Research note: body surface area, a reference for space allowance in confinement
Hurnik, J.F. | Lewis, N.J.
One of the most important welfare concerns in relationship to poultry production is the restriction, both physical and social, imposed by close and long-lasting confinement. The bird's body-surface area was considered as a reference base for the determination of a minimum space allowance in the present study. The formula for surface area was based on body weight, which is a well-known and easily measured parameter. As the bird grows, its surface area changes in proportion to its weight gain, and, therefore, surface area provides a continuous estimate of the space requirement. The floor space allowance can be easily visualized from body surface area and estimated without extensive measurements of birds and floor areas. It is recommended that the minimum space requirement for poultry should be no less than the equivalent of 50% of the bird's body surface area. This recommendation was based on the principle that all birds in an enclosure should be able to rest simultaneously without contacting another bird or the walls of the enclosure.
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