Appendices: AWO233
Study to assess the welfare of ducks in husbandry systems currently in use in the UK.
Table 1. The components of the five housing systems used in the study.
System / Ventilation system / Ventilation flow / Drinker system / Feeder system / Floor & bedding / Brooding / Access outdoor1
5 houses / Natural / Side inlet
Roof outlet / Turkey Plasson / Hopper / Solid, straw, Mechanical bed up / Brooding circles / Indoor
2
5 Houses / Forced / Drop down / Nipple (3)
Nipple & cup (2) / Pan (3)
Hopper (2) / Solid, straw
Mechanical (3)
Manual (2) / Whole house (3)
Half house with move 10-14d (2) / Indoor
3
5 houses / Forced / Side inlet
Roof fan outlet / Open trough / Hopper / Part slat, straw
Mechanical (3)
Manual (2) / Nursery
Move to 2 ends of house 14d / Indoor
4
3 houses / Natural / Side inlet
Roof outlet / Open trough / Hopper / Solid, straw
Manual / Whole house / Yes
Free-range
5
5 houses / Natural / Side inlet
Roof outlet / Nipple & cup (3)
Open trough (2) / Pan (3)
Hopper (2) / Solid, straw
Mechanical (3)
Manual (2) / Whole house (3)
Half house with move 10-14d (2) / Indoor
Steel open span
Table 1(a). Behaviour records for the direct observation of ducks in commercial systems.
Behaviour / DefinitionRoot / Duck digs and moves straw around with beak
Root-dab / Duck performs dabble motions (rapid nibbling with head moving side to side) in straw
Alert / Duck lies or stands stationary but is alert to surroundings and watchful
Feed / Ducks eats food from the feed trough, hopper or pan
Drink / Duck drinks from the water resource
Drink-dab / Duck performs dabbling motions with it’s head in the water
Rest / Duck lies down with eyes closed
Want to rest / Duck lies down and closes and opens its eyes every few seconds as it settles into rest
Dry Preen / Duck nibbles at or strokes its feathers, maintaining its plumage; no water is involved
Wet preen / Duck nibbles at feathers with the application of water by either taking water into its bill and preening (from trough or nipple) or head ducking (into trough) & tossing water over its body then preening
Groom / Duck dry preens another duck
Lie stretched out / Duck lies down with one or two legs fully stretched out behind it’s body, neck is usually elongated on the floor
Peck object / Duck pecks at any object other than a feeder or drinker
Shake tail / Duck stands and wags its tail independent of a preening act
Walk / Locomotion, the number of strides were also counted
Small body movements / Includes: head scratch; stretch wing, leg or wing & leg; shake body, shake head, shake tail – body – head (complex all over feather ruffle), wing flap, lift wing (small wing raises performed as the duck settles), vocalise, defecate, yawn (jaw stretch), small mandible movements (open/close). The number of incidents were recorded.
