Early locomotor activity in broilers and the relationship with body weight gain

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Science
• Animal Welfare

Background:

• Fast-growing broilers exhibit reduced activity, linked to leg weakness.
• Early broiler activity may improve leg health, but its impact on growth is uncertain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between early broiler activity patterns and body weight gain.
• To inform broiler selection strategies for improved health and welfare.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a radio frequency identification (RFID) system to track individual broiler activity over 5 production rounds.
• Analyzed dynamic activity descriptors (mean, RMSE, etc.) from 0-15 days and correlated them with average daily gain (ADG).
• Included production round and initial weight as covariates in the analysis of 318 birds.

Main Results:

• A negative relationship was found between ADG and the root mean square error (RMSE) of activity, indicating lower growth in birds with more variable activity.
• Activity descriptors, production round, and start weight explained only 8% of the variation in ADG.
• Increased early activity did not necessarily negatively impact body weight gain.

Conclusions:

• Variability in early broiler activity, not just mean levels, is associated with growth performance.
• Further research should incorporate feed intake and growth curve modeling for a comprehensive understanding.
• Selecting for increased early activity in broilers shows potential for enhancing leg health without compromising growth.