Feeding behaviour patterns in relation to body weight and gait in broilers

Collecting data on broiler behaviour patterns in group-housed settings can be challenging, as broilers are difficult to recognize individually. However, broiler behaviour patterns can be valuable for assessing health, welfare and performance. Here, individual feeding patterns of group-housed broilers were studied. Data on feeder visits of 58 randomly selected and subsequently RFID-tagged broilers were used, that were housed in a group of approximately 800 birds in a 45 m² pen. Feed and water were provided ad libitum, with a total of 16 feeders available to the broilers. All feeders except one (due to farm equipment blocking the access) were fitted with an RFID antenna to detect presence of the broilers at the feeders. The number of feeder visits and feeding durations at the individual level during the period from 20 to 30 d old were examined. In addition, birds' individual body weights (g) were determined at 14, 21, 27 and 35 d of age, and at 21, 27 and 35 d of age gait scores were determined by experienced observers. The feeders used within the pen (i.e., whether feeding occurred in one area or was spread out across the pen) varied between individuals, and for some birds also changed with age. Furthermore, with higher body weights at 14 d of age, the number of different feeders visited in a day was lower (estimate = -0.011, P = 0.002) and the mean feeding bout duration was higher (estimate = 0.130, P = 0.007). In contrast, larger body weight gain between 14 and 35 d of age was related to more different feeders visited within a day (estimate = 0.028, P = 0.005) and shorter feeding bout durations (estimate = -0.390, P = 0.005). No relationships of feeding descriptors with gait classification were observed. Overall, feeding patterns vary between individual broilers and, given the observed relationships between feeding patterns and weight gain, feeding patterns have potential to be informative for broiler growth in research and commercial conditions.