Published February 28, 2022 | Version v1
Dataset Open

Beak lengths of young laying hens (pullets) from flocks provided with potential beak-blunting materials and from control flocks

  • 1. Royal Veterinary College
  • 2. Laying Hen Welfare Forum*
  • 3. University of Bristol

Description

Injurious Pecking, commonly controlled by beak trimming (BT) is a widespread issue in laying hens associated with thwarted foraging. This controlled study compared the effect in intact and beak-trimmed pullets of providing pecking pans to 8 treatment flocks from 6 weeks of age. Flocks (mean size 6,843) comprised 8 British Blacktail, 6 Lohmann Brown and 2 Bovans Brown. All young birds (6-7 weeks) pecked more frequently at the pecking pans (mean 40.4) than older pullets (mean 26.0, 23.3 pecks/bird/minute at 10-11 weeks and 14-15 weeks respectively) (p<0.005).  There was no effect on feather pecking or plumage cover. Mean side-beak length and mean top-beak lengths were shorter in treatment flocks at 6-7 weeks and 10-11 weeks (p <0.001). Intact-beak treatment flocks had shorter mean side-beak length at 10-11 weeks (p < 0.001) and at 14-15 weeks (p<0.05) and mean top-beak length at 6-7 weeks (p < 0.05) and at 10-11 weeks (p < 0.05). BT treatment flocks had shorter side-beak and top-beak lengths at 6-7 weeks and at 10-11 weeks (p<0.001).  Beak lengths showed linear growth, with individual bird variation indicating a potential for genetic selection. The study demonstrated that abrasive material can reduce beak length in pullets.

Notes

Individual birds were treated as independent datapoints in analysis. Analysis used the average of the 3 measurements. Data were not normally distributed and data were analysed using non-parametric tests. 

Funding provided by: Vencomatic Poultry Ltd*
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