Abdel-Hamid Shereen El, Saleem Al-Sadik Y, Youssef Mohamed I, Mohammed Hesham H, Abdelaty Asmaa I
Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt.
J Adv Vet Anim Res. 2020 Jul 10;7(3):407-413. doi: 10.5455/javar.2020.g435. eCollection 2020 Sep.
This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of the housing system on the welfare and growth performance of the Muscovy duck.
A total number of 48 Muscovy duck aged 3-week old were divided randomly into two groups (24 duck on each): deep litter system and cage system. Each group was subdivided into three replicates (8 birds on each) were identified with wing rings.
The study showed that feeding and drinking behaviors significantly increased ( < 0.05) in duck reared at the cage system. While there was no noticeable effect on lying and feather pecking, duck raised in the deep litter had better growth performance with a substantial difference, which achieve a higher feed conversion rate with lower feed efficiency. Physical conditions were significantly better at cage management. The level of stress indicating hormones indicating free Thyroxin was increased with the cage. Therefore, the litter system improves duck welfare and their performance.
It is concluded that the duck managed under the litter system has more opportunities that facilitate the expression of more natural behavior, and thus improve their health and performance, as a result of improved feed conversion rate and feed efficiency.
本实验旨在评估饲养系统对番鸭福利和生长性能的影响。
将48只3周龄的番鸭随机分为两组（每组24只）：厚垫料饲养系统组和笼养系统组。每组再细分为三个重复（每组8只），用翅环进行标识。
研究表明，笼养系统饲养的番鸭的采食和饮水行为显著增加（P<0.05）。虽然对躺卧和啄羽行为没有明显影响，但厚垫料饲养的番鸭生长性能更好，差异显著，其饲料转化率更高但饲料效率较低。笼养管理下番鸭的身体状况明显更好。笼养时，表明游离甲状腺素的应激指示激素水平升高。因此，厚垫料饲养系统可提高番鸭福利及其生产性能。
得出的结论是，由于提高了饲料转化率和饲料效率，厚垫料饲养系统管理下的番鸭有更多机会促进更自然行为的表达，从而改善其健康状况和生产性能。
