Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/14
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audiences reached during this reporting period included scientists and extension personnel working in the poultry industry. The laying hen industry producers and allied industry were targeted with reporting of results at various local, regional, and national poultry meetings to allow them to incorporate research findings into their production procedures. The research involving fear testing in turkeys and multiple laying hen research projects were continued with results reported at the Poultry Science Association meeting, regional International Society for Applied Ethology meeting, and International Keel Bone Workshop held in Switzerland. Presentations were presented to the broader stakeholder audience including food retailers, animal protection, commodity groups, grocery store representatives and government officials. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Dr. Darrin Karcher and his graduate students, Joe Leszcz and Prafulla Regmi, have had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Deana Jones in refining the methods to monitor egg quality and analyze egg components. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results have been published in the form of papers, abstracts, and presentations to the scientific community. Additionally, several of the projects have been disseminated to commercial producers and general public through extension events. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Data analysis continues to be conducted on data collected on a commercial scale multidisciplinary project assessing the impcat of laying hen housing on hen health and welfare, environment, worker health, food safety, and economics by Drs. Janice Siegford, Darrin Karcher, and Janice Swanson. Some of the data was presented at the annual scientific Poultry Science Association meeting in a symposium covering all disciplines listed above. Drs. Dana Campbell and Janice Seigford have analyzed and presented data on hen behavior in an aviary system collected at Michigan State's laying hen facility. Dr. Darrin Karcher is analyzing and preparing for publication the research project looking at density in the enriched colony housing for laying hens. The first flock cycle completed and the laying hens were molted and a second flock cycle is currently on-going to evaluate the impact of density during the molt and second cycle production. Collaborator is Dr. Deana Jones (USDA-ARS) as she is monitoring egg quality.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Van Wyhe, R., and D. M. Karcher. 2014. Turkey poult hatchability and livability: The effect of in ovo probiotics. Poult. Sci. SPSS:202.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Fedorka-Cray, P., D. R. Jones, and D. M. Karcher. 2014. Antimicrobial resistance in aviary and enriched housing environments. Poult. Sci. SPSS:213.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Shoemaker, R. A., C. L. Daigle, and D. M. Karcher. 2014 The effect of stocking density and feeder space on laying hen-feeding behavior in an enriched cage system. Proceedings of the 12th International Society for Applied Ethology North-American Regional Meeting. p22.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Regmi, P., T. Deland, J. P. Steibel, R. C. Haut, M. W. Orth, and D. M. Karcher. 2014. Effect of rearing environment on bone health of White Leghorn pullets. Poult. Sci. 93 (E-Suppl. 1):27.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Regmi, P., T. Deland, J. P. Steibel, R. C. Haut, M. W. Orth, and D. M. Karcher. 2014. Effect of rearing environment on bone health of White Leg�horn pullets. Poult. Sci. 93 (E-Suppl. 1):27.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Van Wyhe, R. C., P. Regmi, B. J. Powell, R. C. Haut, M. W. Orth and D. M. Karcher. 2014. Bone characteristics and femoral strength in commercial toms: The effect of protein and energy restriction. Poult. Sci. 93:943-952.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Jones, D. R., D. M. Karcher, and Z. Abdo. 2014. Effect of a commercial housing system on egg quality during extended storage. Poult. Sci. 93:1282-1288.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Erasumus, M.A., H.C. Lee, I.Kang, and J. Swanson. 2014. Meat quality characteristics in turkeys of two strains differing in open field behavior. Poult Sci. 93(E-Suppl. 1):2.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Cambell, D.L.M., and J.M. Siegford. 2014. Individual tracking of laying hens in aviary cages with different litter substrates. Poult. Sci. 93(E-Suppl. 1):70.
