ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to develop a software based on image processing and computer vision techniques for monitoring the feeding/collective behavior of broilers (Cobb) and validate it based on the results obtained from the visual analysis of an expert. The visual analysis was performed based on the observation and quantification of behaviors in the interval of 10 min at each hour of the day, in the period of 24 hours, totaling 1728 frames/day, for males and females. The software was developed using the Hoshen-Kopelman algorithm, for labeling clusters, which would basically be the grouping of similar pixels. This software is written in the 1999 standard of the C language. After this stage of programming, the Hoshen-Kopelman algorithm identified the birds in the region of interest (feeder and drinker), with removal of the background color to obtain the descriptors, using the same range of visual analysis. Then, the software was validated through linear regression analysis, using the R platform. Based on the correlation analyses, it was found that the coefficient of determination (R2) ranged from 0.74 to 0.97 for all software validation events. The number of broilers in the regions of interest showed R2 above 0.70 for females and above 0.89 for males, which allowed the characterization of the ingestive behavior of broilers by computer vision. Some factors that caused interference in the accuracy of the software were decisive for the result, especially the arrangement of the cameras, uneven lighting, obstruction caused by the lighting system, pendular movement of the feeders and drinker, and shade generated by them. Despite the highlighted interferences, the results allowed us to infer that the software identified and quantified the feeding behavior of broilers in an appropriate manner.

ABSTRACT The objective of this research was to analyze the differences between the food behaviors observed under the factors of production environment, sex and lighting system, using stochastic tools of multivariate analysis. As for the thermal characteristics of the environment, air temperature (T, °C), enthalpy (H, kJ kg-1), and black globe temperature and humidity index (BGTHI) showed high positive correlation with each other and strong negative correlation with relative humidity (RH, %). The “male drinking” behavior was positively associated with thermal characteristics of the environment in the three periods of the day, that is, the act of drinking more water would be a way to alleviate thermal stress. Birds subjected to red LED showed a strong negative correlation with temperature associated with the “female drinking” behavior, in the afternoon period, according to the principal component analysis, which is justified by the orientation of the broiler house with its longitudinal axis in the NE/SW direction, so the sunlight directly hits the area where the drinker was located. Variation in body weight showed better response when the birds were exposed to a temperature of 27 °C, for the 5th week of the rearing cycle.

RESUMO A iluminância ideal em aviários para frangos de corte pode levar à melhoria da eficiência do ambiente de alojamento e no bem-estar das aves. Neste contexto, objetivou-se avaliar o comportamento e o bem-estar de frangos de corte sob efeito da iluminância por lâmpadas de diodo emissor de luz na faixa do branco (400-760 nm) e azul/verde (470-525 nm). O experimento foi conduzido de outubro a dezembro de 2017, no município de Carpina, PE, e contou com 384 pintos de um dia (lote misto), linhagem Cobb 500. O delineamento adotado foi inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 4 x 2, correspondendo a quatro iluminâncias, 5 lx (I1), 20 lx (I2), 150 lx (I3) e 5-20 lx (5 lx na 1a, 2a e 6a semana e 20 lx na 3a, 4a e 5a semana - I4), e dois espectrons luminosos com a utilização de lâmpadas de diodo emissor de luz (LED), tipo bastão RGB (400-760 nm) branco (C1) e dicromático (470-525 nm) azul/verde (C2), com três repetições. Utilizou-se programa de iluminação contínuo, 18 h de luz e 6 h de escuro por dia. Foram avaliados os comportamentos ingestivos, postura, conforto e natural, agressividade e desconforto das aves. As variáveis comportamentais das aves foram determinadas pela frequência dos eventos e sua probabilidade de ocorrência pelo teste Qui-quadrado. As aves submetidas aos comprimentos de onda na faixa do azul/verde e iluminância de 20 lx e 5-20 lx, apresentaram comportamentos ingestivos e de conforto mais expressivos, o que evidencia melhor bem-estar nestas condições de alojamento.

ABSTRACT The ideal illuminance in poultry houses for broiler chickens may lead to improvement in housing efficiency and broiler welfare. In this context, the objective of this research was to evaluate the behavior and welfare of broiler chickens under effect of illuminance by light-emitting diode (LED) in white band (400-760 nm) and blue/green band (470-525 nm). The experiment was conducted from October to December 2017, in the municipality of Carpina, PE, Brazil, and had 384-oneday-old chicks (mixed batch), Cobb 500 strain. The adopted design was completely randomized, in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, corresponding to four illuminances, 5 lx (I1), 20 lx (I2), 150 lx (I3) and 5-20 lx (5 lx in the 1st, 2nd and 6th weeks and 20 lx in the 3rd, 4th and 5th weeks - I4), and two light spectra using LED bars, RGB type, in white (400-760 nm) color (C1) and blue/green (470-525 nm) dichromatic color (C2), with three repetitions. A continuous lighting program was used, 18 h of light and 6 h of dark per day. Ingestive, posture, comfort and natural behaviors, aggressiveness and discomfort of the broiler were evaluated. Broiler behavioral variables were determined by the frequency of the events and their probability of occurrence by the Chi-square test. Broilers subjected to wavelengths in the blue/green range and illuminance of 20 lx and 5-20 lx showed more significant ingestive and comfort behaviors, which demonstrates better welfare under these housing conditions.