Accuracy of Broiler Activity Index as Affected by Sampling Time Interval

Automatic analysis of high, medium, and low activities of broilers with heat stress operations via image processing and machine learning

Heat stress is a major welfare problem in the poultry industry, altering broilers' activity levels. Advancements in image processing and machine learning provide opportunities to automatically quantify and analyze broiler activity. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of moderate heat exposure on broiler behavioral activity via image processing and machine learning. 132 Cobb 500 broilers were raised in 2 nutritional treatment groups, each with 3 replicates. The control groups were fed a basal diet, while the variation groups were fed a diet with 0.05 % 25-hydroxyvitamin D3. All birds were raised under standard environmental conditions for 27 days before exposure to cyclic heat of 29.56 ± 1.34 °C and humidity of 76.97 % ± 5.98 % from 8:00-18:00 and thermoneutral conditions of 26.67 ± 1.76 °C and 80.23 % ± 3.05 % from 18:00-8:00. Birds were continuously video recorded, and the bird activity index (BAI) was analyzed by subtracting consecutive frames and summing up pixel differences. The treatment effect was analyzed using two-way ANOVA with a P-value < 0.05. K-means clustering was used to determine BAI as high, medium, and low levels. The result showed a significantly higher (P < 0.01) activity index in the variation group in contrast to the control. Absolute values of high and medium BAI were significantly lower with cyclical heating operations than those without heating operations. The BAI was also higher at the onset and end of the heating operations and moderately correlated to flock age (|r| = 0.35-0.45). The high, medium, and low BAI performed differently with different nutritional treatments, temperature ranges, and relative humidity ranges. It is concluded that the BAI is a useful tool for predicting broiler heat stress, but the prediction effectiveness could be influenced by bird age, diets, temperature, humidity, and behavior metrics.

Evaluating broiler welfare and behavior as affected by growth rate and stocking density

This study evaluated the welfare and behaviors of Cobb 700 broilers as affected by growth rate (GR) and stocking density (SD). Slower-growth (weight gain < 50 g/d) and medium-growth (weight gain = 50-60 g/d) broilers were produced by providing 57.1% and 78.6% of the feed intake listed in the Cobb 700 production manual for standard (fed ad libitum) broilers (weight gain > 60 g/d). Broilers at all 3 GRs were reared at 2 SDs of 30 and 40 kg/m2. Broiler welfare indicators, including gait score, tibia strength, feather coverage, and footpad condition were evaluated when birds reached 1, 2, and 3 kg of body weight. The activity index was determined by overhead cameras and image processing, and the time spent at feeders was recorded using the radio-frequency identification (RFID) systems. The results show that it took 45 d for standard, 52 d for medium-growth, and 62 d for slower-growth broilers to reach a 3 kg market body weight. Feed conversion ratios (FCR, kg/kg) were 1.57 for standard, 1.67 for medium-growth, and 1.80 for slower-growth broilers. Growth rate and SD had an interaction effect on feather cleanliness (P = 0.03), and belly feather coverage (P = 0.02). Slower-growth broilers were more active and had better feather coverage and gait scores than medium-growth and standard broilers (all P < 0.01) but may feel hungry and depressed, medium-growth broilers spent the most time at the feeder among the 3 growth groups (P = 0.02), and standard broilers showed the best production performance. Broilers at 30 kg/m2 showed better bone strength (P = 0.04), and footpad condition (P < 0.01) compared to those at 40 kg/m2. In conclusion, reducing GR and SD may slightly improve broiler leg health at the high expense of compromised production performance and prolonged production cycles.

