Pecking Behavior in Conventional Layer Hybrids and Dual-Purpose Hens Throughout the Laying Period.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Rieke L
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8102775 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Differences in the gut microbial composition of divergently selected laying hen lines does not affect feather pecking and agonistic behavior
| PRJEB40535 | ENA
Project description:Dual-purpose strains, with hens housed for egg laying and roosters kept for meat production are one alternative to the killing of male day-old chickens. However, dual-purpose hens seem to have additional advantages compared to conventional layers, for instance, a lower tendency to develop behavioral disorders, such as feather pecking and cannibalism. In the present study, three batches of about 1850 conventional layers (Lohmann Brown plus, LB+) and 1850 dual-purpose hens (Lohmann Dual, LD) each, all of them with untrimmed beaks, were observed during production (20-71 (56) weeks of life) in a semi-commercial aviary system. The aim was to investigate whether the hybrid and batch affected the occurrence of injurious pecking, and to identify a detailed time course of the damage caused by this behavior. Therefore, the hens' plumage and skin condition were assessed as an indicator by means of a visual scoring method. The LB+ hens had higher production performances and higher mortality rates compared to the LD hens. Plumage loss in the LB+ flocks started at 23 to 25 weeks of age, and deteriorated continuously. The LD hens showed only moderate feather loss on the head/neck region, which started at 34 to 41 weeks and remained almost constant until the end of the observations. Compared to feather loss, injuries occurred in the LB+ hens with a delay of several weeks, with a maximum of 8% to 12% of hens affected. In contrast, skin injuries were observed only sporadically in single LD hens. In all batches, hybrid had an effect on the occurrence of feather loss (p < 0.05). Within the LB+ strain, the proportions of hens affected by plumage loss and injuries differed among batches (p < 0.05), whereas this was not the case in the LD flocks. Thus, severe feather pecking and cannibalism seemed to occur in the conventional layer hybrids but not in the dual-purpose hens, though both genetic strains were raised and managed under the same semi-commercial conditions. Therefore, keeping dual-purpose hens should also be considered as an alternative approach to avoid injurious pecking in laying hen husbandry.
| S-EPMC7023478 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAggressive behaviour is an important aspect in the daily lives of animals living in groups. Aggressive animals have advantages, such as better access to food or territories, and they produce more offspring than low ranking animals. The social hierarchy in chickens is measured using the 'pecking order' concept, which counts the number of aggressive pecks given and received. To date, little is known about the underlying genetics of the 'pecking order'.ResultsA total of 60 hens from a high feather pecking selection line were divided into three groups: only receivers (R), only peckers (P) and mixed peckers and receivers (P&R). In comparing the R and P groups, we observed that there were 40 differentially expressed genes [false discovery rate (FDR) P < 0.10]. It was not fully clear how the 40 genes regulated aggressive behaviour; however, gene set analysis detected a number of GO identifiers, which were potentially involved in aggressive behavioural processes. These genes code for synaptosomes (GO:0019797), and proteins involved in the regulation of the excitatory postsynaptic membrane potential (GO:0060079), the regulation of the membrane potential (GO:0042391), and glutamate receptor binding (GO:0035254).ConclusionIn conclusion, our study provides new insights into which genes are involved in aggressive behaviours in chickens. Pecking and receiving hens exhibited different gene expression profiles in their brains. Following confirmation, the identification of differentially expressed genes may elucidate how the pecking order forms in laying hens at a molecular level.
| S-EPMC2785841 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundFeather pecking (FP) in laying hens reduces animal welfare and leads to economic losses for the layer industry. FP is considered a heritable condition that is influenced by dysregulation of neurotransmitter homeostasis, the gut microbiome, and the immune system. To identify genes and biological pathways responsible for FP behavior we compared the brain transcriptomes of 48 hens divergently selected for FP. In addition, we tested if high feather peckers (HFP) and low feather peckers (LFP) respond differently to light since light has been shown to trigger FP behavior.ResultsOf approximately 48 million reads/sample an average of 98.4% were mapped to the chicken genome (GRCg6a). We found 13,070 expressed genes in the analyzed brains of which 423 showed differential expression between HFP and LFP. Genes of uncertain function and non-coding RNAs were overrepresented among those transcripts. Functional analyses revealed the involvement of cholinergic signaling, postsynaptic activity, membrane channels, and the immune system. After the light stimulus, 28 genes were found to be differentially expressed. These included an interaction cluster of core components of the circadian clock. However, differences in the response to light between HFP and LFP were not detectable.ConclusionsGenes involved in cholinergic signaling, channel activity, synaptic transmission, and immune response were found to be involved in FP behavior. We propose a model in which the gut microbiota modulates the immune system, which in turn affects cholinergic signaling. This might have an influence on monoamine signaling with possible involvement of GABA or glutamate signaling.
