Objective: This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of the housing system on the welfare and growth performance of the Muscovy duck. Materials and methods: A total number of 48 Muscovy duck aged 3-week old were divided randomly into two groups (24 duck on each): deep litter system and cage system. Each group was subdivided into three replicates (8 birds on each) were identified with wing rings. Results: The study showed that feeding and drinking behaviors significantly increased ( p < 0.05) in duck reared at the cage system. While there was no noticeable effect on lying and feather pecking, duck raised in the deep litter had better growth performance with a substantial difference, which achieve a higher feed conversion rate with lower feed efficiency. Physical conditions were significantly better at cage management. The level of stress indicating hormones indicating free Thyroxin was increased with the cage. Therefore, the litter system improves duck welfare and their performance. Conclusion: It is concluded that the duck managed under the litter system has more opportunities that facilitate the expression of more natural behavior, and thus improve their health and performance, as a result of improved feed conversion rate and feed efficiency.

Ducks spend their entire life in contact with the litter material, thus the management strategies should focus on what is the best for ducks welfare and growth performance. Herein, the main object of the present study was assessing the effects of different litter materials on the ducks' welfare and growth performance. Four groups of ducks (24 duckling for each) were kept on four types of bedding materials, sawdust, plastic slatted floor, sand and without. The present study revealed several changes in duck's behaviors due to different bedding materials, where the most frequencies of maintenance behaviors (feeding, drinking, idling, preening) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in plastic slatted in comparing to other materials the highest significantly in plastic slatted litter and the lowest in non-bedding litter. Moreover, the ducks reared under sawdust floor revealed the highest frequency of foraging behavior (11.48 bouts/hour). While, feather pecking and aggression were the highest in non-bedding material (74.4, 5.51 bouts/hour, respectively). The hygienic conditions inside the non-bedding floor was the worst due to increase levels of ammonia and carbon dioxide (12, 0.97 Cm 3 /Litter, respectively). The ducks reared in plastic slatted floor were the best in growth performance with good signs of soundness. In non-bedding floor, the environmental stress revealed in the increase the level of plasma corticosterone hormone with bad signs of soundness. This study confirms importance of bedding materials in rearing of ducks, especially under plastic slatted floor.

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Fish culture is an essential source of fish and fish products that provides a valuable source of animal protein and important micronutrients for balanced nutrition and good health (Srinivasan et al., 2015). There is an increasing demand on fish meat worldwide as it contains a healthy and high quality protein. So, fish culture showed a remarkable development in the last decades (Pavanelli et al., 2008). Tilapia is the second most essential farmed fish in the world, after carps. Tilapia culture is practiced in most of the tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Major attention has been paid to tilapia farming in recent years (Osofero et al., 2009). Tilapia is the main fish species for culture over the world. It mostly is the choice because of its rapid growth rate, easily breeding, highly bearing to environmental cues, and high market require (El-Sayed, 2006). Stressors in Tilapia farming include improper water temperature, and overstock, incorrect feeding regime. Both types of stress result in a characteristic stress response (Barton & Iwama, 1991). In many farmed fish species, growth is negatively associated to stocking density and this is principally attributed to social interactions (Silva et al., 2000).

The aim of the present paper was to study the influence of gender, number of offspring, calving status on both health and welfare. Out of 3000 heads, data for 429 Holstein female calves and 551 male calves which have been born during one year were used with computer records. The result suggested that abnormal behaviour during 1 st 12 hours of calf's life have been significantly affected by twinning and dystocia .The presence and duration of behaviour related to respiratory, digestive or mixed disorders were significantly higher in females, the calf's growth rate was higher in male than female with significance difference, while its birth weight was significantly higher in dystocia than calves from normal parturition. There was a non-significant effect of calf gender, number of offspring and parturition state on calves weaning age. It could be concluded that Calf gender, number of offspring and parturition state have a different effects on behaviour and growth performance of calves from birth till weaning. Abnormal behaviours during the first 12 hours of calf's life as delayed sternal recumbancy, standing, abnormal suckling have been significantly affected by twinning and dystocia and not significantly affected by calf sex. Presence and duration of behaviour related to respiratory, digestive or mixed disorders were significantly higher in females than males, where these disorders were significantly higher in case of dystocia and twinning births. Culling of cows with incidence of twinning is recommended to control the decreased fertility, decreased total number of calves over the lifespan of the cow, and decreased milk production.