Human-Animal Interactions in the Turkey Industry

Transcription

1 Human-Animal Interactions in the Turkey Industry Dr. Naomi A. Botheras 1, Ms. Jessica A. Pempek 2, Mr. Drew K. Enigk 2 1 PI, 222E Animal Sciences Building, 2029 Fyffe Court, Columbus, OH (614) ; botheras.1@osu.edu 2 Student assistants, Contact c/o PI Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University Introduction Modern intensive management of food producing animals involves several levels of interaction between stockpeople and their animals. Many of the human interactions are associated with regular inspection of the animals and their conditions, and consequently, this type of interaction often only involves visual contact between the stockperson and the animals. Animals in most production systems also need to be moved at some point, and in addition to visual and auditory contact, stockpeople will often use tactile interactions to move their animals. Human-animal interactions also occur in situations in which animals must be restrained and subjected to management or health procedures. While stockpeople utilize a range of behaviors to inspect and handle their animals, research has shown that the frequent use of some of these routine behaviors, which may appear mild and harmless to the animals, can result in farm animals becoming highly fearful of humans. Fear is generally considered an undesirable emotional state of suffering in both humans and animals (Jones, 1996) and farm animals that are both highly fearful of humans and in regular contact with humans are likely to experience not only an acute stress response in the presence of humans but also a chronic stress response that is evident even in the absence of humans (Hemsworth & Coleman, 1998). It has been shown that these high fear levels, through stress, can markedly limit animal welfare and performance. Fearful animals are also more likely to sustain injuries trying to avoid humans during routine inspections and handling. Experimental and on-farm studies with broiler chickens and laying hens have shown an association between the level of fear of humans and production indices (e.g. Jones & Hughes, 1981; Barnett et al., 1992; Cransberg et al., 2000). Such relationships have also been demonstrated in other food animal species, including pigs and dairy cows (see Hemsworth & Coleman, 1998). However, no such research investigating humananimal interactions has been conducted in the turkey industry. Understanding the sensitivity of farm animals to human contact is important because it is necessary in developing recommendations on the manner in which stockpeople should interact with their animals to minimize the elicitation of fear responses, and maximize animal welfare and productivity. Identifying the nature of the range of 1

2 interactions used by humans provides the prospect for stockpeople to use negative interactions only when necessary and conversely to utilize positive interactions when the opportunity arises so that the overall fear responses to humans can be minimized. Research in several animal industries has clearly shown that the behavior of stockpeople can result in farm animals developing fear responses to humans, which can have large adverse effects on animal welfare and productivity. Stockperson training programs appear to offer an excellent opportunity to improve animal welfare, and have been shown to be practical and effective on a wide range of stockpeople working in a variety of situations. The objectives of this study were to conduct a preliminary investigation of human-animal interactions in the turkey industry, and thereby explore the potential to improve the quality of the human-animal relationship in the turkey industry through development of stockperson training programs. Materials and Methods A total of 30 groups of commercially-raised male turkeys (N 5800) were visited on three occasions. The first visit occurred when the birds were 4 weeks old, and housed in starter barns. The second visit occurred when the birds were 8 weeks old, and had been moved to finisher barns. The transition between starter and finisher facilities usually occurred when the birds were 5-6 weeks of age. The third visit occurred when the birds were 12 weeks old. At each visit, a Stroll Test was used to assess fear of humans in the birds. This behavioral test was adapted from a similar test used to assess fear of humans in commercially-managed broiler chickens (Cransberg et al., 2000), and has also successfully been used to test fear of humans in small groups of turkeys housed in experimental pens (Botheras et al., 2008). In the Stroll Test, a novel experimenter walked at a constant speed (1 stride/s) along a standard route through the barn (Figure 1). As the experimenter walked along the route, a video camera was held in a standard position so that a standard field of view directly in front of the experimenter was recorded (Figure 2). During video analysis, the number of turkeys within the field of view was noted at 5-s intervals. The mean number of birds in the field of view during this movement phase of the test was then calculated. The number of birds remaining close to, or failing to avoid, the experimenter (i.e. birds within the field of view) as he/she moved through the flock represents the level of fear of humans of the birds. The test measures the avoidance of humans by the birds. Furthermore, regular periods of immobility were also incorporated into the test (standing stationary for 30 s after each 30 s of movement); this allowed measurement of the approach behavior of the birds towards a stationary novel human. During video analysis, the number of birds within the field of view was noted every 5 s during this stationary phase of the test, and the mean number of birds in the field of view during the stationary phase of the test was calculated. 2

