1,720,959 research outputs found
The impact of commercial feeder types on feeding and feed-spillage related behaviors of broiler chickens.
No full textThe behavior of birds at the feeder can cause feed spillage, which can have economic consequences. This research aimed to evaluate the impact of different commercial feeder types on feeding and feed-spillage related behaviors of broilers by assessing the frequency of behaviors performed by each bird at the feeder. The first study was conducted during the starter phase. A total of 720 male broiler chicks (YP x Ross708) were randomly placed into 24 floor pens at a stocking density of 30 birds/pen. Feeder treatments were C2 plus feeder (C2), C2 feeder with supplemental turbo grow (C2TG), C2 feeder with supplemental feed tray (C2FT), and Konavi feeder (KON). Behaviors were continuously recorded on days 1, 4, 7, and 14 with a 5-minute observation every 30 minutes. Behaviors were categorized as, eating from outside the feeder, eating perched on the edge of the feeder, eating from inside the feeder, entering-exiting the feeder, attempts to enter the feeder, moving inside the feeder, pecking at litter within the feeder, feed scratching, feed selection, jostling at the feeder, displacing other birds from the feeder, and repetitive pecking at the feeder. Behavioral frequencies were analyzed by using a one-way ANOVA (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS 9.4) with Poisson distribution to assess the impact of feeder treatments on bird behavior. Means were separated via Tukey-Kramer. Birds ate more from outside the C2TG (9.98) and KON (9.68), whilst birds ate more from inside the C2FT (6.10). More birds ate while perching on the edge of C2 (0.44), while fewer birds ate from the edge of KON (0.1). Birds had the highest successful entering and exiting with C2FT (4.12), and the highest unsuccessful attempts with KON (0.78). Birds were most active inside C2FT (2.10), then C2 (0.74), followed by C2TG (0.29), and least active inside KON (0.01). Pecking at litter within the feeder, feed scratching, and feed selection were more frequently observed with C2FT (P<0.01). Both jostling at the feeder and displacement of chicks from the feeder occurred the most with KON and least with C2 (P<0.01). These results indicate that feeders such as C2FT and C2 allowed birds to enter feeders, subsequently increasing the occurrences of eating, moving, feed-scratching, and feed selection inside the feeder. With these behaviors, birds spilled the feed while sorting or scratching the feed. Whereas feeders such as C2TG and KON limited birds from entering the feeder and had higher frequencies of birds eating from outside, jostling, and displacement at the feeder. These behaviors have led to the feeder swinging or shaking, forcing out the feed particles from the feeder. The second study was conducted on the grower and finisher phases of broiler chickens. On the day of hatch, a total of 720 male broiler chicks (YP x Ross708) were randomly placed into 24 floor pens (30 birds/pen) in a randomized block design. Treatments were: C2 feeders at opening setting 4 (C2 (4)), C2 feeders at opening setting 5 (C2 (5)), C2 feeders at opening setting 6 (C2 (6)), KON feeders at opening setting 1 (KON (1)), KON feeders at opening setting 2 (KON (2)), and KON feeders at opening setting 3 (KON (3)). Experimental feeder treatment started on day 14, and behaviors were observed on days 27, 34, and 41 with a similar method used in Study 1. Behaviors assessed were straight eating, neck flexion with head outside feeder, neck flexion with head in-feeder, lateral eating, moderate feeder shaking, violent feeder shaking, feeder movement with birds’ activity, jostling at the feeder, displacement of birds from the feeder, and substrate flicking. To assess the impact of feeder treatments on bird behavior, a one-way ANOVA (PROC GLIMMIX, SAS 9.4) with negative binomial distribution was used. Overall, birds ate from all the treatments at a similar frequency. However, birds ate less in an neck flexion with head outside the feeder posture in all C2 feeders (C2 (4) = 0.45, C2 (5) = 0.49, C2 (6) = 0.50) then KON feeders, with the frequency being higher for