Pant / Duck hyperventilates with open beak to aid evaporative cooling
Table 2 Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates
on average weekly house temperatures
Temperature / Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %Week 1 / Trial: lower in the second trial
Orientation: higher in houses with an east-west orientation / F=4.7 p<0.05
F=8.1 p<0.01 / 22.9%
Week 2 / Higher in summer
Brood type: higher with whole house brood than nursery brood / F=99.3 p<0.001
F=6.6 p=0.001 / 72.4%
Week 3 / Higher in summer
Brood type: higher with whole house brood then circle then half house then nursery brood
Inter linked with house area / F=142 p<0.000
F=20.8 p<0.000
F=8.8 p<0.01 / 88.4%
Week 4 / Higher in summer
Brood type: higher in houses with circle & whole house brood than half house & nursery brood / F=218 p<0.001
F=10.0 p<0.001 / 89.5%
Week 5 / Higher in summer
Brood type: higher in houses with circle & whole house brood than half house & nursery brood / F=164 p<0.001
F=7.6 p<0.001 / 86.2%
Week 6 / Higher in summer
Brood type: higher in houses with circle & whole house brood than half house & nursery brood
Drinker type: higher in houses with nipple drinkers than troughs & plasson drinkers
Lower with higher growth rates (r= -0.5) / F=21.9 p<0.001
F=10.0 p<0.001
F=5.3 p<0.01
F=12.4 p=0.001 / 80.4%
Week 7 / Season
Brood type: higher in houses with circle brood
Higher in houses with fewer visits by the stockperson
Lower in houses with higher growth rate / F=8.6 p<0.001
F=4.0 p=0.05
F=18.3 p<0.001 / 76.2%
Table 3 Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates
on average weekly house relative humidity
Relative Humidity / Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %Week 1 / Trial: higher in the second trial
Orientation: higher in houses with a north-south orientation
Heater position: higher with heaters down the side of the house (as opposed to the centre) / F=10.7 p<0.01
F=27.1 p<0.001
F=18.4 p<0.001 / 50.1%
Week 2 / Trial
Drinker type: lower in houses with troughs (NB drinker type is different at this stage)
Ventilation: lower in houses with forced side-inlet ventilation
Heater position: higher in houses with heaters down side of the house / -
F=16.1 p<0.001
F=8.7 p=0.001
F=17.8 p<0.001 / 59.0%
Week 3 / Season
Brood type: higher in houses with nursery brood than circles and whole house brood / -
F=5.3 p<0.01 / 35.5%
Week 4 / Season
Brood type: higher in houses with nursery & half house brood
Drinker type: lower in houses with troughs / -
F=9.4 p<0.001
F=7.4 p<0.01 / 52.7%
Week 6 / Season
Brood type: highest in houses with nursery brood
Ventilation: higher in houses with forced drop down ventilation than forced side-inlet / -
F=5.6 p<0.01
F=3.3 p<0.05 / 36.3%
Table 4 Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates on litter temperature, pH and moisture, and light and ammonia levels recorded at 23 days.
Variable / Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %1 Litter temperature / Trial
Ventilation
- Winter: Higher in houses with natural& forced drop-down ventilation than houses with forced side-inlet ventilation
- Summer: Higher in houses with natural ventilation than forced drop-down ventilation
Increases with increasing W4 T SD (r=0.613) / -
F=8.5 (p=0.001)
F=93.1 (p<0.001)
F=8.3 (p<0.01) / 86.1%
1 Litter pH / System
Increases with increasing W3 T SD (r=0.474) / -
F=16.4 p<0.001 / 36.7%
1 Litter moisture / Trial: higher on the second trial
Ventilation: highest in houses with forced side-inlet ventilation
Increases with increasing ammonia levels (r=0.473)
Increases with increasing house area (r=0.551) / F=17.8 p<0.001
F=4.8 p<0.05
F=4.0 p<0.05
F=9.3 p<0.01 / 69.2%
1 Light levels / System: highest in naturally ventilated systems with large side vents & plenty of incoming natural light
Increases with increasing W3 T SD (r=0.533) / F=4.0 p<0.01
F=6.9 p<0.05 / 48.9%
Ammonia Levels / Trial
Ventilation: highest in houses with forced drop-down ventilation in summer
Orientation: highest in houses with a north-south orientation
Increases with increasing W4 T (r=0.791)
Increases with increasing W4 T SD (r=0.691) / -
F=8.0 p=0.001
F=7.5 p<0.01
F=39.9 p<0.001
F=11.2 p<0.01 / 82.0%
Table 5 Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates on litter temperature, pH and moisture, and light and ammonia levels recorded at 41 days.
