The effect of noise and music on young meat chickens’ behaviour and stress state

Abstract

The effect of 21-day-long noise and music exposure on open-field (OF) behaviour and stress state of young meat chicks has been investigated. The noise decreased the final body weight of cocks by 10.56%, but the noise and music did not influence weight gain of pullets (p›0.05). Necropsy and histopathology did not reveal any stress-related changes. Immobility time and number of siting up were inconsistent. The fluctuating asymmetry in the growth of 3rd toes was significantly higher, while corticosterone level was significantly lower in the control group than is the noise- and music-treated ones (2.83±0.51 vs. 6.39±1.23 and 6.90±0.94 ng/ml). There were differences in the OF behaviour (eating, chirping, gasping), too. There is no real difference between music and noise treatment; chicks respond to music endocrinologically and ethologically the same way as they respond to noise. These results indicate, that the three-week-long noise and music exposure does not mean a substantial stress of pathoclinical signs. The noise and music conditioning decreased, but not eliminated the stress. The serum corticosterone values showed a mild stress state of noise- and music-exposed chickens, but these treatments seemed to decrease the noxious effects of loud noise challenge, establishing a state of eustress.