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The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 3 hatching systems on flock activity using a commercial tracking system, and to compare these findings to individual activity measured under experimental conditions. As this experiment was part of a larger study, it was possible to investigate the effects of vaccination on individual activity. In study 1, flock activity was measured in chickens that hatched either conventionally in the hatchery (HH), in a system which provided nutrition in the hatcher (HF), or on-farm (OH). Chickens were reared in 2 batches, in 12 pens/batch (1,155 animals/pen). One camera recorded top-view images of each pen. A daily activity index (moved pixels/total pixels x 100) was calculated by automated image analysis. In study 2, individual activity was measured under experimental conditions using an ultra-wideband (UWB) system. Chickens from the 3 hatching systems were reared in 3 pens (one pen/treatment, 30 animals/pen). At d14, UWB-tags were attached to 5 chickens/pen, which tracked the distances moved (DM)., The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 3 hatching systems on flock activity using a commercial tracking system, and to compare these findings to individual activity measured under experimental conditions. As this experiment was part of a larger study, it was possible to investigate the effects of vaccination on individual activity. In study 1, flock activity was measured in chickens that hatched either conventionally in the hatchery (HH), in a system which provided nutrition in the hatcher (HF), or on-farm (OH). Chickens were reared in 2 batches, in 12 pens/batch (1,155 animals/pen). One camera recorded top-view images of each pen. A daily activity index (moved pixels/total pixels x 100) was calculated by automated image analysis. In study 2, individual activity was measured under experimental conditions using an ultra-wideband (UWB) system. Chickens from the 3 hatching systems were reared in 3 pens (one pen/treatment, 30 animals/pen). At d14, UWB-tags were attached to 5 chickens/pen, which tracked the distances moved (DM).

Many pig and broiler farmers struggle to reduce the use of antimicrobials on their farms. The improvement of the level of biosecurity certainly is one of the most effective ways to prevent pathogens entering the farm. Research is focused however also on other strategies, which may reduce the reliance on antimicrobials: increase animals’ resilience, early detection of diseases and targeted use of antimicrobials. These three strategies may exert a long term effect on the necessity tofight animal diseases. Several innovations are being tested that belong to these strategies, but most of these techniques have not yet been applied at farm scale In this paper a first analysis has been carried out to estimate the costs and benefits of innovations to improve resilience, to early detect diseases and to implement a targeted use of antimicrobials. As most of the innovations have been tested in experimental settings, the results of the economic analysis still have be treated with care. It provides however a first assessment of the economic convenience of the innovations and a list of key performance indicators that need to be taken into account in the analysis. For this analysis the partial budgeting approach has been used. Where broilers are concerned the analysis has been centred on on-farm hatching, elevated platforms, use of probiotics, automatic weighing systems and targeted use of non-antimicrobial feed and/or water additives. For pigs the analysis has been focused on innovative enrichment material to improve pig welfare and video-surveillance systems to early detect diseases.

Information on the behavior of chickens hatched in different systems is limited and inconsistent across different studies. Changes in broiler activity can be measured automatically and continuously. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of 3 hatching systems on flock activity using a commercial tracking system, and to compare these findings to individual activity measured under experimental conditions. As this experiment was part of a larger study, it was possible to investigate the effects of vaccination on individual activity. In study 1, flock activity was measured in chickens that hatched either conventionally in the hatchery (HH), in a system which provided nutrition in the hatcher (HF), or on-farm (OH). Chickens were reared in 2 batches, in 12 pens/batch (1,155 animals/pen). One camera recorded top-view images of each pen. A daily activity index (moved pixels/total pixels × 100) was calculated by automated image analysis. In study 2, individual activity was measured under experimental conditions using an ultra-wideband (UWB) system. Chickens from the 3 hatching systems were reared in 3 pens (1 pen/treatment, 30 animals/pen). At d14, UWB-tags were attached to 5 chickens/pen, which tracked the distances moved (DM). In study 1, group level activity showed a significant age × hatching system interaction (F8,752= 5.83, P < 0.001). HH and HF chickens showed higher activity levels than OH chickens in wk 1, 4, and 5. In wk 3, higher activity levels were measured in HH compared to HF, and in HF compared to OH pens. In contrast, HH chickens in small groups in study 2 showed lower DM than HF and OH chickens in wk 3 (P < 0.001). DM did not differ between treatments before vaccination, however, thereafter, HH chickens showed longer DM, whereas HF and OH chickens moved less. The results indicate that hatching system affected broiler activity at specific ages. Effects found at flock level could not be reproduced by individual measurements in study 2, although stock