Variable / Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %2 Litter temperature / Trial
Ventilation: higher in houses with forced drop-down ventilation than natural ventilation, during winter
Drinker type
- Winter: Highest in houses with nipple drinkers then plasson drinkers then troughs
- Summer: Highest in houses with plasson drinkers then nipple drinkers then troughs
Increases with increasing litter temperature (visit 1 r=0734) / -
F=8.0 p=0.001
F=37.3 p<0.001
F= 17.7 p<0.001
F= 15.8 p<0.001 / 91.9%
2 Litter pH / System
Decreases with increasing W1 RH (r= -0.4) / -
F=4.4 p<0.05 / 28.5%
2 Litter moisture / Trial
Brood type: lowest in houses with whole house brooding
Ventilation: highest in houses with forced side-inlet ventilation
Decreases with increasing W3 T SD (r= -0.587) / -
F=4.2 p<0.05
F=3.0 p=0.05
F=6.0 p<0.05 / 64.2%
2 Light levels / Trial
Ventilation: highest in houses with natural ventilation
Inter linked with house area / -
F=7.1 p<0.01
F=5.3 p<0.05 / 28.2%
2 Ammonia Levels / Trial
Drinker type: highest in houses with nipple drinkers
Ventilation: highest in houses with forced side-inlet ventilation then forced drop-down then natural ventilation
Increases with increasing litter moisture (visit 1 r=0.509) / -
F=22.7 p<0.000
F=9.8 p<0.000
F=5.7 p<0.05 / 69.6%
Table 6 Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates
on duck production data
Production / Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %Mortality % / Trial: greatest in second trial (4.8% cf. 5.7%)
Brood type: higher in houses with whole house brood than half house & circle brood / F=9.8 p<0.01
F=9.3 p<0.001 / 54.7%
Average weight / Trial
Company
Lower weight with higher levels of best pads (score 0 r= - 0.49)
Decreases with increasing litter moisture variation (moisture SD 23days, r= -0.441)
Increases with increasing processing age (r=0.389) / -
F=10.4 p<0.001
F=4.4 p<0.05
F=4.2 p<0.05
F=7.7 p<0.01 / 61.2%
Calculated GR / Trial
Company
Decreases with increasing W3 T (r= -0.528) / -
F=21.2 p<0.001
F=9.7 p<0.001 / 65.8%
Calculated SD / Trial
Drinker type: higher in houses with plasson drinkers then nipples then troughs / -
F=18.2 p<0.001 / 57.1%
% Rejects / Trial :higher in the second trial
Company
Increases with decreasing W4 RH (r= -0.515)
Increases with increasing FPD score 0 (r=0.600) / F=49.7 p<0.001
F=4.5 p<0.05
F=32.6 p<0.001
F=20.7 p<0.001 / 81.7%
Table 7aEye, nostril, and feather condition and posture and walking ability at 23 days.
Mean (SE) / Range / System / Season / R2 %Eye 0 % / 98.3 (0.7) / 78.0-100 / F=8.2 p=0.000 / F=7.9 p=0.008
- Winter 99.7% (98.0-100)
- Summer 96.8% (78.0-100)
Nostril 0 / 99.5 (0.2) / 94.0-100 / - / - / 5.9
Feather 0 / 99.8 (0.1) / 98.0-100 / - / - / 20.8
Posture 0 / 97.7 (0.3) / 93.3-100 / F=3.0 p=0.028 / F=4.1 p=0.05
- Winter 98.3% (94.0-100)
- Summer 97.2% (93.3-100)
Posture 1 / 1.8 (0.3) / 0-6.7 / F=3.0 p=0.032 / - / 37.4
Posture 2 / 0.5 (0.1) / 0-4.0 / - / - / 17.5
Gait 0 / 85.8 (0.9) / 65.0-96.0 / - / F=12.2 p=0.001
- Winter 88.9% (80.0-96.0)
- Summer 82.8% (65.0-91.7)
Gait 1 / 13.0 (0.9) / 4.0-32.0 / - / F=10.8 p=0.002
- Winter 10.3% (4.0-20.0)
- Summer 15.7% (8.0-32.0)
Gait 2 / 1.2 (0.3) / 0-8.0 / F=3.1 p=0.025 / - / 26.2
Table 7b Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates
on health data at 23 days.
Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %Eye 0 / (NB large single farm effect)
Trial: higher during the first trial
Drinker type: lowest in houses with Plasson drinkers
Brood type: lower in houses with circle brood
Increases with lower litter temperature (visit 1 r=-0.504) / F=8.3 p<0.01
F=14.2 p<0.001
F=5.1 p<0.01
F=23.4 p<0.001 / 69.6%
Feather 0 / Trial
Ventilation: lower in houses with forced side-inlet ventilation
Increases with less variation in W3 RH SD (r= -0.455) / -
F=3.7 p<0.05
F=8.0 p<0.01 / 32.9%
Posture 0 / System
Increases with decreasing W2 T / -
F=4.5 p<0.05 / 29.6%
Gait 0 / System
Increases with decreasing litter temperature (r= -0.439)
Increases with increasing incidence posture 0 (r=0.448)
(sharing information with ammonia levels) / -
F=10.2 p<0.01
F=6.6 p<0.05 / 38.5%
Gait 1 / System
Increasing with increasing litter temperature (r=0.443)
(Sharing information with ammonia levels) / -
F=13.5 p=0.001 / 26.1%
Gait 2 / Trial
Ventilation
- Lower in houses with forced drop-down ventilation than forced side-inlet ventilation
- (NB infectious agents in latter houses in trial 2)
Increases with decreasing incidence posture 0 (r=-0.598) / -
F=3.7 p<0.05
F=4.1 p<0.05
F=14.1 p=0.001 / 53.0%
Table 8a. Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates
on health data (eyes, nostril, and feather condition) at 41 days.
Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %Eye 0 / Trial
Drinker type: lower in houses with nipple drinkers
Ventilation: lower in houses with forced drop-down ventilation
Increases with increasing levels of clean feathers (score 0 (visit 2 r=0.845)
Increases with increasing growth rate
{Shared information with W1 RH} / -
F=8.8 p=0.001
F=4.7 p<0.05
F=8.0 p<0.01
F=8.0 p<0.01 / 87.6%
Dirty eyes / Trial
Drinker type: higher in houses with nipple drinkers
Ventilation: lower in houses with forced side-inlet ventilation
Increases with decreasing levels of clean feathers (score 0 visit 2 r=-0.852)
Increases with increasing W1 RH / -
F=8.5 p=0.001
F=6.5 p<0.01
F=14.3 p<0.001
F=7.6 p<0.01 / 88.5%
Eye 1 / Trial
Drinker type: higher in systems with nipple drinkers
Increases with increasing variation in W6 T SD (r=0.595) / -
F=5.6 p<0.01
F=37.7 p<0.001 / 50.4%
Eye 2 / Trial
Ventilation: highest in systems with forced drop-down ventilation
Increases with increasing variation in W6 T SD (r=0.493) / -
F=9.6 p<0.001
F=18.9 p<0.001 / 49.8%
Nostril 0 / Trial
Ventilation: lower with forced drop-down ventilation
Decreases with increasing litter temperature (visit 2 r= -0.463)
Decreases with increasing levels of dirty feathers (visit 2 r=-0.441) / -
F=9.3 p=0.001
F=5.2 p<0.05
F=4.1 p=0.05 / 64.5%
Dirty nostril / Trial
Ventilation: higher with forced drop-down ventilation
Increases with increasing litter temperature (visit 2 r=0.471) / -
F=8. p=0.001
F=18.7 p<0.001 / 55.9%
Feather 0 / Trial: higher in the first trial
Ventilation: higher in houses with forced side-inlet ventilation, then natural ventilation then forced drop-down ventilation
Drinker (nested in ventilation system): higher in houses with troughs then plasson drinkers then nipples
Increases with decreasing W1 RH (r= -0.667)
Increases with increasing litter pH (visit 2, r=0.426)
{Information shared: higher in houses in an east west direction; decreases with increasing litter temperature (visit 2)} / F=12.5 p=0.001
F=39.4 p<0.001
F=16.2 p<0.001
F=7.9 p<0.01
F=10.3 p<0.01 / 88.2%
Dirty feathers / Trial: higher in the second trial
Ventilation: higher in houses with forced drop-down ventilation then natural then forced side-in ventilation
Drinker (nested in ventilation system): higher in houses with nipple drinkers then plasson then trough
Increases with increasing W1 RH (r=0.669)
Decreases with increasing litter pH (visit 2, r=-0.425)
{Information shared: higher in houses in a north-south direction; increases with increasing litter temperature (visit 2)} / F=9.3 p<0.01
F=39.7 p<0.001
F=16.1 p<0.001
F=8.6 p<0.01
F=12.2 p=0.01 / 88.1%
Feather 1 / System
Increases with increasing ammonia levels (visit 2) (r=0.438) / -
F=10.4 p<0.01 / 25.7%
Feather 2 / System
Increases with increasing W1 RH (r=0.589)
Increases with increasing sever posture (score 2 visit 2, r=0.578) / -
F=8.1 p<0.01
F=4.3 p<0.05 / 50.7%
Table 8b Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates
on health data (posture & gait) at 41 days.
Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %Posture 0 / Trial
Brood type: higher in houses with half house brood than whole house
Increases in flocks with higher levels of best walking ability (Gait 0 visit 2 r=0.569) / -
F=4.7 p<0.01
F=14.7 p<0.001 / 52.9%
Posture 1 / Trial
Brood type: higher in houses with whole house brood than nursery or half house
Occurs less in flocks with increasing levels of best walking (Gait 0 visit 2, r= -0.52) / -
F=5.6 p<0.01
F=12.0 p=0.001 / 53.1%
Posture 2 / System
Increases in flocks with higher levels of the worst walking ability (Gait 2 visit 2, r=0.587) / -
F=15.1 p<0.001 / 36.5%
Gait 0 / System
Higher levels of the best walking with drier litter (moisture visit 1 r= -0.626)
Increases with decreasing W3 T (r= -0.601) / -
F=9.8 p<0.01
F=11.4 p<0.01 / 55.1%
Gait 1 / System
Walking ability worsens with wet litter (moisture visit 1, r=0.517)
Increases with increasing W3 T (r=0.533) / -
F=6.5 p<0.05
F=6.0 p<0.05 / 42.9%
Gait 2 / System
The most sever walking difficulties increase with increasing ammonia levels (visit 2 r=0.614) / -
F=17.3 p<0.001 / 37.2%
Table 9a. The percent of time ducks spend performing various activities at 23 days, and further analysis for the effects of continuous predictors (covariates).
Unless specified there are no effects of system or season on behaviour.
Activity / Mean (SE) / Range / Model(system + season + ) / F ratio & p value / R2 %
Stand / 19.4 (2.1) / 0-50.8 / V1 Gait 0 (r=0.435)
W2 RH SD (r=-0.387) / F=7.2 p<0.05
F=4.8 p<0.05 / 32.8
Root / 12.2 (1.9) / 0-50.7 / V1 Gait 2 (r=-0.305) / F=4.7 p<0.05 / 19.0
Root-dabble / 2.1 (0.7) / 0-17.8 / -
Alert / 20.9 (2.2) / 0-64.1 / % small body movements
(r=-0.446) / F=6.9 p<0.05 / 23.3
Feed / 1.5 (0.5) / 0-13.4 / W3 RH SD (r=-306) / F=4.4 p<0.05 / 21.3
Drink / 4.1 (07) / 0-14.6 / Social interaction (r=0.404)
Walk (r=0.37) / F=4.1 p<0.05
F=4.6 p<0.01 / 30.4
Drink-dabble / 0.5 (0.3) / 0-12.1 / V1 Nose 0 (r=-0.521)
Wet Preen / F=7.1 p<0.05
F=4.6 p<0.05 / 38.7
Rest / 8.1 (1.7) / 0-41.3 / Orientation: >er facing EW
W2 RH SD / F=10.6 p<0.01
F=4.6 p<0.05 / 27.9
Want to rest / 7.0 (1.2) / 0-30.6 / System (unspecified)
W3 RH (r=0.461)
W2 RH SD (r=0.389) / F=2.9 p<0.05
F=7.5 p<0.01
F=3.9 p=0.05 / 40.3
Dry preen / 11.4 (1.6) / 0-46.8 / W4 RH SD (r=0.563) / F=13.8 p=0.001 / 30.7
Wet preen / 0.4 (0.2) / 0-6.5 / V1 Nose 0 (r=-0.423) / F=8.6 p<0.01 / 29.7
Lie stretched out / 2.2 (0.7) / 0-18.4 / W4 RH (r=-0.388) / F=6.6 p<0.05 / 21.8
