Selection of group size by individual laying hens

1. In a multi‐choice test, with unfamiliar cagemates and group sizes of up to 6, the attraction of a cage was inversely proportional to the number of hens it contained, empty cages being chosen most often. This trend was modified but not abolished by the previous experience of being reared in pens in large groups.

2. In a factorially‐designed test all hens spent the greater part of their time in large rather than small cages; hens reared singly chose empty cages rather than cages occupied by one other unfamiliar bird, whereas group‐reared hens selected the occupied cages.

3. In two‐choice tests, a familiar group of 3 hens was strongly preferred to a strange group of the same size; the familiar group was also preferred to an empty cage, but less strongly so.     

Behaviour and welfare of individual laying hens in a non-cage system

1. A leg band containing a transponder was fitted to 80 birds in a perchery containing 1,000 birds. 2. The transponder emitted a unique identification number when a bird walked on one of 8 flat antennae on the floor. The recording apparatus was used to measure the amount of time that each of the tagged birds spent on the slatted and littered areas in a 6-week period. 3. Some birds spent long periods of time on the slats, possibly as a means of avoiding repeated attacks. Duration on the slats was greatest in birds with the worst (as opposed to better) feather scores of the head, back and tail regions. 4. Birds that spent long periods on the slats were lighter than other birds at both 39 weeks of age and 72 weeks of age and had greater back, head and tail feather damage, consistent with these birds being victims of pecking. 5. Tagged birds received a social avoidance test outside the perchery at 39 weeks of age, which suggested that birds retreated to the slats in response to pecks rather than just to close proximity to other birds. 6. The failure to find that duration on the slats was related to anatomical indicators of stress (liver, spleen and bursa of Fabricius) suggests that retreating to the slats following pecking attenuates physiological stress responses. 7. We conclude that the provision of areas where birds in a large group can avoid pecking may improve the welfare of a minority of victimised birds.     

Space and density effects on group size preferences in laying hens

1. T‐maze preference tests were used to study group size and space preferences in laying hens kept on deep litter. The first experiment revealed a non‐significant tendency to prefer a larger group (120 hens) in a large space (9 m²) over a smaller group (5 hens) in a small space (1 m³), but when the space was constant and large, a strong preference for the smaller group in a large space emerged.

2. In experiment 2, 5 different group size/space options were tested using a T‐maze and test hens were non‐randomly selected, choosing more aggressive ‘peckers’ and more subordinate ‘receivers’. Chi‐squared tests showed preferences for (1) a larger group (70 over 4 or 0 hens), (2) a larger space (9 m² over 1 m²) and (3) 4 hens rather than an empty space. Although both peckers and receivers preferred the same size companion hen groups, receivers were more consistent in their choice than peckers.

3. The results have important implications for hens in all group sizes and suggest that while smaller group sizes may be important, they need to be combined with sufficient space. Furthermore, the ‘ideal group size’ may differ depending on the individual hen's dominance status.     

Automatic weighing of individual laying hens in aviary housing systems

1. This study investigated when and where body weight and flock‐uniformity should be determined in an aviary system by using automatic weighing systems.

2. An Individual Poultry Weighing System (IPWS) was developed to record time, duration, location and body weight of visits of individual hens to 4 weighing scales.

3. The number of hens that visited the weighing scales per 3 h period varied from less than 10 during the dark‐period to more than 60 during the light‐period.

4. The average number of visits per individual hen was 1–4 and the average number of successful weighings per hen was 0–6 during the light‐period.

5. Body weight showed a diurnal rhythm: the difference between the maximum body weight at night and the minimum body weight in the morning was 63 g.

6. The location of the scales influenced number of visits, number of weighings, mean body weight, flock‐uniformity and duration of visits.