In 2 experiments, interactions between trace mineral (Zn, Mn, Cu, Se) source (organic or inorganic) in the broiler breeder diet and egg translucency (high or low) on egg characteristics and embryonic development were investigated. In the first experiment, eggs from old breeders (55–57 wk) and in the second experiment, eggs from prime breeders (34–36 wk) were used. Egg composition and bacterial load on the eggshell were analyzed in fresh eggs. During incubation, metabolic heat production of the embryos (d 8 (E8) to 19 of incubation) and tibia ossification (E8.5–E14.5) were determined daily. At hatch, chicken quality was assessed, including tibia biophysical characteristic. Egg quality was not affected by breeder trace minerals source or egg translucency in both experiments. In both experiments, an interaction between trace minerals source and translucency score was found for egg weight loss during incubation. In inorganic trace minerals fed breeders, a high egg translucency resulted in a higher egg weight loss than a low egg translucency, whereas this difference was not seen in organic trace minerals fed breeders. Embryonic heat production and tibia ossification were not affected by trace minerals source or egg translucency. Chicken quality showed ambiguous results between experiment 1 and 2 regarding trace minerals source in the breeder diet. In experiment 2, high translucent eggs from organic fed breeders hatched later than eggs from the other three treatment groups and additionally, high egg translucency resulted in lower residual yolk weight and higher heart and liver percentage of YFBM compared to low egg translucency. Tibia biophysical characteristics at hatch were not affected by trace minerals source or egg translucency. It can be concluded that organic trace minerals source in broiler breeder diet affects eggshell conductance, particularly in low translucent eggs, but effects on chicken quality and tibia characteristics appears to be limited., In 2 experiments, interactions between trace mineral (Zn, Mn, Cu, Se) source (organic or inorganic) in the broiler breeder diet and egg translucency (high or low) on egg characteristics and embryonic development were investigated. In the first experiment, eggs from old breeders (55–57 wk) and in the second experiment, eggs from prime breeders (34–36 wk) were used. Egg composition and bacterial load on the eggshell were analyzed in fresh eggs. During incubation, metabolic heat production of the embryos (d 8 (E8) to 19 of incubation) and tibia ossification (E8.5–E14.5) were determined daily. At hatch, chicken quality was assessed, including tibia biophysical characteristic. Egg quality was not affected by breeder trace minerals source or egg translucency in both experiments. In both experiments, an interaction between trace minerals source and translucency score was found for egg weight loss during incubation. In inorganic trace minerals fed breeders, a high egg translucency resulted in a higher egg weight loss than a low egg translucency, whereas this difference was not seen in organic trace minerals fed breeders. Embryonic heat production and tibia ossification were not affected by trace minerals source or egg translucency. Chicken quality showed ambiguous results between experiment 1 and 2 regarding trace minerals source in the breeder diet. In experiment 2, high translucent eggs from organic fed breeders hatched later than eggs from the other three treatment groups and additionally, high egg translucency resulted in lower residual yolk weight and higher heart and liver percentage of YFBM compared to low egg translucency. Tibia biophysical characteristics at hatch were not affected by trace minerals source or egg translucency. It can be concluded that organic trace minerals source in broiler breeder diet affects eggshell conductance, particularly in low translucent eggs, but effects on chicken quality and tibia characteristics appears to be limited.

