Regular plumage condition assessment in laying hens is essential to monitor the hens’ welfare status and detect occurrence of feather pecking activities. However, commercial farms this a labor-intensive, manual task. This study proposes novel approach for automated using computer vision deep learning. It presents ChickenNet, an end-to-end convolutional neural network that detects simultaneously...

______________________________________________________________________________________ Abstract The effects of production system on welfare traits, growth performance and meat quality of ducks were explored. A total of 120 newly hatched ducklings were randomly assigned to three groups: i) floor-reared system (FRS); ii) welfare-reared system (WRS) and iii) net-reared system (NRS) (n = 8 duckling...

Severe feather-pecking (SFP), a particularly injurious behaviour in laying hens (Gallus gallus domesticus), is thought to be negatively correlated with range use in free-range systems. In turn, range use is thought to be inversely associated with fearfulness, where fearful birds may be less likely to venture outside. However, very few experiments have investigated the proposed association betwe...

Abstract Philosophers have used thought experiments to examine contentious examples of genetic modification. We hypothesised that these would prove useful in provoking responses from lay participants concerning technological interventions address welfare concerns. asked 747 US and Canadian citizens respond two scenarios based on experiments: genetically modifying chickens produce blind progeny ...

The pecking of birds has been classically considered a fixed action pattern that is little modified by varying internal and external circumstances. i\lthough recent research has documented several instances of variability, the stereotypy of pecking by pigeons continues to be stressed. The present study illustrates the adaptability of the response employing an accelerometric/videographic techniq...

intramascular (im) administration of apomorphine (a mixed d1/d2 dopamine receptors agonist 0.2-1.6 mg/kg) induced pecking, a stereotype behavior in pigeons in a dose- dependent manner. in this study the effect of lithium (li+, 240 mg/kg, im) and ami-193 (a new 5-ht2 antagonist, 0.003 mg/pigeon) on apomorphine-induced peking (aip) were investigated. this study showed that li+ and ami-193 did not...

The aim of this empirical study is to explore the trade-off model and pecking order model of capital structure. The investigation is performed using panel data procedures for a sample of 76 firms listed in Tehran Stock Exchange during 2007-2010.The study employs OLS regression model in examining the capital structure of firms in Iran. The study employs variables reflecting differing theoretical...

Divergent choose-absence retention functions typically found in pigeons following presence/absence-sample matching have been attributed to the development of a single-code/default coding strategy. However, such effects may result from adventitious differential responding to the samples. In Experiment 1, retention functions were divergent only when differential sample responding could serve as t...