Optical Flow, Flock Behaviour and Chicken Welfare
We used a combination of inexpensive camera equipment and statistical analysis of optical flow patterns to analyse the behaviour of 24 commercial broiler (meat) chicken flocks, Gallus gallus. Individual birds were not tracked or marked but the skew and kurtosis of flow patterns produced by the collective movements of the flocks were significantly correlated with […]
In search of the behavioural correlates of optical flow patterns in the automated assessment of broiler chicken welfare
Assessment of chicken welfare using camera surveillance of behaviour has great potential as a supplement to good stockmanship and as an aid to improving flock management. Suitable cameras are now readily available and the automated analysis of the lengthy video sequences from the cameras can be accomplished from statistical descriptors of the ‘optical flow’ patterns […]
ANIMAL BEHAVIOR AND WELL-BEING SYMPOSIUM: Poultry welfare assessments: Current use and limitations
Recent attention has been given to developing welfare assessment tools for research purposes and for use directly on poultry farms. Historically, most of these tools have relied on resource-and management-based measures, but it is unclear how well they correlate with outcomes indicative of positive animal welfare. The subjective nature of many of these tools also […]