VETERINARY SCIENCE
Perches: environmental enrichment or mechanical challenge?
©Vencomatic
The study compared the impact of wire ramps and perches on meat chicken mobility and the incidence of detached femoral caps (DFC), which can be indicative of Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO).
D.V. Phibbs, P.J. Groves and W.I. Muir Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Poultry Research Foundation
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Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is an infective leg condition that results in lameness, affecting meat chickens internationally. BCO can be induced using mechanical challenges such as wire ramps (Wideman, 2016). Based on a study wherein perches had a negative impact on bird latency to lie (LTL) at 42 days (d) old (Phibbs et al., 2020) perches may be a mechanical challenge to birds also, reducing their leg health in a similar way to Wideman’s ramps. This study compared the impact of wire ramps and perches on meat chicken mobility and the incidence of detached femoral caps (DFC), which can be indicative of BCO. Day old Cobb-500 chicks were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: con-
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trol, perch or wire ramp. Each treatment had six replicate pens, with 42 birds/pen (28kg/ m2 stocking density at 42 d). One perch or ramp ran down the length of the pen between the feeders and drinkers, requiring the birds to pass over them to access food/ water. Each wooden perch was 4.2 cm wide and 10 cm off the ground. Wire ramps were 10 cm high and 30 cm across, creating a 30° angle from the ground on both sides. Perches and ramps were added to pens at 7 d and remained throughout the 42 d study. Overall feed consumption and weight gain were measured. Behavioural observations were made at five consistent time points every second day wherein all birds in the pen were categorised as either drinking, feeding, active or resting.
