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Author Nicol, C.J.; Brown, S.N.; Glen, E.; Pope, S.J.; Short, F.J.; Warriss, P.D.; Zimmerman, P.H.; Wilkins, L.J. doi  openurl
  Title Effects of stocking density, flock size and management on the welfare of laying hens in single-tier aviaries Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication British poultry science Abbreviated Journal Br Poult Sci  
  Volume 47 Issue 2 Pages 135-146  
  Keywords Animal Husbandry/*methods; *Animal Welfare; Animals; Body Constitution/*physiology; Chickens/*physiology; Crowding; Feathers; Female; *Housing, Animal/standards; Mortality; Organ Size; Oviposition/physiology; Population Density; Population Dynamics; Random Allocation  
  Abstract Management practices, stocking rate and flock size may affect laying hen welfare but there have been few replicated studies in commercial non-cage systems that investigate this. This study used a broad range of physical and physiological indicators to assess the welfare of hens in 36 commercial flocks. Six laying period treatments were examined with each treatment replicated 6 times. It was not possible to randomly allocate treatments to houses, so treatment and house were largely confounded. Three stocking rates were compared: 7 birds/m(2) (n = 2450), 9 birds/m(2) (n = 3150) and 12 birds/m(2) in either small (n = 2450) or large (n = 4200) flocks. In addition, at 12 birds/m(2), in both small and large flocks, birds were subjected to either standard (SM) or modified (MM) management. MM flocks had nipple drinkers and no nest-box lights. Bone strength, fracture incidence, heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L) ratio, live weight, organ weights, serum creatine, serum osmolality, muscle pH and faecal corticosterone were measured on samples of birds at the end of the rearing period and at the end of lay. During the laying period, mortality, production and integument condition were recorded at regular intervals. Birds housed at 9 birds/m(2) had higher mortality than birds housed at 12 birds/m(2) by the end of lay, but not higher than birds housed at 7 birds/m(2). Birds housed at 7 and 9 birds/m(2) had lower percent liver weight, and worse plumage condition than most of the 12 bird/m(2) treatments. Modified management tended to improve plumage condition. There were no clear effects of flock size on the welfare indicators recorded. At the end of the rearing period fracture incidence was almost negligible and H:L ratio was within a normal range. By the end of lay fracture incidence was 60% and H:L ratio was high, with no treatment effect for either measure. This, together with information on faecal corticosterone, feather loss and mortality, suggests that the welfare of birds in all treatments was relatively poor by the end of lay.  
  Address School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford House, Langford BS40 5DU and ADAS Gleadthorpe, Meden Vale, Mansfield, Notts NG20 9PF, England. c.j.nicol@bristol.ac.uk  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0007-1668 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16641024 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 65  
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Author Haslam, S.M.; Brown, S.N.; Wilkins, L.J.; Kestin, S.C.; Warriss, P.D.; Nicol, C.J. doi  openurl
  Title Preliminary study to examine the utility of using foot burn or hock burn to assess aspects of housing conditions for broiler chicken Type Journal Article
  Year 2006 Publication British poultry science Abbreviated Journal Br Poult Sci  
  Volume 47 Issue 1 Pages 13-18  
  Keywords Animal Husbandry; *Animal Welfare; Animals; Chickens; Dermatitis, Contact/diagnosis/pathology/*veterinary; Feathers; Female; Foot Diseases/diagnosis/pathology/*veterinary; *Housing, Animal; Male; Poultry Diseases/diagnosis/*pathology; Skin/pathology  
  Abstract 1. Eleven broiler chicken farms, representing 4 production system types, were visited during the last 5 d of the flock cycle: bird and flock details were recorded. Litter friability was assessed at 9 sites within the house, atmospheric ammonia was measured at three sites and bird cleanliness was assessed on a numerical rating scale. 2. For these flocks, hock burn, foot burn and breast burn were measured at the processing plant by standardised assessors. 3. Significant correlations were identified between the percentage of birds with foot burn and average litter score, average house ammonia concentrations and feather score. 4. No correlation was found between the percentage of birds with hock burn or breast burn and average litter scores, average ammonia concentrations or feather score. 5. No correlation was found between stocking density and foot burn, hock burn or breast burn.6. If confirmed, these findings may have implications for the draft EU Broiler Directive, for which it is proposed that permitted stocking density on farm may be determined by the incidence and severity of contact dermatitis measured on plant.  
