Perches and elevated platforms in commercial broiler farms: use and effect on walking ability, incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia and bone mineral content
Perches and elevated platforms in commercial broiler farms: use and effect on walking ability, incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia and bone mineral content
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DOI：
10.1017/s1751731116002160
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发表时间：
2017-05-01
期刊：
影响因子：
3.6
通讯作者：
Valros, A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kaukonen, E.;Norring, M.;Valros, A.
现代快速生长的肉鸡休息时间过长，并且随着年龄的增长，它们的活动进一步减少。不活动被认为会增加步态受损和腿部疾病的发生率。胫骨软骨发育不良（TD）是一种常见的肉鸡腿部病变。更复杂的环境可能有助于更多的活动和改善腿部健康。栖息地或高架平台给肉鸡的环境带来了变化，可以激发更多的运动。本研究探讨了栖息地和高架平台对步行能力，TD的发生和骨灰和矿物质含量的影响。调查在四个商业肉鸡农场进行，连续六个批次的平台和四到五个鲈鱼。每个农场至少包括两个单独的畜舍，以便比较提供的鸡群，从而在每个批次期间控制鸡群。在带家具的房子里提供了30厘米高的塑料板条和坡道或10和30厘米高的木制栖木。农民们每周两次用五分制记录平台和鲈鱼的使用情况。屠宰前根据家禽福利质量（（R））评估方案，在六点量表上对步态进行评分。TD的严重程度是使用农场中所有步态评分为3的家禽和屠宰时200只家禽/群的四点量表确定的。农民估计，在整个生长期内，所有鸡群都将占据50%至100%的平台。只有一只鸟栖息，因此栖息结构不断被评估为空。由于使用率低，在分析骨含量、行走能力和TD时，排除了装有栖木的房屋。平均而言，30%的测试鸟表现出步态评分3。较年轻的评分年龄导致较低的平均步态评分和较低的3分和4至5分的百分比。总体而言，屠宰时检查的2.3%的禽类和步态评分为3的3.5%的禽类受到TD的影响。腿部健康更好的鸟类与访问平台：平均步态评分，得分为3的鸟类的百分比，TD的百分比和严重程度较低的鸟类在平台装备的房子。高架结构，如平台，提供额外的可能性运动肉鸡似乎改善他们的腿的健康。
Modern fast-growing broilers spend excessive periods resting and their activity further decreases with age. Inactivity has been suggested to increase impaired gait and the incidence of leg disorders. Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) is a common leg pathology in broilers. A more complex environment might facilitate more activity and improve leg health. Perches or elevated platforms bring variety to broilers' environment and could motivate more locomotion. This study examined the impact of perches and elevated platforms on walking ability, the occurrence of TD and level of bone ash and mineral contents. The investigation was performed on four commercial broiler farms throughout six consecutive batches with platforms and four to five with perches. On each farm at least two separate houses were included, enabling the comparison of furnished flocks to control flocks during each batch. Plastic slats with ramp access elevated by 30 cm or wooden perches of 10 and 30 cm height were offered in the furnished house. Farmers recorded the platform and perch usage twice a week with a five-point scale. Gait was scored before slaughter on a six-point scale according to the Welfare Quality((R)) assessment protocol for poultry. The severity of TD was determined using a four-point scale on farm from all birds gait scored as 3 and at slaughter from 200 birds/flock. Farmers estimated 50% to 100% of the platforms to be occupied in all flocks throughout the entire growing period. Only single birds were perching, thus perch structures were constantly evaluated to be empty. Due to the low use, the perch-equipped houses were excluded when analysing bone content, walking ability and TD. On average, 30% of the tested birds exhibited gait score 3. Younger scoring age resulted in a lower mean gait score and a lower percentage of scores 3 and 4 to 5. Overall, 2.3% of the birds examined at slaughter and 3.5% of the birds with gait score 3 were affected by TD. Leg health was better in birds with access to platforms: mean gait score, the percentage of birds scoring 3, and TD percentage and severity were lower in birds in platform-equipped houses. Elevated structures such as platforms, offering additional possibilities for locomotion to broilers seem to improve their leg health.