Use of pen space and activity of broiler chickens reared at two different densities

Arnould, Cécile; Faure, Jean Michel

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2003.07.003

Cited by 29 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Lameness is considered to be one of the more serious welfare problems facing the broiler indus-try (Reiter and Bessei, 1998a,b;Koene et al, 1999;SCAHAW, 2000). It is known to be related to a range of issues including tibial dyschondroplasia (Lynch et al, 1992), general leg weakness (Kestin et al, 1992), and severe footpad dermatitis (Berg, 1998); it has also been connected to an overall lack of activity (Arnould and Faure, 2004). Although broilers spend most of their time lying (Bizeray et al, 2000;Weeks et al, 2000;Cornetto and Estevez, 2001), attempts to stimulate activity and improve leg condition by provision of perches has admittedly achieved limited success (Pettit-Riley and Estevez, 2001;Bizeray et al, 2002b;Tablante et al, 2003).…”

Section: Broiler Welfare Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aside from the welfare implications, footpad dermatitis can also have adverse effects on production because damaged feet cannot be sold and affected broilers may take longer to gain weight (Martland, 1985). The relationship between stocking density and footpad dermatitis incidence is complex, and although some studies failed to detect an adverse effect (Haslam et al, 2006; at least not up to 14 birds/m 2 , Sirri et al, 2007), it is widely acknowledged that high rearing density exacerbates the condition (Berg, 1998;Arnould and Faure, 2004;Dozier et al, 2005Dozier et al, , 2006Haslam et al, 2007), mostly due to deterioration of environmental quality (Dawkins et al, 2004).…”

Section: Broiler Welfare Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effects of barrier perches and density on broiler leg health, fear, and performance

2010

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Deterioration of footpad and hock condition and increased stress are important welfare concerns in high-density broiler production. It has been argued that environmental enrichment may help address these issues. We hypothesized that increasing environmental complexity by providing access to barrier perches across a range of densities should improve footpad and hock health, reduce leg fluctuating asymmetry (FA), and mitigate fear in broilers without compromising bird performance. In this study, 2,088 one-day-old broiler chicks were randomly assigned to one of the following barrier and density treatment combinations over 4 replications: simple barrier, complex barrier, or no barrier (control) and low (8 birds/m(2)), moderate (13 birds/m(2)), or high (18 birds/m(2)) density. In wk 7, data were collected on average tibia width and length, FA of tibia width and tibia length, footpad and hock lesions, tonic immobility, feed conversion, final BW, and mortalities. Broilers at higher densities had more severe footpad (P < 0.0001) and hock lesions (P < 0.0001). Their tibias were also longer (P < 0.0001) and less symmetric in length (P < 0.05). The tibias of birds in complex barrier pens were more symmetric in length compared with controls (P < 0.05). Barrier treatment had no effect on hock lesions, although there was a trend for simple barriers to reduce the severity of footpad lesions compared with the control treatment (P = 0.089). Birds kept in simple barrier pens were more susceptible to tonic immobility induction (P < 0.05). Final BW, feed conversion, and mortalities were neither affected by stocking density nor by barrier inclusion. In conclusion, this study shows a negative effect of high density on broiler footpad health and FA. Although barrier perches did not appear to reduce fearfulness, the improvement in footpad health suggests that simple barriers may provide key welfare benefits to broiler chickens.

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Section: Broiler Welfare Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Broiler Welfare Issuesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of barrier perches and density on broiler leg health, fear, and performance

2010

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“…Therefore, in a real barn, even a higher number of chickens per square metre may be found in certain areas, for example, next to the heaters (Febrer and others 2006) or the enclosure walls (Cornetto and Estevez 2001), exacerbating the problems of undisturbed resting and jostling. Consequently, it is not only crucial to comply with overall stocking densities, but also to avoid local high densities that can have deleterious effects on the chickens’ health and welfare (Arnould and Faure 2003). Former studies on the spacing behaviour of broiler chickens indicate that increasing environmental complexity leads to a more uniform distribution of the animals and thus to a more efficient utilisation of the available space (Cornetto and Estevez 2001, Arnould and Faure 2003, Leone and others 2007, Ventura and others 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Consequently, it is not only crucial to comply with overall stocking densities, but also to avoid local high densities that can have deleterious effects on the chickens’ health and welfare (Arnould and Faure 2003). Former studies on the spacing behaviour of broiler chickens indicate that increasing environmental complexity leads to a more uniform distribution of the animals and thus to a more efficient utilisation of the available space (Cornetto and Estevez 2001, Arnould and Faure 2003, Leone and others 2007, Ventura and others 2012). However, despite the high allowable stocking densities, there are no recommendations for structuring the barn or allocating the available space to different functional areas in the EU Directive, whereas environmental enrichments such as straw bales, perches or pecking objects are required by special marketing programmes (Deutscher Tierschutzbund e.V.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Frequent disturbances may lead to scratches to the back of the chickens, resulting in a welfare issue and a reduced carcase quality (Estevez 2007). Furthermore, several authors confirmed the negative effects of high stocking densities on different forms of dermatitis, such as food pad lesions and breast blisters (Arnould and Faure 2003, Thomas and others 2004, Dozier and others 2005, Spindler and Hartung 2011, Hongchao and others 2014), which were mostly mediated through the poor litter conditions at high stocking densities (Bessei 2006, Sirri and others 2007, Spindler and Hartung 2011, Hartung and Spindler 2012). Besides welfare implications, certain economic parameters, for example, feed intake and growth rate, were adversely affected by space restriction (Dozier and others 2005, Bessei 2006, Sirri and others 2007).…”

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confidence: 90%

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Floor space covered by broiler chickens kept at stocking densities according to Council Directive 2007/43/EC

et al. 2016

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It is controversially discussed whether the stocking densities set by the EU Directive 2007/43/EC allow a species-appropriate housing of broiler chickens. To calculate the exact area broilers occupy due to their physical size and shape, planimetric measurements using a colour-contrast method were carried out. In total, 1949 photographs of standing and 1482 of squatting chickens, taken from a top view, were analysed. A computer program counted the pixels representing the previously weighed animal in the photograph and calculated the animal area. The average area covered by chickens with 400 g live weight was 116.64±13.12 cm(2) in a standing and 138.61±12.92 cm(2) in a squatting position. These areas increased linearly as a function of live weight to 452.57±58.89 cm(2) (R(2)=0.90 standing) and 513.54±42.70 cm(2) (R(2)=0.82 squatting) at the end of the study (3200 g live weight). Squatting chickens occupied more space compared with a standing position in most of the tested weight classes (P<0.05). Depending on target weights, stocking densities and body positions, broilers occupied 48.5-77.7 per cent of 1 m(2) Thus, from a physical point of view, simultaneous resting is possible at any stocking density provided by the EU Directive and at common target weights.

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The Use of Feeding Behaviour in the Assessment of Animal Welfare

2016

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Use of pen space and activity of broiler chickens reared at two different densities

Cited by 29 publications

References 20 publications

Effects of barrier perches and density on broiler leg health, fear, and performance

Effects of barrier perches and density on broiler leg health, fear, and performance

Floor space covered by broiler chickens kept at stocking densities according to Council Directive 2007/43/EC

The Use of Feeding Behaviour in the Assessment of Animal Welfare

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