Effects of different cooling systems on the performance of broiler chicks
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Date
2011
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GADVASU, Ludhiana
Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to study the efficacy of different types of cooling systems for growth performance of broiler chicks (3-6 weeks) during hot-dry and hot-humid months of summer. The effect of Fan-pad (FP) and Fan-fogger (FF) on the growth rate, feed efficiency, carcass characteristics, level of antioxidant enzymes and welfare were compared in broiler chicks during April to May 2010. Another experiment was conducted with the same objective using Exhaust-fan (EF) and Ceiling-fan (CF) against the control without any cooling thus forming three treatments during July to August 2010. The FP and FF were able to drop the shed temperature by 2.78°C and 1.96°C and increased relative humidity by 9.7% and 5.4%, respectively, thus better THI values than the control group. The growing chicks achieved significantly higher body weight and better FCR, PER, EER and higher carcass yield in FP than FF and Control group. The FF chicks also performed significantly better than the control group with respect to growth and feed efficiency. The EF and CF significantly dropped the shed temperature and relative humidity in turn better THI thus improved growth rate, utilization of nutrients and carcass yield as compared to control. All the cooling devices could successfully altered the expected agonistic into nonagonistic behavioural response in chicks. The level of antioxidant enzymes viz., LPO, catalase, G6PD enzymes were significantly influenced by the all the cooling treatments. The fan-pad system in hot-dry and exhaust-fan in hot-humid months of summer were effective means to improve the broiler performance.