The evaluation of feeding, mortality and oviposition of poultry red mite ( <i>Dermanyssus gallinae</i>) on aging hens using a high welfare on-hen feeding device.

ABSTRACT: A study was performed to examine any effect of hen age on the feeding ability and mortality of different life-stages of Dermanyssus gallinae [Poultry Red Mite (PRM)] when fed using a high welfare, on-hen mite feeding device. Mite feeding assays were carried out every two weeks on a cohort of five Lohman Brown hens with devices containing adult and deutonymph PRM or adult and protonymph PRM. Feeding rates and mortality of each PRM life stage and oviposition of adult female PRM were evaluated over an 18-week period. There was a significant reduction in oviposition rates of female PRM as they fed on hens of increasing age. However, no clear trend was detected between the feeding rates of all three haematophagous life stages and hen age. The same conclusion was reached regarding mite mo

SUBMITTER: Nunn F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7684678 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature