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Ciarelli C, Pillan G, Bordignon F, Xiccato G, Birolo M, Trocino A. Space use and navigation ability of hens at housing in the aviary for the laying phase: effect of enrichment with additional perches and genotype. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102962. [PMID: 37683449 PMCID: PMC10498002 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study tested the hypothesis that increased availability of perches could favor the adaptation and navigation ability of pullets of different genotypes at housing in a new aviary system for the laying phase. To this purpose, 900 Lohmann White-LSL and 900 Hy-line Brown were randomly allocated at 17 wk of age in 8 pens of an experimental aviary, according to a bifactorial arrangement with 2 genotypes (Brown vs. White) × 2 types of pens (enriched or not enriched with additional perches besides those of the aviary). Data collected between 17 and 20 wk of age showed that the enrichment with additional perches decreased the use of the aviary perches while the rate of successful landings/take-offs was unaffected. As for the effect of genotype, during the night a lower rate of hens on the floor (0.15 vs. 6.63%) and a higher rate of hens on the additional perches (2.47 vs. 0.98%) was found in White compared to Brown hens (P < 0.001); the former hens also used the third tiers for sleeping on the aviary uppermost perches (P < 0.001). During the day, White hens used more the third tier (32.8 vs. 15.6%; P < 0.001) and the additional perches (3.88 vs. 0.91%; P < 0.01) compared to Brown hens, while they stood less on the floor (18.3 vs. 22.6%; P < 0.05). White hens performed a significantly higher number of landings (80.7 vs. 21.9; P < 0.001) and of take-offs (74.3 vs. 10.0; P < 0.001) per pen compared to Brown hens. The risk of unsuccessful landings was higher in Brown compared to White hens (odd ratio: 6.65; 95% confidence interval: 4.36-10.1; P < 0.001). In conclusion, the enrichment with additional perches played a major role in hen distribution and space use than in their navigation ability. At the same time, the significant differences between the 2 genotypes call for a careful evaluation of the aviary design and animal management to optimize welfare at housing and possibly productive results of laying hens.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Ciarelli
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - G Pillan
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - F Bordignon
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - G Xiccato
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - M Birolo
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - A Trocino
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy; Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy.
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Pillan G, Xiccato G, Ciarelli C, Bordignon F, Concollato A, Pascual A, Birolo M, Pirrone F, Sirri F, Averόs X, Estevez I, Trocino A. Factors affecting space use by laying hens in a cage-free aviary system: effect of nest lighting at pullet housing and of curtain nest color during laying. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102524. [PMID: 36805400 PMCID: PMC9969319 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
At 17 wk of age, 1,800 Lohman brown hens were housed in 8 pens of an experimental aviary system, specifically set up for the purposes of the present study, and kept until 26 wk without or with nest lighting (lights inside the nest 1.5 h before the lighting of the installation) for training in the nest use. Then, at 27 wk, 4 combinations of nest curtains were adopted to evaluate the effects on hens' distribution, that is, nests with red (RR) or yellow (YY) curtains at all tiers; nests with red and yellow curtains at the first and second tier, respectively (RY); or nests with yellow and red curtains at the first and second tier, respectively (YR). The use of enlightened compared to dark nests at housing increased the oviposition rate (P < 0.001) and decreased the rate of broken (P < 0.001) and dirty eggs (P < 0.05) from 27 to 45 wk, while increasing the rate of eggs laid inside the nests (P < 0.001). The presence of yellow nest curtains increased the rate of hens on the floor in pens YY and YR compared to pens RR and RY (35.3 and 35.5% vs. 34.1 and 33.3%, respectively; P = 0.05) and the rate of floor eggs in pens YR (2.23% vs. 1.63 and 1.65% in pens RR and RY; P < 0.05). In pens RY, a higher rate of eggs was always found on the second tier compared to the first one with the most inhomogeneous distribution compared to pens RR, YY, and YR (+10.8 vs. +3.4, +1.9, and +4.6 percentage points of eggs laid on the second tier compared to the first one, respectively). In conclusion, nest lighting at housing trained hens to the use of nests while improving egg production in terms of quantity and quality. The use of yellow curtains on nests moved hens between the different levels of the aviary but this was not associated with an increased nest use for laying.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. Pillan
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - G. Xiccato
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - C. Ciarelli
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - F. Bordignon
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | | | - A. Pascual
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - M. Birolo
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - F. Pirrone
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - F. Sirri
- Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Alma Mater Studiorum - University of Bologna, 40064 Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
| | - X. Averόs
- Animal Production Department, NEIKER, 01192 Arkaute, Spain
| | - I. Estevez
- Animal Production Department, NEIKER, 01192 Arkaute, Spain,Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
| | - A. Trocino
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science (BCA), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy,Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animal and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro, Padova, Italy,Corresponding author:
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