Modification of the human–broiler relationship and its potential effects on production |
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| Authors: | A M Silvera A Wallenbeck A Butterworth H J Blokhuis |
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| Institution: | 1. Animal Environment and Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden;2. Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden;3. Division of Food Animal Science, School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bristol, Langford, UK |
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| Abstract: | The present study was designed to investigate the effects of additional human contact (AHC) on the human–animal relationship (HAR) in broilers and on the birds’ productivity. A total of 1558 broiler one-day-old chicks were distributed into 12 equally sized pens at two different stocking densities (SDs), calculated on estimated weight at slaughter (4 pens with 32?kg/m2 and 8 pens with 16?kg/m2). Six groups (2 high and 4 low SDs) received AHC, which consisted of 30-min sessions with visual human contact three days/week. The remaining six groups received as little human contact as possible and served as controls. A touch test was used to assess the human–broiler relationship and the production parameters measured were growth rate, mortality, feed consumption and feed conversion. The AHC treatment had a positive effect on the quality of the HAR but failed to affect any production parameter. |
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| Keywords: | Touch test feed conversion growth rate mortality human–broiler relationship welfare |
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