Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural Behaviors
Animal welfare concerns have been a challenging issue for producers and international marketing. In laying hen production, cage-free systems (CFS) have been identified as an alternative to ensure the laying hens’ well-being. Nevertheless, in CFS, important environmental issues have been reported, de...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-12-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/17 |
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| author | Andrés F. Gonzalez-Mora Araceli D. Larios Alain N. Rousseau Stéphane Godbout Cédric Morin Joahnn H. Palacios Michèle Grenier Sébastien Fournel |
| author_facet | Andrés F. Gonzalez-Mora Araceli D. Larios Alain N. Rousseau Stéphane Godbout Cédric Morin Joahnn H. Palacios Michèle Grenier Sébastien Fournel |
| author_sort | Andrés F. Gonzalez-Mora |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Animal welfare concerns have been a challenging issue for producers and international marketing. In laying hen production, cage-free systems (CFS) have been identified as an alternative to ensure the laying hens’ well-being. Nevertheless, in CFS, important environmental issues have been reported, decreasing indoor air quality. Environmental control strategies (ECS) have been designed to enhance indoor air quality in CFSs. However, little information exists about the effect of these ECSs on natural animal behaviors. Four strategies and one control were tested in an experimental CFS, previously designed to track behavioral variables using video recordings over seven time-lapses of 1 hour per day. Spatial occupancy (SO) and laying hen behaviors (LHB) were registered. One statistical analysis was applied to evaluate the effect of ECS on SO and LHB using a multinomial response model. Results show lower chances to use litter area within the reduction of litter allowance treatment (T17) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Neither the four ECSs nor the control implemented in this experiment affected the natural behaviors of the hens. However, stress patterns and high activity were reported in the T17 treatment. This study shows that it is possible to use these ECSs without disrupting laying hens’ natural behaviors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:48:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dc666c1bf96343a1a16f1fdf11e8d109 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:48:50Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-dc666c1bf96343a1a16f1fdf11e8d1092023-11-21T02:23:35ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-12-011111710.3390/ani11010017Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural BehaviorsAndrés F. Gonzalez-Mora0Araceli D. Larios1Alain N. Rousseau2Stéphane Godbout3Cédric Morin4Joahnn H. Palacios5Michèle Grenier6Sébastien Fournel7Centre Eau Terre Environnement (ETE), Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), 490 rue de la Couronne, Quebec, QC G1K 9A9, CanadaAgri-Food Engineering Division, Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 rue Einstein, Quebec, QC GIP 3W8, CanadaCentre Eau Terre Environnement (ETE), Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), 490 rue de la Couronne, Quebec, QC G1K 9A9, CanadaAgri-Food Engineering Division, Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 rue Einstein, Quebec, QC GIP 3W8, CanadaAgri-Food Engineering Division, Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 rue Einstein, Quebec, QC GIP 3W8, CanadaAgri-Food Engineering Division, Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 rue Einstein, Quebec, QC GIP 3W8, CanadaAgri-Food Engineering Division, Research and Development Institute for the Agri-Environment (IRDA), 2700 rue Einstein, Quebec, QC GIP 3W8, CanadaDépartement des sols et de Génie Agroalimentaire, Faculté des Sciences de l’Agriculture et de l’Alimentation, Université Laval. 2425, rue de l’Agriculture, Quebec, QC, G1V 0A6, CanadaAnimal welfare concerns have been a challenging issue for producers and international marketing. In laying hen production, cage-free systems (CFS) have been identified as an alternative to ensure the laying hens’ well-being. Nevertheless, in CFS, important environmental issues have been reported, decreasing indoor air quality. Environmental control strategies (ECS) have been designed to enhance indoor air quality in CFSs. However, little information exists about the effect of these ECSs on natural animal behaviors. Four strategies and one control were tested in an experimental CFS, previously designed to track behavioral variables using video recordings over seven time-lapses of 1 hour per day. Spatial occupancy (SO) and laying hen behaviors (LHB) were registered. One statistical analysis was applied to evaluate the effect of ECS on SO and LHB using a multinomial response model. Results show lower chances to use litter area within the reduction of litter allowance treatment (T17) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Neither the four ECSs nor the control implemented in this experiment affected the natural behaviors of the hens. However, stress patterns and high activity were reported in the T17 treatment. This study shows that it is possible to use these ECSs without disrupting laying hens’ natural behaviors.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/17animal welfarecage-free systemslaying hen behaviorsspatial occupancyair quality |
| spellingShingle | Andrés F. Gonzalez-Mora Araceli D. Larios Alain N. Rousseau Stéphane Godbout Cédric Morin Joahnn H. Palacios Michèle Grenier Sébastien Fournel Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural Behaviors Animals animal welfare cage-free systems laying hen behaviors spatial occupancy air quality |
| title | Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural Behaviors |
| title_full | Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural Behaviors |
| title_fullStr | Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural Behaviors |
| title_full_unstemmed | Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural Behaviors |
| title_short | Assessing Environmental Control Strategies in Cage-Free Egg Production Systems: Effect on Spatial Occupancy and Natural Behaviors |
| title_sort | assessing environmental control strategies in cage free egg production systems effect on spatial occupancy and natural behaviors |
| topic | animal welfare cage-free systems laying hen behaviors spatial occupancy air quality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/1/17 |
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