Short-term and long-term movement patterns in confined environments by domestic fowl: Influence of group size and enclosure size

Mallapur, Avanti; Miller, Curtis; Christman, Mary C.; Estévez, Inma

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2008.11.005

Cited by 22 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…This was confirmed by the current results as larger total, net and maximum distances were observed in larger groups. Larger enclosures also offer more opportunities to move less sinuously and provide a greater range of directions to travel before running into a wall, which could restrict movement or reduce the speed of movement (Mallapur et al, 2009;Miller et al, 2011). Birds seemed to follow movement trajectories with fewer changes in direction in groups of 10 than groups of 20 individuals, although no differences were found in the degree of sinuosity trajectories were less sinuous in smaller groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Domestic fowl are constrained by the spatial limits of their enclosure. Studies in broiler chickens have shown that movement and behaviour are strongly linked to the structural characteristics of their environment, distribution of resources or social factors related to group size (Estevez et al, 1997;Cornetto and Estevez, 2001;Leone et al, 2007;Leone and Estevez, 2008;Mallapur et al, 2009). Optimum space allocation for farmed animals can be considered as the best trade-off between the welfare cost for the animals and the financial benefits for the farming enterprise (Keeling, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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The relevance of variations in group size and phenotypic appearance on the behaviour and movement patterns of young domestic fowl

Liste

Campderrich

Heredia

et al. 2015

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

The relevance of variations in group size and phenotypic appearance on the behaviour and movement patterns of young domestic fowl

Liste

Campderrich

Heredia

et al. 2015

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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“…Secondly, maintaining appropriate individual distances and synchronization may require a certain minimum space, which may not be available in production units. Mallapur et al (2009) found that chickens may increase their inter-individual distances to avoid social conflict when the available space allows so, possibly leading to less aggression, whereas small areas may lead to difficulties in maintaining normal social behaviour between all group members (Keeling 1994). The way in which animals adjust their inter-individual distance may be affected by different factors such as the relation to the closest neighbour and the spatial cohesion of the group (Arnold and Maller 1985) It has also previously been shown by (Nicol 1989) that the behaviour of chickens depends on inter-individual distance, and different breeds of chicken have different typical inter-individual distances (Tiemann and Rehkämper 2008) In the present study, we have focused on comparing allelomimetic behaviour and inter-individual distances between red junglefowl (Gallus gallus) and a domesticated breed, the White Leghorn.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Understanding this aspect of social behaviour may have at least two different implications for animal welfare. Firstly, allelomimetic behaviour is closely related to maintenance of inter-individual distances, and thereby avoidance of aggression and conflict (Mallapur et al 2009). Secondly, maintaining appropriate individual distances and synchronization may require a certain minimum space, which may not be available in production units.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Domestication effects on behavioural synchronization and individual distances in chickens (Gallus gallus)

Eklund

Jensen

2011

Behavioural Processes

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Behavioural synchrony (allelomimetic behaviour), and inter-individual distances are aspects of social and anti-predator strategies which may have been affected by domestication. Chickens are known to adjust synchronization and inter-individual distances depending on behaviour. We hypothesized that White Leghorn (WL) chickens would show less synchronized behaviour than the ancestor, the red jungle fowl (RJF).Sixty birds, 15 female and 15 male WL and the same number of RJF (28 weeks old) were studied in groups of three in furnished pens (1 x 2 m) for 24 consecutive hours per group, following 24 hours of habituation. Video tapes covering four hours per group (dawn, 9-10 am, 1-2 pm and dusk) were analysed,. Red junglefowl perched significantly more, but there were no breed effects on the frequency or daily rhythm of any other activities, or on average interindividual distances. Red junglefowl were more synchronized during perching and a tendency for the same was found for social behaviour. After performance of the two most synchronized behaviours, perching and comfort behaviour, individual distance increased more for RJF than WL. According to this study domestication of chickens appears not to have significantly altered the relative frequencies of different activities or average interindividual distances, but have caused some changes in behavioural synchronization and maintainance of activity-specific inter-individual distances in chickens. The changes may indicate an adaptive response to captivity and domestication.

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“…On the other hand GS12 ewes kept longer furthest and mean neighbour distances, what would agree with previous results obtained in broilers [21], although in that study the enclosure size was not changed, and so GS was confounded with density, which is not the case in the present study. In poultry, it is known that enclosure size has a stronger effect on the group dispersion than GS [16,31], although stocking density modulates this effect [15]. Given that larger groups were housed in larger enclosures, it is likely that ewes in our study simply tried to maximize space occupation through adjustments in inter-individual distances.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Impact of Group Size on Welfare Indicators of Ewes during Pregnancy

et al. 2016

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Group size (GS) and space allowance have major implications for the welfare of production species, however their effects are often confounded. In a previous study we investigated the impact of varying space allowance at constant GS. In the present work we report the consequences of varying GS on pregnant ewes while controlling space allowance. We housed ewes at 6 (GS6) or 12 ewes/enclosure (GS12), while controlling space allowance to 1.5 m2/ewe (3 enclosures/treatment), and necessarily varying enclosure size. Therefore, when indicating GS effects we implicitly reflect a confounding effect with that of enclosure size. Movement, use of space, behaviour, serum cortisol concentration and body condition score (BCS) were collected during the last 12 gestation weeks. Movement, use of space, and behaviour were collected every other week, during 2 days/week, using 10 minute continuous scan samplings. Blood was collected during weeks 10, 13, 17, and 21 of gestation, and BCS during weeks 15 and 21. Data were analysed using repeated measures, generalized linear mixed models, with GS, week, and their interaction as fixed effects, and enclosure as random effect. GS mainly affected movement and use of space. GS12 ewes walked longer distances using longer steps (P<0.001). An interaction GS by week was observed for angular dispersion (P<0.0001), which was smaller for GS12 from week 10 onwards. Initial restlessness levels were lower for GS12, as shown by the reduced frequency of location changes (P<0.0001). Furthest and mean neighbour distances increased with GS (P<0.0001). The effect of GS on behaviour was only evident for eating behaviour as an interaction with gestation week (P<0.05). Changes in behaviour, movement and use of space along the study indicated an activity peak during weeks 3 to 5. Cortisol changes during gestation (P<0.01) also reflected this activity peak, while BCS (P<0.001) reflected normal physical condition changes during pregnancy. Although the separate effects of GS and enclosure size cannot be disentangled, we conclude that if enough space/ewe is given during gestation, larger GS will result in larger effective space, and no major implications for the welfare of ewes should be expected as GS increases. Ewes will adapt their movement patterns and use of space to enclosure size, and no further behavioural, physiological and physical consequences should be expected.

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Short-term and long-term movement patterns in confined environments by domestic fowl: Influence of group size and enclosure size

Cited by 22 publications

References 30 publications

The relevance of variations in group size and phenotypic appearance on the behaviour and movement patterns of young domestic fowl

The relevance of variations in group size and phenotypic appearance on the behaviour and movement patterns of young domestic fowl

Domestication effects on behavioural synchronization and individual distances in chickens (Gallus gallus)

The Impact of Group Size on Welfare Indicators of Ewes during Pregnancy

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