3 END The route the experimenter walked through the barn START Points along the route where the experimenter stood stationary Figure 1. Schematic of the route through the barn that an experimenter walked when conducting the Stroll Test Figure 2. A video camera was positioned to record the area directly in front of the experimenter In order to estimate the duration and types of interactions between stockperson(s) and turkeys, stockpeople were asked to keep an activity log for 1 week prior to each visit, in which the times that the stockperson entered and exited the barn, and the activities performed while inside the barn, were recorded. The log sheets were collected at each visit. The mean total time humans spent in the barn each day was calculated. Production records were obtained, including liveability, feed conversion efficiency, and condemnations at the processing plant. Correlations between the behavioral responses of the turkeys (fear of humans) and production measures were calculated, along with correlations between fear of humans in turkeys and human behavior (time spent in the barn). Results At 4 and 8 weeks of age, there was a significant positive correlation between the number of turkeys close to the experimenter during Stationary and Moving phases of the Stroll Test. The behavior of the turkeys at 8 weeks of age was significantly positively correlated with the behavior of the turkeys during the Stationary phase at 12 weeks of age (Table 1). There were no other significant correlations between the behavior of the turkeys in different phases of the Stroll Test and at different ages. Stockpeople spent 28 ± 13 min/d (mean ± SD) in the barn when turkeys were 4 weeks of age, increasing to 51 ± 17 min/d and 57 ± 24 min/d when birds were 8 and 12 weeks of age, respectively. At 4 and 12 weeks of age, the number of turkeys close to the experimenter during the Moving phase was significantly positively correlated with the amount of time stockpeople spent in the barn (Table 2). There were no other significant correlations between the behavior of the turkeys and the time stockpeople spent in the barn. 3

4 Table 1. Correlations between the mean number of turkeys within the video camera field of view during Stationary (Stat) and Moving (Move) phases of the Stroll Test at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age 4Stat 4Move 8Stat 8Move 12Stat 12Move 4Stat ** Move Stat ** 0.672** Move ** Stat Move 1 ** P<0.01 Table 2. Correlations between the mean number of turkeys within the video camera field of view during Stationary (Stat) and Moving (Move) phases of the Stroll Test at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age and the amount of Time stockpeople spent in the barn 4Time 8Time 12Time 4Stat Move 0.488** 8Stat Move Stat Move 0.492* * P<0.05 ** P<0.01 The behavior of the turkeys at 4 weeks of age was significantly positively correlated with the liveability of the birds. There was a significant negative correlation between the behavior of the turkeys at 4 weeks of age and feed conversion efficiency (Table 3). There were no other significant correlations between the behavior of the turkeys and production variables. Table 3. Correlations between the mean number of turkeys within the video camera field of view during Stationary (Stat) and Moving (Move) phases of the Stroll Test at 4, 8 and 12 weeks of age and production variables Liveability FCE Cond. 4Stat 0.598* ** Move Stat Move Stat Move P<0.10 * P<0.05 ** P<0.01 Liveability %, Feed Conversion Efficiency (FCE), Condemnations % (Cond.) at the processing plant 4

5 Discussion This study is the first to investigate human-animal relationships in commercially-raised turkeys, and provided the first description of the variation between farms in fear of humans in turkeys of different ages. Correlations between the behavioral responses of the turkeys during stationary and moving phases of the Stroll Test, both within and between ages, indicates some consistency of fear behavior. Furthermore, early fear of humans and early experiences may also affect long-term liveability, as higher liveability was associated with less fearful birds at 4 weeks of age. There was some evidence that the amount of human contact influenced fear of humans in turkeys. When stockpeople spent more time in the barn, more turkeys were observed near the novel human during the Stroll Test, indicating birds were less fearful of humans. These findings are in agreement with results from other species (see Hemsworth & Coleman, 1998) and findings from a turkey experiment, where an increased amount of human contact decreased fear in the turkeys (Botheras et al., 2008). However, the nature of the interactions between stockpeople and farm animals has also been found to be an important influence on fear of humans by animals. Thus, further research is needed to more fully explore the types of interactions that occur between stockpeople and turkeys, and how these interactions affect the human-animal relationship in the turkey industry. While the results of this study do not demonstrate cause-and-effect, this study provides preliminary information on the significance of human-animal interactions in the turkey industry for bird behavior and productivity. Further research is required to demonstrate causal links between human behavior, bird behavior, and bird welfare and productivity. In the long-term, such information can be used in the development of stockperson training programs which target the key behaviors of stockpeople that have been found to affect fear of humans in turkeys, and turkey welfare and productivity. Training of stockpeople is becoming an increasingly important issue to address in all of the animal industries, and the potential production benefits of improving the human-animal relationship are also substantial. References Barnett, J.L., P.H. Hemsworth, and E.A. Newman Fear of humans and its relationship with productivity in laying hens at commercial farms. Br. Poult. Sci. 33: Botheras, N.A., P.H. Hemsworth, J.M. Engel, and M.S. Lilburn Effect of amount of human contact on behavioral, physiological, and production responses of turkeys. Poult. Sci. 87(Suppl. 1):60. Cransberg, P.H., P.H. Hemsworth, and G.J. Coleman Human factors affecting the behaviour and productivity of commercial broiler chickens. Br. Poult. Sci. 41:

6 Hemsworth, P.H., and G.J. Coleman Human-Livestock Interactions. The Stockperson and the Productivity and Welfare of Intensively Farmed Animals. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK. Jones, R.B Fear and adaptability in poultry: Insights, implications and imperatives. World s Poult. Sci. J. 52: Jones, R.B., and B.O. Hughes Effects of regular handling on growth in male and female chicks of broiler and layer strains. Br. Poult. Sci. 22: