Trichinellosis: a worldwide zoonosis

Posted in: Environment by admin on January 1, 2000 | No Comments

Ammonia emission factors for UK agriculture

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Using Growing Degree Days to Predict Nitrogen Availability from Livestock Manures

Posted in: Environment by admin on | No Comments

Dietary Enzyme Improves Digestibility of Canola Meal Diets

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

Micronized and Flaked Wheat in Nursery Diets Poster

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

Water Intake and Wastage by Grower/Finisher Pigs at Nipple Drinkers

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

Behavioural diversity in groups of juvenile pigs

Posted in: Prairie Swine Centre by admin on | No Comments

Understanding behavioural diversity is important for commercial production, animal behaviour and animal welfare. This study objected to determine the primary characteristics that distinguish individual pigs. Three primary a

ENUMERATION OF AEROMONM FOR VERIFICATION OF THE HYGIENIC ADEQUACY OF SWINE CARCASS DRESSING PROCESSES

Posted in: Meat Quality by admin on | No Comments

Modifying the cage to accommodate behaviour.

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

Night-time roosting in laying hens and the effect of thwarting access to perches

Posted in: Welfare by admin on | No Comments

The undisturbed roosting behaviour and the reaction of commercial laying hens when roosting on perches was thwarted were studied. Hens were kept in two groups of 26 in litter pens with perches at heights of 23, 43, and 63 cm. Immediately after lights-out and within ten minutes, over 90 % of hens were on perches provided and roosting close together (experiment 1). In experiment 2, hens were kept in groups of three in experimental pens equipped with perches. The birds were tested in four different situations: (1) the pen unchanged (Base), (2) the perch was covered with plexiglass, (3) the perch was removed, and (4) the unchanged pen (Post; control treatment). All birds experienced the four treatments. When perching was not possible, the hens spent less time sitting and tended to spend more time standing than the control hens. The hens also moved more when the perch was inaccessible. When the perch was visible but inaccessible, the birds showed more attempts to take off. The authors interpreted the findings to mean that the birds were experiencing increased frustration and/or exploration, probably to find an alternative roosting site. These results and the findings that there was a high use of perches for night-time roosting under undisturbed conditions led the authors to conclude that laying hens were motivated to perch. They also concluded that hens kept under conditions where perching is not possible may cause the birds to experience reduced welfare.