Cecal Microbiota of Free-Range Hens Varied With Different Rearing Enrichments and Ranging Patterns.

ABSTRACT: Free-range pullets are reared indoors but the adult hens can go outside which is a mismatch that may reduce adaptation in the laying environment. Rearing enrichments might enhance pullet development and adaptations to subsequent free-range housing with impact on behavior and health measures including gut microbiota. Adult free-range hens vary in range use which may also be associated with microbiota composition. A total of 1,700 Hy-Line Brown^® chicks were reared indoors across 16 weeks with three enrichment treatment groups: "control" with standard litter housing, "novelty" with weekly changed novel objects, and "structural" with custom-designed perching structures in the pens. At 15 weeks, 45 pullet cecal contents were sampled before moving 1,386 pullets to the free-range housi

SUBMITTER: Bari MS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8881003 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature