Hefnawy Eman, Sabek Ahmed, Elgazzar Eman, El-Laithy Saeed, Ahmed Souad
Department of Hygiene and Veterinary Management, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, Benha University, Moshtohour, Benha city, 13736, 13518, Egypt.
BMC Vet Res. 2025 Apr 2;21(1):236. doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04656-5.
The current study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different litter materials on growth performance, some behavioral patterns, welfare indicators, and carcass traits in Muscovy ducks. A total of 84 healthy 2weeks old Muscovy ducklings were randomly allocated to 4 groups (3 replicates/ group; each replicate contains 7 birds) according to different litter materials. The first group was reared on wood shavings; the second was reared on sand; the third was reared on chopped rice straw; and the fourth one was reared on wheat straw. Growth performance parameters such as final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were evaluated. Some behavioral patterns were recorded when the ducks were 3 weeks old using focal observation 3 days a week, twice per day. Foot pad dermatitis, feather condition score, hock burn, gait score, nostril cleanliness, and carcass traits were evaluated. Litter moisture content, water holding capacity, and microbiological characteristics of different litters were measured.
The results showed that all growth performance parameters of Muscovy ducks were not significantly affected by different litter types (P > 0.05). Feeding and leg /wing stretch frequences were significantly higher in ducks reared on wood shavings and sand than other treatments. High pecking and low feather condition score were recorded in birds reared on sand more than other birds. The chopped rice straw group showed the lowest foot pad, gait, and hock burn scores. A little effect of litter types on carcass traits was recorded as only thymus and abdominal fat weights were influenced by different litter types (P ≤ 0.05). Sand litter had the lowest water holding capacity, moisture content, total bacterial and fungal counts when compared to other litter types.
In the Muscovy ducks' sector, alternative bedding materials such as sand, wheat straw, and chopped rice can be used. Sand is the most hygienic litter to be used, as it has the lowest microbial load.
本研究旨在评估不同垫料对番鸭生长性能、一些行为模式、福利指标和胴体性状的影响。根据不同垫料，将84只健康的2周龄番鸭随机分为4组（每组3个重复；每个重复包含7只鸭）。第一组饲养在刨花上；第二组饲养在沙子上；第三组饲养在切碎的稻草上；第四组饲养在麦秸上。评估了最终体重、体重增加、采食量和饲料转化率等生长性能参数。在鸭子3周龄时，每周3天、每天2次采用焦点观察法记录一些行为模式。评估了脚垫皮炎、羽毛状况评分、跗关节灼伤、步态评分、鼻孔清洁度和胴体性状。测量了不同垫料的水分含量、持水能力和微生物特性。
结果表明，不同垫料类型对番鸭的所有生长性能参数均无显著影响（P＞0.05）。饲养在刨花和沙子上的鸭子的采食和腿部/翅膀伸展频率显著高于其他处理组。饲养在沙子上的鸭子的啄羽频率较高，羽毛状况评分较低。切碎稻草组的脚垫、步态和跗关节灼伤评分最低。仅胸腺和腹部脂肪重量受不同垫料类型影响（P≤0.05），记录到垫料类型对胴体性状有轻微影响。与其他垫料类型相比，沙子垫料的持水能力、水分含量、总细菌和真菌数量最低。
在番鸭养殖领域，可以使用沙子、麦秸和切碎的稻草等替代垫料。沙子是最卫生的垫料，因为其微生物负荷最低。
