Effect of different litter materials on some behavioral patterns, growth performance, welfare indices, and carcass traits of Muscovy ducks

Table 3 Effect of different litter materials on some of behavioral patterns of Muscovy ducks in growing period

Behavioral patterns frequency	Litter materials
Behavioral patterns frequency	Wood shavings	Sand	Chopped rice straw	Wheat straw	P - value
Feeding	0.42^ab ± 0.06	0.57^a ± 0.06	0.34^b ± 0.06	0.38^b ± 0.06	0.03
Drinking	0.64 ± 0.07	0.63 ± 0.07	0.61 ± 0.07	0.48 ± 0.07	0.39
Sitting	2.02 ^a ±0.07	1.80^b ± 0.07	1.81^b ± 0.07	1.99^ab ± 0.07	0.03
Standing	0.71^b ± 0.08	1.32^a ± 0.08	0.81^b ± 0.08	0.79^b ± 0.08	< 0.001
Locomotion	0.61^b ± 0.07	1.13^a ± 0.07	0.61^b ± 0.07	0.54^b ± 0.07	< 0.001
Preening	1.06 ± 0.09	0.94 ± 0.09	1.07 ± 0.09	1.12 ± 0.09	0.57
Wing & Leg stretch	0.54^a ± 0.05	0.42^ab ± 0.05	0.32^b ± 0.05	0.31^b ± 0.05	0.004
Head shaking	0.41 ± 0.05	0.40 ± 0.05	0.41 ± 0.05	0.38 ± 0.05	0.97
Tail wagging	0.60 ± 0.06	0.60 ± 0.06	0.63 ± 0.06	0.59 ± 0.06	0.96
Feather pecking	0.22^b ± 0.06	0.50^a ± 0.06	0.05^c ± 0.06	0.09^bc ± 0.06	< 0.001
Litter scratching	0.38 ± 0.05	0.24 ± 0.05	0.43 ± 0.05	0.30 ± 0.05	0.07
Object pecking	0.31^a ± 0.04	0.21^ab ± 0.04	0.11^b ± 0.04	0.24^a ± 0.04	0.005

Least square means (± SE) with different superscripts letters in the same row are significantly different at p ≤ 0.05

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