Warm perches: a novel approach for reducing cold stress effect on production, plasma hormones, and immunity in laying hens

Cold temperature is a common environmental stressor that induces pathophysiological stress in birds with profound economic losses. Current methods used for preventing cold stress, such as reducing ventilation and using gas heaters, are facing challenges due to poor indoor air quality deleterious effects on bird caretaker health. The aim of this study was examine if the novel designed warmed perch system, thermal device, can reduce stress-associated adverse laying hens. Seventy-two 32-week-old DeKalb hens were randomly assigned 36 cages arranged 3 banks. banks 1 treatments: perches (WP; circulating water at 30°C), (AP, regular only), or no (NP) 21-d trial. room set 10°C during entire experimental period. Rectal body weight measured from same each cage d 1, 8, 15, 21 exposure. Egg production recorded daily. Feed intake, egg eggshell determined 1st 3rd wk stress. Plasma levels corticosterone, thyroid hormones (3, 3’, 5-triiodothyronine thyroxine), interleukin (IL)-6 IL-10, after Compared both AP NP hens, WP able maintain their without increasing feed intake losing BW. eggs had thicker Warmed also lower thyroxine conversion rate 5-triiodothyronine/thyroxine) while higher plasma concentrations IL-6 21. 3, 5-triiodothyronine, IL-10 not different among treatments. Our results indicate system be device stress-induced negative hen health welfare through regulating immunity metabolic hormonal homeostasis.