Knowledge on the usage of taste deterrents (i.e. repellents) and its association with feather pecking is limited and studies of reduction of feather pecking in commercial flocks of laying hens have not been performed previously. In this study we examined the eff ect of two dimethyl anthranilate (DA) based repellents on plumage condition and behaviour of 180 non-beak-trimmed laying hens housed in enriched cages (10 birds/cage) with an emphasis on feather pecking. Birds were divided into 3 groups of 60 birds each. From 20 to 40 weeks of age they were sprayed at two-week intervals with 300ml of distilled water (control group – group “C”), a water solution of DA (group “T”) and a propylene glycol solution of DA (group “P”). Hens’ behaviour was recorded by direct observation for 3 days (one, six and 13 days aft er spraying) in each of the two observation periods starting at hens’ age of 26 and 38 weeks. Feather condition of individual hen was recorded at 20, 26 and 38 weeks of age. Both repellents reduced cage pecking signifi cantly (p(0.05) compared to the group C. Even though there was no significant difference in feather pecking between groups, the plumage condition of the repellent-treated birds was poorer (p(0.05) than that of the group C. This study was the first to investigate the potential of repellents to discourage feather pecking in a commercial setting.
COBISS.SI-ID: 4020872
This is the first on-farm study looking at the influence of spraying laying hens with two non-toxic bird repellents on feather coverage on six body regions, egg quality and laying performance of the Slovenian Prelux-R layer strain. A total of 180 18-wk-old non trimmed cage hens were randomly assigned into 3 treatment groups (P, T, C) with 6 replicates of 10 birds each (60 hens per group) and for 20 weeks at two week intervals sprayed with two dimethyl anthranilate-based repellents (P and T), each being used on one group of the birds. Group C served as a control group, sprayed with distilled water only. Mean body weights of laying hens at the start of first experimental period, at 26 weeks of age were 2083.42+-156.69, 2107.08+-194.76 and 2078.75+-183.96 g for the P, T and C groups, respectively. We found that hens sprayed with repellents T and P had greater (P(0.05) feed intake than group C. The dispersion of repellent T significantly (P(0.05) increased the albumen pH and yolk diameter and decreased the egg shape index compared with group P. The egg shell strength and yolk pH were significantly (P(0.05) lowered with T treatment in comparison with C group. The administration of the repellents resulted in poorer feather condition compared with group C. The yolk from group P was more intensively (P(0.05) coloured than the yolk in other groups. There were no other differences between the treatments. Based on these results, we can conclude that physical egg quality, plumage condition and especially feed intake in commercial flocks of laying hens can be significantly influenced by feather spraying with bird repellents.
COBISS.SI-ID: 4016520