AquaDucT Bell Drinker for Pekin Ducks-Enrichment for the Ducks Environment
The drinking water supply of Pekin ducks is usually provided exclusively via nipple drinkers.For clucks as animals with high affinity to water,open drinking systems must be seen as enrichment of their environment,among other aspects,through the possibility of general occupation with water.In the studies performed since 2003,different drinking systems have been tested which allow plunging of the head and sprinkling of the plumage.During pre-tests,a modified round drinker proved as an appropriate water supply for Pekin ducks.This drinker,now called AquaDucT bell drinker (Big Dutchman GmbH,Germany),afterwards was applied in the practice under field scale conditions with common animal numhers (herd size:7,100-13,500 animals/farm,3 farms in total).During each fattening trail several parameters were measured twice:behaviour observation,health parameters (e.g.plumage quality,the degree of soiling,obstruction of the nostrils,foot pad hyperkeratosis and necrosis),water quality of the offered drinking troughs (drip pans,nipple drinkers.bell drinkers)for microbiological tests (total germ count,number of Enterohacteriaceae)and the levels of dust and ammonia were measured.The results concerning animal behaviour,health and hygiene of drinking water confirmed the results of the pre-test.With regard to the germ counts it has to be noticed that the total germ counts of the drip pans that are still existent in duck farming were significantly higher than in hell drinkers and nipple drinkers.The general argument that the use of open water drinking systems is detrimental to animal welfare and health therefore cannot be confirmed.The AquaDucT drinkers are accepted well by the ducks and represent a considerable improvement of their environment.These drinkers allow the animals species-specific drinking and straining,beak cleaning,cleaning of nostrils and eyes as well as the plumage which is reflected hy a high activity at the drinkers.
Rauch,E Bergmann,S Schweizer,C Harnisch,N Hirsch,N Damme,K Erhard MH
Department of Veterinary Sciences,Chair of Animal Welfare,Ethology,Animal Hygiene and Animal Housing Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture(LVFZ),Specialization in Poultry Management Kitzingen,
国际会议
XVIth International Congress on Animal Hygiene(第十六届动物卫生国际会议(ISAH 2013))
南京
英文
42-44
2013-05-05（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）