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To help the farmers taking advantage of the festive season for earning extra income in poultry farm investment, we have being sharing some information to guide and support the farmers.
Today, we are considering another important factor impacting on the birds’ welfare and wellbeing – the poultry house temperature management
Temperature is very important in two folds, namely-
- atmospheric temperature (environmental hotness and coldness)
- body temperature of the birds.
Normalcy in the level of temperature requirement, in the two aspects mentioned above is very important for the welfare and comfort of the birds. However, depending on the age of the birds, the temperature requirement differs – the younger birds tends to require higher degree of temperature to avoid getting cold in the wind. For the older birds, excessive heat must be avoided to ensure that the birds are not stressed-up
Read more on heat stress – https://poultrygist.blogspot.com/2021/04/heat-stress.html
Apart from the comfort of the birds, another reason to ensure proper poultry house temperature management is because temperature also impact on the growth and productivity of the birds. High and excessive body temperature, reduce the birds feed intake leading to slower growth rate. Similarly, normalcy in temperature level within the comfort zone of the birds encourage better feed consumption and growth. Furthermore, effective poultry house temperature management enhance consistent egg production and optimal egg quality in the layer birds.
N:B – It is recommended that the farmer(s) be very watchful to detect promptly the impact of the poultry house temperature on the birds. When the birds huddle together, it could be a sign of cold thus must not be neglected. Similarly, excessive panting and pale comb may be traced to heat stress in the birds.
Impact of poultry house temperature management
Ensuring that the poultry house temperature is ideal for the birds is pertinent for the following reasons –
- Temperature impacts on the quality of egg(s) laid by the birds. For best production in the laying of egg, the best temperature requirement must be upheld. Extreme temperature ( cold or hot) disrupt the balance, thereby, lowering productivity.
- Inappropriate temperature (either excessive or deficient) get the birds stressed and can lead to mortality. To control loss of investment capital and profit, mortality among birds must be avoided.
- High temperature can increase the susceptibility of the birds to diseases and even lead to heatstroke. Maintaining the right temperature reduces health risk and keeps mortality rate low