Monitoring Night-Time Activity Patterns of Laying Hens in Response to Poultry Red Mite Infestations Using...

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Entomology
• Animal Welfare

Background:

• Poultry red mites (PRM) are significant ectoparasites affecting poultry health and productivity.
• Effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies require accurate monitoring of pest levels and their impact on birds.
• Understanding the behavioral impact of PRM on laying hens is crucial for welfare assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of poultry red mite (PRM) infestation on the night-time activity patterns of laying hens.
• To develop and validate an automated video-based algorithm for monitoring hen activity.
• To correlate mite infestation levels with observed behavioral changes.

Main Methods:

• Three groups of eight hens were housed in enriched cages and monitored using night-vision cameras over two months.
• Artificial PRM introduction was performed, with simultaneous monitoring of mite levels and hen activity.
• An activity-monitoring algorithm was developed to quantify group and individual night-time behaviors.

Main Results:

• PRM infestation led to significantly elevated hen activity during the night, particularly between 23:00 and 01:00.
• Hens exhibited increased engagement in active behaviors and displayed more PRM-related actions like head shaking and scratching.
• Activity patterns shifted from a pre-roosting peak to sustained elevated activity post-infestation.

Conclusions:

• Poultry red mites disrupt hen sleep patterns, primarily affecting the period from two hours after lights-off to two hours before lights-on.
• PRM infestation acts as a chronic stressor, negatively impacting poultry welfare and potentially productivity.
• Automated video-based monitoring offers a promising tool for enhancing dynamic IPM strategies in commercial poultry farming.