Effects of the density, aviary type, breed, and age on the behaviors of laying hens kept in cages

An experiment was carried out in order to investigate the behaviors of laying hens due to the environmental factors of: density inside of the cage, aviary type, breed, and age. The experiment was configured as a factorial 4x2x2x2 study, with treatments being four different ages, two different breeds, two different cage densities, and two different aviaries. The birds' behaviors were recorded using video cameras installed in the cages, using samples of 15 minutes recorded from 12 PM to 4 PM. The observed behaviors, frequency and duration of behaviors (measured in seconds) were identified and noted related to each bird. The study was initiated in March 2007, during four non-consecutive weeks. The observed behaviors were: opening wings, stretching, threatening, ruffling feathers, drinking water, aggressive pecking, eating, running, lying down, stretching head out of the cage, preening, mounting, prostrating, and doing nothing (inactivity). Due to the non-normality of the data recorded, the Kruskal-Wallis statistical test of the MINITAB Statistical Software® was used to compare the medians of the variables. For breed factor, only the durations of the eating presented significant differences (p-value< 0.05). For cage density, there was a significant median difference (p-value< 0.05) for almost all behaviors observed. The average length of time of behaviors was higher for the lowest cage density. However, the frequency of behaviors was lmerfor the lowest cage density. The frequency of the behaviors to preen feathers, to lie down, to drink water and to stretch the head were higher in the aviary, where the groups of birds were smaller. The observed behaviors were particularly affected by experimental factors cage density, and aviary type, which directly affects the available space for each bird.

Logistic regression to estimate the welfare of broiler breeders in relation to environmental and behavioral variables

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Fezes de galinhas poedeiras na alimentação de ruminantes análises microbiológicas

The objectives of the present study were: to evaluate the variation in total number of microorganisms in laying hen fecal samples and to identify the pathogenic microorganisms possibly present such as Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella sp., Clostridium botulinum, C chauvoei, Campylobacter sp., Escherichia coli, and Corynebacterium sp. The experiment was conducted at the School of Agrarian and Veterinarian Sciences of Jaboticabal, - UNESP. Fecal samples were collected from the aviary. A fully randomized experimental design was used with 7 treatments and 4 replications, for a total of 28 samples. A decrease in total number of microorganisms was detected when treatment T0 (zero days of storage) was compared with treatment T6 (42 days of storage), with oscillations in numbers being observed during this period of time. Pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium noyvi, C perfringens, C sordelli, C septicum and C noyvi type B were detected, as well as non-pathogenic bacteria such as Bacillus sp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Microbiological analyses of poultry litter used for ruminant feeding

The aims of this study were to estimate the changes in total bacterial counts (TBC) in poultry litter samples, consisting of rice hulls, after storage, and to identify pathogenic bacteria. For the countings Plate Count agar (Difco) was used. Enrichment and selective media such as blood agar, MacConkey, Baird Parker, brain and heart agar, and egg yolk solid media, and cooked meat and brain and heart infusion, incubated under aerobic or anaerobic conditions were used to isolate Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella sp, Clostridium perfringens, C. botulinum, C. chauvoei, Campylobacter sp, Escherichia coli, and Corynebacterium sp. Litter samples were collected from the houses of the Veterinary School experimental aviary. A fully randomized experimental design was used with four treatments and four replications, for a total of 16 samples. A decrease in TBC was detected when treatment T1 (zero days of storage) was compared with treatments T2 (14 days of storage). on the other hand the treatments T3 (28 days of storage) and T4 (42 days of storage) presented significantly superior counting in relation to treatment T1. Some pathogenic bacteria of Enterobacteriaceae such as Escherichia coil, Proteus, Arizona, Providencia, Edwardsiella, as well as Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, different species of genus Clostridium as C. perfringens, C. sordelli, C. chauvoei, C. tetani and C. novyi as well as some strains of Corynebacterium pyogenes were isolated.

Physical, epidemiological, and molecular evaluation of infection by Cryptosporidium galli in Passeriformes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cryptococcosis outbreak in psittacine birds in Brazil

An outbreak of cryptococcosis occurred in a breeding aviary in São Paulo, Brazil. Seven psittacine birds (of species Charmosyna papou, Lorius lory, Trichoglossus goldiei, Psittacula krameri and Psittacus erithacus) died of disseminated cryptococcosis. Incoordination, progressive paralysis and difficulty in flying were seen in five birds, whereas superficial lesions coincident with respiratory alterations were seen in two birds. Encapsulated yeasts suggestive of Cryptococcus sp. were seen in faecal smears stained with India ink in two cases. Histological examination of the birds showed cryptococcal cells in various tissues, including the beak, choana, sinus, lungs, air sacs, heart, liver, spleen, kidneys, intestines and central nervous system. High titres of cryptococcal antigen were observed in the serum of an affected bird. In this case, titres increased during treatment and the bird eventually died. Yeasts were isolated from the nasal mass, faeces and liver of one bird. Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii serovar B was identified based on biochemical, physiological and serological tests. These strains were resistant (minimum inhibitory concentration 64 μ g/ml) to fluconazole. This is the first report of C. neoformans var. gattii occurring in psittacine birds in Brazil. © 2004 ISHAM.

Influence of the environment on behavior patterns of laying hens kept in cages

The aim of this paper is to verify the correlation between environmental indicators and behaviors expressed by laying hens kept in cages. The birds react to a severe environment through their behaviors, end the behaviors can be monitored to identify the birds' welfare conditions. The behaviors birds display ere the result of stress caused by the combination of environmental temperature, relative humidity, radiant heat, and air speed (environmental temperature being the most important). In order to check the influence of the environment, an experiment was carried out on a commercial poultry farm, located in the city of Bastos. The study was initiated in March 2007, during four non-consecutive weeks. The birds' behaviors were recorded using video, by cameras installed in the cages. The birds behaviors were identified and noted for the frequency of occurrence for each bird, and the average duration of each behavior (in seconds), using video samples of 15 minutes recorded from 1 PM to 4 PM. The environmental variables collected were: air temperature, concentration of ammonia, relative air humidity, velocity of the air, noise, roof temperature, and light intensity. The observed behaviors were: opening wings, stretching, threatening, ruffling feathers, drinking water, aggressive pecking, eating, running, lying down, stretching head out of the cage, preening, mounting and prostrating. Principal Components Analysis was used to determine associations between the behavior variables and environmental variables described above. In this experiment, there were no significant correlations between behavioral variables and environmental variables.

Comparison of environmental indicators of two aviaries for laying Hens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação física, epidemiológica e molecular da infecção por Cryptosporidium spp. em passeriformes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Suplementação da vitamina d3 (colecalciferol) e 25-ohd3 (25-hidroxi-colecalciferol) e problemas locomotores e qualidade óssea em frangos de corte

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ

Efeito de dietas contendo virginiamicina sobre o desempenho, o rendimento de carcaça e a morfometria intestinal de frangos de corte

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Influência de materiais de cobertura e de alturas de cama, nos índices de conforto térmico e no desempenho de frangos de corte, em Dourados - MS

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Biodigestão anaeróbia e características de cama de frangos obtida sob diferentes quantidades iniciais de casca de arroz e três tipos de cobertura de galpões em Dourados - MS

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Glutamina mais ácido glutâmico e aditivos fitogênicos nas dietas de frangos de corte criados no sistema alternativo de produção

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Considerações morfofisiológicas do intestino e do fígado de poedeiras comerciais submetidas aos diferentes programas de muda forçada

Pós-graduação em Medicina Veterinária - FCAV