Identifying effective early life management systems to optimise the health, welfare and performance of commercial broiler chickens

Treatments included an industry standardlighting programme, increased darkness, and optional-access dark shelters.Neither shorter photoperiods nor dark shelters negatively affected early oroverall performance. Dark shelters were heavily used and improved leg health,reducing hock burn and improving 28 day gait score.</p><p></p><p>A further study used audio data and deep learning models toclassify distress vocalisations.

Distress was highest immediately afterplacement and declined as chicks acclimatised. Daytime dark periods had littleeffect, whereas nighttime darkness increased distress vocalisations.</p><p></p><p>The final study analysed an industry dataset to identifyexternal and on-farm factors influencing broiler outcomes (7 day and totalmortality, 7 day and 35 day corrected liveweight, pododermatitis, hock burn,carcass downgrades).

Season, parent flock age, and hatchery were consistentlyinfluential, with stocking density and flock size also important. Relativehumidity was the most impactful on-farm factor. Only 7.5% of flocks met “ideal”criteria (where target performance was achieved for all outcomes) with stockingdensity, chick paper type, and parent flock age the most influential</p><i><br>Thesis is embargoed until 31 July 2028.</i>