J -M. Lariviere
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
M. Vandenheede
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
P. Leroy
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liege, 4000 Liege, Belgium
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this experiment was to investigate production and welfare implications of food restriction during the rearing period of a slow-growing chicken. Ninety-four as-hatched day-old Ardennaise chicks were raised up to two weeks of age and were then allocated to two treatment groups: Ad libitum Feeding (AL) and a Feed Restriction Regime (FR). Body weight, food usage and viability were recorded on a weekly basis from 1-12 weeks of age. Activity and oral behaviours were measured at 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 weeks of age. Number of birds involved in each of twelve mutually exclusive behavioural categories was recorded. Mean proportion of time spent for each activity was calculated. Significance of effects of treatment, age, time of day and their interactions were measured. At 12 weeks of age, mean body weight was 1117 g (± 189.3 g) (AL) and 1054 g (±187.8 g) (FR). Food usage was 4.16 kg (AL) and 3.43 kg (FR) per bird. Feeding treatment had strong effects on preening (p<0.001), feeder directed activity, litter scratching and pecking floor (p<0.01) and pacing (p<0.05), all activity levels being higher in the FR treatment except for feeder directed activity. Age had strong effects on sitting (p<0.001), standing and litter scratching (p<0.01). Sitting (p<0.01) and litter scratching (p<0.05) varied with treatment-age interaction.
PDF References Citation
How to cite this article
J -M. Lariviere, M. Vandenheede and P. Leroy, 2009. Effects of Food Restriction on Rearing Performance and Welfare of a Slow-Growing Chicken Breed: a Behavioural Approach. International Journal of Poultry Science, 8: 684-688.
DOI: 10.3923/ijps.2009.684.688
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijps.2009.684.688
DOI: 10.3923/ijps.2009.684.688
URL: https://scialert.net/abstract/?doi=ijps.2009.684.688
REFERENCES
- Appleby, M.C., B.O. Hughes and G.S. Hogarth, 1989. Behaviour of laying hens in a deep litter house. Br. Poult. Sci., 69: 545-553.
Direct Link - Blockhuis, H.J., 1986. Feather-pecking in poultry: Its relation with ground pecking. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 16: 63-67.
Direct Link - Duncan, I.J.H. and D.G.M. Wood-Gush, 1972. Thwarting of feeding behaviour in the domestic fowl. Anim. Behav., 20: 444-451.
CrossRef - Heck, A., O. Onagbesan, K. Tona, S. Metayer and J. Putterflam et al., 2004. Effects of ad libitum feeding on performance of different strains of broiler breeders. Br. Poult. Sci., 45: 695-703.
CrossRefDirect Link - Hocking, P.M., D. Waddington, M.A. Walker and A.B. Gilbert, 1987. Ovarian follicular structure of white leghorns fed ad libitum and dwarf and normal broiler breeders fed ad libitum or restricted to point of lay. Br. Poult. Sci., 28: 493-506.
CrossRefDirect Link - Hocking, P.M., 1993. Welfare of broiler breeder and layer females subjected to food and water control during rearing: Quantifying the degree of restriction. Br. Poult. Sci., 34: 53-64.
CrossRefDirect Link - Hocking, P.M., R. Bernard and G.W. Robertson, 2002. Effects of low dietary protein and different allocations of food during rearing and restricted feeding after peak rate of lay on egg production, fertility and hatchability in female broiler breeders. Br. Poult. Sci., 43: 94-103.
CrossRefDirect Link - Hugues, B.O. and H.A. Elson, 1977. The use of perches by broilers in floor pens. Br. Poult. Sci., 18: 715-722.
Direct Link - Jones, E.K.M., V. Zaczek, M.G. Macleod and P.M. Hocking, 2004. Genotype, dietary manipulation and food allocation affect indices of welfare in broiler breeders. Br. Poult. Sci., 45: 725-737.
Direct Link - Kostal, L., C.J. Savory and B.O. Hughes, 1992. Diurnal and individual variation in behaviour of restricted-fed broiler breeders. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 32: 361-374.
CrossRef - Nielsen, B.L., 2004. Breast blisters in groups of slow-growing broilers in relation to strain and the availability and use of perches. Br. Poult. Sci., 45: 306-315.
Direct Link - Pettit-Riley, R. and I. Estevez, 2001. Effects of density on perching behaviour of broiler chickens. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 71: 127-140.
Direct Link - Pettit-Riley, R., I. Estevez and E. Russek-Cohen, 2002. Effects of crowding and access to perches on aggressive behaviour in broiler. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 79: 11-25.
CrossRef - Savory, C.J., E. Seawright and A. Watson, 1992. Stereotyped behaviour in broiler breeders in relation to husbandry and opioid receptor blockade. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 32: 349-374.
Direct Link - Savory, C.J. and K. Maros, 1993. Influence of degree of food restriction, age and time of day on behaviour of broiler breeder chickens. Behav. Process., 29: 179-189.
CrossRefDirect Link - Savory, C.J. and J.M. Lariviere, 2000. Effects of qualitative and quantitative food restriction treatments on feeding motivational state and general activity level of growing broiler breeders. Applied Anim. Behav. Sci., 69: 135-147.
PubMed - Van Niekerk, C.C., K.M. Katanbaf, E.A. Dunnington and P.B. Siegel, 1988. Behaviours of early and late feathering broiler breeder hens reared under different feeding regimes. Arch. Geflugelkunde, 52: 230-234.
Direct Link