Behavioral and Technological Approaches for Assessing Thermal Stress Adaptation in Laying Hens
Keywords:
behaviour, laying hens, production performances, thermal stress, welfareAbstract
This review summarizes the various methods used to evaluate poultry behaviour under thermal stress, highlighting their importance for improving animal welfare, production performance, product quality, and environmental management. An extensive literature search was carried out on laying hens, thermal stress, and welfare-related aspects, emphasizing behavioural indicators, physiological responses, production traits, and management factors associated with adaptation to severe thermal conditions. Several observational methods were evaluated, including naturalistic observation, photographic documentation, continuous monitoring, time sampling, and focal animal studies. Infrared thermography was pointing out for its non-invasive technique to monitor body temperature. It is mandatory to consider the detailed observation of hens' behaviour as key to early stress identification to enable effective strategies to minimize the economic impact for farmers. Despite their high costs and technological challenges, modern technologies for monitoring, recording, and assessing poultry behaviours are essential for an efficient farm management, as they contribute to the prevention of production losses and facilitate timely interventions by farmers.
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