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Energy allocation and behaviour in the growing broiler chicken
Peter G Tickle1, John R Hutchinson2, Jonathan R Codd3
1School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
Scientific Reports
|March 16, 2018
Summary
Fast-growing broiler chickens exhibit reduced activity and exercise capacity as they develop. Locomotion becomes energetically costly, impacting overall bird health and welfare.
Area of Science:
- Animal Science
- Physiology
- Avian Biology
Background:
- Intensive selection for rapid growth in broiler chickens raises concerns about their health and welfare.
- Understanding the energetic and behavioral trade-offs associated with fast growth is crucial for the poultry industry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the energetic costs of growth and behavior in commercial broiler chickens.
- To assess changes in metabolic rate, posture, and activity levels throughout the broiler's development.
Main Methods:
- Evaluation of energetics and behavior over a 6-week hatch-to-slaughter period.
- Measurement of resting metabolic rate in different postures (sitting vs. standing).
- Analysis of locomotor behavior, including activity levels and walking speeds.
Main Results:
- Standing became more energetically expensive than sitting as broilers grew.
- Locomotor behavior's proportion of metabolic rate decreased with development.
- Activity levels, mean, and peak walking speeds declined over the 6-week period.
- Broilers demonstrated a reducing metabolic scope for exercise throughout development.
Conclusions:
- Broiler chickens allocate energy within a constrained budget, prioritizing growth over extensive activity.
- Locomotion is relatively energetically expensive in broilers compared to similarly sized galliforms.
- These findings highlight potential welfare implications of intensive selection for rapid growth.
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