The objective of this study was to determine the critical points of the operation of broiler catching for transport to the processing plant from animal and operational perspectives. During catching, chickens, environmental variables (temperature and relative humidity) were constantly monitored to determine the Enthalpy Comfort Index (IEC). Also, the physiological variable rectal temperature (RT) was monitored as an indicator of stress suffered by the birds during this handling procedure. Bird welfare were evaluated by analyzing their behavior. The bag method was effective to prevent the struggling of birds while being taken from the broiler house to the transport truck, reducing physical injuries and losses during catching.

The production system using cages is a highly polemical issue in Europe, because of the space restriction imposed to laying hens. It is considered that the cage system might compromise important comfort movements, welfare and egg quality. This study evaluated egg quality and welfare of two strains of hens housed in a conventional system (battery laying cages) or litter system with nest and perches, and submitted to heat stress or comfort conditions. Two groups of 20 birds (10 Hy-line W36 and 10 Hy-line Brown) were submitted to two environmental conditions (26°C and 60% RH or 35°C and 70% RH) and two housing systems (cages or litter) in the early production phase. Egg quality was analyzed based on egg weight, eggshell thickness, specific gravity, and Haugh units. Yolk and shell contamination by Salmonella sp was also assessed. A significant (p<0.05) reduction in quality parameters was observed in eggs produced by laying hens under heat stress, mainly in the birds housed in cages.

The matter of animal welfare has led to studies in order to evaluate alternative rearing systems for livestock in order to improve well-being. The semi-intensive system is an alternative method of rearing broilers in which the birds are kept in a poultry house and have free access to a pasture area during the day. It is known that ambient conditions may directly affect the behavior of birds reared in the semi-intensive system. Therefore, this research evaluated the behavior of four broiler strains reared under a semi-intensive system with a shaded area (provided by a black plastic screen - 50%) and the bioclimatic characteristics of this environment when compared with the non-shaded pasture. Thirty-five birds were reared in pens with 4.5 m² and 35 m² of pasture. Ambient variables were measured throughout the day to calculate the indexes of thermal comfort (BGHI and enthalpy). Data was analyzed in a 4 x 2 factorial (4 strains and 2 rearing environments) with 2 repetitions, in order to establish the rate of bird permanence in the pasture. There was an improvement in the ambient conditions of the shaded pasture in the hottest hours of the day (from 10:00 to 14:00 h), i.e., there was a reduction in the mean values of BGHI (approximately 26%) and enthalpy (36%). As a consequence, there was an increase in the rate of permanence in this environment if compared with the non-shaded pasture. Three out of four evaluated strains showed better adaptability to the semi-intensive rearing system.