A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage Systems
The study covered a total of 810 hens in 3 groups (housing systems) of 270 hens each. The plumage condition of laying hens raised in various types of alternative housing systems, i.e., in deep litter (B), free-range (FR), and organic systems (O), was assessed at 20, 36, and 56 weeks of age. The indo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/185 |
| _version_ | 1797447019197890560 |
|---|---|
| author | Zofia Sokołowicz Magdalena Dykiel Jadwiga Topczewska Józefa Krawczyk Anna Augustyńska-Prejsnar |
| author_facet | Zofia Sokołowicz Magdalena Dykiel Jadwiga Topczewska Józefa Krawczyk Anna Augustyńska-Prejsnar |
| author_sort | Zofia Sokołowicz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study covered a total of 810 hens in 3 groups (housing systems) of 270 hens each. The plumage condition of laying hens raised in various types of alternative housing systems, i.e., in deep litter (B), free-range (FR), and organic systems (O), was assessed at 20, 36, and 56 weeks of age. The indoor stocking density was 6 hens/m<sup>2</sup>. The study included hens of the native Green-legged Partridge breed (Z-11), Rhode Island Red (R-11) hens covered by a genetic resource protection program, and hybrids of Hy-Line Brown. The plumage of the head, neck, back, tail, and abdomen was assessed on a 5-point scale. The assessment of individual hens' plumage was calculated as the sum of the scores of the head, neck, back, tail and abdomen and could range from 0 (no cover) to 20 points (full plumage). The type of alternative housing system implemented and the age of the laying hens had an effect on the plumage status of all body parts assessed (<i>p <</i> 0.05), while the genotype had an effect on the condition of the neck, back, and tail plumage (<i>p <</i> 0.05). In both the FR and O systems, the plumage status was similar and superior to that in B (<i>p <</i> 0.05). As the age of the birds increased, the condition of the hens' plumage deteriorated. The better state of the plumage in FR and O than in B may indicate improved levels of welfare in housing systems with access to outside runs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:48:48Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1c7b6c5de77d4539aa99697817d10350 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:48:48Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-1c7b6c5de77d4539aa99697817d103502023-11-30T20:52:24ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-01-0113218510.3390/ani13020185A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage SystemsZofia Sokołowicz0Magdalena Dykiel1Jadwiga Topczewska2Józefa Krawczyk3Anna Augustyńska-Prejsnar4Department of Animal Production and Poultry Products Evaluation, University of Rzeszów, Zelwerowicza Street 4, 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandDepartment of Food Production and Safety, Carpathion State College in Krosno, Rynek 1, 38-400 Krosno, PolandDepartment of Animal Production and Poultry Products Evaluation, University of Rzeszów, Zelwerowicza Street 4, 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandDepartment of Poultry Breeding, National Research Institute of Animal Production, Krakowska Street 1, 32-083 Balice Krakow, PolandDepartment of Animal Production and Poultry Products Evaluation, University of Rzeszów, Zelwerowicza Street 4, 35-601 Rzeszów, PolandThe study covered a total of 810 hens in 3 groups (housing systems) of 270 hens each. The plumage condition of laying hens raised in various types of alternative housing systems, i.e., in deep litter (B), free-range (FR), and organic systems (O), was assessed at 20, 36, and 56 weeks of age. The indoor stocking density was 6 hens/m<sup>2</sup>. The study included hens of the native Green-legged Partridge breed (Z-11), Rhode Island Red (R-11) hens covered by a genetic resource protection program, and hybrids of Hy-Line Brown. The plumage of the head, neck, back, tail, and abdomen was assessed on a 5-point scale. The assessment of individual hens' plumage was calculated as the sum of the scores of the head, neck, back, tail and abdomen and could range from 0 (no cover) to 20 points (full plumage). The type of alternative housing system implemented and the age of the laying hens had an effect on the plumage status of all body parts assessed (<i>p <</i> 0.05), while the genotype had an effect on the condition of the neck, back, and tail plumage (<i>p <</i> 0.05). In both the FR and O systems, the plumage status was similar and superior to that in B (<i>p <</i> 0.05). As the age of the birds increased, the condition of the hens' plumage deteriorated. The better state of the plumage in FR and O than in B may indicate improved levels of welfare in housing systems with access to outside runs.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/185alternative housing systemlaying hen welfareplumage statusnative breed |
| spellingShingle | Zofia Sokołowicz Magdalena Dykiel Jadwiga Topczewska Józefa Krawczyk Anna Augustyńska-Prejsnar A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage Systems Animals alternative housing system laying hen welfare plumage status native breed |
| title | A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage Systems |
| title_full | A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage Systems |
| title_fullStr | A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage Systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage Systems |
| title_short | A Comparison of the Plumage Condition of Three Egg-Laying Poultry Genotypes Housed in Non-Cage Systems |
| title_sort | comparison of the plumage condition of three egg laying poultry genotypes housed in non cage systems |
| topic | alternative housing system laying hen welfare plumage status native breed |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/185 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT zofiasokołowicz acomparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT magdalenadykiel acomparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT jadwigatopczewska acomparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT jozefakrawczyk acomparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT annaaugustynskaprejsnar acomparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT zofiasokołowicz comparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT magdalenadykiel comparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT jadwigatopczewska comparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT jozefakrawczyk comparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems AT annaaugustynskaprejsnar comparisonoftheplumageconditionofthreeegglayingpoultrygenotypeshousedinnoncagesystems |