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Related Experiment Videos

System for exposing chicks to experimental intermittent electric shock.

J M McFarlane1, S E Curtis

  • 1Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.

Poultry Science
|December 1, 1988
PubMed
Summary

Researchers developed an electric shock system for chicks to assess health impacts. Mild electric shocks reduced chick weight gain by 12%, feed intake by 5%, and overall performance.

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Area of Science:

  • Animal Science
  • Behavioral Science
  • Agricultural Engineering

Background:

  • Understanding the physiological and behavioral responses of young poultry to environmental stressors is crucial for optimizing animal welfare and production.
  • Mild electric shock has been explored as a potential tool to study stress responses in poultry, but controlled methods for application and effect quantification are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate a system for delivering controlled, mild electric shocks to broiler chicks.
  • To investigate the effects of this electric shock regimen on chick health, behavior, and performance metrics, including weight gain, feed intake, and gain:feed ratio.

Main Methods:

  • A novel system was designed using parallel steel rods as flooring, where chicks completed an electrical circuit via their feet.

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  • A random-interval/random-duration shock generator was created, with short-circuiting from droppings influencing shock parameters (average 2.7 min on, 4.5 min off over 48h).
  • Chicks were exposed to an escalating electric current (2.9 mA to 8.7 mA daily) between 10 and 17 days of age.

    • Main Results:

    • Chicks demonstrated habituation to the electric shock over time, necessitating an increase in current intensity.
    • Exposure to the escalating electric shock regimen significantly reduced weight gain by 12%.
    • Feed intake decreased by 5%, and the gain:feed ratio, an indicator of feed efficiency, was reduced by 8%.

    Conclusions:

    • The developed electric shock system provides a method for studying stressor effects on young poultry.
    • Mild, escalating electric shocks negatively impact key growth and performance parameters in broiler chicks.
    • Findings highlight the sensitivity of young poultry to electrical stressors and inform management practices aimed at minimizing adverse effects.