Alternative hatching systems have been developed for broiler chickens to provide immediately feed and water after hatch and reduce the number or severity of early life stressors. Besides beneficial effects of these alternative hatching systems on chick quality and performance, broiler health and welfare may be positively affected as well. Especially offspring from young broiler breeder flocks may benefit, as they have been shown to be more sensitive to preturbations than offspring from older breeder flocks. This study evaluated effects of hatching systems on chick quality, health and welfare of young breeder flock offspring, using 3 different hatching systems: conventional hatchery-hatched (HH), hatchery-fed (HF), and on-farm hatching (OH). A total of 24 pens were used in a completely randomized block design, with 8 pens per hatching system and 30 chickens per pen. Chick quality at hatch and performance until 35 d of age was improved in the HF and OH compared to HH treatment, but only minor effects were found on the welfare indicators: footpad dermatitis, hock burn, cleanliness, skin lesion and gait score. No effect was observed on the dynamics of a humoral immune response after NCD vaccination, given at d 0 and 14 of age, as no differences between NCD titers were found at d 18. Animals were vaccinated with a live attenuated infectious bronchitis vaccine virus (IBV) at d 28 to address treatment related differences to disease resilience. The expressions of inflammation and epithelial integrity related genes in the trachea and histo-pathological changes in the trachea were examined at 3 d after vaccine administration. No differences between treatment groups were observed. Although beneficial effects of HF and OH systems were found for young breeder flock offspring on chick quality at hatch and body weight posthatch, only one effect of alternative hatching systems on welfare and health indicators were found. No effect of hatching system on humoral immune response or di, Alternative hatching systems have been developed for broiler chickens to provide immediately feed and water after hatch and reduce the number or severity of early life stressors. Besides beneficial effects of these alternative hatching systems on chick quality and performance, broiler health and welfare may be positively affected as well. Especially offspring from young broiler breeder flocks may benefit, as they have been shown to be more sensitive to preturbations than offspring from older breeder flocks. This study evaluated effects of hatching systems on chick quality, health and welfare of young breeder flock offspring, using 3 different hatching systems: conventional hatchery-hatched (HH), hatchery-fed (HF), and on-farm hatching (OH). A total of 24 pens were used in a completely randomized block design, with 8 pens per hatching system and 30 chickens per pen. Chick quality at hatch and performance until 35 d of age was improved in the HF and OH compared to HH treatment, but only minor effects were found on the welfare indicators: footpad dermatitis, hock burn, cleanliness, skin lesion and gait score. No effect was observed on the dynamics of a humoral immune response after NCD vaccination, given at d 0 and 14 of age, as no differences between NCD titers were found at d 18. Animals were vaccinated with a live attenuated infectious bronchitis vaccine virus (IBV) at d 28 to address treatment related differences to disease resilience. The expressions of inflammation and epithelial integrity related genes in the trachea and histo-pathological changes in the trachea were examined at 3 d after vaccine administration. No differences between treatment groups were observed. Although beneficial effects of HF and OH systems were found for young breeder flock offspring on chick quality at hatch and body weight posthatch, only one effect of alternative hatching systems on welfare and health indicators were found. No effect of hatching system on humoral immune response or di

The rising of antimicrobial resistance led to a growing interest in alternative approached to prevent and control infectious diseases. One approach is to support animal resilience. Resilience can be defined as the ability of an animal to cope with environmental disturbances and reorganize with minimal loss of function. Resilience to infectious diseases can be studied by measuring three complementary aspects; resistance to infection, tolerance during infection, and recovery from the infection.Optimal early life conditions can have long-lasting effects and may therefore support animal resilience. Until now, in broilers, effects of early life conditions on resilience against infectious diseases were largely unknown. The moment of first access to feed and water after hatch was hypothesized to affect broiler resilience in later life. In practice, broiler chicks either have access to feed and water directly after hatch (defined as ‘early feeding’) or access to feed and water is delayed for up to 72 hours (defined as ‘delayed feeding’). Secondly, incubation temperature may affect broiler resilience in later life as well. A constant eggshell temperature (EST) of 37.8°C (Control EST) was considered optimal. However, studies found indications that a higher EST of 38.9°C during the second week of incubation (Higher mid EST) as well as a lower EST of 36.7°C during late incubation (Lower late EST) may enhance embryo and chick development. Furthermore, the interaction between a higher mid EST with lower late EST (alternative EST pattern) was not investigated yet. We hypothesized that the alternative EST pattern would synergistically interact with early feeding to enhance broiler resilience in later life.Experiment 1 investigated the effects of alternative EST patterns on chick characteristics at hatch, especially immune organ development, and later life immune responses and growth performance. Results in this study did not show an interaction between higher mid and lower late EST

Aquathermie is een kansrijke en duurzame energiebron, waarbij thermische energie uit oppervlaktewater (TEO), afvalwater (TEA) of drinkwater (TED) gebruikt kan worden voor verwarmingsdoeleinden. Binnen werkpakket 3C van het WarmingUp kennisprogramma wordt gekeken naar de kosten van aquathermiesystemen. Om deze kosten inzichtelijk te maken zijn in dit onderzoek voorbeeld kostenberekeningen gemaakt voor verschillende type aquathermiesystemen. Hiermee kan een realistische inschatting gemaakt worden van de kosten per geleverde GJ-warmte (kostprijs) en de uitstoot van CO2. Het resultaat moet beleidsmakers en initiatiefnemers ondersteunen in het maken van keuzen voor de toepassing van aquathermie. De randvoorwaarden,uitgangspunten en resultaten zijn beschreven in dit onderzoek. Een bijbehorende spreadsheet geeft meer detail van de totstandkoming van de kostprijs. De berekeningen en achterliggende kengetallen zijn opgesteld in samenwerking met een begeleidingscommissie. In deze begeleidingscommissie waren overheidspartijen, energiebedrijven, kennisinstellingen en adviesbureaus betrokken om de beschikbare kennis en ervaringen te gebruiken in dit onderzoek. De begeleidingscommissie bestaat uit Deltares, HVC, Vattenfall, Eteck, RVO, PBL, TNO, Ennatuurlijk en de gemeente Nijmegen. Tijdens de ontwikkeling van deze kostenberekening is er regelmatig afstemming geweest met de begeleidingscommissie, om de meest representatieve kennis en ervaringen mee te kunnen nemen in dit onderzoek.

