Ranging Behaviour of Commercial Free-Range Broiler Chickens 2: Individual Variation

Taylor, PJ; Hemsworth, P.H.; Groves, Peter J.; Gebhardt-Henrich, Sabine G.; Rault, Jean‐Loup

doi:10.3390/ani7070055

Cited by 24 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…(2018c) reported that, despite all hens being in the same aviary, the number of transitions between aviary tiers and the winter garden was highly specific to individual animals, with total daily transitions ranging from 20 to 159. Similar patterns of differential movement patterns were observed in terms of movement between inside and outside barn areas (Y. Gómez, unpublished work; Gebhardt-Henrich et al., 2014 ; Larsen et al., 2017 ; Taylor et al., 2017 ). In this scenario, although all birds are contained within the same housing system, the differential activity levels would be expected to result in substantially different bone loading and consequent bone strength.…”

Section: Additional Explanations For Kbf Susceptibilitymentioning

confidence: 90%

Explanations for keel bone fractures in laying hens: are there explanations in addition to elevated egg production?

et al. 2020

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The current article served to provide the most up-to-date information regarding the causes of keel bone fracture. Although elevated and sustained egg production is likely a major contributing factor toward fractures, new information resulting from the development of novel methodologies suggests complementary causes that should be investigated. We identified 4 broad areas that could explain variation and increased fractures independent of or complementing elevated and sustained egg production: the age at first egg, late ossification of the keel, predisposing bone diseases, and inactivity leading to poor bone health. We also specified several topics that future research should target, which include continued efforts to link egg production and bone health, examination of noncommercial aves and traditional breeds, manipulating of age at first egg, a detailed histological and structural analysis of the keel, assessment of prefracture bone condition, and the relationship between individual activity patterns and bone health.

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Section: Additional Explanations For Kbf Susceptibilitymentioning

confidence: 90%

Explanations for keel bone fractures in laying hens: are there explanations in addition to elevated egg production?

et al. 2020

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“…There is a growing body of literature that recognises the importance of allowing chickens to express their natural behaviour by providing outdoor access [18][19][20][21][22][23][24]. However, reports of the effects on the behaviour and welfare of commercial-line broiler chickens raised in housing conditions with outdoor access in the tropics are scarce.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Outdoor Access and Indoor Stocking Density on Behaviour and Stress in Broilers in the Subhumid Tropics

Sánchez-Casanova

Sarmiento‐Franco

Segura-Correa

et al. 2019

Animals

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Studies investigating the welfare of commercial-line broiler chickens raised in houses with outdoor access in the tropics are scarce, and none have investigated whether responses vary according to indoor conditions. Hence, we assessed the effects of providing outdoor access at two indoor stocking densities on broiler chickens’ growth, behaviour, stress responses and immunity in a tropical region of Mexico. One hundred and sixty chickens were assigned to one of four treatments in a factorial design: with or without outdoor access and low or high stocking density indoors. Ad libitum sampling was used to build a purpose-designed ethogram. Scan sampling was used to record the number of birds engaged in each activity of this ethogram, both indoors and outdoors. Heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and serum corticosterone levels were tested in weeks four and six of age. When the birds were 42 days old, they were slaughtered, and the bursa and spleen harvested and weighed. In an interaction between stocking density and outdoor access, birds at the high stocking density with no outdoor pens spent the least time walking and preening and more time lying (p < 0.05). Birds given outdoor access foraged more, but only at indoor low stocking densities (p < 0.05). Outdoor access reduced heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, indicating reduced stressor response. Birds with low stocking density indoors and outdoor access appeared more responsive to stressors, with elevated corticosterone and reduced spleen and bursa weights (p < 0.05). There were welfare benefits of outdoor access, principally in terms of increased activity, which were reflected in slower growth in the birds with outdoor access.

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“…Technologies that used radio frequency data transmission were classified as RFID and were present in four papers (7.0%). These ITs were used to evaluate broilers' behaviour in free-range systems: monitoring their location [71], evaluating their ranging behaviour [72,73], and assessing if a RFID tag placed on their back could interfere with their behaviour [45].…”

Section: Radio Frequency Identificationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Taylor et al [73] 2017 Australia, Switzerland RFID used to track individual ranging behaviour in free-range systems.…”

Section: Broiler Farmmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Are Information Technologies Addressing Broiler Welfare? A Systematic Review Based on the Welfare Quality® Assessment

et al. 2020

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This systematic review aims to explore how information technologies (ITs) are currently used to monitor the welfare of broiler chickens. The question posed for the review was “which ITs are related to welfare and how do they monitor this for broilers?”. The Welfare Quality® (WQ) protocol for broiler assessment was utilized as a framework to analyse suitable articles. A total of 57 studies were reviewed wherein all principles of broiler welfare were addressed. The “good health” principle was the main criteria found to be addressed by ITs and IT-based studies (45.6% and 46.1%, respectively), whereas the least observed principle was “good feeding” (8.8%). This review also classified ITs and IT-based studies by their utilization (location, production system, variable measured, aspect of production, and experimental/practical use). The results show that the current focus of ITs is on problems with conventional production systems and that less attention has been given to free-range systems, slaughterhouses, and supply chain issues. Given the valuable results evidenced by the exploitation of ITs, their use in broiler production should continue to be encouraged with more attention given to farmer adoption strategies.

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Ranging Behaviour of Commercial Free-Range Broiler Chickens 2: Individual Variation

Cited by 24 publications

References 16 publications

Explanations for keel bone fractures in laying hens: are there explanations in addition to elevated egg production?

Explanations for keel bone fractures in laying hens: are there explanations in addition to elevated egg production?

Effects of Outdoor Access and Indoor Stocking Density on Behaviour and Stress in Broilers in the Subhumid Tropics

How Are Information Technologies Addressing Broiler Welfare? A Systematic Review Based on the Welfare Quality® Assessment

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