Evaluation of tonic immobility in common pheasant hens kept in different housing systems during laying period

Hrabčáková, Petra; Bedáňová, Iveta; Voslářová, Eva; Pištěková, Vladimíra; Večerek, Vladimír

doi:10.5194/aab-55-626-2012

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Stressful conditions in early life may increase susceptibility to disease. Pheasants reared in barren conditions exhibited higher levels of tonic immobility, indicative of stress, than those reared in enhanced conditions (Hrabcakova et al 2012). High-density releases may provoke competition and restrict access to resources such as water and shelter, which facilitates the effects of pheasant coronavirus and causes kidney failure precipitated later by chilling and water deprivation (Pennycott 2000).…”

Section: Factors That Exacerbate Disease Levels In Released Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why do many pheasants released in the UK die, and how can we best reduce their natural mortality?

2018

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Around 60% of pheasants released for shooting in the UK, an estimated 21 million birds, do not end up at their intended fate: being shot. This constitutes wastage, raising economic, environmental and ethical questions. We review what is known of the fates of released pheasants and consider why they do not directly contribute to the numbers harvested. We focus on four main explanations: predation, disease, starvation and dispersal, and highlight other important causes of mortality. For each explanation, we attempt to attribute levels of loss and identify timings or conditions when such losses may be heaviest. We review factors that exacerbate losses and methods available to mitigate them. Opportunities for amelioration may arise at all stages of the rearing and release of pheasants and involve changes to the conditions under which eggs are produced, the way young pheasants are reared or the management of the environment into which they are released. We found few studies investigating impacts of post-release management techniques on pheasant survival outside of the breeding season within a UK context. We found that a number of less commonly deployed practices focusing on early-life, pre-release management may improve survival. Given the scale of pheasant releasing in the UK, even improvements in survival of 1% would mean that~350,000 fewer birds die of natural causes. Complementing current post-release management with proven novel pre-release management interventions could reduce the number of pheasants required for release, whilst maintaining current shooting levels. Lowering release numbers would lower financial costs, benefit the environment and reduce some ethical concerns over the release and shooting of reared pheasants.

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Section: Factors That Exacerbate Disease Levels In Released Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Why do many pheasants released in the UK die, and how can we best reduce their natural mortality?

2018

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“…Furthermore, commercial pheasant rearing has developed as an alternative poultry sector for meat production (Kececi and Col 2010, Hrabcakova et al 2012, Nazifi et al 2012.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biochemical and haematological profile of pheasant hens during the laying period

Schümann¹,

Bedáňová²,

Voslářová³

et al. 2014

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences

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The present paper provides new experimental data on the biochemical and haematological profile of blood in pheasant hens, and points out the changes in both biochemical and haematological parameters that occur during the laying period. Significant effects of egg laying on both the biochemical and the haematological blood parameters of pheasant hens were found. Biochemical analyses revealed a significant increase in the metabolites cholesterol, uric acid, lactate, the enzyme aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and the minerals calcium and phosphorous, as well as a significant decrease in total protein, albumin and glucose in the course of the laying period. Haematological analyses revealed a significant increase in the count of leukocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, basophils and monocytes due to egg laying. In addition, the erythrocyte count and haemoglobin content significantly decreased in the middle of the laying period and then rebounded at the end of the laying period. The haematocrit content gradually decreased till the end of the laying period. All together, the results of this study underline the impact of the reproduction status of pheasant hens on basic blood parameters. The biochemical and haematological values presented in this study may be of help in assessing disease conditions in laying pheasant hens.

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“…A study on breeding pheasants showed that sight barriers may improve welfare by reducing potentially harmful aggressive interactions (Deeming et al 2011). Laying pheasant hens kept in enriched cages (with perches and a hiding place) were less stressed and fearful than pheasants kept in conventional cages (Hrabcakova et al 2012). Recently Whiteside et al (2016) showed that the enrichment of rearing habitats of pheasants during the first weeks of life, achieved by adding elevated perches, provoked an interrelated suite of morphological, cognitive and behavioural changes, culminating in decreased mortality of birds after their release in the wild.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of perches on morphology, welfare and behaviour of captive reared pheasants

Santilli¹,

Bagliacca

2017

Italian Journal of Animal Science

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This study investigated the effect of providing elevated perches in growing pens on the morphology and behaviour of young pheasants. Pheasants reared with perches from one week old were observed roosting off the ground significantly more frequently when moved into a pen containing trees at five weeks old than pheasants reared without perches (roosting pheasants: 24.3% vs. 6.7%; p < .01). The presence of perches reduced the level of plumage damage caused by feather pecking (damage scores: 2.3% vs. 2.1%; p < .05). Pheasants reared in huts with perching were larger overall than those from control huts, in particular were heavier (weights: 356.9 g vs. 345.2 g) and had longer and thicker tarsi than control pheasants (60.61 mm vs. 59.35 mm and 4.715-6.571 mm vs. 4.705-6.412 mm, respectively). Since roosting on tree branches is an important anti-predator behaviour, providing perches at an early stage of life in the captive rearing environment may be helpful in order to improve survival of the captive reared pheasant after release in the wild. Furthermore, the study suggests that a simple and easy husbandry technique, providing elevated perches, may improve the welfare and fitness of farm-reared game birds.

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Evaluation of tonic immobility in common pheasant hens kept in different housing systems during laying period

Cited by 13 publications

References 31 publications

Why do many pheasants released in the UK die, and how can we best reduce their natural mortality?

Why do many pheasants released in the UK die, and how can we best reduce their natural mortality?

Biochemical and haematological profile of pheasant hens during the laying period

Effect of perches on morphology, welfare and behaviour of captive reared pheasants

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