Use of vocalisation technology for early detection of challenges in broiler production

This book chapter aims to define the relationships between animal vocalisations and chicken diseases and welfare, while highlighting the novel technologies for their detection. The chapter begins with a general introduction to the use of Precision Livestock Farming technologies, and in particular bioacoustics, for monitoring the health status of broilers through the analysis of their vocalizations. The most common acoustic features of broiler chickens to describe their calls are then detailed, followed by sections on how call detectors can be used for disease detection and tracking animal behaviour. Finally, a case study on detecting prolonged fasting vocalisations in newly hatched chickens is covered.