• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.1019-1023
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• 2001

An on-farm trial was conducted in temperature-controlled lactation rooms at a commercial pig farm to investigate the efficacy of broadcasting sow suckling grunts from day 4 of lactation, on increasing piglet growth to weaning. In the Broadcast treatment, sows and litters were exposed to a 3-min broadcast from loud-speakers every 42 min. The Control treatment was not exposed to the broadcast. All sows and litters had similar husbandry and piglets were provided with creep feed on the floor twice daily. In each of the three replicates in time, the Broadcast and Control treatments were allocated to different lactation rooms at random and there were 12 sows and litters per treatment per replicate. A total of four identical lactation rooms were available for the trial, each containing 28 conventional sow and litter crates with piglet heater in the creep area. A non-trial room separated the two treatment rooms in each replicate to minimise the chance that the broadcast grunt stimulation was audible to the Control treatment litters. Five "normal and average-looking" piglets from the trial litters were weighed twice, 7 d apart. The cohort of five piglets was identified by ear-tags and formed the experimental unit for the statistical analysis. The average (${\pm}SD$) age of piglets at initial weighing was 7.7(${\pm}2.22$) days. For each litter, mean piglet live weight at day 14 of lactation was estimated by linear regression of the two weights recorded seven days apart, when on average, the Broadcast treatment had been exposed to the stimulation for 10 days. Piglets in the Broadcast treatment were heavier (p<0.01) at day 14 of lactation compared to Control treatment (4.24 and 3.92 kg, respectively) and tended to have a greater average daily weight gain over the 7-d period (245 and 228 g/day, respectively; p<0.08). The results suggest piglet growth was improved by about 8% in response to the regular, timed broadcast of sow suckling grunts in the lactation shed. The independent contributions of milk and creep feed to the improved growth remain to be determined.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.500-508
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• 2024

Objective: Due to current selection practices for increased egg production and peak persistency, the production profile, age at maturity, and body weight criteria for commercial layers are constantly changing. Body weight and age at the time of photostimulation will thus always be the factors that need to be adequately addressed among various production systems. The current study was carried out to determine the effects of pullets' body weight (low, medium, and heavy) on their performance, welfare, physiological response, and hormonal profile. Methods: With regard to live weight, 150 16-week-old pullets were divided into three groups using a completely randomized design (CRD) and held until the 50th week. One-way analysis of variance was used to evaluate the data under the CRD, and the least significant difference test was used to distinguish between treatment means. Results: In comparison to the medium and light birds, the heavy birds had higher body weight at maturity, an earlier age at maturity, and higher egg weight, eggshell weight, eggshell thickness, egg yolk index, breaking strength, egg surface area, egg shape index, egg volume, and hormonal profile except corticosterone. However, the medium and light birds had lower feed consumption rates per dozen eggs and per kilogram of egg mass than the heavy birds. Light birds showed greater body weight gain, egg production, and egg specific gravity than the other categories. At 20 weeks of age, physiological response, welfare aspects, and catalase were non-significant; however, at 50 weeks of age, all these factors-aside from catalase-were extremely significant. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that layers can function at lower body weights during photostimulation; hence, dietary regimens that result in lighter pullets may be preferable. Additionally, the welfare of the birds was not compromised by the lighter weight group.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.887-894
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• 2016

