Broilers’ growth indicators contribute to the differences in behavior, throwing light on an impact on prosperity

Because poultry firms weigh costs and performance with higher animal welfare standards, studies comparing conventional and slow broilers showed that slow -growing chickens showed behaviors more related to positive welfare.

Brochlery-chickkens bred especially for the production of meat-so-so are raised to six to eight weeks, while slow-growing broilers need up to 12 weeks to reach maturity.

Although it’s gaining popularity in some European markets, slow -growing broilers haven’t noted the same market expansion in the United States, because they take market weight longer than conventional broilers.

“The economic impact on the Broilers industry raises the question:” Why would you wish to use broilers, which can eat more food, grow slower and value more? ” – said Rosie Whittle, a poultry policeman from the Food Animal Savior Center, and Dale Bumpers College of Agriculture, Food and Life Caders.

Whittle, together with Shawna Weimer, an assistant professor of poultry sciences and the director of the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing, decided to examine this query of industry leaders who weigh the alternative of conventional and slow broilers.

Weimer conducts research for Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, parts of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The center of well -being of food animals is a unit of agriculture.

Their work studied the impact of the genetic strain, the density of stockings and, most significantly, comparison of physiological and chronological age between two genetic strains to the behavior of broilers. The genetic strain or a particular chicken breed determines whether the broilers are conventional or slow. The density of stockings represents the variety of birds in a particular area.

Scientists have reviewed the video recordings of birds at specific intervals to track behavior akin to walking, position and insistence, that are signs of positive animal welfare. Covering occurs when the bird uses its beak for cleansing feathers.

Their study “Impact of genetic strain, stocking density and age on the behavior of broilers“He was published in Poultry learning.

The results of the study have shown that a bigger percentage of slow -growing standing, walking and insisting broilers was observed, while more conventional broilers sat in the lateral attitude. The effects of stockings were minimal, so the variety of birds in the area didn’t have a big impact on broilers.

Describing the behavior of birds in detail

Weimer identified that “animal welfare is quite dynamic” and emphasized that further tests of broiler behavior needs to be carried out. Whittle also emphasized that their research focused on understanding the impact of the growth rate on the behavior of broilers, not necessarily what’s best for firms or consumers.

Whittle also noted that the study focused on two kinds of broilers, but “all genetic companies have a different recipe for chickens.” Therefore, when tracking behavior, it’s important to pay attention to the possibilities that “one genetic strain of broilers behaves completely differently than the other,” she said.

Whittle said that further research is required, because “it is always important to develop, so we not only generalize based on two specific genotypes.”

Work co -authors are Darrin Karcher and Marisa Erasmus, each professors of animal sciences at the University of Purdue. Employees of animal care at the University of Purduue, Olivia Walton, Heidi Rinehart and Nathan Griffith also contributed to work.