Abstract

CIGARROA-V., Francisco A. et al. Evaluation of animal welfare indicators in autochthonous domestic turkey (M. gallopavo) in confinement and free range AT Villaflores Chiapas, Mexico. Agrociencia [online]. 2017, vol.51, n.8, pp.833-847. ISSN 2521-9766.

Small-scale poultry production systems promote higher animal welfare, which can be assessed using stress indexes such as the fluctuating asymmetry (FA), muscle immobility (MI), and heterophile/lymphocyte (H:L) ratios. The development stability in animals is due to accumulated disturbances during its life. The objective of this research was to evaluate FA, MI and H:L as well-being indicators in mixed native turkeys ( M. gallopavo) on family production systems at the Fraylesca region, Chiapas, Mexico. The duration of the test was of 67 d, with 7 d adaptation, on 39 individuals of 7 months age, in traditional (free range) and cages (confinement) accommodation. Statistical analysis was based on a fixed effects model with two classification and an interaction criteria (accommodation type and gender), using the GLM of the SAS statistical software. Our results showed differences in the FA index (p≤0.05) between the wing length, width and length of the tarsus, and were higher for caged males; in addition, there were differences (p≤0.05) on the H:L index. No differences were found for the MI (p˃0.05). The mixed turkey management in confinement produces greater stress, evidenced by their fluctuating asymmetry index compared to those in the free range system.

Keywords : fluctuating asymmetry; animal welfare; autochthonous turkey.

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