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http://dx.doi.org/10.11625/KJOA.2021.29.4.589

Effect of Perch Material Type on Performance, Blood Characteristics, and Feather Score of Layer Pullets on Floor during Growth Period  

Kim, Hee-Jin (국립축산과학원 가금연구소)
Son, Jiseon (국립축산과학원 가금연구소)
Hong, Eui-Chul (국립축산과학원 가금연구소)
Kang, Hwan Ku (국립축산과학원 가금연구소)
Publication Information
Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture / v.29, no.4, 2021 , pp. 589-600 More about this Journal
Abstract
The present study investigated the effect of perch material type (wood and steel) on performance, blood characteristics, and feather pecking. A total of 1,700, one-day-old female Hy-Line brown chicks were evenly assigned to two treatments (wood and steel). The body weight and uniformity of birds were investigated over a 10-week experimental period. Blood characteristics and feather pecking was conducted at week 10. The wood perch treatment (WP) and steel perch treatment (SP) did not differ in their body weight, uniformity, and serum biochemical profile (except inorganic phosphorus) of pullets. Inorganic phosphorus on serum in WP significantly higher than that in SP (P<0.05). Blood corpuscle composition (leukocyte, erythrocyte, and Heterophil / Lymphocyte ratio) of pullets did not show any significant differences among treatments at week 10. Serum corticosterone and feather score that is stress and welfare indices were not affected by the type of perch material. In conclusion, our results suggest that performance, blood characteristics, and feather pecking of pullets were not affected by the perch material type. The results of this study can serve as basic data for investigating the effects of perch type on layer pullets.
Keywords
animal welfare; feather score; layer pullets; perch; stress;
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