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

加拿大食品检验局（CFIA）是负责监督屠宰场并确保它们符合食品安全和动物福利标准的组织。在肉鸡行业（为食用而饲养的鸡），有些鸡在前往加工厂的途中无法存活；这些鸟被称为到达时死亡或DOA。为了确保高水平的鸟类福利，CFIA设定了1%的DOA限制。如果负载超过这个限制，他们将展开调查，以确定违规的原因。如果调查显示违规是由工厂疏忽造成的，CFIA可以对工厂进行罚款，罚款金额取决于违规的严重程度。在整个加拿大，2013年的死亡事件发生率在春季（0.21%）和秋季（0.19%）较低，在夏季（0.26%）略有上升，在冬季（0.46%）飙升。2013年萨斯喀彻温省的DOA率在春季（0.24%）、夏季（0.21%）和秋季（0.21%）与全国平均水平相似，但在冬季上升得更为剧烈，略低于CFIA 1%的限制（0.98%）。加拿大冬季的DOA率上升是因为拖车没有使用风扇，加热器或除湿器来调节整个负载的温度和湿度。无法控制拖车上的条件意味着温度和湿度是由天气决定的，而且可能相当极端。这个实验的目的是为拖车配备数据记录仪，在将肉鸡拖到工厂的过程中记录温度和湿度水平。这些信息将精确地识别出对鸟类来说太热或太冷的负荷区域，并将用于未来的研究，旨在制定防止极端温度的策略。此外，将通过测量鸟类体温的变化和记录卡车内特定位置的死亡率来监测鸟类对这些条件的反应，这将进一步帮助确定拖车上鸟类福利可能受到损害的位置。了解鸟类福利方面的问题区域可以用于制定旨在通过降低死亡率来提高肉鸡福利的管理策略。

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.