Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens
A silvopasture system intentionally integrates trees, forages, and livestock, allowing dual land use. These systems can provide high-quality habitat for broiler chickens; however, such systems have not been widely adopted by the broiler industry in the United States. The objective of this study was...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10035879/?tool=EBI |
| _version_ | 1797860156629843968 |
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| author | Bidur Paneru Gabriel J. Pent Shawna Nastasi Adam K. Downing John F. Munsell John H. Fike Leonie Jacobs |
| author_facet | Bidur Paneru Gabriel J. Pent Shawna Nastasi Adam K. Downing John F. Munsell John H. Fike Leonie Jacobs |
| author_sort | Bidur Paneru |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A silvopasture system intentionally integrates trees, forages, and livestock, allowing dual land use. These systems can provide high-quality habitat for broiler chickens; however, such systems have not been widely adopted by the broiler industry in the United States. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of silvopasture versus open pasture access on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens. A total of 886 mixed-sex Ross 708 chicks in Experiment 1 (Exp 1) and 648 chicks in Experiment 2 (Exp 2) were housed in coops and had access to 16 (Exp 1) or 12 (Exp 2) 125m2 silvopasture plots (x̄ = 32% canopy cover) or open pasture plots (no canopy cover) from day 24 of age. Fearfulness was measured using a tonic immobility test (tonic immobility duration), and leg health was assessed by quantifying footpad dermatitis, hock burns, gait, and performing a latency-to-lie test on days 37–39 of age. Birds in the silvopasture treatment were less fearful than birds in the open pasture treatment. Overall, birds in both silvopasture and open pasture systems had excellent leg health. Silvopasture birds had lower footpad dermatitis scores than open pasture birds. Silvopasture birds tended to have worse gait than open pasture birds in Exp 1, but not in Exp 2. Hock burn scores and latency-to-lie did not differ between treatments in Exp 1 or Exp 2. Raising birds in silvopasture reduced fear and improved footpad health compared to birds raised in open pastures, which indicates that silvopasture systems provide some benefits for affective state and leg health in fast-growing broilers. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T21:41:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-707d03e7200349e0b861a8cbf0741878 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T21:41:15Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-707d03e7200349e0b861a8cbf07418782023-03-26T05:32:03ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01183Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickensBidur PaneruGabriel J. PentShawna NastasiAdam K. DowningJohn F. MunsellJohn H. FikeLeonie JacobsA silvopasture system intentionally integrates trees, forages, and livestock, allowing dual land use. These systems can provide high-quality habitat for broiler chickens; however, such systems have not been widely adopted by the broiler industry in the United States. The objective of this study was to examine the effect of silvopasture versus open pasture access on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens. A total of 886 mixed-sex Ross 708 chicks in Experiment 1 (Exp 1) and 648 chicks in Experiment 2 (Exp 2) were housed in coops and had access to 16 (Exp 1) or 12 (Exp 2) 125m2 silvopasture plots (x̄ = 32% canopy cover) or open pasture plots (no canopy cover) from day 24 of age. Fearfulness was measured using a tonic immobility test (tonic immobility duration), and leg health was assessed by quantifying footpad dermatitis, hock burns, gait, and performing a latency-to-lie test on days 37–39 of age. Birds in the silvopasture treatment were less fearful than birds in the open pasture treatment. Overall, birds in both silvopasture and open pasture systems had excellent leg health. Silvopasture birds had lower footpad dermatitis scores than open pasture birds. Silvopasture birds tended to have worse gait than open pasture birds in Exp 1, but not in Exp 2. Hock burn scores and latency-to-lie did not differ between treatments in Exp 1 or Exp 2. Raising birds in silvopasture reduced fear and improved footpad health compared to birds raised in open pastures, which indicates that silvopasture systems provide some benefits for affective state and leg health in fast-growing broilers.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10035879/?tool=EBI |
| spellingShingle | Bidur Paneru Gabriel J. Pent Shawna Nastasi Adam K. Downing John F. Munsell John H. Fike Leonie Jacobs Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens PLoS ONE |
| title | Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens |
| title_full | Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens |
| title_fullStr | Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens |
| title_short | Effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast-growing broiler chickens |
| title_sort | effect of silvopasture system on fearfulness and leg health in fast growing broiler chickens |
| url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10035879/?tool=EBI |
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