Effects of lighting, stocking density, and access to perches on leg health variables as welfare indicators in broiler chickens

• Published in: Livestock science 2018-12, Vol.218, p.31-36
• Main Authors: Karaarslan, Solmaz, Nazlıgül, Ahmet
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Broiler chickens; Leg health; Lighting program; Perch; Stocking density; Welfare
• ISSN: 1871-1413; 1878-0490
• DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2018.10.008

•Restricted lighting reduced TD incidence, and asymmetry along tibial length in broiler chickens.•High stocking density increased the incidence and severity of HB in broiler chickens.•Perching reduced the incidence and severity of FPD and HB in broiler chickens. An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of lighting program, stocking density, and the provision of a perch on leg health variables as welfare indicators in broiler chickens. A total of 360 mixed sex Ross 308 1-D-old broiler chickens (180 male and 180 female) were placed in a completely randomized design with 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of lighting program (continuous or restricted), stocking density (12 or 18 birds/m2), and the provision of a perch (perch or without perch). At d 42, tibial dyschondroplasia (TD), valgus-varus deformity (VVD), footpad dermatitis (FPD), and hock burn (HB) were scored. In addition, tibio-tarsal index, robusticity index, bone weight-length index, tibia crude ash content, and fluctuating asymmetry (FA) and relative fluctuating asymmetry (rFA) of tibia width and length were measured. The incidence of TD increased in broiler chickens subjected to continuous lighting (P