The Effects of Perch Cooling on Behavior, Welfare Criteria, Performance, and Litter Quality of Broilers Reared at High Temperatures with Different Litter Thicknesses

The first aim of this study was to investigate the effects of perch cooling and different litter thicknesses on litter quality of the housing facility, welfare criteria (incidence of footpad and hock burns, gait score, plumage cleanliness and damages), heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, growth, and carcass compositions of broilers reared at high ambient temperature. Secondly, the study was conducted to determine whether cooled perches would be preferred by broiler chickens exposed to a hot environment, and subsequently, whether the utilization of these perches would improve the welfare and performance of broilers, beyond those provided by non-cooled perches. A total of 459 1-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to nine treatment groups based on the perch treatment (no perch, non-cooled, cooled perches) and litter thicknesses (1, 7, 14 cm) with three replicates. Aerial ammonia and litter moisture levels were lower in broilers reared at 14 cm litter thickness group than in broilers reared at 1 cm thickness group. The perch-contact incidence of chickens reared under the cooled perch was found higher than the non-cooled chickens at 36 to 42 days of age. Cooled perches and 14 cm of litter thickness tended to decrease the incidence of footpad and hock burn. The body weight gain of the broilers in cooled perch group was higher than those in no perch and non-cooled perch groups at 0-42 d (p 0.05). These results suggest that cool perches have a beneficial effect on the performance and welfare of broilers.(AU)

The Effects of Perch Cooling on Behavior, Welfare Criteria, Performance, and Litter Quality of Broilers Reared at High Temperatures with Different Litter Thicknesses

The first aim of this study was to investigate the effects of perch cooling and different litter thicknesses on litter quality of the housing facility, welfare criteria (incidence of footpad and hock burns, gait score, plumage cleanliness and damages), heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, growth, and carcass compositions of broilers reared at high ambient temperature. Secondly, the study was conducted to determine whether cooled perches would be preferred by broiler chickens exposed to a hot environment, and subsequently, whether the utilization of these perches would improve the welfare and performance of broilers, beyond those provided by non-cooled perches. A total of 459 1-day-old male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to nine treatment groups based on the perch treatment (no perch, non-cooled, cooled perches) and litter thicknesses (1, 7, 14 cm) with three replicates. Aerial ammonia and litter moisture levels were lower in broilers reared at 14 cm litter thickness group than in broilers reared at 1 cm thickness group. The perch-contact incidence of chickens reared under the cooled perch was found higher than the non-cooled chickens at 36 to 42 days of age. Cooled perches and 14 cm of litter thickness tended to decrease the incidence of footpad and hock burn. The body weight gain of the broilers in cooled perch group was higher than those in no perch and non-cooled perch groups at 0-42 d (p 0.05). These results suggest that cool perches have a beneficial effect on the performance and welfare of broilers.

Dietary supplementation of different levels of phytogenic feed additive in broiler diets: the dynamics of growth performance, caecal microbiota, and intestinal morphometry

The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of different levels of dietary phytogenic feed additive (PFA) on growth performance, caecal microbiota, and intestinal morphology of broilers. A total of 480 Ross-308 one-day-old male broilers chicks (body weight 43±3 g) were randomly assigned to 32 replicate pens of four experimental groups, each experimental group consisting of 8 replicates (each replicate pen consisting of 15 chicks). A basal diet was formulated based on corn and soybean meal that was fed to the control group. Other dietary treatments received a commercial PFA at 100 mg/kg (PFA100), 125 mg/kg (PFA125), and 150 mg/kg (PFA150). Body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion rate of broilers were recorded on 1-21, 22-42, and 1-42 days of age. One bird was slaughtered on the 21st and 42nd days and caecal contents were aseptically collected. Jejunal tissue samples were also collected on the same days. Total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and lactobacilli were counted in the caecal contents. Villus height, villus diameter, crypt depth, muscular thickness, and goblet cell number per villus were recorded. There was no difference among the dietary treatments for growth performance and caecal microbe populations at any phase. However, the dietary PFA supplementation increased the villus height, villus width, muscularis thickness, and reduced the crypt depth and goblet cell number per villus in broilers compared to those fed control diets. In conclusion, this study suggests that dietary supplementation of a PFA consisting of blend of different spices and essential oils did not improve growth performance and caecal microbial populations despite a positive improvement in the jejunal morphometry of broilers.(AU)

Dietary supplementation of different levels of phytogenic feed additive in broiler diets: the dynamics of growth performance, caecal microbiota, and intestinal morphometry

The present study was conducted to investigate the influence of different levels of dietary phytogenic feed additive (PFA) on growth performance, caecal microbiota, and intestinal morphology of broilers. A total of 480 Ross-308 one-day-old male broilers chicks (body weight 43±3 g) were randomly assigned to 32 replicate pens of four experimental groups, each experimental group consisting of 8 replicates (each replicate pen consisting of 15 chicks). A basal diet was formulated based on corn and soybean meal that was fed to the control group. Other dietary treatments received a commercial PFA at 100 mg/kg (PFA100), 125 mg/kg (PFA125), and 150 mg/kg (PFA150). Body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion rate of broilers were recorded on 1-21, 22-42, and 1-42 days of age. One bird was slaughtered on the 21st and 42nd days and caecal contents were aseptically collected. Jejunal tissue samples were also collected on the same days. Total aerobic bacteria, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and lactobacilli were counted in the caecal contents. Villus height, villus diameter, crypt depth, muscular thickness, and goblet cell number per villus were recorded. There was no difference among the dietary treatments for growth performance and caecal microbe populations at any phase. However, the dietary PFA supplementation increased the villus height, villus width, muscularis thickness, and reduced the crypt depth and goblet cell number per villus in broilers compared to those fed control diets. In conclusion, this study suggests that dietary supplementation of a PFA consisting of blend of different spices and essential oils did not improve growth performance and caecal microbial populations despite a positive improvement in the jejunal morphometry of broilers.