Since the ban in January 2012 of conventional cages for egg production in the European Union (Council Directive 1999/74/EC), alternative systems such as floor, aviary, free-range, and organic systems have become increasingly common, reaching 50% of housing for hens in 2019. Despite the many advantages associated with non-cage systems, the shift to a housing system where laying hens are kept in larger groups and more complex environments has given rise to new challenges related to management, health, and welfare. This review examines the close relationships between damaging behaviours and health in modern husbandry systems for laying hens. These new housing conditions increase social interactions between animals. In cases of suboptimal rearing and/or housing and management conditions, damaging behaviour or infectious diseases are likely to spread to the whole flock. Additionally, health issues, and therefore stimulation of the immune system, may lead to the development of damaging behaviours, which in turn may result in impaired body conditions, leading to health and welfare issues. This raises the need to monitor both behaviour and health of laying hens in order to intervene as quickly as possible to preserve both the welfare and health of the animals.

The objective assessment of welfare in poultry under different rearing systems has gained an increasing importance. In particular, organic rearing systems are examined in relation to improving poultry welfare and the quality of poultry production at a worldwide scale. The aim of the present study was to assess the welfare of parent flocks - White Plymouth Rock, Barred Plymouth Rock (Line F) and New Hampshire, reared under two production systems - indoor on a litter and organic (sleep houses and walk yards). The rearing and microclimatic conditions, the poultry behaviour and blood plasma corticosterone concentrations under both farming systems were examined. The welfare assessment score of White Plymouth Rock, New Hampshire and Barred Plymouth Rock, reared indoor on a litter was 60%, whereas in an organic production system - 90%. The higher welfare of birds reared organically was determined by the greater number of birds spending their time in dust bathing (P<0.01) and feather cleaning (P<0.05) as well as by fewer episodes of aggression (P<0.01) and plasma corticosterone levels (P<0.01), as compared to chickens reared indoor on a litter.

Infectious diseases cause devastating economic losses in the sheep industry. The current study aimed to evaluate blood serum concentrations of lysozyme, gamma interferon, immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, cortisol, serotonin, the activity of the alternative pathway of complement activation (APCA), and β-lysine activity in lambs, whose rations were supplemented with 2 g/kg Silymarin for 60 days – from the 15th day to the 75th day after birth in manure-pasture cultivation during a thermoneutral, hot summer and cold winter period. The lambs were divided into two groups – control and experimental. To the experimental animals, after 15 days of age, Silymarin was added to the standard concentrated feed, at a dose of 2 g/kg feed. It was found that Silymarin reliably increases the values of the investigated indicators in all three annual seasons. It could be concluded that the studied Silymarin possesses an important immunomodulating potential in lambs, which could improve their health.

Silymarin—a standardized extract from the seeds of milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.)—is mainly used for the treatment of hepatitis and other liver diseases. In recent years, the attention of researchers has been directed to its use in dermatology and wound treatment. Despite the promising results, there are still many unresolved issues in this area. The aim of the present study is to develop and characterize hydrogel chitosan–pectin films containing silymarin as an active ingredient with potential medical application. Six variants of hydrogel films (control and silymarin-loaded) were obtained from chitosan and pectin solutions by the casting method and analyzed in terms of their physicochemical, structural, mechanical and optical properties, as well as the in vitro dissolution profile of silymarin. The highest tensile strength was measured for the chitosan-based films—23.35 ± 1.74 MPa (control) and 22.01 ± 2.67 MPa (silymarin-loaded), while the barrier properties to UV and visible light were the strongest for chitosan–pectin films with silymarin. The antioxidant potential of the films was determined by DPPH assay and it was found that the variants with silymarin have over 20 times higher antioxidant activity (from 2.020 ± 0.048 to 2.106 ± 0.190 mg TE/g) than the corresponding controls. The results showed that chitosan–pectin films with incorporated silymarin could find application as potential hydrogel dressings in the therapy of wounds and superficial burns.

Summary: The experiments for evaluation of the effect of Immunobeta were performed with turkeys and organically reared layer hens. Turkeys received Immunobeta at a dose of 4 g/kg feed during the beginning of lay (cold period), thermoneutral period and hot summer period. In hens, two dietary levels of Immunobeta were tested: 2 g/kg and 4 g/kg. Blood serum and egg lysozyme levels, alternative pathway of complement activation (APCA) and beta-lysins concentrations were determined. It was found out that Immunobeta had a beneficial effect on serum lysozyme, APCA activity and beta-lysins in turkeys and hens. The lysozyme concentration in egg white was statistically significantly higher in eggs produced by birds treated with both doses of the immunomodulator.