Opportunities for the Welfare Improvement of Laying Hens under Semi-open Rearing during the Cold Period with Arginine and Vitamin C Supplementation

Year 2014, Volume: 1 Issue: Özel Sayı-1, 793 - 798, 01.03.2014

Nadya Bozakova Vasko Gerzılov

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the welfare of DeKalb Brown laying hens whose feed was supplemented with 1% L-arginine or either with a combination arginine and vitamin C during the cold winter days, using a assessment model. The welfare was scored on the basis of hen’s behaviour, plasma corticosterone and several blood biochemical parameters. The extremely low environmental temperatures during the cold period provoked in DeKalb Brown hens a cold stress, manifested with excessive blood corticosterone concentrations, behavioural and blood biochemical changes and the welfare score of control hens was PW=46,67 %. The 1% L-arginine supplemented hens were characterized with positive behavioural changes and reduced blood corticosterone and some biochemical indices compared to controls, as well as an increased welfare score to PW=73,33 %. The supplementation with 1 % L-arginine and 250 mg vitamin C during the cold period was reflected positively on the behaviour, blood corticosterone and some biochemical indices in the DeKalb hens. Their welfare score increased to PW=80,00 % due to the synergic cold stress reducing effect of arginine and vitamin C

Keywords

DeKalb Brown, welfare, behaviour, arginine and vitamin C, corticosterone

Opportunities for the Welfare Improvement of Laying Hens under Semi-open Rearing during the Cold Period with Arginine and Vitamin C Supplementation

Abstract

Keywords

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