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Animals
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Poultry and Rabbit Production in Alternative Systems
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Poultry and Rabbit Production in Alternative Systems

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2022) | Viewed by 12501

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Stefano Paolo Marelli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
Interests: small species genetic resources conservation; behavior and welfare; egg and meat quality; antioxidants and probiotics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Alice Cartoni Mancinelli

E-Mail Website
Co-Guest Editor
Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Science, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
Interests: low-input diets; adaptability; behavior; alternative rearing systems; local chicken breeds; meat and egg quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The poultry and rabbit production sectors face substantial challenges as they try to merge the need for animal protein with animal health, welfare, and sustainable production systems. Public concern regarding the environmental impact of animal production and animal welfare is critical in poultry and rabbit farming. Animal health, welfare, and production quality are strictly related to the production systems, which consider genetic and nutritional factors as well as adaptability to housing conditions and management (alternative, free range, organic, agroforestry, biodynamic, outdoor space allowance, extensive). Furthermore, the development of appropriate production strategies for marginal areas and extreme climatic conditions could have important repercussions in the improvement of the interaction between animals, the environment, and human beings. This Special Issue aims to publish research papers and reviews concerning poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, quails, pigeons, game birds) and rabbit genetic, selection, reproduction, welfare, health, nutrition (diet formulation, ingredient sources, low input, foraging) management (alternative, free range, organic, biodynamic, outdoor space allowance, extensive), as well as product quality in sustainable and alternative production systems

Dr. Stefano Paolo Marelli
Dr. Alice Cartoni Mancinelli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • poultry
  • rabbit
  • chickens
  • turkeys
  • ducks
  • geese
  • sustainable farming
  • alternative production
  • free range
  • organic

