Parâmetros comportamentais e termografia para avaliação de frangos de corte submetidos a dois tipos de cama e duas densidades

Abstract

Two experiments were carried out with aiming to evaluate the behavioral parameters and surface temperatures in broiler chickens, raised on two types of beddings and two densities. The work was carried out in the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science at the Federal University of Tocantins, in Araguaína, Brazil. A total of 216 broiler chicks, mixed and one day old from Cobb 500® strain were used, with an average initial weight of 54g ± 3.37g, distributed in an experimental completely randomized design (CRD), in a 2x2 factorial arrangement, two types of bedding (shavings and rice straw) and two densities (24 and 30 kg/m²), with four treatments (rice straw and 24 kg/m², rice straw and 30 kg/m², shavings and 24 kg/m² and shavings and 30 kg/m²) and six repetitions. In the first job, the behavioral parameters of eating, drinking, investigating feathers, pecking, comfort movements, bathing and standing were evaluated. The maximum, minimum, average surface temperatures and thermal amplitude of broiler chickens at 21 and 42 days old were also analyzed. In the second work, temperature, relative air humidity, black globe temperature and humidity index (BGTHI) and maximum, minimum, average surface temperature and thermal amplitude of broiler chickens from 7 to 42 days old were evaluated. It was observed in the first study that the density 24 kg/m² and rice straw bedding influenced on bath parameter for 21 days old broiler chickens, the behavioral parameters eating, investigating feathers, comfort movement, pecking and standing, were influenced by density and type of bedding at 42 days old, however, surface temperatures at 21 and 42 days old were not influenced by different types of bedding and densities. In the second study, it was observed that the densities and types of bedding did not influence (P> 0.05), the maximum, minimum, average surface temperature values and the thermal amplitude of broiler chickens from 7 to 42 days of age. Thus, it can be concluded that the different types of litter and different densities influenced the behavior of birds from 7 to 42 days of age.