Impact of Body-worn Sensors on Broiler Chicken Behavior and Agonistic Interactions

ABSTRACT

Technology, like body-worn sensors, enables data collection from similar-looking individuals in large groups but may alter behavior. We aimed to evaluate the impact of body-worn sensors on broiler behavior. Broilers were housed in 8 pens (10 birds/m²). At 21 days-old, 10 birds/pen were fitted with a harness contained a sensor (HAR), while the remaining 10-birds were unharnessed (NON). Behaviors were recorded on days 22–26 using scan sampling (126 scans/day for 5 days). Percent of birds performing behaviors were calculated daily for each group (HAR-or-NON), and agonistic interactions were identified based on birds involved (two NON-birds (N-N), NON-aggressor to HAR-recipient (N-H), HAR-aggressor to NON-recipient (H-N), or two HAR-birds (H-H)). HAR-birds performed locomotory behavior and explored less often than NON-birds (p<0.05). Consummatory behavior was unaffected by treatment on any day (p>0.05). Agonistic interactions occurred more often between NON-aggressor and HAR-recipient birds than other categories on days 22 and 23 (p<0.05). HAR-broilers showed no behavioral differences when compared to NON-broilers after 2 days; thus, a similar acclimation period is required before using body-worn sensors to evaluate broiler welfare without altering behavior.

KEYWORDS:

• Broiler
• body-worn sensor
• behavior
• agonistic interaction
• animal welfare

Acknowledgments

We would also like to thank the Morgan Poultry Teaching and Research Center (Clemson, SC) personnel for their assistance with and contribution to this research. The research was supported in part by Hatch funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program (project # RG002-21) and from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Hatch projects #NC1029 and #NC1211.