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1322 KiB  
Article
Use of Gnawing Hay Blocks: Effects on Productive Performance, Behavior and Reactivity of Growing Rabbits Kept in Parks with Different Sex-Group Compositions
by Marco Birolo, Angela Trocino, Andrea Zuffellato, Fabrizio Pirrone, Francesco Bordignon and Gerolamo Xiccato
Animals 2022, 12(9), 1212; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12091212 - 08 May 2022
Viewed by 1757
Abstract
To improve animal welfare in collective park housing systems, this study assessed the effects of the provision of gnawing hay blocks and the group composition (F: females, M: males, FM: mixed sex) on performance, behavior, and reactivity of 288 growing rabbits reared in [...] Read more.
To improve animal welfare in collective park housing systems, this study assessed the effects of the provision of gnawing hay blocks and the group composition (F: females, M: males, FM: mixed sex) on performance, behavior, and reactivity of 288 growing rabbits reared in 18 parks (16 rabbits/park) from 31 to 73 days of age. The presence of gnawing blocks inside the feeding area of the parks scarcely affected performance and budget time, but decreased the time spent in the resting area compared to parks without blocks (p < 0.001); it increased the time spent moving during the open field test (p < 0.05) and the rate of rabbits that approached the object in the novel-object test (p < 0.05). As for sex-group composition, the feed conversion ratio was lower in parks F and FM than in park M (p < 0.05). During the open-field test, FM rabbits spent more time moving (p < 0.05), whereas M rabbits displayed self-grooming for a longer time (p < 0.01). Results related to production, behavior, and reactivity indicate the provision of gnawing blocks for welfare improvement, but do not support the change from current mixed-sex to single-sex rearing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry and Rabbit Production in Alternative Systems)
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17 pages, 1484 KiB  
Article
Sustainability of Rearing System Using Multicriteria Analysis: Application in Commercial Poultry Production
by Lucia Rocchi, Alice Cartoni Mancinelli, Luisa Paolotti, Simona Mattioli, Antonio Boggia, Francesco Papi and Cesare Castellini
Animals 2021, 11(12), 3483; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123483 - 07 Dec 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2294
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to develop a multicriteria model for the comparison of three commercial poultry farms: organic with Ross 308 genotype (OR), organic with Naked Neck genotype (ONN) and a conventional system (C), which represents the most common commercial [...] Read more.
The aim of the present study was to develop a multicriteria model for the comparison of three commercial poultry farms: organic with Ross 308 genotype (OR), organic with Naked Neck genotype (ONN) and a conventional system (C), which represents the most common commercial farming system. A model based on multicriteria decision analysis was developed, considering for the first time the One Welfare approach in an operational manner, including three dimensions: human, environmental and animal welfare. The three alternatives demonstrated different performances, according to the different dimensions considered. In particular, the two organic systems performed better for human welfare and animal welfare, with relevant differences due to the genetic strains used. Conventional rearing performed better for the environment index due to the method chosen. The multicriteria analysis showed that the organic system performed better overall than the conventional system. In particular, the use of an adapted Slow Growing (SG) strain positively affected the final rank, mainly by reducing welfare problems and producing good economic and social performance. The stability of the results was verified by performing a sensitivity analysis, specifically a weight stability analysis, which confirmed the strength of results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry and Rabbit Production in Alternative Systems)
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14 pages, 284 KiB  
Article
Effects of Supplemental Feed with Different Levels of Dietary Metabolizable Energy on Growth Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Grazing Naturalized Swan Geese (Anser cygnoides)
by Tao Ran, Yi Fang, Hai Xiang, Chengzhen Zhao, Daowei Zhou, Fujiang Hou, Yan D. Niu and Rongzhen Zhong
Animals 2021, 11(3), 711; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11030711 - 05 Mar 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1542
Abstract
Grazing Swan geese (Anser cygnoides) have good meat quality but grow slowly. This study aimed to study whether supplemental feeding could improve growth performance of grazing Swan geese and investigate a suitable dietary metabolizable energy (ME) level of supplemental diet for [...] Read more.
Grazing Swan geese (Anser cygnoides) have good meat quality but grow slowly. This study aimed to study whether supplemental feeding could improve growth performance of grazing Swan geese and investigate a suitable dietary metabolizable energy (ME) level of supplemental diet for grazing Swan geese. Naturalized healthy male Swan geese (n = 144; 42 ± 2.0 days and 1.21 ± 0.17 kg) were randomly allocated into 4 groups and grazed on pasture alone (control, CON) or offered supplemental diets with ME of 9.5, 11.5, or 13.5 MJ/kg of DM after grazing. Growth performance and body-size measurements (including bone development) were lower (p < 0.05) in CON versus supplemented geese, as well as slaughter measurements on days 28 and 56. The DM intake linearly decreased (p < 0.01) with increasing dietary ME from day 29 to 56. Slaughter, semi-eviscerated, eviscerated, and thigh muscle yield linearly (p < 0.01) decreased with increasing dietary ME on day 56. Lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) for breast and thigh muscle on days 28 and 56, and breast muscle shear force on day 56, were lower (p < 0.01) in supplemented versus CON geese. In conclusion, supplemental feeding improved growth performance and carcass characteristics of grazing Swan geese, and supplemental feed with ME of 9.5 MJ/kg of DM could be offered to improve growth and meat quality of grazing Swan geese. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry and Rabbit Production in Alternative Systems)
10 pages, 604 KiB  
Article
Egg Production Systems, Open Space Allowance and Their Effects on Physical Parameters and Fatty Acid Profile in Commercial Eggs
by Stefano Paolo Marelli, Manuela Madeddu, Maria Grazia Mangiagalli, Silvia Cerolini and Luisa Zaniboni
Animals 2021, 11(2), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020265 - 21 Jan 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2144
Abstract
Food function is nowadays not merely limited to nourishment supplying; consumers’ interest is oriented to food healthiness and nutritional value, animal welfare, environmental impact of animal productions, and products’ traceability. The objective of the present work is to compare physical parameters and fatty [...] Read more.
Food function is nowadays not merely limited to nourishment supplying; consumers’ interest is oriented to food healthiness and nutritional value, animal welfare, environmental impact of animal productions, and products’ traceability. The objective of the present work is to compare physical parameters and fatty acids profiles of market eggs produced from hens housed in four different systems. In addition, the effects of the presence of an outdoor space allowance (IND = no outdoor space allowance, OUT = outdoor space allowance) on the same parameters have been investigated. Sixty-nine market eggs from four different production systems labelled as Alternative (ALT), Enriched Cage (ECA), Litter Floor (LIF), and Organic (ORG) have been analysed. Physical parameters and fatty acid concentrations were measured. An ANOVA analysis was performed with production system and outdoor space allowance as sources of variation, two Principal Component Analyses (PCA) were carried out with physical parameters and fatty acid parameters as variables. The effects of the complex interactions occurring among production system, hen welfare, and eggs quality have been analysed in marketed eggs leading to the conclusion that eggs from different production systems available on the market are characterized by differences in fatty acid profile and physical parameters. In physical parameters the differences among systems were influenced by the whole egg weight, albumen weight and yolk weight. In fatty acids parameters the determining variables are the content in polyunsatured fatty acids (PUFA), linoleic acid concentration, and n6/n3 ratio. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry and Rabbit Production in Alternative Systems)
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12 pages, 2200 KiB  
Article
Combined Supplementation of Nano-Zinc Oxide and Thyme Oil Improves the Nutrient Digestibility and Reproductive Fertility in the Male Californian Rabbits
by Ahmed A. A. Abdel-Wareth, Mohammed Ali Al-Kahtani, Khalid Mushabab Alsyaad, Fatma Mohsen Shalaby, Islam M. Saadeldin, Fahdah Ayed Alshammari, Muhammad Mobashar, Mohamed H. A. Suleiman, Abdalla H. H. Ali, Mohamed O. Taqi, Hazem G. M. El-Sayed, Mahmoud S. Abd El-Sadek, Abdallah E. Metwally and Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed
Animals 2020, 10(12), 2234; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122234 - 27 Nov 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3157
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), thyme oil (THO), or their combination on the nutrient digestibility coefficients, reproductive parameters, and some blood metabolites of male Californian rabbits. One hundred rabbits, 29-weeks of age (initial body weight [...] Read more.
The present study aimed to determine the effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs), thyme oil (THO), or their combination on the nutrient digestibility coefficients, reproductive parameters, and some blood metabolites of male Californian rabbits. One hundred rabbits, 29-weeks of age (initial body weight 3.48 ± 0.08 kg) were randomly distributed into four groups, 25 rabbits each. Treatment groups were fed a control diet, a control diet supplemented with ZnO-NPs (100 mg/kg), THO (500 mg/kg), or combination of ZnO-NPs (100 mg/kg) and THO (500 mg/kg). The feeding trial lasted for 35 days. Results showed improvements in dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, and crude fiber in ZnO-NPs, THO, and their combination treated groups compared to those of control. Furthermore, semen volume, sperm motility, vitality, and morphology were significantly improved (p < 0.01) in ZnO-NPs and THO groups rather than the control. Both ZnO-NPs and THO, as either individual or combined treatments significantly improved the serum alanine amino-transferase (ALT), aspartate amino-transferase (AST), urea, and creatinine compared to the control. Moreover, serum concentrations of testosterone were significantly increased in rabbits supplemented with ZnO-NPs, THO, or their combination compared to those of control (p < 0.05). In conclusion, ZnO-NPs, THO, or their combination improved the digestibility of nutrients, liver/ kidney functions, semen characteristics, and testosterone concentration in male rabbits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry and Rabbit Production in Alternative Systems)
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