Sound exposure and its beneficial effects on embryonic growth and hatching of broiler chicks.

1. The physical factors that involve artificial incubation determine embryonic growth and hatching of broiler chicks, and have important implications for the poultry production chain and chick welfare. This study explored the effects of sound exposure on incubation responses (hatching, embryonic development and chick quality).2. A 2 × 2 factorial experiment with the factors 'sound pressure level' (at 70 and 90 dB) and 'species-specific vocalisations' (at 75dB - 85dB) was performed in four experimental incubators (loaded with 90 eggs each) for eight consecutive cycles of incubation, totalling 2880 Cobb-500® broiler breeder eggs.3. Embryonic growth was not influenced by any experimental factor, but the highest sound pressure level (90 dB) led to earlier hatching, higher hatchability, better chick quality and lower weight at hatching. Additional effects of species-specific vocalisations were found at 70 dB noise, which caused early hatching and better chick quality.4. It was concluded that the loud noise found in commercial hatcheries (at 90 dB) can be beneficial. Furthermore, the presence of species-specific vocalisations could improve the hatching time and chick quality from experimental incubators (at 70 dB). However, this would not provide additional benefits in commercial hatcheries, due to the machinery noise masking them.

Reconhecimento de cores de objetos e de alimentos de cromaticidades opostas por pintos de corte / Recognition of colors of objects and food opposite chromaticities by broiler chicks

Objetivou-se com esta pesquisa avaliar, por meio de testes de preferência, a capacidade de percepção de pintos de corte no reconhecimento de objetos e alimentos de diferentes cores. A pesquisa foi realizada no Brasil e consistiu no condicionamento de 60 pintos de um dia sexados, sendo 30 pintos machos e 30 pintos fêmeas, durante três dias, com esferas azuis e alimento vermelho, cores escolhidas por terem cromaticidades opostas. Após a fase de condicionamento, foi realizado um teste de preferência, no qual os animais eram colocados individualmente no centro de uma arena de teste com quatro opções, sendo elas: alimento vermelho; alimento azul; esferas vermelhas; esferas azuis. Cada ave foi avaliada durante 10 minutos...

The aim of this research was to evaluate, by preference tests, the ability of perception of broiler chicks in the recognition of objects and foods of different colors. The survey was conducted in Brazil and consisted in the conditioning of 60 sexed one-day-old chicks using 30 male chicks and 30 female chicks for three days with blue balls and red food colors chosen for having opposed chromaticities. After the conditioning phase, a preference test was performed, in which the animals were placed individually in the center of an arena test with four options: red food, blue food, red balls and blue balls. Each bird was measured for 10 minutes...