Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35841633›Full record

ArticlePoultry science2022

Commercial layer hybrids kept under organic conditions: a comparison of range use, welfare, and egg production in two layer strains.

K E Wurtz, K Thodberg, A Berenjian, L Foldager, F M Tahamtani, A B Riber

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Poultry science, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

K E WurtzDepartment of Animal Science, Aarhus University, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark. Electronic address: kwurtz@anis.au.dk.
K ThodbergDepartment of Animal Science, Aarhus University, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.
A BerenjianDepartment of Animal and Poultry Science, College of Aburaihan, University of Tehran, Iran.
L FoldagerDepartment of Animal Science, Aarhus University, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark; Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
F M TahamtaniDepartment of Animal Science, Aarhus University, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark; Animalia AS, Norwegian Meat and Poultry Research Centre, 0513 Oslo, Norway.
A B RiberDepartment of Animal Science, Aarhus University, P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Outdoor range areas provide laying hens with improved opportunities to perform natural behaviors and increase the available space per bird, however, birds are also exposed to potentially stressful factors including weather and predators. Ability to cope with challenging environments varies between different strains and must be considered to ensure good welfare. The aim of this study was to determine how suitable 2 hybrids, the Dekalb White (DW) and the Bovans Brown (BB), are for organic production with special emphasis on ranging behavior. A total of 1,200 hens were housed according to organic regulations across 12 flocks of 100 birds. Range and shelter use, effect of weather, vegetation cover, egg production and quality, and mortality were assessed in addition to a range of clinical welfare indicators. Initially a greater proportion of DW hens accessed the range. However, after approximately 2 mo, a greater proportion of BB were using the range and venturing further from the house. DW hens were more likely to use the shelters than BB hens (P < 0.001). Vegetation was also worn away to a greater extent in the BB ranges. Weather affected the proportion of hens that went outside, the distance ranged from the popholes, and shelter use. BB hens were found to have better plumage condition (P < 0.001), fewer footpad lesions (P < 0.001), fewer comb wounds (P < 0.001), and lower mortality rates (P = 0.013). Both hybrids experienced keel bone fractures, though DW hens had more at the cranial portion (P < 0.001) and BB at the caudal portion (P < 0.001). DW hens had an earlier onset of lay and higher egg production than BB hens (P < 0.001), though BB hens laid heavier eggs (P < 0.001) with thicker shells (P = 0.001). Overall, BB hens seemed to perform superiorly or equivalently to the DW hens for all variables apart from egg production. These results demonstrate the importance of considering the strain of bird selected for organic production systems in order for the birds to reap the potential benefits that are offered by outdoor access.

Indexed as

Fractures, BoneHousing, AnimalAnimal HusbandryAnimalsAnimal WelfareChickensFemaleOvumSternumgenotypelaying henoutdoor accessrange usewelfare

Identifiers

PMID35841633
PMCPMC9293655

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.