Pant / 6.1 (2.0) / 0-47.6 / V1 Ammonia (r=0.601)
V1 Gait 2 (r=0.503) / F=10.8 p<0.01
F=11.9 p=0.001 / 56.3
Shake tail / 0.9 (0.1) / 0-4.3 / -
Groom / 0.05 (0.02) / 0-0.9 / -
Social interaction / 0.05 (0.04) / 0-1.3 / -
Peck object / 0.4 (0.3) / 0-9.3 / W3 T SD (r=0.395)
V1 Gait 0 (r=0.413) / F=5.9 p<0.05
F=4.9 p<0.05 / 30.1
Walk / 4.4 (0.8) / 0-23.7 / V1 Gait 0 / F=6.3 p<0.05 / 24.2
Comfort behaviours / 17.8 (1.7) / 1.8-47.3 / Greater in winter
W3 RH SD (r=0.347) / F=10.8 p<0.01
F=15.1 p<0.001 / 39.7
Table 9b. The percent of time ducks spend performing various activities at 41 days, and further analysis for the effects of continuous predictors (covariates).
Unless specified there are no effects of system or season on behaviour.
Activity / Mean (SE) / Range / Model(system + season + ) / F ratio & p value / R2 %
Stand / 46.1 (4.6) / 0-100 / % Drink (r=0.539)
% Walk (r=0.496) / F=7.5 p=0.01
F=5.1 p<0.05 / 44.9
Root / 4.2 (1.3) / 0-38.3 / W2 RH SD (r=0.485) / F=6.8 p<0.05 / 20.8
Root-dabble / 1.3 (0.6) / 0-19.2 / W6 T SD (r=0.415) / F=7.0 p<0.05 / 23.1
Alert / 22.6 (2.9) / 0-80.5 / % Dry Preen (r=-0.406) / F=4.6 p<0.05 / 26.0
Feed / 1.5 (0.4) / 0-10.3 / -
Drink / 6.7 (1.4) / 0-34.0 / Higher in winter
Ingrain pads (r=-0.392) / F=4.8 p<0.05
F=6.1 p<0.05 / 32.4
Drink-dabble / 1.6 (1.0) / 0-37.8 / Litter T (V2 r=-0.406) / F=6.1 p<0.05 / 28.1
Rest / 5.3 (1.6) / 0-51.3 / Light (V1 r=0.422)
Gait 0 (V1 r=-0.376) / F=5.9 p<0.05
F=5.3 p<0.05 / 27.3
Want to rest / 3.3 (0.7) / 0-19.6 / % comfort behaviours (r=-0.326) / F=10.5 p<0.01 / 29.6
Dry preen / 15.8 (2.4) / 0-63.0 / Feather 2 (V2 r=0.443) / F=4.5 p<0.05 / 23.0
Wet preen / 1.8 (0.6) / 0-15.1 / -
Lie stretched out / 0.3 (0.1) / 0-3.3 / Occurs more in free range systems / F=4.9 p<0.01 / 34.6
Pant / 12.0 (2.5) / 0-61.2 / W5 T (r=0.53) / F=7.9 p<0.01 / 45.3
Shake tail / 1.7 (0.3) / 0-8.0 / System (> free-range)
More in winter
W3 T SD (r=0.603)
W2 RH SD (r=0.441) / F=3.6 p<0.05
F=16.8 p<0.001
F=9.9 p<0.01
F=10.1 p<0.01 / 65.7
Groom / 0.05 (0.05) / 0-2.2 / -
Social interaction / 0 / -
Peck object / 0.3 (0.2) / 0-8.1 / Posture 1 (V1 r=0.416) / F=6.2 p<0.05 / 27.2
Walk / 4.6 (0.9) / 0-21.7 / Stubbly quill (r=0.508) / F=7.8 p<0.01 / 31.5
Comfort behaviours / 17.0 (1.7) / 0-47.8 / Higher in winter / F=26.5 p<0.001 / 45.4
Table 10a. The proportion of maximum ducks using and joining water and feed resources, and the percent of ducks at the drinkers performing wet preening, at 23 days.
