Investigating the relationship between trailer temperature and humidity conditions and broiler welfare during transport

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The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is the organization assigned to monitor slaughter plants and ensure they are meeting food safety and animal welfare standards. In the broiler industry (chickens raised for meat), some birds do not survive the trip to the processing plant; these birds are referred to as Dead on Arrival or DOA. To ensure high levels of bird welfare, the CFIA set a 1% DOA limit. If a load exceeds that limit, they will launch an investigation to determine the cause of the breach. If the investigation reveals the breach was caused by plant negligence, the CFIA can assess the plant a fine, the amount is based on the severity of the breach. Across Canada, the 2013 DOA rates were low during the spring (0.21%) and fall (0.19%), increased slightly during the summer (0.26%) and spiked during the winter (0.46%). The 2013 Saskatchewan DOA rates followed a pattern similar to the national averages during the spring (0.24%), summer (0.21%) and fall (0.21%), but they rose much more dramatically during the winter and were just below the CFIA's 1% limit (0.98%). The Canada-wide rise in DOA rates during the winter is because the trailers do not use fans, heaters or dehumidifiers to regulate the temperature and moisture throughout the load. The inability to control the conditions on the trailer means the temperature and humidity are dictated by the weather and can be quite extreme. The objective of this experiment is to outfit trailers with data loggers that will record the temperature and humidity levels while hauling broilers to the plant. This information will precisely identify the areas on the load that are too hot or cold for the birds and will be used in future research aimed at developing strategies to prevent the temperature extremes. In addition, the birds' response to these conditions will be monitored by measuring the changes in their body temperatures and recording DOA rates on a location basis within the truck, which will further help in identifying locations on the trailer where bird welfare may be compromised. Knowing problematic areas, in terms of bird welfare, can be used in the development of managements strategies aimed at improving broiler welfare by reducing DOA rates.