This study was conducted to compare the effects of layout of furniture (a perch, nest, and sandbox) in cages on behavior and welfare of hens. Two hundred and sixteen Hyline Brown laying hens were divided into five groups (treatments) with four replicates per group: small furnished cages (SFC), medium furnished cages type I (MFC-I), medium furnished cages type II (MFC-II), and medium furnished cages type III (MFC-III) and conventional cages (CC). The experiment started at 18 week of age and finished at 52 week of age. Hens' behaviors were filmed during the following periods: 8:00 to 10:00; 13:00 to 14:00; 16:00 to 17:00 on three separate days and two hens from each cage were measured for welfare parameters at 50 wk of age. The results showed that feeding and laying of all hens showed no effect by cage type (p>0.05), and the hens in the furnished cages had significantly lower standing and higher walking than CC hens (p<0.05). The birds in MFC-III had significant higher preening, scratching and feather-pecking behavior than in the other cages (p<0.05). No difference in nesting behavior was found in the hens between the furnished cages (p>0.05). The hens in MFC-I, -II, and -III showed a significant higher socializing behavior than SFC and CC (p<0.05). The lowest perching was for the hens in SFC and the highest perching found for the hens in MFC-III. Overall, the hens in CC showed poorer welfare conditions than the furnished cages, in which the feather condition score, gait score and tonic immobility duration of the hens in CC was significantly higher than SFC, MFC-I, MFC-II, and MFC-III (p<0.05). In conclusion, the furnished cage design affected both behavior and welfare states of hens. Overall, MFC-III cage design was better than SFC, MFC-I, and MFC-II cage designs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.113-132
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• 2005

With the demand for free-range products increasing and the pressure on the intensive poultry industry to improve poultry welfare especially in western countries, the number of free-range poultry farms has increased significantly. The USA, Australia and European countries have developed Codes of Practice for free-range poultry farming which detail the minimum standards of husbandry and welfare for birds. However, the performance and liveability of free-range birds needs to be improved and more knowledge is required on bird husbandry, feed supply, disease control and heat wave management. This review examines the husbandry, welfare, nutrition and disease issues associated with free-range poultry systems and discusses the potential of incorporating free-range poultry into a crop-pasture rotation system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.9
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• pp.706-711
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• 2022

Broiler chickens are exposed to various stresses throughout their lives, and those stresses affect their well-being and meat quality. Therefore, the farm breeding system is critical for reducing stress in broilers and improving animal welfare. This study was conducted to evaluate the difference between general farms and animal welfare farms and to evaluate feather corticosterone as an index for measuring stress. Samples of 28-day-old broilers (blood, feathers, and muscle) were collected from slaughter-houses, and corticosterone, along with HSP70, glycogen, and L-lactate, were extracted from feathers and serum as indicators of broiler stress levels and energy metabolism. The analysis results confirmed a significantly (p<0.01) higher feather cortisone level in the general farm group than in the welfare farm group, but no significance was detected for serum corticosterone. HSP70 levels did not differ in muscles and feathers. Glycogen levels were significantly higher in the general farm group than in the welfare farm group (p<0.01), but L-lactate levels showed no difference. Our results suggest that feather corticosterone can be used as an indicator to evaluate stress differences between general farms and animal welfare farms and that long-term stress can be assessed.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.373-384
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• 2012

Purpose: In EU, the animal welfare regulations are strengthening. Also, in Korea, for strengthening of animal protection laws, animal welfare farm certification scheme is being prepared to enforce. To get the certification of animal welfare farm, especially for sows, individual specific feeding in sow group is necessary in accordance with the animal welfare regulation. Also, liquid feeding is reported to be more effective for farrowing as well as dry sow. Therefore, in this study, a electronic liquid sow feeder using RFID which could be fed to farrowing sow simultaneously is developed. Methods : We manufactured a prototype of appropriate elements which were evaluated in the preliminary test for selecting RFID tag, supply pump, mixing type, etc. With the prototype, the performance test for liquid feeding gilt was done in group raising training barn. Results : The performance test result shows the C.V.(coefficient of variation) of liquid mixing and feeding is 0.77~1.97% and 2.4~5.3%, respectively, which means the system could feed sows uniformly. The feeding time of pneumatically activated ball valve is 2 seconds per 0.9 kg of liquid feed. The eating time for gilt were 65 seconds in average. Conclusions : The prototype could feed sow uniformly, and deliver the liquid feed 9 times for a sow continuously. Also, total eating time for a sow was 18 minutes in one visit to the prototype of feeding station.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.151-156
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• 2012

