Lameness assessment with automatic monitoring of activity in commercial broiler flocks.
The possibility of using automatic recordings of broiler chicken activity in commercial flocks to assess the birds΄ walking ability (lameness) was investigated. Data were collected from 5 commercial broiler farms in 4 European countries, using 16 flocks and 33 assessment occasions. Lameness was assessed using established gait scoring methods (Kestin et al., 1992; Welfare Quality®, 2009) and took place at 3, 4, and 5 wk of age. Gait score (GS) was used to assess the birds' walking ability, and automatic recordings of bird activity were collected using the eYeNamic™ camera system before, during, and after an assessor walked through the house. The variables used to predict the level of GS extracted from the camera system were: baseline activity, time from assessor leaving the house to resumption of baseline activity, average activity over that period, and Δ Amplitude (difference between highest activity peak after assessor left the house and baseline level). Age (<0.001) and Δ Amplitude (P = 0.0002) were significantly related to GS, with the gait getting poorer with increased age and Δ Amplitude decreasing with declining walking ability. Both measures are thus included in a predictive equation. The results demonstrate a potential method using image analysis techniques to realize an automated assessment of the level of lameness in commercial broiler flocks. This could be of use in future animal welfare assessment schemes.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Animal Environment and Health PO Box 7068 Uppsala, SE-750 07.
A M
AM
Silvera
University of Bristol, School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford, UK BS40 5DU.
T G
TG
Knowles
University of Bristol, School of Veterinary Sciences, Langford, UK BS40 5DU.
A
A
Butterworth
KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Division M3-BIORES: Measure, Model & Manage of Bioresponses, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
D
D
Berckmans
KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Division M3-BIORES: Measure, Model & Manage of Bioresponses, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium.|FANCOM B.V., Research Department, P.O. Box 7131, 5980 AC Panningen, The Netherlands.
E
E
Vranken
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Animal Environment and Health PO Box 7068 Uppsala, SE-750 07.
H J
HJ
Blokhuis
D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D005684:Gait; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007794:Lameness, Animal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods
gait score; image analysis; precision livestock farming; welfare