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Article
An Instrumentation System for Studying Feeding and Drinking Behavior of Individual Poultry
Applied Engineering in Agriculture
  • Manuel C. Puma, Iowa State University
  • Hongwei Xin, Iowa State University
  • Richard S. Gates, University of Kentucky
  • David J. Burnham, Ajinomoto Heartland, LLC
Document Type
Article
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
1-1-2001
Abstract

This article describes an instrumentation system that was developed to study the dynamic feeding and drinking behavior of individual birds. The system, consisting of 24 feeding and drinking stations interfaced via an RS 485 communication network to a central PC, provides continuous recording of feeding and drinking events. Each feeding/drinking station includes a precision electronic balance (1210–g capacity and 0.1–g resolution) for the feeder and a temperature–controlled drinking water reservoir (1500–mL capacity and 1000– to 1500–mL operating range) whose height and thus volume was sensed with a differential pressure transducer (0 – 2.5 VDC output). The system was tested using growing broiler chickens subjected to constant or cyclic thermal conditions. Sample data are presented to demonstrate how researchers can use the system to examine and understand the effects of environmental modification on feeding and drinking behavior of individual birds. A series of subsequent studies have been planned that will use the system to investigate the interactive effects of environmental and dietary nutrition manipulations on ingestion behavior and poultry performance.total P.

Comments

Journal Paper No. J-18679 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Iowa State University, Project No. 3311. Mention of vendor or product names is for presentation clarity and does not imply endorsement by the authors or their affiliations nor exclusion of other suitable products.

This article is from Applied Engineering in Agriculture 17, no. 3 (2001): 365–374.

Access
Open
Copyright Owner
American Society of Agricultural Engineers
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Manuel C. Puma, Hongwei Xin, Richard S. Gates and David J. Burnham. "An Instrumentation System for Studying Feeding and Drinking Behavior of Individual Poultry" Applied Engineering in Agriculture Vol. 17 Iss. 3 (2001) p. 365 - 374
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/richard-gates/31/