7. Body weight per 3 h period did not differ between hens which were individually recognised and those which were not.

8. Flock‐uniformity was 2–6% higher during the light‐period if it was based on weighings of identified hen visits.

9. The average duration of the visits to the scales in the middle of the feeding tier during the light‐period was 63 s.

10. Of all the hens that visited the scales during a 24 h period, 54% visited them only once.

11. Automatic weighing systems without individual hen recognition can deliver reliable management information on mean body weight and flock‐uniformity in aviary systems if the weighing scales are located on the feeding tier in the middle of the house and if they are used during the light‐period.     

Sand intake by laying hens and its effect on egg production parameters

Soil intake may be the most prominent source of environmental contaminants for free range and organic hens, but there are no quantitative data concerning soil intake by domestic hens. Consumption of soil of 14–32 g a day can be estimated from literature, but such a dilution of nutrient intake seems incompatible with high productivity. In this study laying hens were fed pelleted diets with 0%, 10%, 20%, 25% and 30% of sand addition to determine its effect on productivity. Feed intake, feed and nutrient (feed minus sand) conversion ratio, egg production, egg weight and body weight gain were measured over a 4-week period. Acid insoluble ash concentration in the faeces was measured to determine the accuracy of estimating the soil ingestion by the soil-ingestion equation for wildlife as a way to determine soil ingestion of free range and organic hens under practical circumstances. The hens were able to compensate the dilution of the diet with 20%, 25% and 30% of sand by increasing their feed intake. Feed intake increased significantly and feed to egg conversion ratio decreased significantly with increasing sand levels in the diet. The nutrient to egg conversion ratio of the diet without sand tended to be worse than for the diets with sand, presumably due to the total absence of coarse material in the diet. There were no differences in egg production and egg weight between hens fed the different diets but body weight gain was significantly lower for the hens fed the diets with 20%, 25% and 30% of sand. Estimation of sand ingestion was done by the soil-ingestion equation for wildlife. Provided that the actual dry matter digestibility coefficient of the nutrient part of the diet is taken into account, estimating the soil ingestion according to the soil-ingestion equation for wildlife seems an appropriate way to determine soil ingestion for free range and organic hens under practical circumstances.     

复合微生态制剂对蛋鸡产蛋性能、蛋品质、血清生化指标和肠道形态的影响

试验在基础饲粮中添加由丁酸梭菌和屎肠球菌组成的复合微生态制剂,研究其对产蛋高峰期蛋鸡的产蛋性能、蛋品质、血清生化指标、肠道形态的影响.选取产蛋率和体重接近的40周龄健康的海兰褐蛋鸡400只,随机分成4组,每组5个重复,每个重复20只鸡.对照组蛋鸡饲喂基础饲粮,抗生素组在基础饲粮中添加200 g/t金霉素,试验1组、2组...     

Relationships between genetic, environmental and nutritional factors influencing osteoporosis in laying hens

1. The effects upon bone quality of feeding limestone in flour or particulate form and housing type (cage or aviary) in lines of hens divergently selected for high (H) or low (L) bone strength over 7 generations were investigated. 2. As in previous generations, highly significant phenotypic differences between lines were observed in all measured bone traits at peak egg production (25 weeks) and towards the end of production (56 weeks) in both cage and aviary systems. 3. At 25 weeks there were no significant effects on bone variables of feeding particulate limestone although a significant reduction in osteoclast number was observed at this age. By 56 weeks osteoclast numbers were further reduced in hens fed particulate limestone and beneficial effects on some bone variables were observed in this treatment group. 4. The genotypic and dietary improvements upon bone quality were independent and additive at both ages. There were very few interactive effects. 5. Hens with the freedom to move in an aviary environment during the laying period had improved bone status compared to caged siblings. Environmental and genotypic effects were additive. 6. There were no effects of line on egg production although H line hens had slightly higher egg production by 56 weeks. Egg numbers were unaffected by diet. Eggshell thickness and strength were unaffected by line but hens fed particulate limestone had thicker- and stronger-shelled eggs over the production period as a whole. 7. We conclude that; (a) genetic selection is extremely effective in improving bone strength and resistance to osteoporosis; (b) allowing hens freedom to exercise can also improve bone strength but may increase the risk of keel damage if they do not have genetically-improved bone status; (c) feeding hens a particulate form of limestone from 15 weeks onwards can also increase bone strength and eggshell quality; (d) genetics, environment and nutrition all have independent and additive effects on bone status in laying hens but the relative effectiveness of these factors is genetics > environment > nutrition.     

