Cage-free layers might quickly be capable of higher address northern fowl mite, one of many costliest parasites to have an effect on the U.S. egg business, and the poultry business might achieve a greater understanding of lighting in business duck barns, following grant funding awarded to Purdue College.
The grants, amounting to US$1.4 million, have been awarded to 2 separate analysis initiatives led by Marisa Erasmus, Perdue Affiliate Professor of Animal Sciences, and Gregory Fraley, Perdue’s Terry and Sandra Tucker Endowed Chair of Poultry Science.
Erasmus’s analysis will decide if cage-free layers might be genetically predisposed to combat the northern fowl mite, a parasite identified to threaten hen welfare, and Fraley’s will examine how geese understand mild in business techniques.
Laying hens, parasites and cage free
In keeping with Erasmus, there’s variation amongst particular person laying hens’ response to the northern fowl mite, which opens the potential of a genetic or genomic resolution to the issue.
Erasmus and her analysis staff plan to realize an understanding of how particular person hens differ of their potential to withstand mite infestations and decide if birds might be bred to be extra immune to exterior parasites.
“One of many main well being points for laying hens is exterior parasites, however hens don’t all reply to parasites in the identical method,” Erasmus stated. “Though they give the impression of being very comparable, chickens have particular person responses, and a few are extra vulnerable to parasites than others.”
One other portion of Erasmus’s analysis focuses on the U.S. egg business’s shift to cage-free housing.
“Controlling pests in cage-free techniques is extra sophisticated and difficult than in cages,” Erasmus acknowledged. “A majority of these parasites are immune to some pesticides. And we’re restricted as to pesticides that may be used whereas making a product that’s going to be meals for human consumption.”
Duck welfare
Poultry are seasonal breeders, that means they want lengthy days, or particular lighting methods, to put eggs.
In keeping with Fraley, little consideration has been given to the lighting in business duck barns.
“A lot of the lighting techniques are designed for the profit of the those who work with the animals, probably not taking into account the way it might have an effect on the animals’ notion of their atmosphere,” Fraley stated.
Chook eyes have a number of sorts of shade receptors in comparison with human eyes. Moreover, birds can see ultraviolet colours and probably some infrared.
“There’s completely nothing in our human expertise that can put together us to grasp how a chicken visualizes its atmosphere,” Fraley stated.
Fraley and his staff plan to research lighting from the duck’s standpoint and probably decide optimum lighting techniques to enhance reproductive efficiency and welfare in business barns.
