Smothering in UK free-range flocks. Part 1: incidence, location, timing and management
Smothering in UK free-range flocks. Part 1: incidence, location, timing and management
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DOI：
10.1136/vr.102327
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发表时间：
2014-07-05
影响因子：
2.2
通讯作者：
Bright, A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Barrett, J.;Rayner, A. C.;Bright, A.
家禽窒息是一个与经济和福利有关的问题。本研究提出了来自两家商业鸡蛋公司（占英国自由放养鸡蛋供应的35%）的自由放养农场经理窒息事件的发生率、地点、时间和管理调查问卷的第一个结果。总体而言，近60%的农场管理者在最后一个鸡群中经历了窒息，平均每次死亡25.5只鸡，尽管窒息造成的死亡率很低（(x) over bar = 1.6%）。大多数农场经理还报告说，他们所饲养的所有鸡群中有50%以上受到窒息的影响。窒息的位置和时间（不包括在巢箱中窒息）往往是不可预测的，并且在不同的农场之间有所不同。尽管总体上报告了各种各样的减少措施，但封闭角落/巢箱和更频繁地行走的鸟类被认为是流行的减少窒息措施。实施减少措施的动机与农场经理以前的窒息经验有关。据我们所知，这是第一个对窒息的发生率、地点、时间和管理提供具有代表性的行业估计的研究。结果表明，窒息是一个普遍的问题，在没有明确、有效的减少策略的情况下，鸟群之间的窒息是不可预测的。一项后续研究将调查窒息、疾病和其他福利问题之间的相关性，并可能进一步阐明管理解决方案。
Smothering in poultry is an economic and welfare-related concern. This study presents the first results from a questionnaire addressing the incidence, location, timing and management of smothering of free-range farm managers from two commercial egg companies (representing 35 per cent of the UK free-range egg supply). Overall, nearly 60 per cent of farm mangers experienced smothering in their last flock, with an average of 25.5 birds lost per incidence, although per cent mortality due to smothering was low ((x) over bar =1.6 per cent). The majority of farm managers also reported that over 50 per cent of all their flocks placed had been affected by smothering. The location and timing of smothering (excluding smothering in nest boxes) tended to be unpredictable and varied between farms. Blocking off corners/nest boxes and walking birds more frequently were identified as popular smothering reduction measures, although there was a wide variety of reduction measures reported overall. The motivation to implement reduction measures was related to a farm manager's previous experience of smothering. To our knowledge, this is the first study to provide a representative industry estimate on the incidence, location, timing and management of smothering. The results suggest that smothering is a common problem, unpredictable between flocks with no clear, effective reduction strategies. A follow-up study will investigate the correlations among smothering, disease and other welfare problems and may shed further light on management solutions.