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

由于动物福利组织以及食品服务、零售和杂货店对食用动物福利的要求不断提高，加拿大的鸡蛋生产商面临着从传统住房制度转向替代住房制度的压力。事实上，NFACC加拿大关于小鸡和蛋鸡的实践守则支持过渡到丰富的笼子系统，该系统配备了巢箱、栖息地和啄木块等物体，以促进自然行为。数据表明，处于更放松和积极的心理状态的动物更有可能探索，从而更好地利用他们的环境。尽管提供了富集物，但即使是计划最好的富集物计划也不总是成功的，鸟类要么对对象不感兴趣，要么没有始终如一地使用富集物，要么频率很低。这表明鸟类的“情感”(即情绪)可能对富集物的使用起到作用，但这方面的数据还很匮乏。传统上，人们一直认为，浓缩对象要么具有极具吸引力的品质，要么具有较不具吸引力的品质，这决定了它们的用途。科学证明，某些植物提取物通过增加大脑中5-羟色胺的水平，具有缓解焦虑和抗抑郁的作用，从而使鸟类能够更好地应对各种环境压力。这些提取物可以帮助阐明和克服鸟类在富集物使用中可能起到的作用。我们建议研究这些植物提取物的配方混合物对鸟类行为、富集物使用和应激反应的影响，以此作为一种方式来发现鸟类的情感和精神状态可能对富集物项目的成功程度起到的作用。该项目将采用一系列实验、统计和分析技术，从而为HQP培训-1硕士学生提供绝佳的机会。研究成果将通过与益生元国际公司的合作直接传输到使用中，益生元国际公司是家禽行业的主要参与者。ProBiotech与全球家禽养殖户、饲料制造商、预混料公司、领先的研究机构和大学合作，创造出改善动物生产性能和福祉的产品，从而增加农民的利润。

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.