|
Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: The target audiences reached during this reporting period included scientists and extensionists working in thepoultry industry. The producers and representatives of the egg industry were also targeted with respect to reporting results at industry meetings so they may incorporate newly developed information into their consideration of management practices and housing of poultry. This year we expanded work with fear testing of turkey's, reported results from work on gait scoring of ducks, and continued to work on at least three projects related to laying hen production. Research results were reported at the national scientific meeting Poultry Science Association and the International Society for Applied Ethology held in Brazil. Lay presentations were provided toa broader stakeholder audience including food retailers, animal protection, commodity groups, grocery store representatives andgovernment officials. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results of the studies conducted under this project have been published in peer-reviewed journals (see listing), presented at industry and scientific meetings (see listing) and featured in trade magazines and popular press. For example,National Public Radio has featured researchers working on alternative housing systems for laying hens andwork conducted under this project. Thus scientists, the laying hen industry and the general public have been had opportunity to access information. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Several manuscripts are in various stages of revision or review and should be published in the next year. Analysis of data from the space study conducted at MSU and the larger commercial scale study are on-going. Results will be presented at a special symposium at the national Poultry Science Association meetings in July 2014. In regards to the work relating to NE 1042 the experimnetal phase of the turkey studies are completed and data analyses should be completed by early 2014 with forthcoming publications.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Data collection was completed by J. Siegford and J. Swanson related to hen behavior in aviary systems for the second flock of a commercial scale multidisciplinary project assessing the impact of laying hen housing on hen health and welfare, economics, environment, food safety, and worker health. These data are currently being analyzed and prepared for presentation and publication. The final year of data was collected by J. Siegford, J. Swanson and D. Karcher on a USDA AFRI grant related to the development of a wireless body-mounted sensor for detecting behavior and resource use in laying hen. These data are currently being prepared for publication or have been published. Research is currently being conducted at Michigan State’s new laying hen facility to examine individual hen behavior in aviary systems with a specific focus on space use, dust bathing, and preening. Dr. Karcher intitated and currently conducting a trial looking at density in the enriched colony housing for laying hens. The project investigated six different densities (72, 90, 101, 116, 124, 144 inches squared) during the first cycle of production. Egg production, body weight, feed conversion, well-being measurements, and behavior parameters are being investigated with Dr. Maja Makagon in the Department of Animal Science at Purdue University. Dr. Darrin Karcher is also conducting a trial looking at different litter substrates in the aviary housing system. Collaboratorsare Dr. Janice Siegford and Dr. Deana Jones (USDA-ARS) are participating by evaluating the behavior and microbiology within the system. Currently, the projects are on-going. Potential impacts: Theenrichedcolony density project will provide guidance to the commercial industry on how to stock a new housing system during the transition over the next few years. The aviary housing study will provide input for producers on what litter substrates are bringing microbiologically into the housing system. In addtion to laying hen studies that directly address goals in this umbrella projectother research was conducted related to poultry production connected to a multi-state project NE 1042. Dr. Swanson and graduate student Marisa Erasmus completed a series of studies to study the consistency and validity of different temperament tests in assessing fearful behavior in turkeys. Fear tests have been developed and used as a welfare assessment forchickens but little to no reserarch exists regarding the use of the tests to effectively assess turkey welfare. Results of the studies were reported at a national and internation meeting and now being prepared for publication. Dr. Karcher and Dr. Makagon have also completed gait scoring studies for meat ducks looking at affects of flooring systems.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Erasmus, M. and J. Swanson. 2013. Investigating injurious pecking and coping styles in two turkey strains. Poultry Science. 92 (E. Suppl. 1): 28. (Abstr.)
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Niewiadomski, C. N., M. Erasmus, J. M. Siegford, and J. Swanson. 2013. Is increased fear associated with feather pecking in commercial turkeys? Poultry Science. 92 (E. Suppl. 1): P263. (Abstr.)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Daigle CL, Siegford JM. Accepted. When continuous observations just won't do: developing accurate and efficient sampling strategies for the laying hen. Behavioural Processes. doi: 10.1016/j.beproc.2013.11.002.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Submitted
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Banerjee D, Daigle CL, Dong B, Wurtz K, Newberry RC, Siegford, J, Biswas S. Submitted. Detection of jumping and landing force in laying hens using wireless wearable sensors. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture.
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Daigle CL, Siegford JM. In revision. Understanding the individual non-cage laying hen through the body-behavior connection: associations between welfare quality physical parameters and behavioral observations throughout a lay cycle.
Animal Welfare.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Blatchford RA, Mench JA, Siegford JM, Makagon MM, Campbell DLM, Swanson JC. 2013. The effectiveness of dust bathing substrates in enriched colony and aviary laying hen housing systems. Poultry Science 92(E-supplement 1):93.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Campbell DLM, Siegford JM, Makagon MM, Swanson JC. 2013. Movement of hens housed in a commercial aviary system. Poultry Science 92(E-supplement 1):27.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Goodwin SL, Makagon MM, Swanson JC, Siegford JM. 2013. Flight behavior and successful landings of laying hens housed in aviary systems with litter. Poultry Science 92(E-supplement 1):93.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
" Erasmus, M. and J. Swanson. 2013. Temperamental turkeys: do tonic immobility, open field and novel object test responses change? Proceedings of the 47th Congress of the International Society for Applied Ethology. pp. 56. (Abstr.)
