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Behavior of broilers and impacts occurring to them during mechanical loading under field conditions
Anne Werner1, Alexandra Blaeske1, Elke Rauch1
1Chair of Animal Welfare, Animal Behavior, Animal Hygiene and Animal Husbandry, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
Poultry Science
|May 4, 2023
Summary
Mechanical loading of broilers impacts animal welfare. Factors like machine speed and container type influence broiler behavior and injuries, with higher speeds and specific containers increasing risks. Understanding these factors is key to improving broiler handling.
Area of Science:
- Animal Welfare Science
- Agricultural Engineering
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Mechanical loading is increasingly used for broiler transport.
- Understanding factors influencing broiler behavior and injury during loading is crucial for animal welfare.
- Previous research has not comprehensively analyzed the interplay of loading parameters and their impact on broilers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the influence of various factors on broiler behavior and impacts during mechanical loading.
- To identify risk factors associated with broiler loading to improve animal welfare.
- To correlate observed behaviors and impacts with loading-related injuries.
Main Methods:
- Video recording and evaluation of 32 broiler loading events.
- Assessment of behaviors: escape, wing flapping, flip, bumping into animals, and bumping against equipment.
- Analysis of influences: rotation speed, container type (GP vs. SmartStack), husbandry system (Indoor Plus vs. Outdoor Climate), and season.
- Correlation of behavioral parameters with loading-related injuries.
Main Results:
- Increased rotation and conveyor belt speed elevated risks of most behaviors/impacts, except escape behavior.
- Fall season showed the highest risk for wing flapping, bumping into animals, and against the machine.
- SmartStack containers increased risks of escape, wing flapping, and bumping into animals, but reduced bumping against the machine.
- Outdoor Climate husbandry system reduced bumping into animals and against the machine.
- Increased escape behavior decreased severe injuries, while wing flapping and bumping increased hematomas/abrasions.
Conclusions:
- Broiler behavior and impacts during loading are significantly influenced by mechanical factors, container types, husbandry systems, and season.
- These factors directly affect the incidence and severity of loading-related injuries.
- Optimizing loading parameters based on these findings can mitigate risks and enhance broiler welfare.
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