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Environmental stress poses serious threats to animal welfare and production, particularly in poultry, which are susceptible to such stress. It can increase susceptibility to diseases and infections, reduce growth rates and reproductive performance, and increase behavioral issues. Environmental stress caused by conventional housing conditions can negatively affect well-being and productivity. High temperature, overcrowding, poor ventilation, insufficient lighting, and wire cages are some of the most prominent stressors in conventional housing systems. To address environmental stress in chicken farms, some strategies and tools, such as using anti-stress feed additives and enriching cages, can help improve bird behavioral activities and welfare. Breeders can improve overall bird performance by implementing these strategies and creating a more enriched and comfortable environment. Thus, this review discusses the importance of using different feed additives and environmental enrichment materials to reduce stress in chicken farms (broiler and layer) and improve bird productivity and well-being. Keywords: antioxidants, behavior, environmental enrichment, gut health, product quality, stress, welfare.
Environmental stress poses serious threats to animal welfare and production, particularly in poultry, which are susceptible to such stress. It can increase susceptibility to diseases and infections, reduce growth rates and reproductive performance, and increase behavioral issues. Environmental stress caused by conventional housing conditions can negatively affect well-being and productivity. High temperature, overcrowding, poor ventilation, insufficient lighting, and wire cages are some of the most prominent stressors in conventional housing systems. To address environmental stress in chicken farms, some strategies and tools, such as using anti-stress feed additives and enriching cages, can help improve bird behavioral activities and welfare. Breeders can improve overall bird performance by implementing these strategies and creating a more enriched and comfortable environment. Thus, this review discusses the importance of using different feed additives and environmental enrichment materials to reduce stress in chicken farms (broiler and layer) and improve bird productivity and well-being. Keywords: antioxidants, behavior, environmental enrichment, gut health, product quality, stress, welfare.
The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different bedding materials on both production performance and foot quality, assessed through the incidence, severity, and microbiological quality of foot pad dermatitis (FPD). A total of 2400 Ross 308 chickens were raised over 42 days, distributed across eight bedding material types (eight groups × four treatments × 75 chickens each). These pellets either lacked medicinal plant components or included 30% of plant parts, such as oregano (Origanum vulgare), summer savory (Satureja hortensis), lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), salvia (Salvia officinalis), and thyme (Thymus vulgaris). Production performance controls included body weight (BW) at 42 days of age, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality. The severity of FPD was evaluated at 28, 35, and 42 days using a scale ranging from S0 to S3. A microbiological analysis of the feet was based on the FPD score. Broilers raised on straw chaff (bedding: 24% oregano and 6% summer savory, 18% oregano and 12% summer savory, and 24% oregano and 6% thyme) exhibited the highest BW. Straw chaff-reared broilers demonstrated the lowest FCR. The highest mortality occurred on 18% oregano and 12% summer savory bedding, which may have been caused by the high share of summer savory, which could be toxic. At 35 and 42 days, broilers in the 24% oregano and 6% summer savory group exhibited the best foot quality, while those on straw chaff and 18% oregano and 12% summer savory had the worst one. The influence of medicinal plants in the pellets was particularly notable in reducing Listeria sp. This reduction was likely due to the presence of carvacrol from summer savory, quercetin from lemon balm, and thymol from thyme. Based on our research, the best bedding materials for foot quality are 24% oregano with 6% summer savory and 18% summer savory with 12% salvia, while 18% summer savory with 12% lemon balm and 18% summer savory with 12% thymus were the most effective in limiting Listeria sp.
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