  Address Division of Farm Animal Science, School of Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, England. sue.haslam@bris.ac.uk  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0007-1668 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:16546791 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 66  
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Author Nicol, C.J.; Adachi, M.; Akiyama, T.E.; Gonzalez, F.J. doi  openurl
  Title PPARgamma in endothelial cells influences high fat diet-induced hypertension Type Journal Article
  Year 2005 Publication American journal of hypertension : journal of the American Society of Hypertension Abbreviated Journal Am J Hypertens  
  Volume 18 Issue 4 Pt 1 Pages 549-556  
  Keywords Administration, Oral; Animals; Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology; Blood Pressure/drug effects; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/physiopathology; Dietary Fats/*administration & dosage/pharmacology; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Endothelial Cells/*metabolism; Female; Heart Rate/drug effects; Hypertension/*etiology; Ligands; Male; Mice; Mice, Knockout; PPAR gamma/*metabolism; Sodium Chloride/administration & dosage/pharmacology; Thiazolidinediones/pharmacology  
  Abstract BACKGROUND: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma) ligands improve human hypertension. However, the mechanism and site of this effect remains unknown, confounded by PPARgamma expression in many cell types, including endothelial cells (ECs). METHODS: To evaluate the vascular role of PPARgamma we used a conditional null mouse model. Specific disruption of PPARgamma in ECs was created by crossing Tie2-Cre+ transgenic (T2T+) and PPARgamma-floxed (fl/fl) mice to generate PPARgamma (fl/fl)T2T+ (PPARgamma E-null) mice. Conscious 8- to 12-week-old congenic PPARgamma (fl/fl)Cre- (wild type) and PPARgamma E-null mice were examined for changes in systolic blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), untreated, after 2 months of salt-loading (drinking water), and after treatment for 3 months with high fat (HF) diet alone or supplemented during the last 2 weeks with rosiglitazone (3 mg/kg/d). RESULTS: Untreated PPARgamma E-nulls were phenotypically indistinguishable from wild-type littermates. However, compared to similarly treated wild types, HF-treated PPARgamma E-nulls had significantly elevated systolic BP not seen after normal diet or salt-loading. Despite sex-dependent baseline differences, salt-loaded and HF-treated PPARgamma E-nulls of either sex had significantly elevated HR versus wild types. Interestingly, rosiglitazone improved serum insulin levels, but not HF diet-induced hypertension, in PPARgamma E-null mice. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that PPARgamma in ECs not only is an important regulator of hypertension and HR under stressed conditions mimicking those arising in type 2 diabetics, but also mediates the antihypertensive effects of rosiglitazone. These data add evidence supporting a beneficial role for PPARgamma-specific ligands in the treatment of hypertension, and suggest therapeutic strategies targeting ECs may prove useful.  
  Address Laboratory of Metabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0895-7061 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:15831367 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 69  
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Author Wilkins, L.J.; Brown, S.N.; Zimmerman, P.H.; Leeb, C.; Nicol, C.J. openurl 
  Title Investigation of palpation as a method for determining the prevalence of keel and furculum damage in laying hens Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication The Veterinary record Abbreviated Journal Vet. Rec.  
  Volume 155 Issue 18 Pages 547-549  
  Keywords Animal Husbandry/methods; Animal Welfare; Animals; Bone and Bones/*injuries; Chickens/*injuries; Female; Fractures, Bone/diagnosis/epidemiology/*veterinary; Great Britain/epidemiology; Housing, Animal/standards; Oviposition; Palpation/methods/*veterinary; Poultry Diseases/*diagnosis/epidemiology; Prevalence; Sensitivity and Specificity  
  Abstract Old breaks of the keel and furculum were identified by palpation in 500 end-of-lay hens from 10 flocks housed in free-range and barn systems, and the results were compared with the results obtained by a full dissection and inspection. The method was considered to be sufficiently precise to be used as a diagnostic tool although people using it would need to be trained. The results obtained by dissection indicated that 50 to 78 per cent of the birds in the flocks had breaks of the furculum and keel, but no other breaks of bones were detected.  
