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Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

DOI

10.3906/vet-1905-85

Abstract

Transportation of broilers from different localities to the processing plants is a critical step in the farm to fork chain, and any disturbance in this chain may result in worst consequences. Keeping this scenario in view, a study was conducted to determine the live losses at different transportation distances (~80, 160, 240 km) and crating densities (10, 12, 15 birds/crate) during hot and humid summer. The uniform weight birds were picked from a farm and placed in plastic crates (0.91 m × 0.55 m). The results showed a significant increase in body weight loss and dead on arrival (%) with the increase in transportation distance and crating density in broiler. The long journey (240 km) was also associated with significantly lower carcass and breast yield, and significantly higher catalase activity and uric acid concentration. An increase in crating density above 10 birds/crate resulted in a significant decrease in carcass and thigh yield in broiler. Similarly, placing 15 birds/crate showed significantly higher serum catalase activity and protein levels. Physical injuries, bruises, serum triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) remained unaffected from either transportation distance or crating density. Thus, transportation below 80 km and crating density below 12 birds/crate during hot and humid weather may be considered as less stressful for broilers.

Keywords

Crating, carcass characteristics, metabolites, shrinkage, summer, transportation

First Page

418

Last Page

426

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