Use of coffee husks – comparison of pellet bedding quality, performance features, and some welfare indicators of broiler chickens

Table 7 Incidence and footpad dermatitis score, hock burns, and the feather quality

Item¹ (% in groups)	Group²				SEM³	P-value
Item¹ (% in groups)	C	CH10	CH25	CH50	SEM³	P-value
FPD score 0	58.00^b	87.78^ab	98.00^a	95.78^a	5.44	0.024
FPD score 1	42.00^a	12.22^ab	2.00^b	4.22^b	5.54	0.024
FPD score, points	21.00^a	6.11^ab	1.00^b	2.11^b	2.77	0.024
Hock burns score 1	66.00	77.33	81.70	73.06	3.36	0.424
Hock burns score 2	34.00	22.67	18.30	26.94	3.36	0.424
Feather score 1	0.00	0.00	2.22	4.22	0.88	0.275
Feather score 2	46.00	47.37	55.40	64.06	4.17	0.418
Feather score 3	54.00	50.41	42.38	31.72	4.35	0.288

^a,^b…, different letters in the row show statistically significant differences between the groups, P-value < 0.05
¹FPD score: 0, indicated no or very small superficial changes, slight discoloration of the skin of the sole, and mild hyperkeratosis; 1, indicated mild skin changes and discoloration, as well as superficial changes, dark warts, and hyperkeratosis; 2; indicated severe lesions, ulcerations, and crusts, as well as signs of hemorrhages and swollen soles of the paws; Hock burns score: 1, no burns; 2, moderate burns; 3, severe burns; Feather score: 1, no visible skin, full feather coverage; 2, relatively small area of skin exposed; 3, rather large skin exposure area
²C control group kept on the wheat straw bedding, CH10 group held on the bedding with 10% of coffee husks and 90% of wheat straw, CH25 group held on the bedding with 25% of coffee husks and 75% of wheat straw, CH50 group held on the bedding with 50% of coffee husks and 50% of wheat straw
³SEM standard error of the mean

ISSN: 1746-6148