| S-EPMC7457272 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Chickens are the world's most widely used farm animal and have a significant genetic diversity. In the current study, we investigated three strains for their suitability as dual-purpose chickens, with a focus on the fattening ability and welfare of the cockerels: 1. layer cockerels (Lohmann Brown, LB, n = 714); 2. cockerels of a dual-purpose hybrid (Lohmann Dual, LD, n = 844); and 3. cockerels of a native breed (Rhinelander, RL, n = 458). Chicks were raised under identical conditions and marked individually to compare focus and random sampling methods for weighing birds weekly. Because chicks of dual-purpose origins are usually raised mixed-sex, cockerels and pullets were weighed and observed together until sexes the were identifiable at week 10 of their life. During the 10th to 20th week of life, investigations were continued on 100 cockerels per genotype. Key figures for growth performance, such as feed conversion ratio (FCR) and European production efficiency factor (EPEF), were also calculated at weekly intervals. LD cockerels showed considerable growth performance (p < 0.001 compared to LB, RL, 2 kg at 9 weeks), whereas LB reached a live weight of 2 kg at 13 weeks and RL at 15 weeks of age. Genotype-dependent differences were also evident, with favorable FCR and EPEF for LD, intermediate for LB, and unfavorable for RL (all p < 0.001). The results of the FCR and EPEF suggest that cockerels should be slaughtered around week 8 of life, although only the carcass of the LD might be marketable. Thus, the optimal time of slaughter based on production parameters such as FCR and EPEF is different from the time when the animal reaches a marketable 2 kg live weight. Animal-based welfare indicators revealed that the RL are not adapted to production environments, including those that are extensive. Further research aimed at adapted feed management, including better FCR, and animals adapted to the respective production environments is necessary to improve alternative poultry production in the future.
| S-EPMC7692664 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The genetic selection progress in layers and broilers makes poultry production one of the fastest growing industries. Objectives of the breeding companies are the stability or the increase in the laying rate and the production of viable chicks. New biomarkers are necessary to improve reproductive and egg performances. Chemerin (Chem) produced by oviduct accumulates in egg white (EW). Here, we hypothesized that EW Chem concentration was dependent on the stage of laying and on the breed (layer vs. broiler). In addition, they could be associated to laying performance and fertility parameters. In breeding companies, we collected during 2 successive generations (G0 (mother) and G1 (daughter)) eggs from 100 layers and 100 broilers hens during 5 d at 3 stages: before, after laying peak and at the end of laying period. For each egg, the EW was sampled to measure Chem concentration by ELISA assay. In each generation at the end of laying period, magnums from oviduct, where the EG is formed, were collected in layers and broilers in order to investigate Chem differential expression by RT-qPCR between both breeds. Chem concentration in EW was dependent on the time of laying period and its profile was differently regulated in layers and broilers. Indeed, it increased at the end of laying in layers whereas it decreased after the laying peak in broilers. At the end of laying period, Chem concentration in EW was almost 2-fold higher in layers than in broilers and this was confirmed in both G0 and G1 generations at the Chem mRNA and protein levels in the magnum. For the 2 successive generations, Chem concentration in EW was negatively correlated with the laying rate and the fertility parameter in broiler hens whereas it was negatively correlated with the egg quality (weight of whole egg and weight of albumen) and positively with the fertility rate at some time of laying in layer hens. Taken together, the Chem concentration in EW could be a potential predictive tool for reproductive parameters in genetic selection.
| S-EPMC10784314 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Every year, billions of egg layer chicks around the world are hatched under highly stressful, industrial circumstances. Here, it is investigated how the stressful procedure in the commercial hatchery, including incubation, hatching, processing, and transport affects the chicks with regards to traits relevant for the egg production industry. These traits were compared to those of a control group hatched in a small incubator and handled gently och quietly in a quiet room without any processing and transport. The chicks were weighed at hatch and at eight additional time points: 4 days, 1 week (w), 2 w, 3 w, 5 w, 8 w, 20 w and 25 w of age. Feather pecking was studied at 15 w of age and damages to the feathers and injuries on the comb and wattle were assessed at 25 w of age. From 19 w of age, eggs were collected on three days per week, counted and weighed. Chicks from a commercial hatchery had a lower hatch weight than control chicks (p<0.001). At 20 w of age, the weight of the commercial hatched chicks was still numerically lower, although this did not reach statistical significance. Commercially hatched chicks tended to show more feather pecking behaviour at 15 w of age compared to control chicks (p<0.1), although feather condition at 25 w of age showed the opposite pattern. Regarding production, commercially hatched chickens laid fewer (p<0.05) and smaller (p<0.05) eggs than chicks hatched and handled under calm circumstances. From this experiment, it is concluded that the stressful experience in the commercial hatchery has an overall negative effect on traits relevant for the industry.
