Analysis of bone mineralization, osteometric and mechanical properties in turkey hens at slaughter demonstrates a influence of housing system but not stocking density

Analysis of bone mineralization, osteometric and mechanical properties in turkey hens at slaughter demonstrates a in uence of housing system but not stocking density. Stocking density and housing system during rearing may negatively in uence skeletal development in poultry. However, in turkeys, the studies about the in uence of those welfare factors on bone development are extremely limited. It this study, female Big-6 turkeys birds were raised from 7th to 16th week of age indoors (traditional system) or in mixed system where birds were allowed during the day to use veranda at two sticking densities: 3 birds per m2 (33 kg of predicted nal body weight per m2 of oor space) or 4 birds per m2 (44 kg of predicted nal body weight per m2 of oor space). The high stocking density signi cantly decreased only Young modulus of elasticity in tibia, while the positive effect of semi-open housing system was observed in tibia weight, bone mineralization and mechanical endurance, especially in indices describing bone fracture resistance (ultimate load, ultimate train and ultimate stress). Concluding, results of this experiment suggest that in turkeys bone quality is in uenced more by housing conditions than by stocking density and open and semiopen rearing systems may have bene cial impact on bone development.