Valgus-varus deformity (VVD) is one of the leg disorders affecting health and welfare of broiler chickens. In research, several protocols are used to determine the prevalence and/or severity of VVD. This study aimed to investigate effects of five different protocols on the angulation of the tibiotarsal-tarsometatarsal joint. Angulation was determined (1) in living chickens with fixation at the femorotibiotarsal joint; (2) in dead chickens without fixation; (3) in dead chickens with fixation; (4) in dissected legs, including muscles, but without skin; (5) in dissected legs, without muscles, but with intact joints. Fixation of the leg at the femorotibiotarsal joint largely reduced the angulation of the tibiotarsal-tarsometatarsal joint. When fixation was used, no differences in angulation were found when broilers were live, dead or legs were dissected, but when no fixation was used, angulation was considerably higher, due to a large lateral deviation of the leg. It can be concluded that in intact chickens, fixation of the femorotibiotarsal joint is essential to determine VVD angulation in an appropriate way.

Effects of environmental enrichment on activity, behaviour, walking ability, contact dermatitis and performance were investigated in fast- and slower-growing broiler chickens. A total of 840 day-old male broilers, 420 of a fast-growing strain (Ross 308) and 420 of a slower-growing strain (Hubbard JA757), were housed in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, using a complete randomized design. Broilers were housed in 28 pens of 3 m2 in one climate-controlled room. Half of the pens per strain were enriched (EE) with barrier perches, ramps, platforms and a dustbathing area, and the other half of the pens were not enriched (NE). In the EE pens, also black soldier fly larvae were provided daily in the dustbathing area and broilers in NE pens received an additional protein-fat mix, to achieve similar energy and nutrient intake compared to the EE treatment. Behaviour was observed by scan sampling and focal sampling in weeks 2, 4, 5 and 7. Walking ability, footpad dermatitis and hock burn were measured in three broilers per pen at a body weight of 1.7 and 2.6 kg. Performance was determined weekly. Results showed that in the enriched environment, at the same age slower-growing broilers made more use of provided enrichment materials than fast-growing broilers (P < 0.001; Δ = +13.5 %). Providing enrichment decreased the proportion of slower-growing chickens standing idle, whereas this effect was not found for fast-growing broiler chickens (P = 0.006; Δ = -2.8 % for slower-growing broilers). Furthermore, at the same age, more slower-growing broilers were active (Δ = +4.5 %) compared to fast-growing broilers, whereas fast-growing broilers showed more sitting idle (Δ = +4.2 %) and ingestion behaviour (Δ = +2.8 %) than slower-growing broilers in both EE and NE pens (P < 0.05). Broilers of both strains in EE pens showed longer duration of activity (P < 0.05; Δ = +11.3 %) compared to broilers in NE pens. No effects of enrichment or strain were observed for walking ability and contact derma

Resilient animals can cope with environmental disturbances in life with minimal loss of function. Resilience can be enhanced by optimizing early-life conditions. In poultry, eggshell temperature (EST) during incubation and early feeding are two early-life conditions that are found to alter neonatal chick quality as well as immune response in later life. However, whether these early-life conditions affect disease resilience of chickens at later ages has never been studied yet. Hence, we studied the effects of EST [(37.8°C (control) or 36.7°C (lower)] during late incubation (≥embryonic days 17–19.5) and feeding strategy after hatch [immediately (early feeding) or 51–54 h delayed (delayed feeding)] on later-life broiler resilience in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. At hatch, 960 broilers of both sexes from a 54-week-old Ross breeder flock were equally divided over 32 pens (eight replicate pens per treatment combination) and grown for 6 weeks. Necrotic enteritis was induced by a single inoculation of Eimeria spp. at d 21 and repeated Clostridium perfringens inoculation (3×/d) during d 21–25. Mortality and body weight (BW) gain were measured daily during d 21–35 as indicators of resilience. Additionally, disease morbidity was assessed (gut lesions, dysbacteriosis, shedding of oocysts, footpad dermatitis, and natural antibody levels in blood). Results showed a lack of interaction between EST and feeding strategy for the vast majority of the variables. A lower EST resulted in lower BW gain at d 5 and 8 post Eimeria inoculation (P = 0.02) and more Eimeria maxima oocysts in feces at d 8 post Eimeria inoculation compared to control EST (P < 0.01). Early feeding tended to lower mortality compared to delayed feeding (P = 0.06), but BW gain was not affected by feeding strategy. Morbidity characteristics were hardly affected by EST or feeding strategy. In conclusion, a few indications were found that a lower EST during late incubation as well as delayed feeding after hatch may eac

