This study aim to develop a system, called FANS-N, for evaluation the exhaust fans in the ventilation system of broiler facilities. The system is divided into: 1) Mechanical Structureconsisting of two stepper motors for positioning a anemometer sensor in the vertical and horizontal coordinates; 2) Electronic Interface -control of the anemometer positioning and record data of wind speed; 3) Control Programming Module -accountable for the cursor movement, measurement and record the wind speed data with the anemometer at predetermined points; and 4) Analysis Programming Module -responsible for the interpretation of wind speed values at each point. The software uses artificial neural networks (Multi-Layer Perceptron) for images analyses of data base. The output of neural network give to the user the following recommendations: "possible changing", "maintenance", "standard limit", and "within standard". The system was able to evaluate the exhaust fans, identify the failures and proposing solutions to farmers of a preventive diagnosis.

Feeding is one of the most critical processes in the broiler production cycle. A feeder can collect data of force signals and continuously transform it into information about birds’ feed intake and quickly permit more agile and more precise decision-making concerning the broiler farm’s production process. A smart feeding unit (SFU) prototype was developed to evaluate the broiler pecking force and average feed intake per pecking (g/min). The prototype consisted of a power supply unit with a data acquisition module, management software connected to a computer for data storage, and a video camera to verify the pecking force during signal processing. In the present study, seven male Cobb-500 broilers were raised in an experimental chamber to test and commission the prototype. The prototype consisted of a feeding unit (feeder) with a data acquisition module (amplifier), with real-time integration for testing and intuitive operation with Catman Easy software connected to a computer to obtain and store data from signals. The sampling of average feed intake per pecking per broiler (g) was conducted during the first minute of feeding, subtracting the amount of feed provided per the amount of feed consumed, including the count of pecking in the first minute of feeding. An equation was used for estimating the average feed intake per pecking per broiler (g). The results showed that the average broiler pecking force was 1.39 N, with a minimum value of 0.04 N and a maximum value of 7.29 N. The average feed intake per pecking (FIP) was 0.13 g, with an average of 173 peckings per minute. The acquisition, processing, and classification of signals in the pecking force information were valuable during broilers’ feeding. The smart feeding unit prototype for broilers was efficient in the continuous assessment of feed intake and can generate information for estimating broiler performance.

Light is important for the physiology and zootechnical development of broilers and is characterized by the type of source defined by the spectral emission and geometry of the lamp, as well as the intensity and spatial distribution of the illuminance. The aim of this study was to verify the influence of an artificial lighting system based on tubular Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamps on the productive performance of broilers. The study was carried out in two broiler houses located in Londrina-PR. The lighting system for one of the broiler houses was composed of 52 tubular LED bulbs of 18 W powers, and the control broiler house consisted of 75 incandescent bulbs with 60 W powers. This research was divided into two parts; the first phase was evaluated the environmental similarity (dry bulb temperature, air velocity, and illuminance) between the two broiler houses. The second was based on the zootechnical indexes: average body weight, feed intake, feed conversion and mortality. Only the illuminance variable differed statistically. The lighting system based on the use of a tubular LED lamp, with fewer points of illumination and more distant positioning between lamps and lower power installed, did not compromise the zootechnical performance.

Broiler feeding is an efficient way of evaluating growth performance, health, and welfare status. This assessment might include the number of meals, meal period, ingestion rate, meal intervals, and the proportion of time spent eating. These parameters can be predicted by studying the birds’ pecking activity. The present study aims to design, examine, and validate classifying algorithms to determine individual bird pecking patterns at the feeder. Broilers were reared from 1 to 42 days, with feed and water provided ad libitum. A feeder equipped with a force sensor was installed and used by the birds starting at 35 days of age, to acquire the pecking force data during feeding until 42 days. The obtained data were organized into two datasets. The first comprises 17 attributes, with the supervised attribute ‘pecking detection’ with two classes, and with ‘non-pecking’ and ‘pecking’ used to analyze the classifiers. In the second dataset, the attribute ‘maximum value’ was discretized in three classes to compose a new supervised attribute of the second dataset comprising the classes’ non-pecking, light pecking, medium, and strong. We developed and validated the classifying models to determine individual broiler pecking patterns at the feeder. The classifiers (KNN, SVM, and ANN) achieved high accuracy, greater than 97%, and similar results in all investigated scenarios, proving capable of performing the task of detecting pecking.

Dedico aos que não estão presentes em vida, mas que certamente compartilhariam de minha alegria. À minha avó Odete Camargo Rocha, meu avô José Gonçalves Torres Filho e meu padrinho Murilo Seber. AGRADECIMENTOS À minha mãe Maria Cristina da Rocha Torres, pelo apoio dispensado e pela paciência demonstrada ao ouvir as "histórias do olho do frango".À Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), por meio da Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola por me conceder a oportunidade do exercício da ciência, da atualização profissional e pessoal.À minha orientadora, Profa. Dra. Daniella Jorge de Moura, pela paciência, competência e confiança em mim depositadas. Ao Conselho Nacional de (CNPQ), pelo financiamento deste projeto. Ao Dario, por acreditar e se comprometer com o esforço de realização deste trabalho. À Isabella, pelo incentivo e amizade. Aos amigos, Justo e Silvia que me acolheram quando mais precisei. Aos novos amigos, Vilmar e Thayla sempre atenciosos e prestativos. À minha amiga Nilsa por compartilhar seu saber e perseverança, além dos puxões de orelha. EPÍGRAFE "Disse Deus: Haja luz; e houve luz. E viu Deus que a luz era boa; e fez separação entre a luz e as trevas. Chamou Deus à luz Dia e às trevas, Noite. Houve tarde e manhã, o primeiro dia."Gênesis 1:3-5 RESUMO A luz é um importante fator para a fisiologia e o desenvolvimento zootécnico das aves. A luz artificial no interior do aviário pode ser caracterizada pelo tipo de fonte de luz que é definida pela emissão espectral e geometria da lâmpada, além da intensidade e a distribuição espacial da iluminância. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a influência de um sistema de iluminação artificial baseado em lâmpadas LED (Light Emitting Diode) tubulares sobre o desempenho produtivo de frangos de corte comerciais. O estudo transcorreu em dois aviários comerciais de construção idêntica, posicionados um ao lado do outro e com dimensões de largura igual a 14 m, comprimento de 150 m e altura do forro de 2,5 m, localizados no município de Londrina-PR. O sistema de iluminação para um dos aviários era composto de 52 lâmpadas de LED tubular distribuídas por toda instalação. Já o aviário de controle era composto de 75 lâmpadas incandescentes convencionais. Para efeito de análise este trabalho foi divido em duas partes. A primeira fase avaliou a similaridade ambiental entre os dois aviários e a segunda parte se ateve aos índices zootécnicos: peso médio, consumo de ração, ganho de peso e mortalidade, que não apresentaram variação estatística significativa (p > 0,05) entre os sistemas de iluminação estudados. O sistema de iluminação baseado no uso de lâmpada LED tubular, com menos pontos de iluminação e posicionamento mais distante entre lâmpadas, manteve inalterado os índices zootécnicos.