Received: 07-08-2021 / Accepted: 29-10-2021
This study aimed to identify effects of two housing systems and two crossbreeds on welfare quality of broiler chickens. A total of 132 (Ho ×Luong Phuong) chickens and 146 (Choi ×Luong Phuong) chickens were assigned into 4 treatments with 3 replicates by the completely randomized design method, including: Group 1 (Ho ×Luong Phuong chickens kept in outdoor access system with perches provision); Group 2 (Choi ×Luong Phuong chickens kept in the outdoor access system with perches provision); Group 3 (Ho ×Luong Phuong chicken housed indoor without perches); Goup 4 (Choi ×Luong Phuong chickens housed indoor without perches). Welfare parameters related to chickens’ health and behaviours were observed directly by naked eyes and scored according to Welfare Quality (2009) protocol. The outdoor access system with perches provision improved the welfare quality in term of food pad dematitis and plumage cleanness (P<0.05), and stimulated chickens to perform natural behaviours (30-45% ranging outdoor areas, 30-50% roosting on perches at night at 9-13 weeks of age), but no significant difference in the aggressive behaviour was detected. There was no significant effects of crossbreeds on welfare quality of chickens. Producers should adopt the outdoor access system if the ranging areas are available and provide broiler chickens with perches to improve their welfare quality.