1. A bespoke management package can reduce levels of injurious pecking in loose-housed laying hen flocks
- Author
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David C J Main, Sarah L Lambton, Christine J Nicol, J.L. McKinstry, Jon Walton, M Friel, CM Sherwin, and CA Weeks
- Subjects
Veterinary medicine ,Feather pecking ,General Veterinary ,Oviposition ,Pecking order ,Multilevel modelling ,General Medicine ,Biology ,Animal Welfare ,Housing, Animal ,Management strategy ,Animal science ,Animals ,Wounds and Injuries ,Female ,Flock ,Animal Husbandry ,Chickens ,Bespoke - Abstract
This study investigated the protective effects of an on-farm management package designed to reduce injurious pecking (IP) in loose-housed laying hens. A systematic review of scientific literature generated 46 potentially protective management strategies. Bespoke management packages were designed for treatment flocks (TF) using these management strategies. IP in 53 TFs was compared with IP in 47 control flocks (CF) where the management package was not employed. Scoring of plumage damage (PD) and observations of gentle and severe feather pecking (GFP; SFP), and vent and cannibalistic pecking (VP) were completed, and management strategy use was recorded, at 20, 30 and 40 weeks of age. Differences between treatment and CF were examined using multilevel modelling. Compared with CF, TF employed more management strategies (P
- Published
- 2013
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