Authors : Ulku Gulcihan Simsek, Bestami Dalkilic, Mehmet Ciftci and Abdurrauf Yuce
Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the influence of stocking density on some welfare indicators, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities. A total of 1600 Ross-308 3 days old broiler chicks was placed into 25 floor pens (2x2 m) including five replicates from each treatment. Stocking density treatments were 22.5 (47.3 kg bw m-2), 18.75 (41.9 kg bw m-2), 15 (34.3 kg bw m-2), 11.25 (26.7 kg bw m-2), 7.5 (18.1 kg bw m-2) broilers m-2. Data on welfare indicators (litter moisture, hock and food-pad necrosis) and MDA, GSH, GSH-Px, CAT levels were determined on day 42. Body temperature was measured on days 21 and 42. Pen temperature was measured daily during 4-42 days. Higher stocking density increased litter moisture, food-pad and hock necrosis percentages (p<0.01). The body temperature of 21st day was found to be similar among the treatments (p>0.05), but it reduced significantly parallel to increasing stocking density on day 42 (p<0.01). Higher stocking density increased the pen temperature during 22-35 days (p<0.05) and 36-42 days (p<0.01), but not during 4-21 days (p>0.05). Crowding increased serum MDA level (p<0.01) and reduced GSH-Px (p<0.01), but not changed serum CAT (p = 0.07) and GSH (p = 0.28) levels. Consequently, the increase of stocking density affected badly on broiler welfare and oxidative stress parameters.
Ulku Gulcihan Simsek, Bestami Dalkilic, Mehmet Ciftci and Abdurrauf Yuce, 2009. The Influences of Different Stocking Densities on Some Welfare Indicators, Lipid Peroxidation (MDA) and Antioxidant Enzyme Activities (GSH, GSH-Px, CAT) in Broiler Chickens. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 8: 1568-1572.