| S-EPMC8726488 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Various aspects of activity, such as spontaneous activity, explorative activity, activity in open-field tests, and hyperactivity syndrome have been explored as causal factors of feather pecking in laying hens, with no clear results. In all previous studies, mean values of activity over different time intervals were used as criteria. Incidental observation of alternated oviposition time in lines selected for high (HFP) and low feather pecking (LFP), supported by a recent study which showed differentially expressed genes related to the circadian clock in the same lines, led to the hypothesis that feather pecking may be related to a disturbed diurnal activity rhythm. Hence activity recordings of a previous generation of these lines have been reanalyzed. Data sets of a total of 682 pullets of 3 subsequent hatches of HFP, LFP, and an unselected control line (CONTR) were used. Locomotor activity was recorded in pullets housed in groups of mixed lines in a deep litter pen on 7 consecutive 13-h light phases, using a radio-frequency identification antenna system. The number of approaches to the antenna system was recorded as a measure of locomotor activity and analyzed using a generalized linear mixed model including hatch, line, time of day and the interactions of hatch × time of day and line × time of day as fixed effects. Significant effects were found for time and the interaction line × time of day but not for line. All lines showed a bimodal pattern of diurnal activity. The peak activity of the HFP in the morning was lower than that of the LFP and CONTR. In the afternoon peak all lines differed with the highest mean in the LFP followed by CONTR and HFP. The present results provide support for the hypothesis that a disturbed circadian clock plays a role in the development of feather pecking.
| S-EPMC10024181 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Insufficient calcium supply during the dark period is an important reason for deteriorated eggshell quality in laying hens. In the present study, the feeding time of hens was altered in order to investigate whether the changes in feeding time and feed consumption could influence the laying performance and eggshell quality of hens. A total of 192, 60-wk-old Hy-line Brown hens with similar body weight and laying rate were obtained. The hens were randomly divided into 4 groups and subjected to the following feeding strategies: feeding 3 times a day (control group, CON), or feeding once a day in the morning at 08:00 (MF), in the noon at 12:00 (NF), or in the afternoon at 16:00 (AF), respectively. The feeding strategies had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on laying rate, egg weight, and egg mass. Although the feed intake did not differ among treatments, the time phase of feed consumption was changed. From 15:00 to 21:00 h, hens consumed 49.7%, 42.4%, 49.1%, and 70.8% of daily feed intake in the CON, MF, NF, and AF groups, respectively. Feeding strategy had no detectable influence (P > 0.05) on egg shape index, eggshell strength, and eggshell percentage. Compared to CON, AF hens tended to have a higher eggshell thickness (P = 0.053). In MF and NF treatments, plasma calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P) levels, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity did not differ (P > 0.05) compared with CON. In contrast, AF-hens had lower Ca and P levels, but a higher ALP activity than CON (P < 0.01). The AF hens had higher uterine fluid Ca than MF and NF hens (P < 0.05). Compared to CON, the expression level of CaBP-D28K was increased in the shell gland mucosa of MF-hens. Also, MF-, NF-, and AF-hens had higher Osteopontin (OPN) expression level (P < 0.05), whereas NF had a higher expression of OC-116 (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the results indicated that feeding in the afternoon changed the pattern of feed consumption and exerted a positive influence on eggshell thickness.
| S-EPMC9801208 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundFeather pecking (FP) is a maladaptive behavior in laying hens that is associated with numerous physiological traits, including those involving the central neurotransmitter system and the immune system, which have been identified in many species as being regulated by the gut microbiota via the "microbiota-gut-brain" (MGB) axis. Yet, it is unknown whether and how gut microbiota influences FP by regulating multiple central neurotransmission systems and immune system.MethodsThis study was measured the prevalence of severe FP (SFP) in the commercial layer farm. The chicken flock with the highest frequency of SFP were selected for FP phenotype identification. Nontargeted metabolomics was performed to investigated the differences in the peripheral and central metabolites and 16S rDNA sequencing was performed to investigated the differences in gut microbiome of laying hens with different FP phenotypes. Correlation analysis was performed to determine the potential mechanism by which the disturbed gut microbiota may modulate host physiology and behavior.ResultsThe results showed that pullets (12 weeks of age) showed significantly higher SFP frequencies than chicks (6 weeks of age) and adults (22 weeks of age; p < 0.05). Compared to neutrals (N), peckers (P) exhibited the stress-induced immunosuppression with the increased plasma levels of corticosterone and norepinephrine, and the decreased plasma levels of IgA, IL-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor α (p < 0.05). In the cecum, the relative abundances of Bacteroides and Gemmiger were higher in the P group, while Roseburia, Ruminococcus2, Anaerostipes, Lachnospiracea_incertae_sedis and Methanobrevibacter were more enriched in the N group. Moreover, increased plasma levels of L-tryptophan, beta-tyrosine and L-histidine were found in the P group (p < 0.05). Notably, in the P group, hippocampal levels of L-tryptophan, xanthurenic acid, L-histidine and histamine were improved and showed a positive association with L-glutamic acid levels. Plasma levels of L-tryptophan, beta-tyrosine and L-histidine were both positively correlated with Bacteroides abundance but negatively correlated with Methanobrevibacter abundance.ConclusionOverall, these findings suggest that the development of FP may be affected by the gut microbiota, which regulates the central glutamatergic nerve system by altering the metabolism of tryptophan, histidine and tyrosine.
| S-EPMC10017472 | biostudies-literature