West Derek, Akter Suraiya, Cheng Bin, Oviedo Edgar, Classen John, Wang-Li Lingjuan
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
Prestage Poultry Science Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Dec 6;14(23):3525. doi: 10.3390/ani14233525.
The broiler industry is crucial for rural economies, but it faces challenges in enhancing animal performance and well-being, particularly due to heat stress and ammonia (NH) in grow-out houses. This study investigates the effectiveness of air velocity (AV) treatment in reducing heat stress and NH emissions while also improving litter conditions to enhance animal welfare. Conducted at the North Carolina State University's poultry engineering laboratory, the research used six identical controlled chambers, exposing broilers to High and Low AV treatments from 28 to 61 days across four flocks during the summers of 2017 and 2018. The nitrogen mass balance (NMB) method quantified NH emissions, while litter quality was assessed for moisture content, pH, total nitrogen, and total ammoniacal nitrogen. Additionally, leg health was evaluated through assessments of footpad dermatitis (FPD) and hock burns (HB) at 42 and 61 days. Results showed higher NH emissions in Low AV chambers, while High AV conditions improved litter quality and resulted in greater nitrogen retention. Broilers in High AV chambers also had higher individual body weights and better leg health scores. Thus, optimizing AV effectively mitigates heat stress, controls NH emissions, and enhances overall broiler performance and welfare, offering insights for sustainable industry practices.
肉鸡产业对农村经济至关重要，但在提高动物生产性能和健康水平方面面临挑战，尤其是由于育成舍中的热应激和氨气（NH）。本研究调查了风速（AV）处理在降低热应激和NH排放、改善垫料条件以提高动物福利方面的有效性。该研究在北卡罗来纳州立大学的家禽工程实验室进行，使用了六个相同的受控试验箱，在2017年和2018年夏季的四个鸡群中，从第28天到第61天对肉鸡进行高风速和低风速处理。采用氮质量平衡（NMB）方法对NH排放进行量化，同时评估垫料质量的水分含量、pH值、总氮和总氨氮。此外，在第42天和第61天通过评估脚垫皮炎（FPD）和跗关节灼伤（HB）来评估腿部健康状况。结果显示，低风速试验箱中的NH排放量较高，而高风速条件改善了垫料质量并提高了氮保留率。高风速试验箱中的肉鸡个体体重也更高，腿部健康评分更好。因此，优化风速可有效减轻热应激、控制NH排放并提高肉鸡的整体生产性能和福利，为可持续的行业实践提供了见解。
