A study was conducted to test the effects of a newly-developed transport feed (TF) with a high water content on pullets of egg-laying strains transported more than 12 hours. After preliminary tests on farmed pullets, three individual transport trials were conducted, using a total of 330 animals (Lohman Brown, 16-wk-old, average body weight: 1.384 kg), transported in 48×54×21 cm (length×width×height), metal wire commercial crates, divided into 2 groups. Control pullets were kept without feed and water and loaded at the usual commercial stocking density (8 pullets/crate; 324 sqcm/animal), whereas the experimental group had access to TF and were loaded at the same density considering TF surface (7 pullets/crate; 324 sqm/animal). Birds were placed on commercial lorries and transported for 20 hours. Before catching and at the end of transport blood samples (15 animals/group at random) were taken from vena ulnaris superficialis and used to determine hematocrit, total protein, sodium, glucose, plasma corticosterone, heterophil / lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), total antioxidant power (OXY-TA) and lisozyme. TF consumption as well as changes in body weight and body (cloacal) temperature were also assessed. Mean TF consumption in experimental groups was 67.0 g/animal (12.5 g dry matter and 54.5 g water) with an energy supply of 0.206 MJ/animal. Pullets that had access to FT had lower body weight losses (6.4 vs. 5.2%; P<0.01) and a lower decrease of body temperature (-0.1 vs. -0.3°C; P<0.05), compared with controls. Moreover, TF pullets showed significant lower plasma corticosterone, lisozyme, sodium and OXY-TA values as well as a reduced heterophil/lymphocyte ratio. Overall, these findings indicate that TF can reduce negative energy balance and stress in pullets during long-distance journeys.
PETRACCI M., AMADORI M., ARCHETTI I.L., BIANCHI M., MONTELLA L., CAVANI C. (2009). Effect of feeding during long transport on welfare of pullets.
Effect of feeding during long transport on welfare of pullets
PETRACCI, MASSIMILIANO;BIANCHI, MAURIZIO;CAVANI, CLAUDIO
2009
Abstract
A study was conducted to test the effects of a newly-developed transport feed (TF) with a high water content on pullets of egg-laying strains transported more than 12 hours. After preliminary tests on farmed pullets, three individual transport trials were conducted, using a total of 330 animals (Lohman Brown, 16-wk-old, average body weight: 1.384 kg), transported in 48×54×21 cm (length×width×height), metal wire commercial crates, divided into 2 groups. Control pullets were kept without feed and water and loaded at the usual commercial stocking density (8 pullets/crate; 324 sqcm/animal), whereas the experimental group had access to TF and were loaded at the same density considering TF surface (7 pullets/crate; 324 sqm/animal). Birds were placed on commercial lorries and transported for 20 hours. Before catching and at the end of transport blood samples (15 animals/group at random) were taken from vena ulnaris superficialis and used to determine hematocrit, total protein, sodium, glucose, plasma corticosterone, heterophil / lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), total antioxidant power (OXY-TA) and lisozyme. TF consumption as well as changes in body weight and body (cloacal) temperature were also assessed. Mean TF consumption in experimental groups was 67.0 g/animal (12.5 g dry matter and 54.5 g water) with an energy supply of 0.206 MJ/animal. Pullets that had access to FT had lower body weight losses (6.4 vs. 5.2%; P<0.01) and a lower decrease of body temperature (-0.1 vs. -0.3°C; P<0.05), compared with controls. Moreover, TF pullets showed significant lower plasma corticosterone, lisozyme, sodium and OXY-TA values as well as a reduced heterophil/lymphocyte ratio. Overall, these findings indicate that TF can reduce negative energy balance and stress in pullets during long-distance journeys.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