  Address Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0042-4900 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:15559420 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 70  
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Author Jeong, S.; Han, M.; Lee, H.; Kim, M.; Kim, J.; Nicol, C.J.; Kim, B.H.; Choi, J.H.; Nam, K.-H.; Oh, G.T.; Yoon, M. openurl 
  Title Effects of fenofibrate on high-fat diet-induced body weight gain and adiposity in female C57BL/6J mice Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Metabolism: clinical and experimental Abbreviated Journal Metabolism  
  Volume 53 Issue 10 Pages 1284-1289  
  Keywords Adipose Tissue/*anatomy & histology/drug effects; Animals; Antilipemic Agents/*pharmacology; Body Composition/*drug effects; Body Weight/drug effects; Dietary Fats/*pharmacology; Eating/drug effects; Fatty Acids/metabolism; Female; Gene Expression Regulation/drug effects; Leptin/metabolism; Liver/metabolism; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Ovariectomy; Procetofen/*pharmacology; RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis/genetics; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/biosynthesis/genetics/metabolism; Transcription Factors/biosynthesis/genetics/metabolism; Weight Gain/*drug effects  
  Abstract Our previous study suggested that fenofibrate affects obesity and lipid metabolism in a sexually dimorphic manner in part through the differential activation of hepatic peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) in male and female C57BL/6J mice. To determine whether fenofibrate reduces body weight gain and adiposity in female sham-operated (Sham) and ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6J mice, the effects of fenofibrate on not only body weight, white adipose tissue (WAT) mass, and food intake, but also the expression of both leptin and PPARalpha target genes were measured. Compared to their respective low-fat diet-fed controls, both Sham and OVX mice exhibited increases in body weight and WAT mass when fed a high-fat diet. Fenofibrate treatment decreased body weight gain and WAT mass in OVX, but not in Sham mice. Furthermore, fenofibrate increased the mRNA levels of PPARalpha target genes encoding peroxisomal enzymes involved in fatty acid beta-oxidation, and reduced apolipoprotein C-III (apo C-III) mRNA, all of which were expressed at higher levels in OVX compared to Sham mice. However, leptin mRNA levels were found to positively correlate with WAT mass, and food intake was not changed in either OVX or Sham mice following fenofibrate treatment. These results suggest that fenofibrate differentially regulates body weight and adiposity due in part to differences in PPARalpha activation, but not to differences in leptin production, between female OVX and Sham mice.  
  Address Department of Life Sciences, Mokwon University, Taejon, Korea  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0026-0495 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:15375783 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 72  
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Author Nicol, C.J.; Yoon, M.; Ward, J.M.; Yamashita, M.; Fukamachi, K.; Peters, J.M.; Gonzalez, F.J. doi  openurl
  Title PPARgamma influences susceptibility to DMBA-induced mammary, ovarian and skin carcinogenesis Type Journal Article
  Year 2004 Publication Carcinogenesis Abbreviated Journal Carcinogenesis  
  Volume 25 Issue 9 Pages 1747-1755  
  Keywords 9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene/*toxicity; Animals; DNA Primers/chemistry; Disease Susceptibility; Female; Heterozygote; Humans; Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/chemically induced/*pathology; Mice; Ovarian Neoplasms/chemically induced/*pathology; RNA, Messenger/genetics/metabolism; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics/*physiology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Skin Neoplasms/chemically induced/*pathology; Survival Rate; Transcription Factors/genetics/*physiology; Zinc Fingers  
  Abstract Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, plays a role in adipocyte differentiation, type II diabetes, macrophage response to inflammation and is suggested to influence carcinogen-induced colon cancer. Studies done in vitro and in vivo also revealed that PPARgamma ligands might promote differentiation and/or regression of mammary tumors. To directly evaluate the role of PPARgamma in mammary carcinogenesis, PPARgamma wild-type (+/+) or heterozygous (+/-) mice were administered 1 mg 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) by gavage once a week for 6 weeks and followed for a total of 25 weeks. Compared with congenic PPARgamma(+/+) littermate controls, PPARgamma(+/-) mice had early evidence for increased susceptibility to DMBA-mediated carcinogenesis based on a 1.6-fold increase in the percentage of mice with skin papillomas, as well as a 1.7-fold increase in the numbers of skin papillomas per mouse (P < 0.05). Similarly, PPARgamma(+/-) mice also had a 1.5-fold decreased survival rate (P = 0.059), and a 1.7-fold increased incidence of total tumors per mouse (P < 0.01). Moreover, PPARgamma(+/-) mice had an almost 3-fold increase in mammary adenocarcinomas (P < 0.05), an over 3-fold increase in ovarian granulosa cell carcinomas (P < 0.05), an over 3-fold increase in malignant tumors (P < 0.02) and a 4.6-fold increase in metastatic incidence. These results are the first to demonstrate an increased susceptibility in vivo of PPARgamma haploinsufficiency to DMBA-mediated carcinogenesis and suggest that PPARgamma may act as a tumor modifier of skin, ovarian and breast cancers. The data also support evidence suggesting a beneficial role for PPARgamma-specific ligands in the chemoprevention of mammary, ovarian and skin carcinogenesis.  
