Production of 'welfare friendly' eggs - improving bone health and reducing bone breakage in laying hens using an omega-3 modified diet

生产“福利友好型”鸡蛋 - 使用 omega-3 改良日粮改善蛋鸡骨骼健康并减少骨骼断裂

• 批准号: BB/G012709/1
• 负责人: John Tarlton
• 金额: $ 77.03万
• 依托单位: University of Bristol
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2009 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FG012709%2F1
• 关键词: Production; welfare; friendly; eggs; improving

There are 28.7 million laying hens in the UK, producing 8.7 billion eggs. Recent estimates indicate that up to 70% suffer bone breakage from a combination of bone weakness and housing conditions. Skeletal health in laying hens is therefore a major welfare and economic problem, and seriously damages the public perception of the egg production industry, which is increasingly driving consumer choice. Recent improvements in the housing of laying hens, with less restriction of movement and a more stimulating environment, appear to be contributing to the problem, perhaps by increased likelihood of damage by collisions. In our current studies, flocks housed in an enriched free range environment suffer nearly 90% bone breakage. This problem is made all the more pressing, and any solution more timely, by the imminent ban on cage systems requiring that 18 million birds are 'transferred' to non-cage systems within the next four years, with an epidemic of broken bones and associated suffering. Dietary supplementation with calcium, vitamins and fluoride has demonstrated only limited success in improving bone strength in hens. It is known that omega-3 fatty acids (n-3), found in fish oil and linseed oil, can increase bone mass and help prevent and alleviate bone and joint diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Our preliminary studies have indicated that dietary supplementation with n-3 reduces the incidence of bone breakage in laying hens by up to 40%. This has provided support for the planned study which is aimed at accurately measuring the benefits of supplementation with n-3 in improving skeletal health in a dedicated and controlled commercial free range production system at all stages of the laying cycle, and in understanding the biological mechanisms which link n-3 and bone strength. These studies have the potential to greatly benefit the welfare of laying hens, to help the egg production industry in reducing wastage, and to help in answering long held public concerns regarding the suffering of laying hens in providing an essential part of our diet. For these reasons, an industrial partner has agreed to dedicate substantial facilities, and contribute significant financial resources, to this study. Investigations of the mechanisms linking bone strength and diet will also provide important insight into the development of human osteoporosis, and possibly support the increased use of n-3 in preventing and treating human bone diseases. This study fulfils many of the aims of the BBSRC, by understanding and alleviating consequences of specific elements of production systems and human management which compromise welfare through chronic injury, and by improving welfare in sustainable agricultural systems through enhanced livestock fitness. By examining the consequences of n-3 in improving bone strength and reducing breakage, this study will also contribute to understanding of the relationship between diet and health.

英国有2870万只蛋鸡，产蛋87亿枚。最近的估计表明，多达 70% 的人因骨质疏松和住房条件而遭受骨折。因此，蛋鸡的骨骼健康是一个重大的福利和经济问题，并严重损害了公众对鸡蛋生产行业的看法，而鸡蛋生产行业正日益推动消费者的选择。最近对蛋鸡舍舍的改进，减少了活动限制，创造了更具刺激性的环境，这似乎是造成这一问题的原因之一，这可能是由于碰撞造成损坏的可能性增加了。在我们目前的研究中，饲养在丰富的自由放养环境中的鸡群发生近 90% 的骨质断裂。由于即将禁止笼养系统，要求在未来四年内将 1800 万只鸡“转移”到非笼养系统，导致骨折和相关痛苦的流行，使这个问题变得更加紧迫，任何解决方案都更加及时。事实证明，日粮补充钙、维生素和氟化物在提高母鸡骨强度方面效果有限。众所周知，鱼油和亚麻籽油中含有的omega-3脂肪酸（n-3）可以增加骨量，有助于预防和缓解骨质疏松症、骨关节炎等骨关节疾病。我们的初步研究表明，膳食中添加 n-3 可使蛋鸡骨折的发生率降低高达 40%。这为计划中的研究提供了支持，该研究旨在准确测量补充 n-3 在产蛋周期各个阶段在专用且受控的商业散养生产系统中改善骨骼健康的益处，并了解连接 n-3 和骨强度的生物机制。这些研究有可能极大地造福蛋鸡的福利，帮助鸡蛋生产行业减少浪费，并帮助回答公众长期以来对蛋鸡在提供我们饮食的重要组成部分时所遭受的痛苦的担忧。出于这些原因，工业合作伙伴已同意为这项研究提供大量设施并贡献大量财政资源。对骨骼强度和饮食之间联系的机制的研究也将为了解人类骨质疏松症的发展提供重要的见解，并可能支持增加 n-3 在预防和治疗人类骨骼疾病中的使用。这项研究实现了 BBSRC 的许多目标，通过了解和减轻因慢性伤害而损害福利的生产系统和人类管理的特定要素的后果，并通过增强牲畜适应性来改善可持续农业系统的福利。通过研究 n-3 在提高骨骼强度和减少骨折方面的效果，这项研究还将有助于理解饮食与健康之间的关系。

项目成果

Advances in Animal Biosciences

动物生物科学进展

• 作者: Michael Toscano (Author)

Development of an ex vivo protocol to model bone fracture in laying hens resulting from collisions.

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0066215
• 发表时间: 2013
• 期刊: PloS one
• 影响因子: 3.7
• 作者: Toscano MJ;Wilkins LJ;Millburn G;Thorpe K;Tarlton JF
• 通讯作者: Tarlton JF

Panic in free-range laying hens.

散养蛋鸡恐慌。

• DOI: 10.1136/vr.100685
• 发表时间: 2012
• 期刊: The Veterinary record
• 作者: Richards GJ