The effect of keel fractures on egg production,feed and water consumption in individual laying hens

1. The impact of keel bone fractures on egg production, egg weight and feed and water consumption in individual laying hens. A total of 165 Lohmann brown laying hens were obtained from a commercial farm that consisted of 105 with keel fractures and 60 without keel fractures.

2. After a 4-d period of acclimatisation, hens were individually housed and provided with ad libitum food and water for a 24-h period. The number of eggs laid, egg weight, feed and water consumption during this period were recorded. Keel bone strength was also assessed.

3. Hens free from keel fractures laid more eggs (91.7% vs. 84.9%) of significantly heavier weight (61.9 g vs. 60.2 g), ate less feed (139 g vs. 151 g) and drank less water (212 ml vs. 237 ml) than hens with fractures.

4. There was a significant positive association between keel fracture severity and water consumption, and a significant negative association between keel fracture severity and egg weight and keel bone strength.

5. This small-scale study on individual birds shows that keel bone fractures may have an impact on the economics of egg production.     

Estimation of total genetic effects for survival time in crossbred laying hens showing cannibalism,using pedigree or genomic information

Mortality of laying hens due to cannibalism is a major problem in the egg‐laying industry. Survival depends on two genetic effects: the direct genetic effect of the individual itself (DGE) and the indirect genetic effects of its group mates (IGE). For hens housed in sire‐family groups, DGE and IGE cannot be estimated using pedigree information, but the combined effect of DGE and IGE is estimated in the total breeding value (TBV). Genomic information provides information on actual genetic relationships between individuals and might be a tool to improve TBV accuracy. We investigated whether genomic information of the sire increased TBV accuracy compared with pedigree information, and we estimated genetic parameters for survival time. A sire model with pedigree information (BLUP) and a sire model with genomic information (ssGBLUP) were used. We used survival time records of 7290 crossbred offspring with intact beaks from four crosses. Cross‐validation was used to compare the models. Using ssGBLUP did not improve TBV accuracy compared with BLUP which is probably due to the limited number of sires available per cross (~50). Genetic parameter estimates were similar for BLUP and ssGBLUP. For both BLUP and ssGBLUP, total heritable variance (T²), expressed as a proportion of phenotypic variance, ranged from 0.03 ± 0.04 to 0.25 ± 0.09. Further research is needed on breeding value estimation for socially affected traits measured on individuals kept in single‐family groups.     

Analysis of the free range behaviour of laying hens and the genetic and phenotypic relationships with laying performance

1. Over twelve 28-d laying periods (almost one year), 272 laying hens of the Lohmann Silver strain, individually tagged with transponders, were monitored on their ranging behaviour and laying performance in an aviary system with an adjacent winter garden. 2. From laying periods 1 to 12, the daily frequency of passages between the barn and the winter garden of individual hens, showed an antagonistic trend compared to the average duration of single visits. While the frequency of passages decreased until the end of the recording period to 8 passages per hen and day, the average duration of single visits increased to a maximum of 32 min per hen. 3. The heritability estimates for the traits, length of stay in the winter garden and frequency of passages were higher for the last 5 laying periods than at the beginning of the recording period. For the last 5 laying periods, the estimates for the duration of stay in the winter garden varied between h(2) = 0.21 and 0.32 and for the frequency of passages, between h(2) = 0.30 and 0.49. 4. Most of the estimated heritabilities for the rate of lay were on an expected medium level (h(2) = 0.09 to 0.45). Deviant h(2)-values to a few laying periods were based on low additive genetic variances or high environmental variance. 5. Genetic correlations between both free range traits and the laying performance were negative (r(g length of stay) = -0.34 and r(g passage frequency) = -0.08). 6. Generally, there seems to be a possibility to influence the ranging behaviour through selection. Further investigations with different genotypes and varying dates of exposure to the laying environment, should be carried out to clarify possible influences on other traits and the negative correlation with laying performance.     

