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Enhancing Broiler Welfare and Foot Pad Quality through the Use of Medicinal Plant-Based Pellets as Bedding Material

Author

Listed:
  • Krzysztof Damaziak

    (Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Łukasz Gontar

    (Research and Innovation Centre Pro-Akademia, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland)

  • Monika Łukasiewicz-Mierzejewska

    (Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Maksymilian Kochański

    (Research and Innovation Centre Pro-Akademia, 95-050 Konstantynów Łódzki, Poland)

  • Julia Riedel

    (Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Wojciech Wójcik

    (Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Dariusz Gozdowski

    (Department of Biometry, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

  • Jan Niemiec

    (Department of Animal Breeding, Institute of Animal Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, 02-787 Warsaw, Poland)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of different bedding materials on both production performance and foot quality, assessed through the incidence, severity, and microbiological quality of foot pad dermatitis (FPD). A total of 2400 Ross 308 chickens were raised over 42 days, distributed across eight bedding material types (eight groups × four treatments × 75 chickens each). These pellets either lacked medicinal plant components or included 30% of plant parts, such as oregano ( Origanum vulgare ), summer savory ( Satureja hortensis ), lemon balm ( Melissa officinalis ), salvia ( Salvia officinalis ), and thyme ( Thymus vulgaris ). Production performance controls included body weight (BW) at 42 days of age, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality. The severity of FPD was evaluated at 28, 35, and 42 days using a scale ranging from S0 to S3. A microbiological analysis of the feet was based on the FPD score. Broilers raised on straw chaff (bedding: 24% oregano and 6% summer savory, 18% oregano and 12% summer savory, and 24% oregano and 6% thyme) exhibited the highest BW. Straw chaff-reared broilers demonstrated the lowest FCR. The highest mortality occurred on 18% oregano and 12% summer savory bedding, which may have been caused by the high share of summer savory, which could be toxic. At 35 and 42 days, broilers in the 24% oregano and 6% summer savory group exhibited the best foot quality, while those on straw chaff and 18% oregano and 12% summer savory had the worst one. The influence of medicinal plants in the pellets was particularly notable in reducing Listeria sp. This reduction was likely due to the presence of carvacrol from summer savory, quercetin from lemon balm, and thymol from thyme. Based on our research, the best bedding materials for foot quality are 24% oregano with 6% summer savory and 18% summer savory with 12% salvia, while 18% summer savory with 12% lemon balm and 18% summer savory with 12% thymus were the most effective in limiting Listeria sp.

Suggested Citation

  • Krzysztof Damaziak & Łukasz Gontar & Monika Łukasiewicz-Mierzejewska & Maksymilian Kochański & Julia Riedel & Wojciech Wójcik & Dariusz Gozdowski & Jan Niemiec, 2024. "Enhancing Broiler Welfare and Foot Pad Quality through the Use of Medicinal Plant-Based Pellets as Bedding Material," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-16, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:7:p:1091-:d:1430022
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Taiani dos Santos de Toledo & Aline Arassiana Piccini Roll & Fernando Rutz & Henrique Müller Dallmann & Marcos Antonio Dai Prá & Fábio Pereira Leivas Leite & Victor Fernando Büttow Roll, 2020. "An assessment of the impacts of litter treatments on the litter quality and broiler performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(5), pages 1-26, May.
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