Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group, Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford, Bristol, UK.
Br Poult Sci. 2013;54(2):165-70. doi: 10.1080/00071668.2013.767437.
The impact of keel bone fractures on egg production, egg weight and feed and water consumption in individual laying hens. A total of 165 Lohmann brown laying hens were obtained from a commercial farm that consisted of 105 with keel fractures and 60 without keel fractures. 2. After a 4-d period of acclimatisation, hens were individually housed and provided with ad libitum food and water for a 24-h period. The number of eggs laid, egg weight, feed and water consumption during this period were recorded. Keel bone strength was also assessed. 3. Hens free from keel fractures laid more eggs (91.7% vs. 84.9%) of significantly heavier weight (61.9 g vs. 60.2 g), ate less feed (139 g vs. 151 g) and drank less water (212 ml vs. 237 ml) than hens with fractures. 4. There was a significant positive association between keel fracture severity and water consumption, and a significant negative association between keel fracture severity and egg weight and keel bone strength. 5. This small-scale study on individual birds shows that keel bone fractures may have an impact on the economics of egg production.
龙骨骨折对个体产蛋鸡的产蛋量、蛋重、饲料和水消耗的影响。总共从一个商业养殖场获得了 165 只罗曼褐壳蛋鸡，其中 105 只有龙骨骨折，60 只没有龙骨骨折。2. 适应期 4 天后，母鸡被单独饲养，并提供自由采食和饮水 24 小时。在此期间记录产蛋数、蛋重、饲料和水消耗。还评估了龙骨骨强度。3. 无龙骨骨折的母鸡产蛋量更高（91.7%对 84.9%），蛋重明显更重（61.9 克对 60.2 克），饲料摄入量更少（139 克对 151 克），饮水量更少（212 毫升对 237 毫升）。4. 龙骨骨折严重程度与水消耗呈显著正相关，与蛋重和龙骨骨强度呈显著负相关。5. 这项对个体鸟类的小规模研究表明，龙骨骨折可能会对蛋鸡生产的经济效益产生影响。