In on-farm hatching systems, eggs are transported at d 18 of incubation to the broiler farm, where chickens have immediate access to feed and water after hatching. In hatchery-fed systems, newly hatched chickens have immediate access to feed and water in the hatchery and are transported to the farm thereafter. Conventionally hatched chickens can remain without access to feed and water up to 72 h after hatching until placement on the farm. The current study compared day-old chicken quality, performance, and slaughter yield of broiler chickens that were on-farm hatched (OH), hatchery-fed (HF), or conventionally hatchery-hatched (HH). The experiment was performed in 6 rooms in 1 house. Each room contained 2 duplicate pens with approximately 1,155 chickens per pen; 2 rooms with each 2 duplicate pens were assigned to 1 treatment. The experiment was repeated during 3 consecutive production cycles. Chickens originated from young parent stock flocks. Results showed that HF and OH chickens were heavier and longer than HH chickens at day (D) 1. Relative weight of stomach and intestines were highest for OH chickens. The OH chickens had worse day-old chicken quality in terms of navel condition and red hocks than HH and HF chickens. Treatments did not differ in first wk and total mortality. From D0 until slaughter age, body weight was highest for OH, followed by HF and HH. Furthermore, carcass weight at slaughter age (D40) was highest for OH chickens, followed by HF and HH chickens. Breast fillets showed a higher incidence of white striping and wooden breast in HF and OH chickens compared with HH chickens. In conclusion, the current study showed that both OH and HF chickens of young parent flocks had better growth performance, which could explain the higher prevalence of breast myopathies, compared with HH. The worse day-old chicken quality for OH compared with HH and HF does not seem to affect first wk mortality and later life performance.

Broiler chicks usually hatch in the hatchery without access to feed and water until placement at the farm. This can affect their health and welfare negatively. Therefore, alternative strategies have been developed, for instance providing chicks with early nutrition in the hatchery or hatching eggs directly on-farm. However, information on the physical and mental welfare of chicks hatched in these systems compared to conventionally hatched chicks is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of alternative hatching systems on the welfare of broiler chickens in early and later life. A system comparison was performed with chickens that hatched conventionally in a hatchery (HH), in a system which provided light, feed, and water in a hatcher (hatchery-fed, HF), or on-farm (on-farm hatched, OH, where feed and water were available and transport of day-old chicks from the hatchery to the farm was not necessary). Chickens were reared in 3 batches, in 12 floor pens per batch (approximately 1,155 animals per pen), with a total of 12 replicates per treatment. Animal-based welfare indicators were assessed following standard protocols: plumage cleanliness, footpad dermatitis (FPD), hock burn, skin lesions (all at day 21 and 35 of age), and gait score (day 35). Furthermore, a set of behavioral tests was carried out: novel environment (day 1 and 21), tonic immobility, novel object, and avoidance distance test (day 4 and 35). Plumage cleanliness, hock burn, and skin lesions were affected by age but not by hatching system, with older broilers scoring worse than younger ones (P < 0.05). An effect of hatching system was only found for FPD, with the highest prevalence in HH chickens, followed by HF and OH chickens (P < 0.05). All responses measured in the behavioral tests were affected by age but not by hatching system. In later life, chickens were significantly less fearful than during the first days of life. The results indicate that conventionally hatched chickens

Het doel van dit deelrapport van WarmingUP (project 3C) is het presenteren van de kennis van het ontwerp en kosten van bestaande aquathermiesystemen als inzicht voor toekomstige ontwikkelingen van aquathermie. Daarnaast geeft deze rapportage inzicht in de belangrijkste aandachtspunten van de verschillende systeemcomponenten en geeft het een inkijk in gebruikservaringen in de praktijk.