  Address Laboratory of Metabolism, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0143-3334 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:15073042 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 76  
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Author Nicol, C.J.; Potzsch, C.; Lewis, K.; Green, L.E. openurl 
  Title Matched concurrent case-control study of risk factors for feather pecking in hens on free-range commercial farms in the UK Type Journal Article
  Year 2003 Publication British poultry science Abbreviated Journal Br Poult Sci  
  Volume 44 Issue 4 Pages 515-523  
  Keywords *Aggression; Analysis of Variance; Animal Husbandry/methods; Animals; Case-Control Studies; Chickens/*physiology; Feathers; Female; Multivariate Analysis; Odds Ratio; Regression Analysis; Species Specificity  
  Abstract 1. The aim of the study was to compare the management and husbandry of free-range flocks in the UK where feather pecking was either present (case) or absent (control). 2. One hundred flocks were enrolled into a concurrent case-control study: 50 where birds had recently started feather pecking, and 50 matched control flocks where birds of the same age had not started feather pecking. 3. Information was obtained from a detailed interview with the flock manager, and by direct inspection of the flock, house and range. 4. Initial univariate analyses revealed that case flocks were more likely to comprise ISA Brown than Lohmann, were more likely to be restricted from litter areas to prevent floor eggs, and were less likely to use the outside range. 5. Cluster analysis indicated that feather pecking was not associated with any particular husbandry system. 6. The only influential risk factor significant in the multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis was use of the outdoor range. The risk of feather pecking was reduced 9-fold in flocks where more than 20% of birds used the range on sunny days (odds ratio = 0.12). Use of the range was positively associated with the presence of trees and/or hedges on the range.  
  Address Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, England. c.j.nicol@bris.ac.uk  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0007-1668 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:14584840 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 79  
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Author Albentosa, M.J.; Kjaer, J.B.; Nicol, C.J. openurl 
  Title Strain and age differences in behaviour, fear response and pecking tendency in laying hens Type Journal Article
  Year 2003 Publication British poultry science Abbreviated Journal Br Poult Sci  
  Volume 44 Issue 3 Pages 333-344  
  Keywords Age Factors; Aggression/*physiology; Animal Husbandry; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; Breeding; Chickens/genetics/*physiology; Fear/*physiology; Feathers/*injuries; Female; Housing, Animal; Population Density; Social Behavior  
  Abstract 1. Behaviours associated with a high or low tendency to feather peck could be used as predictors of feather pecking behaviour in selective breeding programmes. This study investigated how strain and age at testing influenced responses in behavioural tests. 2. Four layer-type strains (ISA Brown, Columbian Blacktail, Ixworth and a high feather pecking (HP) and a low feather pecking (LP) line of White Leghorn) were reared in 6 same-strain/line pens of 8 birds from one day old. Birds in half the pens were given an open field test, a novel object test and a test with loose feather bundles between 4 and 12 weeks of age and a tonic immobility (TI) test at 13 weeks of age. All pens were tested with fixed feather bundles at 26 weeks, and undisturbed behaviour in the home pens was videoed at 1 and 27 weeks of age. Daily records of plumage damage were used as an indicator of feather pecking activity in the home pens. 3. Strain did not influence novel object test, open field test or loose feather test behaviour, although age effects in all three tests indicated a reduction in fearfulness and/or an increase in exploratory behaviour with increasing age. 4. White Leghorns showed longer TI durations than the other strains but less pecking at fixed feather bundles than ISA Browns and Columbian Blacktails. 5. There were few associations between behaviour in the 5 different tests, indicating that birds did not have overall behavioural traits that were consistent across different contexts. This suggests hens cannot easily be categorised into different behavioural 'types', based on their test responses and casts doubt on the usefulness of tests as predictors of feather pecking.  