KON (2) (1.52) then for KON (3) (1.23) but not differing from KON (1) (1.28). Similarly, fewer birds ate in lateral posture at all C2 treatments (C2 (4) = 0.20, C2 (5) = 0.19, C2 (6) = 0.23) compared to KON treatments; however, within KON feeders, birds ate more with KON (1) (0.95) and KON (2) (0.93), then with KON (3) (0.71). Birds were moderately shaking C2 (6) (0.36), and KON (2) (0.18) the most, and KON (3) (0.18) the least. Whilst birds were violently shaking all KON feeders (KON (4) = 0.04, KON (5) = 0.04, and KON (6) = 0.04) more than all the C2 feeders (C2 (4) = 0.00, C2 (5) =0.00, C2 (6) = 0.01). No effect of feeder treatments was seen on straight feeding, feeder movement, jostling, displacement, and substrate flicking. These results indicate that behavior such as moderate and violent feeder shaking, feeder movement, jostling, and displacement caused by feeder disturbances led to spillage, as explained in study 1. However, the greater amount of spillage in KON feeders (1, 2, 3) than in C2 feeders (4, 5, 6) can be attributed to the violent feeder-shaking behavior of birds and feeder features. Feeder design influenced the feeding and feed-spillage related behaviors of birds, and KON had greater spillage in both studies. Design features of KON, such as lower pan height and the feed being presented near the edge, made it prone to spilling the feed when birds performed behavior at the feeder. Overall, these studies in different phases of broiler chickens highlight the influence of feeder design on behaviors that cause feed spillage
Impact of natural and artificial light treatments on welfare and behavior in commercial broilers
No full textIn recent years, consumer driven interest has led to the addition of windows in broiler houses to allow for natural light during rearing. However, the effects of natural light on broiler welfare and behavior remain largely unknown. This project aimed to evaluate the impact of natural light (NL) versus artificial light (AL) on broiler fear responses, welfare indicators, behavior, and spatial distribution throughout a 56-day grow-out period. A total of 704 mixed-sex Ross 708 chicks were randomly assigned to 16 rooms (44 birds/room), with 8 rooms per light treatment: AL provided via 5000K LED lighting, or NL delivered through windows supplemented with 5000K LED. Three fear tests were performed – novel object (at 14 and 35 days), response to observer (at 14 and 35 days), and novel environment (at 55 days), alongside welfare assessments including footpad dermatitis, hock burn, gait score, and latency to lie at 55 days. Behavioral observations were conducted via scan sampling every 30 minutes over a 24-hour period on days 5, 12, 33, and 54. Behavioral observations and birds’ distribution were conducted for 8 rooms total (4 per treatment group). Bird distribution in NL rooms was evaluated by counting the number of birds on sunlit versus shaded sides during the photophase. Fear response and welfare data were analyzed using PROC MIXED or PROC GLIMMIX, while behavioral and distribution data were analyzed using repeated measures PROC GLIMMIX (SAS 9.4). Results indicated that NL birds were quicker to approach the novel object (mean latency 69.9 s vs. 181.4 s, P<0.01) and were more willing to enter the 1-meter zone around the object (P=0.03), though no treatment differences were observed in the response to observer, novel environment tests, or most welfare parameters, except for footpad dermatitis, which was lower in NL birds (P=0.03). For behavioral observation, an interaction was noted for walking and sitting. Treatment has an effect as NL birds performed more walking and other locomotion activities (P<0.05), while AL birds showed more sitting behavior (P<0.05). Age significantly influenced all behavioral categories except running, environmental pecking and frolicking. Additionally, birds preferred the sunlit side over the shaded side in NL rooms (P<0.05). Overall, natural light exposure promoted more active behaviors and improved some welfare indicators such as footpad health but did not significantly affect leg health or fear responses
Development of Early-life Normal Behaviors in Broiler Chicks and Turkey Poults.
