Review of the social and environmental factors affecting the behavior and welfare of turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo)
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2013
Citazione:
Review of the social and environmental factors affecting the behavior and welfare of turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) / J. Marchewka, T.T. Negrao Watanabe, V. Ferrante, I. Estevez. - In: POULTRY SCIENCE. - ISSN 0032-5791. - 92:6(2013 Jun), pp. 1467-1473. [10.3382/ps.2012-02943]
Abstract:
In modern rearing systems, turkey producers
often face economic losses due to increased aggression,
feather pecking, cannibalism, leg disorders, or
injuries among birds, which are also significant welfare
issues. The main underlying causes appear to relate
to rapid growth, flock size, density, poor environmental
complexity, or lighting, which may be deficient in
providing the birds with an adequate physical or social
environment. To date, there is little information
regarding the effect of these factors on turkey welfare.
This knowledge is, however, essential to ensure the welfare
of turkeys and to improve their quality of life, but
may also be beneficial to industry, allowing better bird
performance, improved carcass quality, and reduced
mortality and condemnations. This paper reviews the
available scientific literature related to the behavior of
turkeys as influenced by the physical and social environment
that may be relevant to advances toward
turkey production systems that take welfare into consideration.
We addressed the effects that factors such
as density, group size, space availability, maturation,
lightning, feeding, and transport may have over parameters
that may be relevant to ensure welfare of turkeys.
Available scientific studies were based in experimental
environments and identified individual factors corresponding
to particular welfare problems. Most of the
studies aimed at finding optimal levels of rearing conditions
that allow avoiding or decreasing most severe
welfare issues. This paper discusses the importance of
these factors for development of production environments
that would be better suited from a welfare and
economic point of view.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Density/group size; Production; Social behavior; Turkey behavior; Welfare
Elenco autori:
J. Marchewka, T.T. Negrao Watanabe, V. Ferrante, I. Estevez
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