The effect of hay bales and perches as environmental enrichment material was investigated on the behavior, heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, footpad dermatitis (FPD), and productivity of Japanese broilers in a commercial farm. About 21,500 birds were allocated to 4 houses: male versus female×control versus treatment house. We observed maintenance behavior, the utilization of hay bales and perches, and the H/L ratio of birds at 3, 5, and 8 weeks of age. FPD was scored and productivity was calculated at about 60 days after hatching. Compared to birds in the control houses, birds in the treatment houses invested more time in stand-resting and moving behaviors (P<0.01, for each behavior) and less time feeding, drinking, and sit-resting (P<0.01, for each behavior). Females used the hay bales and perches more than the males (P<0.1 and P<0.01, respectively). The activity and utilization of hay bales and perches decreased with age (P<0.01, for each behavior, respectively). The H/L ratio of birds in the treatment houses was lower than that in the control houses (P<0.01). The prevalence of FPD was milder in the treatment houses compared to the control houses for females (P<0.01), but not for males. In conclusion, hay bales and perches represent effective enrichment materials, allowing broilers to express normal behavior, alleviating stress in the younger and lighter birds of both sexes, and reducing FPD in female birds using the hay bales and perches more than males.
We provided comfortable resting areas in pens and tools for self-grooming and suppressing aggressive behavior for environmental enrichment in Japanese black and Japanese Shorthorn calves. At the start of the experiment, the black calves (n = 10) were 164 days old and 138 kg in weight, and the Japanese Shorthorn calves (n = 10) were 176 days old and 164 kg in weight. Calves of each breed were divided into two groups (the enrichment group and the non-treatment group), and each group was housed in a 4 m x 7.2 m pen. The effect of enrichment on calf welfare was estimated on the basis of daily weight gain and behavior. The brush stimulated the grooming behavior in calves although the mean time of using the brush decreased during the experiment. The partition of the feed trough and the wooden wall in the pen decreased the agonistic behavior in Japanese Shorthorn calves (P < 0.01) and increased the affiliative behavior in Japanese black calves (P = 0.08). The cleanliness of the bedding increased sternum lying and lying with the head touching the flank or ground in Japanese black calves and decreased the standing resting behavior in both breeds (P < 0.05 in all the cases). However, the treatments did not have an effect on daily weight gain. We concluded that the treatments would improve the welfare of calves and function as environmental enrichments.
Five feeding methods were tested in stabled horses: (i) cutting hay (hay was cut into 5 cm lengths), (ii) delaying feeding time (feeding was delayed until 1 h after the usual time), (iii) increasing the feeding frequency (hay was divided into two portions; one half was given at the normal time and the other 1 h later), (iv) increasing the feeding locations (hay was available at three locations), and (v) increasing the hay varieties (three species of hay were used). The behavioral durations in the 2 h after the experimental feedings were compared with those after usual feeding. In the cutting hay treatment, hayeating time decreased (P < 0.05), whereas bedding-eating time and resting time tended to increase. In the delaying feeding time treatment, bedding investigation time increased (P < 0.01) and hay-eating time tended to increase. In the increasing the feeding frequency treatment, hay-eating time tended to increase. In the increasing the feeding locations treatment, bedding investigation time tended to decrease. In the increasing the hay varieties treatment, resting time tended to decrease and hay-eating time tended to increase. It was suggested that the former two feeding methods might stimulate and the latter three feeding methods might suppress eating frustration in terms of increasing consummatory behavior (eating) and decreasing appetitive (investigating) and displacement behavior (resting).
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