Effect of Different Flooring Designs on the Performance and Foot Pad Health in Broilers and Turkeys

Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
Bussarakam ChuppavaJ Kamphues

Abstract

Litter quality has a significant influence on the performance and foot pad health in poultry. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different types of flooring designs on the performance and foot pad health in fattening broilers and turkeys. Three trials were conducted for each species using a total of 720 Ross 308 broilers and 720 Big 6 turkeys. After day seven, animals were randomly assigned to four groups with three subgroups each: G1—floor pens with litter, G2—floor pens with litter and floor heating, G3—partially-slatted flooring, including a littered area, and G4—fully-slatted flooring with a sand bath (900 cm²). Animals of both species had a significantly higher final body weight at dissection (day 36) after being reared on fully-slatted floors compared to common littered floors. In turkeys, the feed conversion ratio was worse in G4 (1.53 ± 0.04) than in G1 (1.47 ± 0.02) and G2 (1.48 ± 0.03). Water to feed ratio was significantly higher in G2 than other groups. Turkeys’ foot pad health was significantly better in G4 than in other groups beginning at day 21. In turkeys, platforms with slatted floors that allow for temporary separation of the feet from the litter could lea...Continue Reading

References

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Jan 1, 2013·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Maria-Elisabeth Krautwald-JunghannsThomas Bartels
Jan 1, 2013·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Lucas J Lara, Marcos H Rostagno

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
dissection

Software Mentioned

SAS

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