Welfare improvement in laying hens during the hot period under a semi-open rearing system through dietary arginine and vitamin C supplementation

Abstract

The welfare assessment model in poultry under different rearing systems has gained increasing importance. An economically profitable approach for improvement of laying hens welfare during the hot summer period is diet's supplementation with specific additives (microelements, vitamins, and minerals) to satisfy the body's needs under heat stress. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the welfare of DeKalb Brown laying hens (n=295) whose feed was supplemented with either 10 mg/kg Larginine or with the combination 10 mg/kg L-arginine and 250 mg/kg vitamin C during the hot summer days, using a mathematical assessment model. The laying hens' welfare was scored on the basis of birds' behaviour, plasma corticosterone levels, blood biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, total protein and triglycerides) and rearing microclimatic parameters. The behaviour was observed by a video camera accounting the number of birds engaged in specific forms of activity: ingestive (ingestion of water or food), gregarious (moving, resting, egg-laying, dust bathing and feather cleaning), sexual and agonistic behaviour. The plasma corticosterone levels were assayed by means of commercial ELISA kit. Blood biochemical indices -cholesterol, glucose, creatinine, total protein and triglycerides were determined on an automated biochemical analyzer. The welfare score of DeKalb Brown laying hens during the hot period from the control group was 33.33% that of the group supplemented with L-arginine -66.67 %, and in birds supplemented with arginine and vitamin C -73.33 % due to the synergic heat stress-reducing effect of both compounds.

Studies regarding the occurrence of feather pecking and cannibalism in flocks of non-beaktrimmed male turkeys (B.U.T. 6) kept under different stocking densities in an enriched curtain-sided barn

“…In summer, with temperatures temporarily reaching up to 30°C, turkeys appeared to be less active. It could be suggested that the observed decrease in activity associated with high temperatures resulted in lower frequencies of feather pecking, as previously described by BOZAKOVA et al (2009), and less injurious pecking were responsible for the lower separation rates. Regarding different stocking densities, a distinct picture arose when comparing the two trials.…”

Effect of dietary supplemental vitamin C and zinc sulfate on productive performance, egg quality traits and blood parameters of laying hens reared under cold stress condition

“…However, similar to this study Kucuk et al (2003a) reported that in the laying hens under stress 250 mg/kg of vitamin C diet decreased serum triglyceride compared with control group. As well as, Bozakova et al (2015) reported in the laying hens under heat stress total cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides decreased but increased the total protein with 10 mg per kg of arginine + 250 mg per kg of vitamin C diet. These results might have been due to decreased corticosterone (catabolic) and increased insulin (anabolic) concentrations upon vitamin supplementations.…”

A review of heat stress in chickens. Part II: Insights into protein and energy utilization and feeding

“…Over-supplementation was detrimental from 1 to 3 weeks of age ( Chamruspollert et al, 2004 ), neutral from 3 to 6 weeks of age ( Mendes et al, 1997 ), and beneficial from 6 to 8 weeks of age ( Brake, 1998 ). Arg supplementation also improved FCR of Pekin ducks exposed to cyclic HS ( Zhu et al, 2014 ) and enhanced several welfare indicators and decreased corticosterone plasma concentration in laying hens during the hot summer period ( Bozakova et al, 2015 ). Furthermore, increasing dietary Arg improved performance, reproduction, antioxidant status, immunity, and maternal antibody transmission in quails ( Kalvandi et al, 2022 ).…”