Ishikawa Akira, Takanuma Tomoka, Hashimoto Norikazu, Goto Tatsuhiko, Tsudzuki Masaoki
Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.
Laboratory of Poultry, Livestock Experiment Station, Wakayama Prefecture, Hidaka-Gun, Wakayama 644-1111, Japan.
Animals (Basel). 2023 Nov 17;13(22):3556. doi: 10.3390/ani13223556.
It is well known in the poultry industry that fear and stress experienced during the handling of day-old chicks in commercial hatcheries can have long-lasting effects on their behavior later in life. These hatchery-related stresses are more intense and complex than those encountered in traditional behavioral tests. Consequently, a single behavioral test may not be sufficient to measure hatchery stresses and chicken temperament. In this study, we developed a new behavioral handling test for day-old chickens, which incorporated concepts from established behavioral tests used with both young and adult birds. The new test assessed 10 behavioral traits, including vocalization frequency and responses to human interaction. It was conducted on 96 two-day-old chicks from seven breeds of native Japanese and Western chickens. The results of the principal component analysis classified chicken temperaments into three distinct categories: bustle, aggression, and timidity. Using these categories, the seven breeds were classified into five groups, each with distinct temperaments. This study highlights the reliability and value of the new handling test in characterizing the temperaments of various chicken breeds and provides insights into the complex behaviors of chickens.
在家禽行业中众所周知，在商业孵化场处理一日龄雏鸡时所经历的恐惧和压力会对它们日后的行为产生长期影响。这些与孵化场相关的压力比传统行为测试中遇到的压力更为强烈和复杂。因此，单一的行为测试可能不足以衡量孵化场压力和鸡的性情。在本研究中，我们为一日龄雏鸡开发了一种新的行为处理测试，该测试融合了用于幼鸟和成年鸟的既定行为测试中的概念。新测试评估了10种行为特征，包括发声频率和对人类互动的反应。该测试对来自7个日本本土和西方鸡品种的96只两日龄雏鸡进行。主成分分析的结果将鸡的性情分为三个不同类别：活跃、攻击性和胆小。利用这些类别，7个品种被分为5组，每组具有不同的性情。本研究突出了新处理测试在表征各种鸡品种性情方面的可靠性和价值，并为鸡的复杂行为提供了见解。