The effects of drinker and feeder type, and continuous predictors (covariates) are indicated
Mean (SE) / Range / Model / F ration & p value / R2 %% of max at water resource / Company
Drinker type
Light level (V1 r=0.69) / F=6.1 p<0.01
F=7.4 p<0.01
F=40.1 p<0.001 / 78.6
Trough / 49.3 (6.6) / 17.1-85.4
Plasson / 30.4 (1.9) / 16.9-39.2
Nipple / 13.6 (2.1) / 3.7-38.0
% of max join water resource / Drinker type
Posture 1 (V1 r=-0.421)
% at feeder (r=0.54) / F=3.5 p<0.05
F=6.0 p<0.05
F=4.3 p<0.05 / 52.4
Trough / 58.7 (8.4) / 18.2-119.6
Plasson / 82.9 (8.5) / 41.7-129.2
Nipple / 35.0 (7.0) / 0-100
Proportion of ducks at water resource wet preening / Drinker type
W4 Temperature (r=0.356) / -
F=5.0 p=0.05 / 20.4
Trough / 8.3 (1.5) / 1.8-21.3
Plasson / 14.9 (3.9) / 0-40.9
Nipple / 9.1 (2.1) / 0-31.4
% of max at feed resource / Feed type / F=8.7 p=0.001 / 33.7
Hopper / 35.0 (2.2) / 17.1-57.1
Pan / 15.5 (3.4) / 6.0-26.0
Tube / 27.2 (3.1) / 19.4-36.7
% of max join feed resource / Feed type
mm Dr/bird (r=-0.427)
{W2TSD r=0.592) / F=12.7 p<0.001
F=24.5 p<0.001 / 53.8
Hopper / 71.9 (8.8) / 6.3-171.9
Pan / 35.0 (7.5) / 15.0-70.0
Tube / 32.6 (3.5) / 20.8-45.8
Table 10b. The proportion of maximum ducks using and joining water and feed resources, and the percent of ducks at the drinkers performing wet preening, at 41 days.
The effects of drinker and feeder type, and continuous predictors (covariates) are indicated
Mean (SE) / Range / Model / F ration & p value / R2 %% of max at water resource / Drinker type
Ammonia level (V2 r=-0.665) / F=6.8 p<0.01
F=7.3 p<0.05 / 62.0
Trough / 63.0 (4.3) / 42.5-85.1
Plasson / 48.9 (7.2) / 16.1-78.1
Nipple / 26.4 (3.2) / 2.3-43.1
% of max join water resource / Drinker type
Ammonia (V2 r=-0.588)
W5 RH SD (r=0.463) / -
F=9.4 p<0.01
F=5.4 p<0.05 / 51.3
Trough / 42.2 (5.7) / 17.9-66.7
Plasson / 54.6 (6.5) / 12.5-75.0
Nipple / 29.3 (7.1) / 0-84.4
Proportion of ducks at water resource wet preening / Drinker type
Mm Dr space/bird (r=0.515)
W4 T SD (r=-0.428) / -
F=7.1 p<0.05
F=4.0 p<0.05 / 38.5
Trough / 21.7 (2.4) / 6.5-33.3
Plasson / 29.9 (0.04) / 9.8-48.4
Nipple / 24.5 (4.7) / 9.4-68.3
% of max at feed resource / Feed type
Litter temp’ (V2 r=-0.439) / -
F=5.8 p<0.05 / 25.7
Hopper / 25.4 (3.7) / 2.3-61.7
Pan / 10.5 (2.8) / 3.0-17.7
Tube / 25.7 (6.9) / 1.4-43.3
% of max join feed resource / Feed type
W2 RH (r=0.451) / -
F=4.7 p<0.05 / 21.9
Hopper / 36.4 (5.8) / 0-106.3
Pan / 15.0 (7.4) / 0-35.0
Tube / 31.9 (10.9) / 0-75.0
Table 11 Further analysis of the effects of system components and covariates
on health data (posture & gait) at 41 days.
