A functional blend of botanical extracts to enhance enrichment use and natural behaviours in laying hens

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Egg producers in Canada are under pressure to move from conventional to alternative housing systems due to the ever-increasing food animal welfare requirements by animal welfare organizations and food service, retail, and grocery establishments. Indeed, the NFACC Canadian Codes of Practice for pullets and laying hens supports the transition to an enriched cage system, which is equipped by objects such as nest boxes, perches, and pecking blocks, to promote natural behaviours. Data suggest that animals in a more relaxed and positive mental state are more likely to explore and therefore make better use of their environment. Despite the provision of enrichments, even the most well-planned enrichment program is not always successful, with birds either showing no interest in the objects, not using the enrichments consistently, or with low frequency. This shows a possible role of bird 'affect' (i.e., mood) on enrichment use, but there is dearth of data in this area. Traditionally, it has been presumed that the enrichment objects possess either highly attractive or less attractive qualities that determine their usage. Certain botanical extracts have been scientifically shown to have anxiolytic and antidepressant effects via increasing levels of brain serotonin, thereby allowing birds to better cope with various environmental stressors. These extracts could help to elucidate and overcome the possible role of bird 'affect' in enrichment use. We propose studying the effects of a formulated blend of these botanical extracts on bird behaviour, enrichment usage, and stress response as a way to discover the possible role bird 'affect' and mental state may have on the level of success of an enrichment program. The project will employ an array of experimental, statistical, and analytical techniques thus offering outstanding opportunities for HQP training - 1 MSc student. Research results will be directly transmitted into use through a partnership with Probiotech international Inc - a big player in the poultry industry. Probiotech works with poultry farmers, feed manufacturers, premix companies, leading research institutes and universities around the globe to create products which improve animal performance and well-being, thus increasing farmers' profit.