Volume: 3, 2024
3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: A013
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.A013
Published online: 24 April 2024
ICDSUPL, 3, A013 (2024)
Does the personality of laying hens determine performance traits?
Kamila Janicka1*, Iwona Rozempolska-Rucińska1
1 Institute of Biological Basis of Animal Production, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Bioeconomy, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950 Lublin, Poland
* Corresponding author: kamila.janicka@up.lublin.pl
Abstract
Intensive selection of laying hens has resulted in rapidly maturing birds with a laying capacity close to the biological limit. So far, personality traits have been overlooked, considering most overly aggressive hens, or behaviours related to pterophagy and cannibalism, which indirectly affect breeding viability. The personality of birds, as a trait in itself, is of little interest to breeders. However, after all, it is personality traits that determine whether an animal in a certain environment experiences discomfort and stress, and thus may exhibit lower productivity. So we posed the question, is the personality of laying hens related to the level of bird performance? The study involved two brood stock of Rhode Island White and Rhode Island Red birds, assessing the behaviour of a total of 4,513 birds. The New Object Test (NOT) was used, based on which the birds were divided into two groups: proactive and reactive. Traits such as flight, approach, lack of decision, and immobility were recorded. An individual assessment of functional traits was conducted for all evaluated birds. The level of performance traits was determined according to the birds’ personalities using LSMEANS analysis of variance with Tukey-Kramer correction. The study did not show a relationship between the phenotypic level of traits and the personality of the hens. This fact can be extremely important for evaluating the welfare of laying hens. Among the arguments that animals are kept with welfare is their high level of performance. Such results may indicate that performance is not necessarily a determinant of welfare. Hens, regardless of their personality profile, did not differ in their performance in terms of such traits as laying rate, egg weight, body weight at the age of 18 weeks, sexual maturity and hatchability level. Meanwhile, according to studies by other authors, we have reason to believe that different behavioral styles in the same environment are also associated with different stress levels, and birds with a reactive profile are attributed to passive behavioural responses and high levels of corticosterone responses. In conclusion, it is our position that research in this field should be continued, as the lack of differences in the performance levels of hens belonging to different personality types may lead to the erroneous conclusion that the personality of birds is not a breeding-relevant trait and does not need to be considered in the context of welfare.
Keywords: laying hens, personality, performance traits
How to cite
K. Janicka, I. Rozempolska-Rucińska, 2024. Does the personality of laying hens determine performance traits?. In: 3rd International PhD Student’s Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL3.A013