The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Chickens
Reduced mobility in broilers can contribute to leg health problems. Environmental enrichment has been suggested as one approach to combat this through stimulating increased physical activity. Past studies have tested the effect of environmental enrichments on bird behaviour, health and welfare, but...
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MDPI AG
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/3/378 |
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| author | Philip J. Jones Fernanda M. Tahamtani Ida J. Pedersen Jarkko K. Niemi Anja B. Riber |
| author_facet | Philip J. Jones Fernanda M. Tahamtani Ida J. Pedersen Jarkko K. Niemi Anja B. Riber |
| author_sort | Philip J. Jones |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reduced mobility in broilers can contribute to leg health problems. Environmental enrichment has been suggested as one approach to combat this through stimulating increased physical activity. Past studies have tested the effect of environmental enrichments on bird behaviour, health and welfare, but few have estimated their financial impacts. This study tested the impact of eight types of environmental enrichment on enterprise net margin, accounting for direct intervention costs plus indirect effects via changes to bird mortality, weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and foot pad dermatitis. The trial used 58 pens each containing approximately 500 broilers (Ross 308) at a stocking density of 40 kg/m<sup>2</sup>. The environmental enrichments were: roughage, vertical panels, straw bales, elevated platforms (5 and 30 cm), increased distances between feed and water (7 and 3.5 m) and stocking density reduced to 34 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, plus a control group. Mortality was recorded daily and feed intake and weight weekly. Footpad dermatitis was assessed on day 35. Only one intervention improved financial performance (3.5 m between feed and water) above the control, suggesting that most environmental enrichment would have a negative financial impact due to the additional intervention costs, unless consumers were willing to pay a price premium. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T05:08:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5af819a8eb354ff6b06696bd1a420b3a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T05:08:43Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-5af819a8eb354ff6b06696bd1a420b3a2022-12-21T18:38:02ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-02-0110337810.3390/ani10030378ani10030378The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler ChickensPhilip J. Jones0Fernanda M. Tahamtani1Ida J. Pedersen2Jarkko K. Niemi3Anja B. Riber4School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, P.O. Box 237, Earley Gate, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AR, UKDepartment of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, DenmarkHK Scan, Tvaermosevej 10, 7830 Vinderup, DenmarkNatural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Bioeconomy and Environment Unit, Kampusranta 9, FI-60320 Seinäjoki, FinlandDepartment of Animal Science, Aarhus University, Blichers Allé 20, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, DenmarkReduced mobility in broilers can contribute to leg health problems. Environmental enrichment has been suggested as one approach to combat this through stimulating increased physical activity. Past studies have tested the effect of environmental enrichments on bird behaviour, health and welfare, but few have estimated their financial impacts. This study tested the impact of eight types of environmental enrichment on enterprise net margin, accounting for direct intervention costs plus indirect effects via changes to bird mortality, weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, and foot pad dermatitis. The trial used 58 pens each containing approximately 500 broilers (Ross 308) at a stocking density of 40 kg/m<sup>2</sup>. The environmental enrichments were: roughage, vertical panels, straw bales, elevated platforms (5 and 30 cm), increased distances between feed and water (7 and 3.5 m) and stocking density reduced to 34 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, plus a control group. Mortality was recorded daily and feed intake and weight weekly. Footpad dermatitis was assessed on day 35. Only one intervention improved financial performance (3.5 m between feed and water) above the control, suggesting that most environmental enrichment would have a negative financial impact due to the additional intervention costs, unless consumers were willing to pay a price premium.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/3/378broiler flockshealth managementenvironmental enrichmentfinancial assessment |
| spellingShingle | Philip J. Jones Fernanda M. Tahamtani Ida J. Pedersen Jarkko K. Niemi Anja B. Riber The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Chickens Animals broiler flocks health management environmental enrichment financial assessment |
| title | The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Chickens |
| title_full | The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Chickens |
| title_fullStr | The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Chickens |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Chickens |
| title_short | The Productivity and Financial Impacts of Eight Types of Environmental Enrichment for Broiler Chickens |
| title_sort | productivity and financial impacts of eight types of environmental enrichment for broiler chickens |
| topic | broiler flocks health management environmental enrichment financial assessment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/3/378 |
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