Foot pad score / Model / F ratio & p values / R2 %FPD 0 / Trial
Drinker system: higher in houses with plasson drinkers then troughs then nipples
Higher with increasing levels of dirty eyes (visit 1 r=0.669) / -
F=18.8 p<0.001
F=3.8 p<0.05 / 73.2%
Ingrained / Trial
Drinker system: higher in houses with troughs than nipple drinkers
Higher with lower ammonia levels (visit 2, r = -0.507) / -
F=3.6 p<0.05
F= 5.3 p<0.05 / 40.0%
Pervasive dirt / Trial
Drinker type: higher in systems with nipple drinkers than plassons Increases with increasing W6 RH (r=0.409) / -
20.7 p<0.001
F=5.8 p<0.05 / 61.9%
FPD 1 / Trial
Drinker: higher in houses with nipple drinkers than plassons Increases with increasing W2RH (r=0.406) / -
F=73.4 p<0.001
F=25.4 p<0.001 / 80.4%
FPD 2 / Trial
Drinker: lower in houses with plasson drinkers
Higher in flocks with increasing levels of mild posture difficulties (score1 visit 2, r=0.517) / -
F=3.8 p<0.05
F=11.2 p<0.01 / 42.2%
Callous toes / Trial
Drinker type: highest in houses with nipple drinkers
Increases with increasing ammonia levels (visit 2) r=0.467 / -
F=8.3 p=0.001
F=3.1 p<0.05 / 53.2%
Pink Hocks / Trial
Brood type: higher in houses with whole and half house brood
Increases with increasing W1 T SD (r=0.523)
Higher with lower levels of clean feathers (score 0 visit 2 r= -0.487) / -
F=5.6 p=0.003
F=18.7 p<0.001
F=10.9 p<0.01 / 66.5%
Table 12(a)Behaviour records for the scan observation of ducks in Experiments 1 and 2 (Objective 02)
Behaviour / DefinitionRest under/on water resource / Stand or lie on bath or under shower, doing nothing in particular, with or without eyes closed
Rest adjacent to water resource / Stand or lie adjacent to the water resource (bath, trough or shower), doing nothing in particular, with or without eyes closed
Dry rest / Lie down away from water resource, eyes may be open or closed or the duck may be sleeping whilst standing up
Stand still / Stationary in standing posture, not engaged in any other behaviour
Feed / Eat food from feed hopper
Drink (nipple) / Nibbles at nipple drinker and swallows water; may include pauses less than 10 seconds
Drink resource*1 / Drinks from bath or trough by beak dipping-head raise-swallow, or from shower by head raise and nibble or nibble along floor under shower
Bathe / Any element of the bathing sequence, including wet preen, head roll, duck & dive, wing rub (flick wings up & forward); may include pauses less than 10 seconds
Dry preen / Any element of the preening sequence, including stroking, head rolls and shaking that do not involve water
Root straw / Digging & moving straw around with beak
Dabble water*1 / Rapid nibbling with head moving side to side in the bath or trough
Stop (alert) / Duck stops what it is doing due to some external distraction
Walk / Locomotion
Peck object / Duck pecks at walls & fittings of pen
Social interaction / Any interaction between ducks which may include grooming, pecking at each other, social dominance aggression
Wing flap / Rapid beating of the wings
Stretch / Any stretching movements of the head, wing, or leg
Shake tail / Tail wagging independent of the preening action
Swim / Duck swims on surface of bath water
Other / Any other behaviour not listed above
*1 Since it was difficult to dissociate drinking and drink dabble at the shower, drink and dabble behaviours were combined for bath, trough and shower resources.