Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, 0513 Oslo, Norway.
Animalia, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, 0513 Oslo, Norway.
Poult Sci. 2022 Apr;101(4):101754. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2022.101754. Epub 2022 Jan 30.
Management strategies can have positive effects on laying hen welfare, including prevention of damaging behavior, aggression, and fear, particularly by using environmental enrichment (EE). However, few studies have investigated the effects of the provision of EE in commercial aviary flocks. This knowledge gap is particularly significant considering the increasing numbers of non-beak trimmed hens worldwide kept in aviaries. The aim of this study was to survey and investigate the relationship between commercially applied EE and plumage condition and fearfulness in Norwegian flocks of loose-housed laying hens. Forty-five indoor multi-tiered aviary-system flocks of laying hens from across Norway were visited at the end of lay (range: 70-76 wk of age). The flocks consisted of either Lohmann LSL (n = 30) or Dekalb White (n = 15) non-beak-trimmed hens. During the visit, the researchers collected data on the farmers' use of the following five types of enrichment: pecking stones, gravel, oyster shells, grains scattered in the litter, and "toys". Feather loss was assessed individually in approximately 50 hens per flock and scores were awarded using a 3-point scale (0-2) for each of the following body parts: head, back/wings, breast, and tail. Finally, a novel object test was performed in 4 different locations in each house. The results showed that damage to the tail feathers was correlated positively to the first age of provision of toys (Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.41; P = 0.051) and negatively to the amounts of gravel stones provided (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.43, P = 0.02). No other associations between the welfare indicators and the provision of EE objects were found, likely because of the low variation of enrichment provision. The present study showed that the provision of EE objects such as toys and gravel stones can have significant benefits to the condition of laying hen plumage. This study also adds to the body of literature supporting the importance of early life experiences on the behavioral development of laying hens and on their welfare at older ages.
管理策略对蛋鸡福利有积极影响，包括预防破坏性行为、攻击和恐惧，特别是通过使用环境丰容（EE）。然而，很少有研究调查商业鸡舍中提供 EE 的影响。考虑到全世界非修剪喙的母鸡数量不断增加，在鸡舍中饲养，这种知识差距尤其显著。本研究旨在调查和研究挪威散养蛋鸡商业应用 EE 与羽毛状况和恐惧之间的关系。从全国各地的室内多层鸡舍系统中选择了 45 个即将结束产蛋期的蛋鸡（范围：70-76 周龄）。这些鸡群由未经喙修剪的 Lohmann LSL（n=30）或 Dekalb White（n=15）母鸡组成。在访问期间，研究人员收集了关于农民使用以下五种类型的丰容物的数据：啄石、砾石、牡蛎壳、撒在垫料中的谷物和“玩具”。对每只鸡进行个体羽毛损失评估，并使用 3 分制（0-2）对以下身体部位的每个部位进行评分：头部、背部/翅膀、胸部和尾部。最后，在每个鸡舍的 4 个不同位置进行了新物体测试。结果表明，尾羽损伤与首次提供玩具的年龄呈正相关（皮尔逊相关系数=0.41；P=0.051），与提供的砾石量呈负相关（皮尔逊相关系数=-0.43，P=0.02）。在福利指标和 EE 物体的提供之间没有发现其他关联，这可能是由于丰容物的提供变化很小。本研究表明，提供 EE 物体，如玩具和砾石，可以显著改善蛋鸡羽毛状况。本研究还为支持早期生活经历对蛋鸡行为发育和老年福利的重要性的文献提供了补充。