  Address Centre for Behavioural Biology, Division of Farm Animal Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, England. MAlbentosa@lincoln.ac.uk  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0007-1668 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:13677322 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 80  
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Author Gavrilova, O.; Haluzik, M.; Matsusue, K.; Cutson, J.J.; Johnson, L.; Dietz, K.R.; Nicol, C.J.; Vinson, C.; Gonzalez, F.J.; Reitman, M.L. doi  openurl
  Title Liver peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma contributes to hepatic steatosis, triglyceride clearance, and regulation of body fat mass Type Journal Article
  Year 2003 Publication The Journal of biological chemistry Abbreviated Journal J Biol Chem  
  Volume 278 Issue 36 Pages 34268-34276  
  Keywords Adipose Tissue/*metabolism; Animals; Blotting, Southern; Blotting, Western; Female; Hypoglycemia/genetics; Insulin Resistance/genetics; Lipid Metabolism; Liver/*metabolism; Liver Diseases/genetics/*metabolism; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Knockout; Mice, Transgenic; RNA/metabolism; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/*genetics/*physiology; Recombination, Genetic; Thiazoles/pharmacology; *Thiazolidinediones; Time Factors; Transcription Factors/*genetics/*physiology; Triglycerides/*metabolism  
  Abstract Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) is a nuclear receptor that mediates the antidiabetic effects of thiazolidinediones. PPAR gamma is present in adipose tissue and becomes elevated in fatty livers, but the roles of specific tissues in thiazolidinedione actions are unclear. We studied the function of liver PPAR gamma in both lipoatrophic A-ZIP/F-1 (AZIP) and wild type mice. In AZIP mice, ablation of liver PPAR gamma reduced the hepatic steatosis but worsened the hyperlipidemia, triglyceride clearance, and muscle insulin resistance. Inactivation of AZIP liver PPAR gamma also abolished the hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects of rosiglitazone, demonstrating that, in the absence of adipose tissue, the liver is a primary and major site of thiazolidinedione action. In contrast, rosiglitazone remained effective in non-lipoatrophic mice lacking liver PPAR gamma, suggesting that adipose tissue is the major site of thiazolidinedione action in typical mice with adipose tissue. Interestingly, mice without liver PPAR gamma, but with adipose tissue, developed relative fat intolerance, increased adiposity, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. Thus, liver PPAR gamma regulates triglyceride homeostasis, contributing to hepatic steatosis, but protecting other tissues from triglyceride accumulation and insulin resistance.  
  Address Diabetes Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. oksanag@bdg10.niddk.nih.gov  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0021-9258 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:12805374 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 81  
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Author Freire, R.; Wilkins, L.J.; Short, F.; Nicol, C.J. openurl 
  Title Behaviour and welfare of individual laying hens in a non-cage system Type Journal Article
  Year 2003 Publication British poultry science Abbreviated Journal Br Poult Sci  
  Volume 44 Issue 1 Pages 22-29  
  Keywords *Animal Welfare; Animals; *Behavior, Animal; *Chickens; Female; Housing, Animal/*standards; Oviposition  
  Abstract 1. A leg band containing a transponder was fitted to 80 birds in a perchery containing 1,000 birds. 2. The transponder emitted a unique identification number when a bird walked on one of 8 flat antennae on the floor. The recording apparatus was used to measure the amount of time that each of the tagged birds spent on the slatted and littered areas in a 6-week period. 3. Some birds spent long periods of time on the slats, possibly as a means of avoiding repeated attacks. Duration on the slats was greatest in birds with the worst (as opposed to better) feather scores of the head, back and tail regions. 4. Birds that spent long periods on the slats were lighter than other birds at both 39 weeks of age and 72 weeks of age and had greater back, head and tail feather damage, consistent with these birds being victims of pecking. 5. Tagged birds received a social avoidance test outside the perchery at 39 weeks of age, which suggested that birds retreated to the slats in response to pecks rather than just to close proximity to other birds. 6. The failure to find that duration on the slats was related to anatomical indicators of stress (liver, spleen and bursa of Fabricius) suggests that retreating to the slats following pecking attenuates physiological stress responses. 7. We conclude that the provision of areas where birds in a large group can avoid pecking may improve the welfare of a minority of victimised birds.  
  Address Department of Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol, England. rkfreire@hotmail.com  
  Corporate Author Thesis  
  Publisher Place of Publication Editor  
  Language English Summary Language Original Title  
  Series Editor Series Title Abbreviated Series Title  
  Series Volume Series Issue (up) Edition  
  ISSN 0007-1668 ISBN Medium  
  Area Expedition Conference  
  Notes PMID:12737221 Approved no  
  Call Number refbase @ user @ Serial 82  
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