Long-Lasting Effects of Incubation Temperature During Fetal Development on Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Broilers

Increasing evidence indicates that fetal programming may cause permanent effects on offspring adipose tissue and body composition. Previous study showed reduction in newly-hatched broiler chick adiposity by manipulating incubation temperature during fetal development. The present study examined whether incubation temperature during fetal development has long-term effects on post-hatching fat deposition in broilers. Broiler breeder eggs (Cobb-500^®) were incubated under constant low (36°C, LT), control (37.5°C, CT) or high (39°C, HT) temperature from day 13 onward, giving to eggshell temperature of 37.3 ± 0.08°C, 37.8 ± 0.2°C, and 38.8 ± 0.3°C, respectively. Male chicks were reared under recommended temperatures until 42 days old. LT 21 days old broilers exhibited higher blood cholesterol than CT broilers, and higher triglycerids, VLDL, and LDL, and lower HDL than CT and HT broilers. LT broilers presented higher liver cholesterol than CT broilers and lower ether extract percentage than CT broilers. Adipocyte count was lower in the abdomen than in the thigh. Until day 21 of age, feed intake was higher in LT than in HT broilers. At day 42 of age, blood cholesterol and LDL were higher in HT broilers than in CT and LT broilers. Liver cholesterol was higher in LT than in HT broilers. LT treatment reduced neck and increased thigh adipocyte size compared to CT treatment, while the HT treatment reduced abdomen and neck adipocyte size compared to other two treatments and in the thigh compared to LT treatment. In CT broilers, thigh adipocytes were smaller than abdomen and neck adipocytes. HT treatment increased adipocyte number per area in the neck compared to LT and CT treatment, and LT and HT treatments reduced adipocyte count in the thigh compared to CT treatment. CT broilers presented higher adipocyte count in the thigh than the abdomen and neck, while HT broilers presented higher adipocyte count in the neck than the abdomen and thigh. Cell proliferation was lower in the abdomen than in the thigh. The results show incubation temperature manipulation during fetal development has long-term and distinct effects on regional adiposity, and can be used to modulate broiler fat deposition.

Automated Tracking Systems for the Assessment of Farmed Poultry

Simple Summary

With the advent of artificial intelligence, the poultry sector is gearing up to adopt and embrace sensor technologies to enhance the production and the welfare of birds. Automated tracking and tracing of poultry birds has several advantages in poultry farms: overcoming the subjectivity of human measurements, enhancing the ability to provide quality care for the birds during their life on the farm, providing the ability to predict events and thereby enabling timely interventions, and many more. However, the technologies behind automated tracking systems are not ripe due to the lags in algorithms and practical implementation issues. This mini review provides a brief critical assessment of the current and recent advancements of automated tracking systems in the poultry industry and offers an outlook on future directions.

Abstract

The world’s growing population is highly dependent on animal agriculture. Animal products provide nutrient-packed meals that help to sustain individuals of all ages in communities across the globe. As the human demand for animal proteins grows, the agricultural industry must continue to advance its efficiency and quality of production. One of the most commonly farmed livestock is poultry and their significance is felt on a global scale. Current poultry farming practices result in the premature death and rejection of billions of chickens on an annual basis before they are processed for meat. This loss of life is concerning regarding animal welfare, agricultural efficiency, and economic impacts. The best way to prevent these losses is through the individualistic and/or group level assessment of animals on a continuous basis. On large-scale farms, such attention to detail was generally considered to be inaccurate and inefficient, but with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted technology individualised, and per-herd assessments of livestock became possible and accurate. Various studies have shown that cameras linked with specialised systems of AI can properly analyse flocks for health concerns, thus improving the survival rate and product quality of farmed poultry. Building on recent advancements, this review explores the aspects of AI in the detection, counting, and tracking of poultry in commercial and research-based applications.

Movement Analysis to Associate Broiler Walking Ability with Gait Scoring

The genetic development of the commercial broiler has led to body misconfiguration and consequent walking disabilities, mainly at the slaughter age. The present study aimed to identify broiler locomotion ability using image analysis automatically. A total of 40 broilers that were 40 d old (male and female) were placed to walk on a specially built runway, and their locomotion was recorded. An image segmentation algorithm was developed, and the coordinates of the bird’s center of mass were extracted from the segmented images for each frame analyzed, and the unrest index (UI) was applied. We calculated the center of mass’s movement of the broiler walking lateral images capturing the bird’s displacement speed in the onward direction. Results indicated that broiler walking speed on the runway tends to decrease with the increase of the gait score. The locomotion did not differ between males or females. The proposed algorithm was efficient in predicting the broiler gait score based on their displacement speed.