The Effects of Intermittent Feeding and Cold Water on Welfare Status and Meat Quality in Broiler Chickens Reared Under Daily Heat Stress

Abstract

This study was aimed to determine the effects of feeding type (ad libitum: AF and intermittent: IF) and water temperature (normal: NW and cold: CW) treatments on welfare status and meat quality in fast-growing broiler chickens reared under daily heat stress between 22 and 42 days of age. The chickens' panting rate and rectal temperature were determined at 4, 5, and 6 weeks of age and twice a week in 3 female and 3 male chickens in each pen. Welfare traits such as foot pad dermatitis (FPD), hock burn (HB), breast burn (BB), and leg problems (LP) were examined individually at 42 days of age. At day 43, 3 male and 3 female chickens per pen were randomly selected and slaughtered after an 8-h fasting period; pH and color (lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*)) of breast and thigh meat were determined. AF x C W chickens had significantly higher panting rates at all ages than the other groups (P < 0.05). While FPD and LP were not affected by feeding type and water temperature treatments, interaction effects on HB and BB were found significant (P < 0.05). The HB and BB levels were the lowest in AF x NW chickens (P < 0.05). While treatments did not change to any color traits in breast meat (P > 0.05), interactions significantly affected the yellowness (b*) value in the thigh (P < 0.05). In conclusion, management practices such as IF and CW in fast-growing broilers could not completely reduce the undesirable effects of heat stress on some welfare and meat quality traits, and in some cases, even caused more negativity.