 4,000 years, with some accounts suggesting domestication having begun more than 38,000 years ago, there are still many unknowns for optimizing domestic duck welfare in a commercial setting. Ducks being waterfowl, are semi-aquatic and have unique behavioral needs when compared to other commonly farmed poultry species. Providing ducks with open water which allows for full body immersion so that they may perform their full repertoire of water-related behaviors is important for their health and welfare. However, in a commercial setting this remains challenging due to biosecurity, contamination, health, and management concerns. An important question is therefore how best to provide ducks with a commercially feasible and safe water source in which they can derive maximum welfare and health benefits with no adverse consequences to health or global water resources. This review considers the amount of water provision necessary to satisfy duck's water-related needs to enhance yet not compromise their welfare in a commercial setting based on current knowledge, as well as identifies the outstanding questions for future research to address.
Collapse
|
9
|
Downing JA. Effect of light and stocking density on performance, breast muscle yield and potential damage caused by feather pecking in two strains of commercial Pekin ducks. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/an21487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|