No full textUnderstanding the normal behaviors of birds within standard commercial conditions is essential for addressing their behavioral needs. This research aims to improve understanding of normal behavioral development in broiler chicks and turkey poults by assessing the duration, diurnal rhythms, diversity, and sequence of behaviors over the first seven days of life. In the first study, 75 mixed sexed broiler chicks were randomly placed on day of hatch into 3 pens (25 birds/pen). From each pen, 3 chicks were selected as focal subjects (n=9). Behavior was recorded from day 1 to 7 of age and assessed by 24-hour continuous sampling. The proportion of time chicks spent performing behaviors was analyzed by age and time of day, diversity was assessed using the Shannon diversity index, and behavioral sequences were evaluated using time lag probability transition matrices. Chicks allotted more time to standing, walking, running, jumping, nudging, eating, drinking, foraging, allopreening, sparring, and worm-running as they aged, and less time to environmental pecking and conspecific pecking (quadratic). Sleeping decreased linearly with increasing age whilst wing-flapping, body-shaking, scratching-self, and frolicking increased. Chicks spent the most time sleeping (13.66%) during the dark period. Behaviors chick performed most in the morning included walking (1.84%), running (0.36%), standing (1.58%), head-shaking (0.04%), and frolicking (0.23%). Jumping (0.12%, 0.10%) and body-shaking (0.02%, 0.02%) peaked in the morning and afternoon. Eating (2.39%, 2.09%) and drinking (1.14%, 0.82%) were highest in the morning and evening. Midday saw more sitting (4.05%), allopreening (0.09%), and sparring (0.15%). Nudging was more common during pre-dark (0.02%), dark (0.02%), and midday (0.02%). Foraging (0.52%), environmental pecking (0.59%), and conspecific pecking (0.06%) increased the most during the pre-dark period. Wing-flapping was greater in the afternoon and evening (0.04%, 0.04%). Behavior diversity increased with age. Within behavioral sequences, locomotive and resting behaviors were the most likely to follow any antecedent behavior (4th quartile >0.09%). The likelihood of any target behaviors typically varied by antecedent behavior and time intervals as chicks matured. Study 2 evaluated the behaviors of male turkey poults. The housing, methods of data collection, and analysis were the same as study 1. The performance of walking, running, standing, jumping, eating, drinking, wing-flapping, and frolicking by poults increased with age, while sitting, sleeping, stretching, and adjusting decreased (quadratic). Time spent body-shaking, scratching-self, foraging, sparring, and strutting increased linearly as birds matured. The time-of-day analysis showed that poults spent more time nudging, (0.51%), sleeping (15.04%), and adjusting (0.49%) during the dark period. Morning and mid-day periods saw increased walking (3.41%, 3.46%), running (0.31%, 0.32%), standing (1.88%, 1.92%), eating (3.37%, 3.54%), drinking (1.62%, 1.64%), body-shaking (0.06%), and head-shaking (0.05%). Foraging was most common in the afternoon (0.29%), while evening and pre-dark periods had more sitting (2.57%, 2.50%) and allopreening (0.05%, 0.04%). Preening predominated in the pre-dark (0.41%) and morning (0.38%) periods. Scratching peaked at mid-day (0.02%). Afternoon and evening had the highest environmental pecking (0.22%, 0.23%), conspecific pecking (0.03%, 0.04%), and strutting (0.10%, 0.07%). Stretching was more frequent in the morning (0.03%), afternoon (0.02%), and evening (0.02%). The diversity of poult behavior increased with age. For behavioral sequences, locomotive behaviors, standing, and sitting were the most likely target behaviors (above 4th quartile >0.10%) to follow all antecedent behaviors. The probability of transitions between specific behaviors varied with both the antecedent behavior and time interval for the probability of all target behavior as the poults aged. These studies highlight the development of behaviors in broiler chicks and turkey poults where significant interactions between age, time of day, and sequence in behavior performance were found. Additionally, results show that the behavioral repertoire expands early in the life of poultry
Exploring U.S. Consumer Insights on Poultry Welfare and Labeling
No full textThe poultry industry has experienced significant growth, leading to increased scrutiny of poultry welfare and labeling practices. This study aims to assess consumer perceptions of broiler stunning methods which are directly related to poultry welfare during processing, animal welfare, and key labeling attributes influencing purchasing decisions in poultry meat products. Through an online survey, the first study evaluated consumer (n=986) knowledge and attitudes toward poultry stunning methods (Electrical vs Controlled Atmosphere stunning). The results show that 10% of respondents understood the concept of stunning, and 22% had a conceptual understanding of animal welfare. Despite growing awareness of animal welfare; food safety and price remain the primary concerns in poultry products. Consumers with higher knowledge (those who scored <10 on knowledge assessment) of poultry processing represented 18% of respondents, highlighting a gap in public understanding of animal welfare practices. A follow-up survey, Choice Based Conjoint study, with 630 U.S. chicken consumers was conducted to examine the impact of labeling attributes on purchasing behavior for raw and ready-to-eat (RTE) chicken. The findings indicate that price was the most influential factor (RAW=52.3%; RTE=57.2%), followed by certified labels (RAW=28.9%; RTE=28.2%) and claims (RAW=18.7%; RTE=14.7%). Across categories, the “$2.97/lb.,” “3.47/lb.,” “USDA Organic,” label and “NAE” and “NAHS” were preferred. Additionally, consumers expressed higher interest in welfare for RAW than RTE products. These results reveal that while consumer behaviors may vary for products within the same category, pricing remains a priority along with simple packaging cues. Consumer knowledge and familiarity remains limited about the implications of animal welfare and available certifications in the market. The findings from both studies demonstrate that price is the dominant factor driving purchasing behavior in poultry meat products
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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