We are grateful for partners like Wageningen University for driving advancements in the poultry industry.
See below for an updated on their Project Functilight using AI to improve animal welfare!
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In the project Functilight preferences of broiler chickens and laying hens are used to determine what light aspects are most preferred by the birds. Both broiler chickens (fast- and slower-growing) and laying hens have been subjected to multi choice environments, where they can freely move around to access specific areas with different light aspects. For example, they could choose between 4 pens with different light intensities, with different light spectra, or with or without UV addition to the lights. In the video below, two pens are connected by a passageway, allowing the chicks to freely choose where to stay. The pens have a completely identical design, except for the lighting. On the left UV was added, as on the right no UV was added.
⏱️ The time they spent in these environments is one of the indicators that tells us which environment is most preferred, and whether or not this depends on the time of the day or age of the chicken. Unfortunately, analysing these videos is very time consuming.
Researcher Rodania Bekhit developed a chicken tracking algorithm, enabling us to continuously follow the chickens in these multichoice environments. This way, we get more detailed data on the preferences of the chickens – enabling us to get more precise data. This is important to develop light conditions that meet the needs of the birds and improve broiler and layer welfare on farms.
Read their post. Or view below.
For more information on Project Functilight - view their website here.