Effect of dietary supplementation of organic zinc on laying performance,egg quality and some biochemical parameters of laying hens

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of zinc methionine (Zn‐Met) supplementation on the performance, egg quality, antioxidant status and some biochemical parameters of blood serum in laying hens from 22 to 34 weeks of age. A total of 120 Hisex Brown laying hens of 22‐week‐old were randomly allocated into five treatments with six cage replicates for each (four hens/replicate). Dietary treatments consisted of the basal diet with no Zn‐Met supplementation (control group) and basal diet supplemented with 25, 50, 75 or 100 mg Zn‐Met/kg diet. No significant differences were observed on body weight, body weight gain or feed conversion ratio due to dietary Zn‐Met supplementation. However, highly significant impact was observed on daily feed intake. Egg number, egg weight and egg mass were increased in the group fed diet supplemented with the highest level of Zn‐Met (100 mg/kg of diet) as compared to other groups. All egg quality traits were statistically (p > .05 or .01) affected as a response to dietary Zn‐Met supplementation except egg shape index, shell percentage and yolk index. In comparison with the control group, dietary supplementation of 25, 50, 75 or 100 mg Zn‐Met/kg decreased serum triglyceride and LDL‐cholesterol levels. Serum cholesterol level was increased with all dietary levels of Zn‐Met in comparison with the control group. Dietary Zn‐Met supplementation increased the serum content of zinc, where the highest values were recorded with 50 and 100 mg Zn‐Met/kg diet. Dietary Zn‐Met levels did not affect the antioxidant indices in blood serum except for the activity of copper–zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu‐Zn‐SOD). The activity of Cu‐Zn‐SOD was increased with Zn‐Met supplementations with no differences among supplemental zinc levels. It is concluded that dietary Zn‐Met supplementation reduced serum triglyceride, LDL‐cholesterol and increased Zn status and resulted in promoting antioxidant ability of laying hens, and the addition of 100 mg Zn‐Met/kg to layer diet was appropriate for improving the above parameters in addition to egg production indices and Haugh unit score.     

蛋鸡产蛋后期的营养调控

蛋鸡产蛋后期精准的营养调控可延缓蛋鸡的衰老,延长产蛋期,提高经济效益.本文从能量、蛋白质、维生素、矿物元素的营养需要等方面对蛋鸡产蛋后期的营养调控进行总结,以期能够对产蛋鸡后期的营养调控提供参考.     

Effects on health and blood plasma parameters of laying hens by pure nivalenol in the diet

The effects of trichothecene nivalenol (NIV) on the health and production of laying hens were determined in a feeding study. White Leghorn hens, 55 weeks old, were fed diets containing 0, 1, 3 and 5 mg NIV/kg during 50 days. Feed intake was reduced by NIV, but there were no effects on body weight, egg production and egg quality. Traces of unaltered NIV were found in liver and bile. Alkaline phosphatase in the blood plasma increased in the hens fed 0, 1 and 3 mg NIV/kg diet but decreased in the birds fed 5 mg NIV/kg feed. Total protein and glucose were slightly reduced in hens fed 5 mg NIV/kg diet. Pathological examination revealed that 40-75% of hens fed NIV (3 and 5 mg/kg) supplemented diet showed gizzard lesions, haemorrhages in the duodenum and swollen cloaca and oviducts with immature eggs while certain birds in the 1 mg NIV group showed light and fragile livers. NIV and the metabolite de-epoxy-NIV in faeces were found to constitute up to 10% of ingested NIV.     

