Effects of feeder space allowance on agonistic behaviour and growth performance of broilers (short communication)

Abstract. One hundred and thirty-two 4-weeks old unsexed Anak-2000 broiler strain were used to study the effect of feeder space allowance on agonistic behaviour and growth performance of broilers from weeks 4–8. The feeder space allowance were 2.4 cm/bird, 3.0 cm/bird and 3.6 cm/bird in groups I, II and III. The agonistic behaviour observed included head pecks, steps, pushes, threats and chase during feeding and "non-feeding" periods.

There was a decrease in total agonistic behaviour as feeder space per bird increased from 2.4cm/bird to 3.6 cm/bird, both during feeding and non-feeding periods. There was a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) of feeder space allowance on mean agonistic acts/bird/hour during feeding period being highest in G1 (7.8 acts/bird/hour), and lowest in G3 (4.5 acts/bird/hour). There was no significant effect (p > 0.05) of feeder space allowance on mean agonistic acts/bird/hour during non-feeding period. In G1 and G2, there was a significant effect (p ≤ 0.05) of period of observation on mean agonistic acts/bird/hour being highest in the feeding period and lowest in the non-feeding periods. In G3, there was no significant effect (p > 0.05) of period of day on mean agonistic acts/bird/hour and no significant effect of feeder space allowance on the growth performance parameters measured at p>0.05.