Poultry farms and evaporative cooling cell pads

To minimize heat stress, effective cooling management is important for growers to achieve maximum weight gains and optimum feed conversion while preventing bird loss due to heat exhaustion. Tabreed evaporative cooling cell pads have become popular solutions in hot climates like Egypt and the Middle East and is the primary evaporated cooling system currently installed. Depending on environmental conditions (temperature, humidity), incoming air temperature can be lowered 10 to 20 degrees Celsius.

The optimum temperature for the adult birds varies between 17 to 28°C and in that range we can obtain the optimum production (meat and eggs).

The body temperature of an adult chicken is (40.6 to 41.7°C). The thermo neutral zone is (20-28°C), which allows chickens to maintain their body temperature. If the temperature is above this zone, heat must be lost in some way as chickens have no sweat glands. Since eating increases body temperature, chickens reduce their feed intake during hot weather, and therefore gains will be less. Chickens begin panting at (30°C) to help dissipate heat, and drink more to avoid dehydration.

A combination of high temperature and high humidity is a problem, because panting does not cool them under these conditions. Fast-growing broilers are particularly susceptible to heat stress due to their high level of production. Producers should provide abundant cool drinking water in close proximity to the birds inside and outside.

Increasing the temperature above 28 °C reveals symptoms such as:

Reduction in feed intake with slight increase in water consumed by birds. This will affect feed conversion and increase water intake. This will lead to ruining of litter, in addition to the disturbance of electrolyte balance in the body, which can lead to death.

Panting accelerated breathing affects the respiratory tract (dryness and congestion). This will result in making the respiratory system more susceptible to viral and bacterial infection. Carbon Dioxide expelled more than normal, will result in reduction of carbonates, which is the most important portion in forming eggshell. Carbon Dioxide plays an important role in keeping blood acidity as shortage of Carbon Dioxide will lead to alkalinity, which is fatal.

Mortality: the symptom of mortality begins at 35 °C especially in the well-matured birds (heavy weight). The effect of high temperature will be aggravated and it is inconceivable to have a living bird at 47 °C.

Economical losses from high temperature:

Bad conversion ratio in the broilers, low quantity and quality in egg production, and bad fertility and hatchability.

Complications resulting from high temperature:
- Respiratory diseases
- Coccidia
- Electrolytes and vitamins deficiencies. These are needed in heat stress especially vitamin C
- Immunological disturbance, which leads to reconsideration of vaccination program

It is difficult to evaluate mortality with accuracy, but high temperature can lead to economic disaster.