Dunkley C S, Friend T H, McReynolds J L, Woodward C L, Kim W K, Dunkley K D, Kubena L F, Nisbet D J, Ricke S C
Texas A&M University, Department of Poultry Science, College Station 77843-2472, USA.
Poult Sci. 2008 Jun;87(6):1005-11. doi: 10.3382/ps.2006-00386.
Induced molting by feed withdrawal has been a common practice in the commercial layer industry and usually involves the removal of feed for a period of up to 14 d. However, this is a practice that is believed to adversely influence the welfare of the hens and there is a need to examine behavioral responses to alternative molt regimens. The behavioral patterns of hens on 90% alfalfa:10% layer ration, 80% alfalfa:20% layer ration, and 70% alfalfa:30% layer ration molt diets were compared with feed withdrawal (FW) hens, and fully fed (FF) hens. The White Leghorn laying hens were approximately 54 wk old and were placed in 3 identical climate-controlled rooms. The hens were individually housed in 2-tier wire battery cages and provided treatment rations and water ad libitum. Nonnutritive pecking, walking, drinking, feeder activity, preening, aggression, and head movement were quantified during two 10-min periods each day for 6 hens from each treatment. Over the 9-d treatment period, hens in the FW, 70% alfalfa:30% layer ration, and 80% alfalfa:20% layer ration groups spent significantly more time walking than hens in the 90% alfalfa:10% layer ration group. The FF and 70% alfalfa:30% layer ration hens spent half as much time preening, whereas the FW hens displayed nearly twice as much nonnutritive pecking when compared with other treatments. Most differences in head movements occurred at the beginning of the molt period, whereas during the last half of molt, alfalfa-fed hens exhibited feeder activity similar to FF hens, and all were significantly higher than that of FW hens. After some initial adjustment by the hens, consumption of alfalfa molt diets appeared to reduce nonnutritive pecking behavior, which is characteristically associated with FW hens.
通过停喂进行强制换羽在商业蛋鸡养殖行业中是一种常见做法，通常包括停喂长达14天的时间。然而，这种做法被认为会对母鸡的福利产生不利影响，因此有必要研究母鸡对替代换羽方案的行为反应。将采食90%苜蓿：10%蛋鸡日粮、80%苜蓿：20%蛋鸡日粮和70%苜蓿：30%蛋鸡日粮换羽日粮的母鸡的行为模式与停喂（FW）母鸡和全喂（FF）母鸡进行了比较。白来航蛋鸡约54周龄，被安置在3个相同的气候控制房间里。母鸡单独饲养在两层金属丝鸡笼中，自由采食处理日粮和饮水。每天在两个10分钟时间段内对每个处理的6只母鸡的非营养性啄羽、行走、饮水、采食器活动、梳理羽毛、攻击行为和头部运动进行量化。在9天的处理期内，FW组、70%苜蓿：30%蛋鸡日粮组和80%苜蓿：20%蛋鸡日粮组的母鸡行走时间明显多于90%苜蓿：10%蛋鸡日粮组的母鸡。FF组和70%苜蓿：30%蛋鸡日粮组的母鸡梳理羽毛的时间只有一半，而与其他处理相比，FW组母鸡的非营养性啄羽行为几乎是其他组的两倍。大多数头部运动差异出现在换羽期开始时，而在换羽期的后半段，采食苜蓿日粮的母鸡表现出与FF组母鸡相似的采食器活动，且均显著高于FW组母鸡。在母鸡进行一些初始调整后，采食苜蓿换羽日粮似乎减少了非营养性啄羽行为，这种行为通常与FW组母鸡有关。
