engleski

Effect of litter depth on breast blister occurrence and morphological characteristics of m. pectoralis major in broilers

Contact dermatitis is a common issue in broiler chickens, reducing welfare and productivity. It is a condition affecting skin areas in contact with irritating or unsuitable material. Therefore, litter quality and type are important factors influencing the occurrence of contact dermatitis in broilers, including breast blisters. However, few studies have been focused on the depth of litter being used and reported different results. This study aimed to assess the effect of litter depth on the occurrence of breast blisters, and number and diameter of muscle fibres of the m. pectoralis major in broilers. The study included 120 broilers divided into four equal groups (n=30 each). Each group was housed on chopped straw at different litter depths (2 cm, 5 cm, 10 cm and 15 cm) during six-week fattening period. In all groups, stocking density was 30 kg/m2, the litter was not turned over, nor was new litter added throughout the fattening period. All broilers were housed in the same housing and managed in the same way. The occurrence of breast blisters was assessed in a slaughterhouse in all chickens by use of the Welfare Quality® protocol. Sample of the left m. pectoralis major was taken at a slaughter line, as well as from ten randomly selected chickens in each group. Statistica v. 13.4 software was used on data analysis. According to the results obtained, there were no differences (P>0.05) in the rate of breast blisters between the groups of broilers. Also, there were no between-group differences (P>0.05) in the mean number of muscle fibres of the m. pectoralis major, while the mean diameter of muscle fibres was higher (P<0.05) in broilers housed at 10 cm and 15 cm litter depths as compared with 2 cm and 5 cm. It is concluded that litter depth has no impact on the rate of breast blisters and number of m. pectoralis major fibres in broilers, yet affecting the muscle fibre diameter.

litter depth, breast blister, m. pectoralis major, broiler

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