Fear, stress, and feather pecking in commercial white and brown laying hen parent-stock flocks and their relationships with production parameters

• DOI: 10.3382/ps.2012-02996
• Publication Date: 2013-08-27T00:02:51Z
• Authors: E.N. de Haas; B. Kemp; J.E. Bolhuis; T. Groothuis; T.B. Rodenburg
• Keywords: Flock; Feather pecking; Plumage; Animal-Assisted Therapy; Corticosterone

Little is known about the relationship between welfare traits and production in laying hen parent stock (PS). In commercial hens pure lines, it that aspects associated with reduced such as high fear, stress, feather pecking can have negative effects on production. Because PS are housed under different conditions than hens, may differ. We therefore studied fear response to a stationary person (SP) novel object (NO), basal plasma corticosterone (CORT) whole-blood serotonin levels (5-HT), damage proxy for 10 Dekalb White (DW) ISA Brown (ISA) flocks related these data. differ by genetic origin group size, we also assessed genotype size effects. birds were more fearful of SP, had lower 5-HT birds. Genotypes did not CORT. A large (n > 5,000) was low feed intake better conversion flocks. For DW flocks, NO BW, egg weight, intake. SP mortality. both CORT weight. This first study associate Management should take into account breed differences, effects, human-bird interactions. Further research needed determine CORT, 5-HT, development their offspring.