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Imprint
Influence of feeding technic and offering of material for investigatory behaviour on the incidence of feather pecking and cannibalism in not beak trimmed turkeys.
Project
Project code: FLI-ITT-08-CE-0023
Contract period: 01.02.2002
- 31.01.2013
Purpose of research: Applied research
The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of environmental enrichment (weekly rotating enrichment materials) and a special feeding trough on the development of injurious pecking behaviour of non-debeaked turkeys.
The environmental enrichment provided in this study was well used without negative influence on turkeys’ performance or health. Nevertheless, feather pecking and cannibalism could not be completely avoided. The changing-interval of the different enrichment materials could have possibly been too long, as it is known that the interest in new materials decreases over time. Our hypothesis concerning the feeding system group had been that an adjustable pellet flow, which leads to a prolonged feeding time to reach the saturation level, would result in a reduction of feather pecking and cannibalism. Although pecking frequencies were lower compared to the control group, high losses due to cannibalism occurred in the male feeding system group. Some toms died or had to be culled in this group after week ten, although the altered feeding system had already been present. Maybe the prolonged time for food intake led to a higher rate of pecks against neighbors at the trough. The intended effect of reducing the prevalence of cannibalism could not be achieved.
Section overview
Subjects
- Special animal species
- Farm animal behaviour
Framework programme
Funding programme
Excutive institution
FLI - Institute for Animal Welfare and Animal Husbandry (FLI - ITT)
