Ethological aspects of mule duck welfare after provoking and treatment of muscular dystrophy. II. Rearing in ecological stress conditions
2008
Bozakova, N., Thracian University, Stara Zagora (Bulgaria) | Stoyanchev, K., Thracian University, Stara Zagora (Bulgaria)
The behaviour of birds is a reliable indicator of poultry welfare. The poultry health is an essential element of poultry welfare (PW). The aim of the present study was to trace the behavioural changes of Mule ducks as PW criteria after provoking and treatment of muscular dystrophy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first evaluation of PW in Mule ducks with muscular dystrophy on the basis of their behaviour. The study was performed on 20 Mule ducks reared under stress ecological conditions. The birds were divided into two groups: group I (control group) and group II – birds with alimentary provoked muscular dystrophy. The rearing period lasted from the age of 1 to 74 days. Mule duck’s behaviour was recorded by momentary visual observations at 15-minute intervals for a total of 6 hours (from 9 AM to 3 PM). The intake of food and water, lying, standing, movement, bathing, swimming and conflicts of birds were observed. The beginning of muscular dystrophy was manifested at the age of 60 days of group II with a significantly higher number of lying Mule ducks (Р0.01) and a lower number of walking birds compared to controls (Р0.05). Four days after the beginning of the treatment, the number of lying Mule ducks decreased and the number of walking birds increased in group II compared to controls (Р0.05). At the age of 74 days (6 days after the end of the treatment) the difference in the locomotor reactions between the experimental and the control groups disappeared (Р0.05), with the exception of the number of standing birds (Р0.05). During the whole study period the aggressiveness of the control birds was higher than that of the experimental Mule ducks (Р0.5).
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