Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens
The present study investigated the effects of pecking stones on feeding behaviour of hens from 16 to 46 weeks of age. Eighteen flocks of Hy-Line Brown hens were housed in 2 commercial free-range housing systems. Farm A housed 10 flocks of beak trimmed (infrared beak treatment) hens in fixed sheds. F...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2019-06-01
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| Series: | Animal Nutrition |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405654518300854 |
| _version_ | 1818578882882699264 |
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| author | Zafar Iqbal Kelly Drake Robert A. Swick Rider A. Perez-Maldonado Isabelle Ruhnke |
| author_facet | Zafar Iqbal Kelly Drake Robert A. Swick Rider A. Perez-Maldonado Isabelle Ruhnke |
| author_sort | Zafar Iqbal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present study investigated the effects of pecking stones on feeding behaviour of hens from 16 to 46 weeks of age. Eighteen flocks of Hy-Line Brown hens were housed in 2 commercial free-range housing systems. Farm A housed 10 flocks of beak trimmed (infrared beak treatment) hens in fixed sheds. Farm B housed 8 flocks of hens with intact beaks in mobile sheds. On each farm, flocks were equally assigned to control groups (no access to pecking stones) and treatment groups (access to pecking stones). Data were evaluated every 10 weeks. At each time point, 10 hens per flock were housed in individual pens, and each hen was provided with 250 g of mash diet and ad libitum water for 24 h. After 24 h, feed samples were collected and used to determine 24-h feed intake. Nutrient and particle selection was measured by subtracting nutrients and particles present in the leftover feed from the vaules obtained in the offered feed and expressed the change (Δ). In addition, pecking stone consumption was recorded for each flock. Data were analysed separately for each farm using fixed effects of pecking stone availability and hen age. Spearman's rho correlation coefficients and linear regression models were constructed to evaluate the relationship of beak length and pecking stone usage, discrete mean particle size (dMEAN) consumption (Δ dMEAN), and Δ nutrient intake. Hens with access to pecking stones consumed significantly lower quantities of large feed particles (>2.8 mm) on farm A (P = 0.029) and selected significantly more fine particles, on farm B (P = 0.013). Overall, positive relationships (P = 0.001) between beak length and pecking stone consumption, Δ dMEAN, and Δ phosphorus consumption were observed. In conclusion, pecking stone consumption resulted in reduced selection and consumption of feed particles in hens housed on both farms. Further research is warranted to investigate the effect of pecking stones on sensory innervation of the beak. Keywords: Poultry, Welfare, Feeding behaviour, Nutrition, Environmental enrichment |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:52:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ff9e11c07e147b7b186311dbf8b049a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-6545 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T06:52:52Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animal Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ff9e11c07e147b7b186311dbf8b049a2022-12-21T22:40:22ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Animal Nutrition2405-65452019-06-0152140147Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hensZafar Iqbal0Kelly Drake1Robert A. Swick2Rider A. Perez-Maldonado3Isabelle Ruhnke4School of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, AustraliaSouth Australian Research and Development Institute, Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, South Australia, 5371, AustraliaSchool of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, AustraliaDSM Nutritional Products, Singapore, 117440, SingaporeSchool of Environmental and Rural Science, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia; Corresponding author.The present study investigated the effects of pecking stones on feeding behaviour of hens from 16 to 46 weeks of age. Eighteen flocks of Hy-Line Brown hens were housed in 2 commercial free-range housing systems. Farm A housed 10 flocks of beak trimmed (infrared beak treatment) hens in fixed sheds. Farm B housed 8 flocks of hens with intact beaks in mobile sheds. On each farm, flocks were equally assigned to control groups (no access to pecking stones) and treatment groups (access to pecking stones). Data were evaluated every 10 weeks. At each time point, 10 hens per flock were housed in individual pens, and each hen was provided with 250 g of mash diet and ad libitum water for 24 h. After 24 h, feed samples were collected and used to determine 24-h feed intake. Nutrient and particle selection was measured by subtracting nutrients and particles present in the leftover feed from the vaules obtained in the offered feed and expressed the change (Δ). In addition, pecking stone consumption was recorded for each flock. Data were analysed separately for each farm using fixed effects of pecking stone availability and hen age. Spearman's rho correlation coefficients and linear regression models were constructed to evaluate the relationship of beak length and pecking stone usage, discrete mean particle size (dMEAN) consumption (Δ dMEAN), and Δ nutrient intake. Hens with access to pecking stones consumed significantly lower quantities of large feed particles (>2.8 mm) on farm A (P = 0.029) and selected significantly more fine particles, on farm B (P = 0.013). Overall, positive relationships (P = 0.001) between beak length and pecking stone consumption, Δ dMEAN, and Δ phosphorus consumption were observed. In conclusion, pecking stone consumption resulted in reduced selection and consumption of feed particles in hens housed on both farms. Further research is warranted to investigate the effect of pecking stones on sensory innervation of the beak. Keywords: Poultry, Welfare, Feeding behaviour, Nutrition, Environmental enrichmenthttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405654518300854 |
| spellingShingle | Zafar Iqbal Kelly Drake Robert A. Swick Rider A. Perez-Maldonado Isabelle Ruhnke Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens Animal Nutrition |
| title | Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens |
| title_full | Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens |
| title_fullStr | Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens |
| title_short | Feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free-range laying hens |
| title_sort | feed particle selection and nutrient intake altered by pecking stone consumption and beak length in free range laying hens |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405654518300854 |
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