This study evaluated the effects of licorice extract and probiotic on performance, excreta characteristics and welfare‐related parameters of broiler chickens reared in high stocking density. Three hundred and thirty‐six 1‐day old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replicates for 42 days. Treatments were as follows: (a) positive control (PC, 12 chicks/m2); (b) negative control (NC, 18 chicks/m2); (c) NC + 500 ppm licorice extract (LE); (d) NC + 200 ppm probiotic (P); (e) NC + ppm LE + ppm P. Body weight gain (BWG) was affected negatively by increased density in the growing period (p < 0.05). At high density, BWG was increased in the growing and whole period by adding LE and P separately and in combination (p < 0.01). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was not affected by stocking density. Excreta weight (g/bird) and dry matter (DM, %) were reduced by increasing density (p < 0.01). Use of feed additives at high stocking density had no significant effect on excreta weight, but DM content of excreta was higher in NC + LE + P than NC. Gait problems and footpad and hock burns were increased by increased stocking density, but were not altered by feed additives. In conclusion, licorice extract and probiotic improved BWG of broilers reared at high stocking density; however, these birds had some disorders in footpad, hock and walking ability.

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In this study, we simulate the flow and heat transfer during hot-wire anemometry and investigate its thermal behavior and physics using the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) tool. In this regard, we use the finite-volume method and solve the compressible Navier-Stokes equations numerically in slightly non-continuum flow fields. We do not use any slip flow model to include the transitional flow physics in our simulations. Using the CFD method, we simulate the flow over hot–wire and evaluate the uncertainty of CFD in thermal simulation of hot-wire in low transitional flow regimes. The domain sizes and the mesh distributions are carefully chosen to avoid boundary condition error appearances. Following the past researches, we do not take into account the conduction heat transfer passing through hot-wire mounting arms in our simulations. Imposing a fixed temperature condition at the face of hot-wire, we simulate the flow over and the heat transfer from hot-wire and calculate the convection heat transfer coefficient and the local Nusselt number values. To be sure of the accuracy of our CFD code, we simulate a number of similar test cases and compare our numerical solutions with the available numerical solutions and/or experimental data.