Performance of Laying Hens and Economic Viability of Different Climatization Systems

Abstract

Since thermal environment affects production, egg quality and laying hens' mortality rates, it is highly relevant to control the thermal environment within poultry houses so that the best financial profits could be obtained. Three commercial poultry houses with different climatization systems are analyzed in current research: a poultry house with tunnel-like ventilation and pad cooling; a poultry house with natural ventilation and nebulization; a poultry house with simple natural ventilation. Their thermal environment, production, egg quality and laying hens' mortality rates among different poultry houses and at different areas of the same poultry house are compared. Economic profits based on difference in electric energy consumption by climatization systems and on the laying hens' productivity of each poultry house are calculated. Electricity meters were installed within the electrical circuits of the climatization and light systems of the three poultry houses. Data were registered between December 2011 and March 2012 and results showed that all the poultry houses featured heterogeneity in internal thermal environment with faults in the climatization systems. Important differences were reported in egg production and quality caused by overheating. The poultry house with tunnel-like ventilation and pad cooling had the best thermal isolation from the external environment that resulted in a 12.04% improvement in production, decrease between 30 and 40% in laying hens' mortality rates and the best economic result.

Technical Feasibility of the Acclimatization System in Aviary of Posture: A Case Study

“…However, as expected, the relative humidity in acclimatized shed was higher (p ≤ 0.05) than in the no acclimatized shed. The results corroborate with those observed by Silva et al (2013).…”

“…In the spring and summer, the BGHI in the acclimatized shed was lower (p ≤ 0.05) than the no acclimatized aviary, and in the fall and winter, it was higher (p ≤ 0.05), corroborating with the frequency distribution graphs showing lower variation in the internal environmental conditions when compared to no acclimatized shed. Silva et al (2013) observed that birds in an environment where the BGHI was between 72 and 79 had higher productivity and better animal husbandry technical parameters.…”

“…However, these companies mostly, do not record the electricity consumption of their equipment which according to Mosko et al (2010) constitutes a significant part of the production cost of an industry making necessary to study the quality of supply and the consumption (Turco et al, 2002). The scaling of energy transformers and motors in relation to the equipment must be considered in the production sectors, since when inadequate, it leads to power supply failures and variation in the internal environment in a same shed with acclimatization system (Bueno & Rossi, 2006;Silva et al, 2013).…”

“…There is greater heat generation in the environment which needs to be removed from the aviary, since the stress generated by high temperatures in poultry can lead to a decrease in food intake and physical activities, as well as losses in production, such as a decrease in the number of produced eggs, worsens egg size and quality, and birds mortality (Renaudeau et al, 2012;Lara & Rostagno, 2013;Mack et al, 2013;Silva et al, 2013, Abdelqader & Al-Fataftah, 2014). …”

Performance of Commercial Laying Hen Submitted to Different Debeaking Methods

“…Egg quality parameters were evaluated during three consecutive days on the 28 th week corresponding to the maximum production peak, where 27 fresh eggs per day of each treatment were collected, ie 7% of the total of the eggs, weighing approximately 60g , measured with the Diamond® Digital High Precision Scale (0.1g) (adapted from Santos et al, 2013).…”