The modern model of the industrial production of
broiler chicken meat requires knowledge and investments
in the areas of nutrition, genetics, health, environment,
handling and slaughter technologies. The
system used for raising broilers is a crucial factor affecting
the birds in terms of comfort, welfare, health and
production efficiency. Worldwide, chickens are raised
in a variety of production systems that vary according
to different factors, including environmental conditions,
production scale and availability of financial
funds (Fouad et al. 2008). The modern bird setup
system described by Glatz and Pym (2007) has updated
barns and equipment and allows for considerable
control over the ambience. However, these barns
require a high financial investment to build and
operate and, therefore, require a large turnover of
birds to make them economically feasible.
Over the years, the so-called conventional installations,
with open ends, natural ventilation, positive
pressure (fans) and manual feeders and drinkers, have
been replaced by innovative installations. Currently,
controlled environments are created by using ventilators,
nebulizers, exhausters, cooling systems, automatic
drinkers and feeders as well as temperature,
humidity and ventilation controls through electronic
monitoring with computerized records (Costa et al.
2010). Nevertheless, the currently used feedlot
regimen installations can subject the birds to stress
(Jones & Mills 1999), with consequent adverse
behavioral and physiological responses (Marin et al.
2001), and serious health problems affecting animals’
welfare (Hall 2001). This environmental stress
increases mortality and reduces the installation’s production
performance by affecting chicken meat quality
due to the higher incidence of pale, soft and exudative
(PSE) meat