铁和维生素A及其互作效应对产蛋鸡血液理化指标的影响

为了研究日粮中不同水平铁和维生素A对产蛋鸡相关血液理化指标的影响,试验选用27周龄海兰褐商品代蛋鸡432只,随机分为6组,每组6个重复,每个重复12只鸡,采用3×2(铁×维生素A)完全随机试验设计,日粮铁的添加量分别为0,30,60 mg/kg,维生素A的添加量分别为4 000,8 000 IU/kg。结果表明:日粮中的铁水平对血红蛋白含量、红细胞数、血细胞比容、血沉的影响均不显著(P>0.05),但随着铁水平的提高均有增加趋势;日粮维生素A的水平对血红蛋白含量、红细胞数、血细胞比容、血沉的影响均不显著(P>0.05);铁和维生素A的互作效应对血红蛋白含量、红细胞数、血细胞比容、血沉的影响均不显著(P>0.05)。说明日粮中添加铁和维生素A后对蛋鸡的血液理化指标无显著影响。     

Estimation of bone mineral density and breaking strength of laying hens based on scans of computed tomography for body composition analysis

1. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prediction potential of a computer tomography (CT) data collection protocol for determining total body composition used for analysis of tibiotarsal bone quality features.

2. The CT image acquisition was performed on 54 healthy TETRA SL genotype laying hens at 90 weeks of age as well as in the 69th week of the egg production period in vivo and their tibiotarsal bones, ex vivo.

3. Breaking strengths and ash content of the tibiotarsal bones were estimated based on the calculated mineral density of skeletal and tibiotarsal bones by means of CT with an estimation accuracy R² 0.963 and 0.975, respectively.

4. In conclusion, the current investigation demonstrated that the acquisition protocol of CT for total-body composition analysis has a good potential for measuring the mineral status and breaking strength of the reference bone in laying hen.     

低能日粮中添加复合酶制剂对蛋鸡生产性能及血液指标的影响

试验以玉米-豆粕为基础日粮,研究在低能日粮中添加复合酶制剂对蛋鸡生产性能、血液生化指标的影响。选用368日龄480只蛋鸡随机分成5组,即Ⅰ(正对照组)、Ⅱ(负对照组)、Ⅲ(200g/t酶制剂)、Ⅳ组(300 g/t酶制剂)和V组(400g/t酶制剂),统计各试验组的采食量、平均蛋重、产蛋率和料蛋比,测定各试验组的血清白蛋白、球蛋白、总蛋白、总胆固醇、钙和磷的含量。试验结果表明:复合酶制剂能提高蛋鸡生产性能,Ⅲ组平均蛋重极显著高于Ⅰ、Ⅱ组(P<0.01),Ⅳ组产蛋率极显著高于Ⅱ组(P<0.01)。在低能日粮中添加复合酶制剂能够改善血液生化指标,V组血清中白蛋白含量极显著高于Ⅱ组(P<0.01),并极显著高于Ⅰ组(P<0.01),血清总胆固醇含量显著高于Ⅱ组(P<0.05),Ⅲ、Ⅳ组血清磷含量极显著高于Ⅰ组和Ⅱ组(P<0.01)。研究表明,低能日粮中添加复合酶制剂能改善蛋鸡生产性能,提高血液中各生化指标的含量,能弥补日粮降低能量对蛋鸡的不利影响。     

酵母培养物对产蛋种鸡的影响

酵母培养物是一种独特的酵母产品,由特定的酵母菌种按特定的工艺和培养基进行发酵而形成。它在美国已使用50余年,是一种被广泛应用的饲料产品。其含有一定的活性酵母,使用价值在于酵母细胞在培养基中产生的代谢产物和胞壁甘露糖。它在配合饲料中添加量一般为1%～10%,甘露寡糖对     

The effects of lindane on laying hens

Feeding lindane, in capsule form, to laying hens at a rate equivalent to 100 mg/kg food for 1 or 2 weeks had little effect on egg production. Longer periods of feeding resulted in a 20 to 30% decrease in the rate of egg production. When treatment was stopped after 4 weeks, the birds recovered and egg production returned to its original rate within a month. The production of flocks treated for 6 weeks or longer became permanently depressed since some birds went out of lay and failed to resume production when the treatment was terminated. Egg shell thickness, egg and yolk weight and hatchability were not significantly affected by the treatment.