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Fraley, G. S., S. M. Fraley, D. M. Karcher, M. M. Makagon, and M.S. Lilburn. 2013. Influence of raised plastic (slatted) floors compared to pine shaving litter on pekin duck condition during the summer months. Poult. Sci. 92:1706-1711
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Karcher, D. M., M. M. Makagon, G. S. Fraley, S. M. Fraley, and M.S. Lilburn. 2013. Influence of raised plastic (slatted) floors compared to pine shaving litter on pekin duck condition. Poult. Sci. 92:583-590.
|
Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Activities completed during the last year include 1) a study of behavioral synchrony in commercial turkeys. Behavioral synchrony (simultaneous performance of behavior by group living animals) can affect resource use and lead to competition and aggression especially under space restricted conditions; 2) The wireless remote sensor was tested to assess its ability to detect specific behaviors and performed by laying hens (see MICL08435);3) Welfare quality assessments were conducted on laying hens to gather data that will be used to link health and productivity to resource use and behavior of hens wearing a remote wireless sensor (see MICL08435);4) Well-being traits and locomotion scoring of meat ducks for the purposes of assessing welfare;5) Evaluation of keel bone deformities in three strains of laying hens housed in three different systems. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals contributing to the projects reported in this update include Drs Janice Swanson (PI turkey project and CO-PI laying hen project), Janice Siegford (PI remote wireless sensor project), Subir Biswas (CO PI remote wireless system project), Darrin Karcher (CO-PI remote wireless project), and Maja Makagon (CO-PI assistant research professor MSU; currently assistant professor Purdue University; duck projects);Mike Orth (CO-PI laying hen keel bone project); Ken Anderson (CO-PI North Carolina State University (laying hen keel bone project). Doctoral students Courtney Daigle(remote wireless system project), Marisa Erasmus (Turkey project)and D. Banerjee (remote wireless system project); Robert VanWhye (laying hen project). TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences during the reporting period were members of the research and academic community. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The behavioral synchrony study examines the synchrony and activity budgets of commercial female turkeys. Greater synchrony was observed at four weeks age. This study is the first to describe behavioral synchrony of turkeys, and there is significant synchronization of particular behavioral categories, but the degree of synchrony changes with age. Results presented at the North American Regional meeting of the International Society for Applied Ethology (Erasmus and Swanson, 2012). The laying hen remote wireless sensor project indicates further promise of this system to accurately identify resource use and behavior performed by hens. Results were reported at an international meeting and published(Banerjee et al. 2012). The welfare assessment data collected for the sensor project has not yet been analyzed. The effect of litter versus raised plastic flooring on environmental and well-being traits of Pekin Ducks project was conducted to evaluate differences between litter flooring and raised plastic flooring by determining duck condition scores. The scores evaluated the nostrils, eye quality, feather quality, feather condition, and foot pads. Ducks produced on the raised plastic flooring had a higher weight gain compared to litter floor ducks. No floor by age interactions were found on duck condition scores, but there were some differences with the location of the duck houses. The locomotion analysis objective is to determine the natural duck gait by looking at ducks from 3 different ages during the production period. The gait is visually assessed, determined using a pressure pad to assess cadence, pressure, and whole body scans were utliized post mortem. The lower axial skeleton is evaluated and ducks necropsied to determine any pathologies. The various components will be evaluated to determine a valid method for evaluating duck gait. Data analysis is incomplete. The keel bone deformities in laying hens projects involves three strains of laying hens raised in three different housing systems. Keel bone samples were sent to Michigan State University from North Carolina State University. Keels were scanned and 3-D models constructed of the keels for further analysis. Keel bone length, density, breakage, and angle of twist was measured on the different keel bones. Data are still being analyzed at this point in time.
Publications
- Erasmus M and JC Swanson. 2012. Behavioral synchrony of commercial turkeys. Proceedings of the 11th ISAE North American Regional Meeting, May 11-12, Banff Canada.
