Abstract
Feather pecking and cannibalism are major welfare problems in laying hens. The
likelihood of a bird developing feather pecking is influenced by its personality traits,
for instance by how an animal copes with fear and stress. Genetic selection and early
rearing conditions can affect these personality traits, and in this way also affect
feather pecking and cannibalism. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to
investigate the effect of maternal care and of selection for low mortality on
personality traits. Birds in the experiment originated from the same population and
were either selected for low mortality in groups (low mortality line) or randomly
selected (control line) for two generations. Fourteen groups of 10 birds from each
line were used. Within each line, seven groups were brooded by a foster mother and
seven groups were non-brooded. At 33 weeks of age, seven birds from each group
were tested in a manual restraint test. They were restrained for five minutes, during
which their behavioural response (number of struggles) was studied. After manual
restraint, birds were placed individually in a crate for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes,
blood samples were drawn for assessment of plasma corticosterone and whole blood
serotonin (5-HT) concentration. For half of the birds, i.e. 16 birds per treatment, also
platelet 5-HT uptake velocity was determined. Data were analysed using a GLMprocedure,
testing effects of line, mother and their interaction. In the low mortality
line, 80% of the birds struggled and vocalised versus 72% in the control line (NS).
Birds from the control line had a stronger corticosterone response to manual restraint
(7.7 vs. 6.0 nmol ml-1; F1, 19 = 5.79; P <0.05). Furthermore, birds from the low
mortality line that were reared without a mother had a higher 5-HT concentration in
their blood than birds from the other treatments (48 vs. 45 nmol ml-1; F1, 19 = 5.51;
P <0.05). Within the groups reared with a mother, there was a tendency for a lower
5-HT uptake velocity in the low mortality line compared with the control line (571
vs. 749 pmol/109 thr/min; F1, 19 = 3.33; P <0.10). These results imply that maternal
care and selection for low mortality affect serotonergic activity and corticosterone
response to restraint. These factors may be involved in a reduced propensity to
develop feather pecking and cannibalism.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Book of Abstracts of the 8th European Symposium on Poultry Welfare, Cervia, Italy, 18-22 May 2009 |
Editors | S. Barbieri, V. Ferrante, S. Lolli, G. Sayegh |
Pages | 6-6 |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |
Event | 8th European Symposium on Poultry Welfare - Duration: 18 May 2009 → 22 May 2009 |
Conference/symposium
Conference/symposium | 8th European Symposium on Poultry Welfare |
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Period | 18/05/09 → 22/05/09 |