Managing heat stress in commercial poultry operations: principles and practical strategies
By Zac Williams, PhD
Extension specialist – Poultry Husbandry and Management
University of Arkansas
By Zac Williams, PhD
Extension specialist – Poultry Husbandry and Management
University of Arkansas
Jonathan W. Moon, PhD, Mississippi State University, evaluated a combined evaporative cooling and sprinkler system relative to a conventional EC system in two commercial-sized broiler houses. How did the combined system affect broiler performance?
Heat stress affects poultry farms everywhere — even in Canada, where poultry producers battle hot, humid conditions in the summer. Deborah Adewole, PhD, associate professor, University of Saskatchewan, has focused her recent work on nutritional strategies to reduce heat stress and discussed her research in a webinar hosted by Canadian Poultry.
Laying hens exposed to prolonged heat waves experience adverse health effects that lead to health issues and reduced productivity. Many studies show that probiotics improve intestinal integrity due to lactic acid production and the competitive exclusion of pathogens.
Machine-learning approaches are providing new insight into bird comfort during loading and transportation, which could reduce losses due to overheating.
