Physiological and behavioural parameters of broiler chicks grown under different heating systems
Laen...
Kuupäev
2023
Kättesaadav alates
Autorid
Ferraz, P.F.P.
Andrade, E.T.
Vilas Boas, R.B.
Yanagi Junior, T.
Andrade, R.R.
Becciolini, V.
Barbari, M.
Ajakirja pealkiri
Ajakirja ISSN
Köite pealkiri
Kirjastaja
Estonian University of Life Sciences
Abstrakt
This study aimed to compare the internal environment, physiological variables, and
behavioural responses of chicks under two different heating systems. The experiment was
performed in two commercial broiler houses located in Brazil, where 28,000 male Cobb chicks
were housed during the first three weeks of life. One of the broiler houses was heated by an
industrial indirect-fired biomass furnace (S1). In addition, another heating system consisting of
two furnaces for indirect heating of the air using biomass (wood) as fuel, built by hand with
bricks, mud, and dung on an iron structure (S2), was tested. Measurements of the dry bulb
temperature (tdb), dew point temperature (tdp), and relative air humidity (RH) were performed.
Subsequently, the temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated. In addition, the
physiological variables of the respiratory rate (RR) and cloacal temperature (tcloacal) were
measured three times a day (8:00 am, 2:00 pm, and 6:00 pm) in four chicks. The behaviours were
grouped by dendrograms, in which the similarity of these data was qualified. During the second
and third weeks of life, the THI values were below the recommended range. The RR and tcloacal
data were below the recommended comfort values, which may be an indicator that the chicks
were subjected to cold conditions. Regarding their behaviour, the chicks exhibited calm, feeding,
and sleepy behaviours most of the time. Problems in the heating system inside the broiler house
could be observed, possibly affecting the chicks’ thermal comfort and welfare, which
consequently can result in productive and economic losses.
Kirjeldus
Received: December 1st, 2022 ; Accepted: March 29th, 2023 ; Published: April 24th, 2023 ; Correspondence: paricia.ponciano@ufla.br
Märksõnad
chicks, behaviour, cloacal temperature, respiratory rate, thermal comfort, articles