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ARS Home » Midwest Area » West Lafayette, Indiana » Livestock Behavior Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #122053
Title: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE TO SOCIAL STRESS AMONG THREE GENETIC LINES OF LAYING HENS

Author
item FREIRE, R - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Singleton, Peter
item CHEN, YU - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item MUIR, M - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item PAJOR, E - PURDUE UNIVERSITY
item Cheng, Heng-Wei

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/28/2001
Publication Date: 7/24/2001
Citation: FREIRE, R., SINGLETON, P.B., CHEN, Y., MUIR, M.W., PAJOR, E., CHENG, H. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSE TO SOCIAL STRESS AMONG THREE GENETIC LINES OF LAYING HENS. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE. 2001. V.80(SUPPL.1): ABSTRACT P. 280.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: White Leghorn hens have been selected for high (HGPS) and low (LGPS) group productivity and survivability resulting from cannibalism and aggression. The aim of this study was to examine differences in the behavior of the genetic lines, including a commercial Dekalb XL (DXL) line, to social stress. Twenty hens from each of three genetic lines were paired to form 3 mixed line combinations and kept in cages from 17 weeks of age for 7 weeks. Behaviors of hens were recorded from video for 30 minutes and aggressive pecking was recorded in a 10 minutes period started at 0900 daily. No evidence was found that the three genetic lines differed in dominance status (P>0.01 for 3 combinations) or attack latencies (P>0.7). The HGPS hens spent less time pecking at the feathers or body of another hen (damaging pecking) than LGPS hens (P<0.05). Pecking at the cage (cage pecking) was significantly lower in HGPS and LGPS hens than in DXL hens (P<0.01). The lower damaging pecking and lower cage pecking in HGPS hens may be indicated they are more domestic behavior and lower physiological stress when compared to the other two lines.