Koelkebeck K W, Anderson K E
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801, USA.
Poult Sci. 2007 Jun;86(6):1260-4. doi: 10.1093/ps/86.6.1260.
The molting of commercial layers has been under increased scrutiny by animal rights groups, who have said that this practice is highly stressful and one which negatively affects the welfare of the hen due to the initial period of fasting that has been used to stop egg production. In recent years, there has been a recognized need to develop practical alternatives to molting layers other than the use of fasting. Thus, the University of Illinois, University of Nebraska, North Carolina State University, and the University of California have all researched this area. In all of these studies, the methods involved comparing a normal fasting method (i.e., 5 to 13 d), to feeding low-energy and protein diets using ingredients such as wheat middlings, soybean hulls, and corn or diets with graded levels of added salt and without salt (University of Nebraska, University of California). The molt period (28 d) included full-feeding of these diets. In these studies, postmolt production performance for the nonfeed withdrawal techniques was comparable to the fasting method. Several researchers have also evaluated the behavioral repertoire of laying hens, which includes feeding, drinking, comfort, social, reproductive, and anti-predator behaviors. In addition, related behaviors such as aggression, escape-avoidance, and submission have been of particular interest as potential indicators of welfare during molting. In these studies, genetic selection, strain, density, or molt program do not appear to adversely influence the behavioral patterns during the molt. The behavior patterns displayed during a molt program appear consistent with the response to physiological changes that layers experience and do not appear to compromise the welfare status of the hens. Appetitive behaviors were not affected by strain but were affected by production phase and molting. Strain or production phase did not influence the frequency of aggressive and submissive acts. Thus, the use of alternative nonfeed withdrawal molting methods provide comparable laying hen well-being and may enhance the transition from a productive to a resting state.
商业蛋鸡的强制换羽受到了动物权益组织越来越多的审视，这些组织表示，这种做法压力极大，而且由于用于停止产蛋的初始禁食期，会对母鸡的福利产生负面影响。近年来，人们已经认识到需要开发除禁食之外的实用的蛋鸡强制换羽替代方法。因此，伊利诺伊大学、内布拉斯加大学、北卡罗来纳州立大学和加利福尼亚大学都对这一领域进行了研究。在所有这些研究中，所采用的方法包括将正常的禁食方法（即5至13天）与使用小麦麸、大豆皮和玉米等成分的低能量和低蛋白日粮或添加不同盐分水平及无盐日粮进行比较（内布拉斯加大学、加利福尼亚大学）。强制换羽期（28天）包括对这些日粮的全量饲喂。在这些研究中，非禁食技术的换羽后生产性能与禁食方法相当。几位研究人员还评估了产蛋母鸡的行为表现，其中包括采食、饮水、舒适、社交、繁殖和反捕食行为。此外，诸如攻击、逃避和顺从等相关行为作为强制换羽期间福利的潜在指标受到了特别关注。在这些研究中，遗传选择、品系、密度或强制换羽方案似乎不会对强制换羽期间的行为模式产生不利影响。强制换羽方案期间所表现出的行为模式似乎与蛋鸡所经历的生理变化反应一致，并且似乎不会损害母鸡的福利状况。采食行为不受品系影响，但受生产阶段和强制换羽的影响。品系或生产阶段不影响攻击和顺从行为的频率。因此，使用替代性的非禁食强制换羽方法能使蛋鸡获得相当的健康状况，并可能有助于从生产状态顺利过渡到休息状态。
