The number of farms which are producing Red-Legged Partridge has increased due to the poor performance from natural populations. Animal welfare has been assessed in red-legged partridge breeding pairs housed in two different systems: semi-extensive system integrated in the environment, and intensive system in farm conditions.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The following pairings were made:

a) 24 fress pairings, where the females could choose a male, starting width 96 males and 24 females, following the methodology described by Prieto (2003).

b) 24 forced pairings, starting with 24 males and 24 females which were paired randomly.

Later on, 12 free pairings and 12 forced pairings werw house in each production system:

a) Semi-extensive system integrated in the envionment and using 4 m2 cages, isolated at sight each other and settled in the ground (photo 1).

b) Intensive system in farm conditions, using 0.5 m2 cages isolated at sight each other with a rack, 1m over the ground (photo 2).

Activity was recorded during five days, eight hours per day from 8:00 to 12:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00. Later, welfare was assessed taking in mind the injuries which the fameles had suffered from their partenaires.

RESULST AND DISCUSION

Difference in both production systems were significant, In 4 m2 cages no injuries were noticed and only several pecks were detected in one of the forced pairing without further conseguences. However in intensive system agonistic behaviours with different degrees of importance were observed (photo 3), sometimes with serious consequences as the killing of the female (photo 4). Consequently the size of the cage in important in the interactions of the pair.

It is important to underline that in foreed pairings, females underwent more attacks and mortality was higher (Graphs 1 & 2), so we conclude that if we give the birds the possibility to choose their pairs, agonistic interactions will be reduced as well as divorces. This fact affects 5-7 % of pairings in intensibe farms.