title: Influence of zinc bacitracin, light regimen and dustbathing on the health and welfare of broiler chickens.
abstract: 1. The influence of zinc bacitracin, an antibiotic growth promoter, and the combined influence of two environmental factors (8 h of darkness and access to sand) on health and welfare variables were studied in 96 broiler chickens (kept as pairs). 2. Chickens fed with zinc bacitracin (ZB) had a higher frequency of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) and a higher frequency of dustbathing than chickens fed without zinc bacitracin. 3. When 42 d old, chickens exposed to 8 h of darkness and access to sand were heavier than chickens reared under continuous light and with no access to sand. 4. Fluctuating asymmetry was higher in the 'light/no sand' groups than in the 'night/sand + ZB' group. 5. There was a negative correlation between tonic immobility and weight and a positive correlation between weight and TD.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Science and Welfare, Department of Pharmacology and Pathobiology, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg C, Denmark. chs@kvl.dk
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stub
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Vestergaard
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001414:Bacitracin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004391:Dust; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D010009:Osteochondrodysplasias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012822:Silicon Dioxide
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004391:Dust; D001414:Bacitracin; D012822:Silicon Dioxide