242356

The effect of Guanidinoacetic Acid Supplementation on Behavior and Welfare of Broiler Chickens Reared at Two Stocking Densities

Article

Last updated: 04 Jan 2025

Subjects

-

Tags

Animal welfare and behavior

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to investigate the potential effects associated with dietary guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) supplementation and different stocking densities on behavioral patterns and welfare indicators of broiler chickens. In total, 364 Arbor-Acres one-day-old mixed-sex broiler chicks were randomly assigned to four treatments of 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design experiment (seven replicates each). The first treatment (T1): standard stocking density (SSD) reared under 10 birds/m2 without GAA supplements, treatment 2 (T2): SSD (10 birds /m2) with GAA supplements at the rate of 0.06% (600 g/ton feed), treatment 3 (T3): high stocking density (HSD) reared under 16 birds/m2 without GAA supplements, treatment 4 (T4): HSD (16 birds/m2) with 0.06 % GAA supplements. Scan sampling behavior observations were recorded through video recording cameras and welfare indices were measured using 3 levels scale score. Results of the current study showed a positive increase in foraging and comfort behavior in SSD, while an increase in standing and a decrease in sitting was observed in HSD. Furthermore, GAA resulted in raising foraging behavior in SSD, however, no effect was noted on standing, resting, and comfort behavior. Based on interaction analysis, a higher standing behavior was observed by GAA supplements in the HSD group. Regarding the footpad dermatitis (FPD) and hock burns score, HSD was reported to negatively affect leg health as it significantly increases FPD and hock burns score, however, neither GAA nor interaction between Stocking density x GAA had a significant effect on welfare indices. In conclusion, HSD had a negative impact on the behavior and welfare of broiler chickens as it showed adverse effects on leg health. However, the positive effects of GAA on some behavioral patterns were more pronounced in the SSD group than in the overcrowding conditions.

DOI

10.21608/javs.2022.133166.1144

Keywords

Behavior, Broilers, Footpad dermatitis, Guanidinoacetic acid, Hock burn, stocking density, Welfare

Authors

First Name

Mohamed

Last Name

Alaa

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, 12211, Egypt.

Email

mohamed.alaa011560@gmail.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Abeer

Last Name

H. Abdel Razek

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, 12211, Egypt.

Email

-

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

M.

Last Name

Tony

MiddleName

A.

Affiliation

Department of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, 12211, Egypt.

Email

mohamed_tony@hotmail.com

City

Cairo

Orcid

-

First Name

Basma

Last Name

Bawish

MiddleName

M.

Affiliation

Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.

Email

basmabawish@cu.edu.eg

City

Cairo

Orcid

0000-0001-6642-2394

Volume

7

Article Issue

3

Related Issue

35409

Issue Date

2022-07-01

Receive Date

2022-04-13

Publish Date

2022-07-09

Page Start

41

Page End

49

Print ISSN

1687-4072

Online ISSN

2090-3308

Link

https://javs.journals.ekb.eg/article_242356.html

Detail API

https://javs.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=242356

Order

6

Type

Original Article

Type Code

1,095

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Veterinary Sciences

Publication Link

https://javs.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

The effect of Guanidinoacetic Acid Supplementation on Behavior and Welfare of Broiler Chickens Reared at Two Stocking Densities

Details

Type

Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023