What are the harmful effects of high temperatures on broiler chicken farming?
Chicken farming is very common in China, and when raising chickens, we need to do a good job of management. We also need to adjust our management methods in time according to seasonal changes, especially in summer and other high-temperature seasons. In a high-temperature environment, the growth of broiler chickens is noticeably affected, and if management is not carried out in time, it can also cause great harm. So what harm do high temperatures do to broiler chickens? Below, the editor brings you the harmful effects of high temperatures on broiler chickens. Let's take a look!
1. Decreased feed intake
In a high-temperature environment, the feed intake of broiler chickens drops noticeably. This is because when broiler chickens are in a high-temperature environment, the temperature difference between the chicken's own body temperature and the environment is not large, which reduces body heat dissipation and leads to heat stress in the chickens at the start of summer. When chickens experience heat stress, their feeding center is inhibited, and the activity of the digestive tract is also reduced as a result. In addition, to dissipate heat as quickly as possible, broiler chickens drink a great deal of water, all of which leads to a reduction in feed intake. Professional survey data shows that in an environment of 20-30 degrees, for every 1 degree rise, the feed intake of chickens decreases by about 1.6%; the higher the temperature, the less they eat.
2. Decreased production performance
As just mentioned, under high temperatures, the feed intake of broiler chickens decreases to some extent. This leads to broiler chickens taking in very few nutrients each day, especially nutrients such as protein and energy. Combined with a sharp increase in water intake, this causes a deep reduction in digestive enzymes in the intestinal tract of broiler chickens. As a result, chyme remains in the digestive tract for too short a time, reducing the digestibility of nutrients. This leads to a decline in the growth and fattening speed of broiler chickens, and feed utilization is also insufficient as a result. Broiler chickens also experience reduced production performance due to nutrient deficiency.
3. Effects on physiological functions
After broiler chickens experience heat stress, they speed up their breathing rate in order to maintain normal body temperature. Because the breathing rate is too fast, the excretion of carbon dioxide in the body increases, the pH value rises, and broiler chickens are prone to respiratory alkalosis. If the temperature inside the chicken house keeps rising, the abdominal muscles of the broiler chickens become overly fatigued, the breathing rate begins to decline, and opposite symptoms begin to appear. Moreover, under conditions of heat stress, the heart rate of broiler chickens increases and blood circulation speeds up, which easily causes insufficient blood supply to the digestive system and internal organs of broiler chickens, affecting the absorption and utilization of nutrients, causing broiler chickens to stop growing and, in severe cases, even die.
4. Susceptibility to disease
High temperatures cause broiler chickens to secrete too much serum corticosteroid. When this substance enters lymphocytes, it inhibits cell growth. It also affects protein synthesis, causing the immune system of broiler chickens to be suppressed. If it is not dealt with in time and broiler chickens suffer from long-term heat stress, it will cause an increase in blood corticosteroid, leading to lymph node atrophy and affecting immune organs to varying degrees, reducing their immunity. At the same time, in a high-temperature environment, pathogenic microorganisms multiply very rapidly, so broiler chickens are extremely prone to various diseases.
The above is a brief introduction to the harmful effects of high temperatures on broiler chickens. That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only, and we hope it can help you!