- Banerjee D, CE Daigle, S Biswas and JM Siegford. 2012. Remote activity classification of hens using a wireless body mounted sensors. Body Sensor Networks, 107-112.
|
Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In 2011 Dr. Janice Swanson and Marisa Erasmus (doctoral student) conducted a study on the preference of turkey poults for familiar visual cues and use of cues in learning. Early rearing environment may affect welfare modifying the environment may reduce fearfulness, etc. One potential outcome for turkey hens is the reduction in floor eggs by training hens to a visual cue to use nest boxes. Drs. Swanson and Karcher are engaged with Dr. Siegford's (see NC 1029 report) remote wireless sensor project for the detection of laying hen location and behavior within a cage free environment. Dr. Swanson and Karcher are responsible for specific Objective 3 correlating productivity, health, behavior and senor data. Data is currently under analysis. Drs. Karcher, Swanson and Siegford are part of a multi-university team working on two projects the Social Sustainability of Egg Production (SSEP) project and the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply (CSES) project. The SSEP has consists of 5 study groups of scientists in the areas of hen health and well-being, economics, food safety and human health, and public attitudes and discourse. Each study group produced a white paper containing research prioirities for each area of focus. Included in the project is stakeholder workshop that developed scenarios of future of egg production. The CSES study is a systems study and will gather data on a commercial production unit that has added and implemented an enriched colony and aviary to its conventional production system. Dr. Karcher is project director and Drs. Swanson and Joy Mench (UC-Davis) are scientific directors of the project. Dr. Hongwei Xin (Iowa State) is leading the environmental assessment portion of the study. Birds were placed in May and data collection commenced in September and on-going. Another project involves Pekin ducks. The overall welfare of commercial Pekin ducks has been studied in the E.U. where straw is the predominant litter source. However, the predominant litter source in the U.S. is fine wood shavings with a recent trend toward using raised plastic floors. Drs. Karcher and Makagon (research assistant scientist) are conducting a study using eighteen commercial farms (n = 9 litter; n= 11 raised plastic floor) were identified that produce meat ducks located in either northern Indiana or southern Wisconsin. Within each house, individual duck measurements were made on 20 ducks at each of 5 predetermined barn areas at 7, 21, or 32 days of age (n = 100 total observations at each age per house). Individual assessments included eye score, feather quality, feather cleanliness, nostril score, foot pad lesions and gait. PARTICIPANTS: Dr. Darrin Karcher, Poultry Extension Specialist, MSU PD CSES project, Co-PI Remote Wireless Sensor project Dr. Maja Makagon, Research Associate, MSU post-doctoral trainee working with Dr. Swanson, Karcher and Siegford. Working on all projects mentioned in the narrative. Dr. Janice Siegford, Assistant Professor, Animal Science, MSU, PD Remote Wireless Sensor Project, Co-PI CSES project Marisa Erasmus, MS, doctoral student, MSU, doctoral candidate working on turkey behavior project in fear reduction as her dissertaion research. Courtney Daigle, MS, doctoral student, MSU, doctoral candidate working on remote sensor project as her dissertation research. Also works with the CSES project. Dr. Joy A. Mench, University of California Davis,Scientific Co-Director CSES project, Co-PI SSEP project, collaborator, remote sensor project. Dr. Hongwei Xin, Iowa State University, project Coordination Team SSEP project (environment study group chair), Co-PI CSES project leads environmental scientific team TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences include agricultural researchers, poultry scientists, food retailers, government officials and others interested in egg production systems and alternative production systems. The SSEP project will be completed in June, 2012 with release of additional lay summaries of the published research articles to be published for outreach purposes. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: No major changes to approach, both large and small scale studies are being employed to research alternative egg production systems (enriched colony and aviary). The turkey and Pekin duck studies are part of the overall objections for the multi-state project and were added based on doctoral student and post-doctoral student interest and expertise.
