Stevenson Rachel, Dalton Hillary A, Erasmus Marisa
Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Front Vet Sci. 2019 Jan 31;5:319. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00319. eCollection 2018.
Accelerometers have the potential to provide objective, non-invasive methods for detecting changes in animal behavior and health. Our objectives were to: (1) determine the effects of micro-acceleration data loggers (accelerometers) and habituation to accelerometers on turkey gait and health status, (2) determine age-related changes in gait and health status, and (3) assess the validity and reliability of the accelerometers. Thirty-six male commercial turkeys were randomly assigned to one of five groups: accelerometer and habituation period (AH), accelerometer and no habituation period (AN), VetRap bandage (no accelerometer) and habituation period (VH), bandage (no accelerometer) and no habituation period (VN), and nothing on either leg (C). Health status and body condition were assessed prior to video-recording birds as they walked across a Tekscan® pressure pad at 8, 12, and 16 weeks to determine effects of treatment on number of steps, cadence, gait time, gait distance, gait velocity, impulse, gait cycle time, maximum force, peak vertical pressure, single support time, contact time, step length, step time, step velocity, stride length, total double support time, and duty factor. Accelerometer validity and reliability were determined by comparing the number of steps detected by the accelerometer to the number of steps determined from video recordings. Several age-related changes in turkey gait were found regardless of habituation including a slower cadence at 16 weeks, shorter gait distance at 8 weeks, and slower gait velocity at 16 weeks. When comparing bandaged vs. unbandaged limbs, both treatment and age-treatment interactions were found depending on the gait parameter. Accelerometer validity and reliability were affected by both age and treatment. False discovery rate increased, while accuracy and specificity decreased with age. Validity and reliability were lowest for non-habituated birds (AN and VN). Results demonstrated that micro-data loggers do not adversely affect turkey health status, but habituation to wearing accelerometers greatly affects accelerometer reliability and validity. Accelerometer validity and turkey gait are also greatly affected by the age of the turkeys.
加速度计有潜力提供客观、非侵入性的方法来检测动物行为和健康状况的变化。我们的目标是：（1）确定微型加速度数据记录器（加速度计）以及对加速度计的适应对火鸡步态和健康状况的影响；（2）确定步态和健康状况与年龄相关的变化；（3）评估加速度计的有效性和可靠性。36只雄性商用火鸡被随机分配到五组之一：加速度计与适应期（AH）、加速度计与无适应期（AN）、兽医绷带（无加速度计）与适应期（VH）、绷带（无加速度计）与无适应期（VN），以及双腿均无处理（C）。在视频记录火鸡在8周、12周和16周走过Tekscan®压力垫时的步态之前，评估其健康状况和身体状况，以确定处理对步数、步频、步态时间、步态距离、步态速度、冲量、步态周期时间、最大力、峰值垂直压力、单支撑时间、接触时间、步长、步时间、步速度、步幅长度、总双支撑时间和负荷系数的影响。通过比较加速度计检测到的步数与视频记录确定的步数来确定加速度计的有效性和可靠性。无论是否适应，都发现了火鸡步态中一些与年龄相关的变化，包括16周时步频较慢、8周时步态距离较短以及16周时步态速度较慢。在比较包扎与未包扎的肢体时，根据步态参数发现了处理和年龄-处理交互作用。加速度计的有效性和可靠性受年龄和处理的影响。随着年龄的增长，错误发现率增加，而准确性和特异性降低。未适应的鸟类（AN和VN）的有效性和可靠性最低。结果表明，微型数据记录器不会对火鸡健康状况产生不利影响，但对佩戴加速度计的适应会极大地影响加速度计的可靠性和有效性。加速度计的有效性和火鸡步态也受到火鸡年龄的极大影响。