Studies of non-cage or alternative systems have been discussing in EU because the EU has banned use of conventional cages for laying hens since 2012. This survey was carried out the information related to laying hens' welfare in Korea. Laying hens' breeding systems divided into deep litter, free range and alternative system, and livestock housings divided into windowless housing and open-type housing. The ratios of trough and bell feeder types were 37.5% and 62.5%, respectively. The ratios of nipple, trough, and bucket in waterer types 75%, 12.5%, and 12.5%, respectively. What stocking density is the most appropriate for production and welfare has been aroused. All laying hen farms met the required standards of stocking density ranged from 3.4 birds/$m^2$ to 7.6 birds/$m^2$ in this survey. According to welfare standards for laying hens, perch length should not be less than 15 cm. However, most laying hen farms did not satisfied the standards. We believe that presentdata contribute to develop alternative systems and to improve animal welfare in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Toxicology Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.25-41
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• 2006

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.605-614
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• 2007

Feeding pigs used to be a means of managing domestic resources that may otherwise have been wasted into valuable animal protein. Feeding pigs thus was a form of husbandry. Following recent rapid industrial development, pig rearing has changed from extensive to intensive, but this transformation has been associated with major concerns. The concentration of large amounts of pig manure in small arrears is environmentally hazardous. Moreover, high densities of animals in intensive production systems also impose a health threat for both animals and humans. Furthermore, the use of growth promoters and preventive medicines for higher production efficiencies, such as in-feed antibiotics, also induces microbial resistance thus affects human therapeutics. In addition, consumers are questioning the ethics of treating animals in intensive production systems. Animal welfare, environmental and bio-safe issues are re-shaping the nature of pig production systems. Feeding pigs thus involves not only the consideration of economic traits, but also welfare traits and environmental traits. Thus, a focus on technological feasibility, environmental sustainability and social desirability is essential for successful feeding operations. Feeding pigs now involves multiple projects with different sustainability goals, but goal conflicts exist since no pattern or scenario can fulfill all sustainability goals and the disagreements are complicated by reduced or even no use of in-feed antibiotics. Thus it is difficult to feed pigs in a manner that meets all goals of high quality, safe product, eco- and bio-sustainability, animal welfare and profit. A sustainable pig production system thus requires a prioritization of goals based on understanding among consumers, society and producers and needs to view from both a local and global perspective.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.65 no.6
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• pp.1323-1340
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• 2023

There are several factors that affect the welfare and meat quality of pigs during pre-slaughter transport. Among various factors, the effects of weather conditions and loading density were studied. A total of 3,726 finishing pigs were allotted to one of nine groups arranged in a 3 × 3 factorial design according to the weather conditions (low temperature [LT], under 10℃; normal temperature [NT], 10℃-24℃; high temperature [HT], upper 24℃), and loading density (low density [LD], upper 0.43 m²/100 kg; normal density [ND], 0.37-0.43 m²/100 kg; high density [HD], under 0.37 m²/100 kg). Each treatment group follow as: LTLD, LTND, LTHD, NTLD, NTND, NTHD, HTLD, HTND, HTHD. In terms of carcass composition, pigs had the highest carcass weight and backfat thickness at LT. Comparing the HD transport to the ND transport, the meat quality indicated a lower pH and more drip loss. The incidence rate of pale, soft, exudative (PSE) pork was high in the order of the HD, LD, and the ND transport (20%, 9%, and 2%, respectively). The HT transport showed the lowest pH and greatest L^* value under the given weather conditions. Pigs transported under the HTHD and LTLD conditions had the greatest rates of PSE pork (40% and 20%, respectively). Pigs exposed to HD transport had the shortest laying time and the highest overplap behavior. The LDLT transport pigs had a shorter laying time than the LDNT and LDHT transport pigs. In conclusion, too high or too low density transport is generally not excellent for meat quality or animal welfare, however it is preferable to transport at a slightly low density at high temperature and at a slightly high density at low temperature.