Impacts
Preliminary data on the turkey poult project indicate birds are attracted to green, yellow and red. Orange, purple and blue were less attractive. Unlike chickens, testing turkeys in a Y-maze proved difficult. Turkeys were highly fearful of novel environments and objects and did not do the Y maze or other methods utilized to measure birds approach a visual cue. This has led to further inquiry regarding fearfulness in turkeys and methods to reduce fear. Two grant proposals have been submitted based on this pilot data. The SSEP project has yielded 7 refereed journal articles between 2010 and 2011 by different scientists engaged in the project. Two papers have been listed in the top ten accessed articles in poultry science. The Pekin duck project outcomes indicate at 32 d, there was a significant increase in the mean eye score in ducklings reared on raised plastic floors. Nostril scores were greater at 21 and 32 d in ducks reared on raised plastic floors compared to litter flooring at the same ages; whereas at 32 d, mean feather cleanliness was lower in ducks reared on raised plastic floors. Mean feather quality scores were significantly higher on ducks on raised plastic floors at 21 and 32 d. significantly improved foot pad scores were observed at 21 d on the raised plastic floor as compared to litter. There were no consistent age or floor type effects on gait. two manuscripts are in progress to report study results.
Publications
- Swanson, J.C., Y. Shin, P. Thompson, R. Bawden and J.A. Mench. 2011. Integration: Valuing stakeholder input in setting priorities for socially sustainable egg production. Poultry Science 90: 2110-2121.
- Swanson, JC, JA Mench and P B Thompson. 2011. Introduction - The Socially Sustainable Egg Production Project. Poultry Science 90: 227-228.
|
Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: In 2010 Karcher and Swanson continue to participate as co-investigators on the development of a wireless remote body-mounted sensor project with principal investigator J. Siegford. This project is also affiliated with NC 1029. The focus of the study is to monitor space use and behavior of laying hens housed under non-cage conditions. This work falls under Objective 2 alternative production systems. Karcher et al. conducted studies on bone integrity in F-line and R2-line turkeys. This work is focused on physiological parameters related to diet and housing conditions. Finally, MSU hosted the annual NE 1042 meeting October 7-8 in East Lansing. PARTICIPANTS: Drs D. Karcher and J. Swanson are co-principal investigators on the laying hen remote wireless body-mounted sensor project. Dr. Janice Siegford is the lead PI, with Dr. Subir Biswas as a co-PI from the MSU Computer and Electrical Engineering department. PhD student Courtney Daigle (Animal Science) is conducting part of her dissertation work on this project. Dr. Karcher is the lead PI on the turkey project with Dr. Roger Haut (College of Human Medicine), Michael Orth (Animal Science),B.J. Powell MS student and Robert Van Whyhe PhD student from the Animal Science Department. TARGET AUDIENCES: Output from the projects outlined in this report are useful to other behavioral and physiological investigators, turkey and egg producers, veterinary faculty and students, graduate students in the poultry sciences, bone physiologists, agricultural, computer and electrical, engineers faculty and students, poultry nutrition consultants and nutrition companies, laying hen housing designers and manufacturers. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
To date the results of the wireless sensor work led to the validation of the wireless system for hen position to resource location. The development of this wireless remote sensor system and associated software will allow for the collection of hen behavioral and space use data without human presence or interference. Thus providing a clearer picture of how hens behave and use resources within a non-cage environment. The outcome/impact of the turkey research project yielded important information on the differences between the two genetic lines of turkeys in bone morphology, mechanical properties, and blood markers. According to the results of this study, reducing growth rate in turkeys and reducing NRG and protein in a diet can lead to improved femoral quality.
Publications
- Quwaider,M, Daigle,CL, Biswas, SK, Siegford,JM, Swanson, JC. 2010 Development of a wireless body-mounted sensor to monitor activity and location of laying hens in a non-cage housing system. Transactions of the American Society for Agricultural and Biological Engineers 53(5): 1705-1713.
- Daigle, CL, Quwaider,MQ, Siegford,JM, Biswas, SK, Swanson, JC. 2010. Laying hen location and activity can be monitored using a wireless body-mounted sensor system. Proceedings of the 10th ISAE North American Regional Meeting, May 27-28, 2010 Pullman, WA.
- Daigle, CL, Quwaider,MQ, Siegford,JM, Biswas, SK, Swanson, JC. 2010. Monitoring laying hen location and activity using a wireless body-mounted sensor system. Proceedings of the CZAW-MSU Animal Welfare Forum, December 13, 2010, Detroit, MI.
- Van Wyhe, R. Powell, BJ, Haut, RC, Orth, MW, and DM Karcher. 2010. Reducing the growth rate in turkeys improves femoral bone quality. Poultry Science 89:(Suppl 1).
|
|