HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Malheiros, R. D. Articles by Macari, M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Malheiros, R. D. Articles by Macari, M.

Environmental Temperature and Cloacal and Surface Temperatures of Broiler Chicks in First Week Post-Hatch

Departamento de Morfologia e Fisiologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias UNESP, CEP 14.870-000, Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil; Phone: +55 16 323-2500 Ext: 234; FAX: +55 16 322-4275

Correspondence: M. Macari, E-mail:macari{at}fcav.unesp.br

Adequate environmental temperature during the brooding period is very important to future broiler performance. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the extent to which environmental temperatures affects the body weight and cloacal and surface (back, head, wing, and shank) temperatures. The study also investigated the sensible heat loss by radiation of broiler chicks reared at three environmental temperatures (35, 25, and 20°C) up to 7 days of life. The results showed that chicks raised at low environmental temperature (20°C) had lower body weight at 7 days of age. Birds kept at 20°C also had significantly lower cloacal and surface temperatures than did other birds. The most marked difference was seen in the shanks. These findings revealed that body weight declined in chicks reared at 20°C, and radiant heat loss (W) was nine times higher than for the birds kept at 35°C at 7 days of age.

Key Words: Broiler chicks • environmental temperature • sensible heat loss • surface temperature