Heat stress in poultry – What can you do?

Eleven of Plant Earth’s hottest years ever recorded have been in the last 20 years. This year the highest UK temperature ever was recorded at Cambridge – 38.7°C and the trend indicates records will be broken again and again in coming years. Estimates vary, however it is widely assumed that each adult bird produces 10 – 20 watts of heat. On a hot day the roof of a poultry house can rise to 60°C due to the combined effects of the sun on the outside and rising heat from the poultry on the inside. If the body heat of a bird rises from 41°C (normal) to 45°C the bird will die. Heat stress in poultry (and all other livestock production) is set to become a more frequent and an even more severe problem than it is today. Although it is a serious stock welfare and financial issue to livestock producers, it is also an issue with effects that can be minimized with preventative measures. Natural ventilation is not adequate in extreme circumstances. When high temperature is combined with high humidity all animals will naturally work to regulate their own body temperatures by measures such as sweating, panting, moving apart, reduction of food intake and activity etc. It is important under extreme conditions to turn over the whole air volume of the shed regularly and also recirculate air within the shed when internal air distribution is poor. Remembering that heat stress in poultry is in part a factor of humidity, it is important to realise that humidity levels will be higher inside the poultry shed than outside. This is because of the littering of the stock and their sweating. Each bird delivers both heat and moisture load to the inside air. Although you can not change the humidity outside of the shed, with sufficient ventilation you can ensure that the effect of humidity on the heat stress level is no more than the outside ambient level. Puravent's main recirculation ventilation fans are available in 3-blade or 5-blade versions, with or without inlet cones and in a wide variety of diameters (915mm to 140mm). We also offer panel fans range in diameter from 200mm to 920mm and in power from 60W to 1.8kW. They are also available in single phase (230v) or 3-phase (440v). All have IE2 or IE3 energy efficient motors.

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