Table 5.
Parameter estimates and standard error for the models quantifying the effect of the different rearing system characteristics on the gait score of broiler chickens.
| Gait score | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Variable1 | (mean value; n = 39) | P-value | ||
| Intercept | 10.03 | 2.29 | 0.0221 | |
| EIA | −0.027 | 0.007 | 0.0005 | |
| Sex | Females | 0.113 | 0.259 | 0.3705 |
| Males | 0.252 | 0.259 | ||
| Mixed | 0 | – | ||
| FP | 2 | 0.630 | 0.245 | 0.0317 |
| 3 | 1.169 | 0.412 | ||
| >3 | 0 | – | ||
| SD | −0.186 | 0.069 | 0.0129 | |
| GS | −0.00006 | 0.00003 | 0.0841 | |
| DP | −0.379 | 0.102 | 0.0012 | |
| DS | No | −1.469 | 0.255 | <0.0001 |
| Yes | 0 | – | ||
| EC | No | −0.367 | 0.175 | 0.0464 |
| Yes | 0 | – | ||
| MU | No | 0.608 | 0.409 | 0.1510 |
| Yes | 0 | – | ||
| SD × DP | 0.009 | 0.003 | 0.0057 | |
| RMSE | 0.02 | |||
1EIA: experimental initial age (d); FP: feeding phases; SD: stocking density (kg/m2); GS: group size (n); DP: duration of the photoperiod (h); DS: divided scotoperiod (h); EC: environmental control; MU: use of vaccines and other medications.