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. 2024 Feb 24;10(5):e27129.
doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27129. eCollection 2024 Mar 15.

Transportation stress: Impact on behaviour and welfare in meat-type chickens under indian scenario

M Siddharth  1 , Jaydip Jaywant Rokade  1 , Subrat Kumar Bhanja  1 , Jagbir Singh Tyagi  1 , Madheswaran Monika  1   2 , Beulah V Pearlin  1 , Akhilesh Kumar  3 , Marappan Gopi  1   4
Affiliations

Transportation stress: Impact on behaviour and welfare in meat-type chickens under indian scenario

M Siddharth et al. Heliyon. .

Abstract

In order to find standard transport time and its effect on the welfare, 480 marketable commercial broiler chickens (CARIBRO VISHAL; avg. 2.0 kg body weight) were transported for 2, 4, 8h and without transport in crates in three replicates in a completely randomized design. Transport affected welfare as well as behaviour of broiler chickens. Transport stretch impacted the gait score and tonic immobility with maximum aggravation with extended duration. Runaway results shown that 8h group exhibited more run-away time (279.20sec). Number of birds affected by physical injuries increases with the duration. Bodyweight change was significant among transported groups, especially 8h travelled group exhibited more (-8.21%) body weight loss. It is concluded that a transport period of more than 4h in Indian conditions is not recommended as its causing a significant level of stress in the birds leading to stress, production loss and hampering welfare of broilers.

Keywords: Behaviour; Meat type; Tonic immobility; Transportation; Welfare.

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Conflict of interest statement

All the authors declare no competing interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Map indicating various location points including the loading, unloading and welfare assessment of broiler chickens. a) the farm location and loading point; b) point to the broiler birds were subjected to straight transportation; c) point were unloading of birds and welfare assessment was performed.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Setup for the run-away test along with entry and exit for birds and not influenced bythe surrounding environment.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Procedure of tonic immobility of the experimental birds assess their welfareness following transportation.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Regression between per cent change in body weight (%) with duration oftransportation (h) and live body weight (Kg). X: duration of transportation (h); X2: live body weight (Kg).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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