HEAT STRESS MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN POULTRY

Abstract

In recent years, the problem of rising seasonal temperatures has become more acute in Ukraine. Periods of heat, when the temperature outside in summer exceeds 30 °C, and in some regions reaches 40 °C, become longer, which negatively affects the main production indicators of farms for raising animals and poultry and leads to increased deaths due to heat stress. As a result, farms suffer significant economic losses. Under conditions of high external temperature and humidity (> 30 °C,> 60 %) in the bird stress develops rapidly, the internal body temperature rises by 0.5-1.0 °C, respiration increases from 22 to 200 cycles per minute (so-called symptom of "hyperpnea") and due to the absence of sweat glands, arterial-venous anastomoses are activated in the areas of the body through which the main heat transfer is carried out: ridges, earrings, open skin of the feet.
 There are a number of effective strategies to help minimize the negative impact of high outdoor temperatures on poultry, which can be divided into technical, technological, feed and medicinal. Technical strategies include: equipping poultry houses with evaporative cooling systems and tunnel ventilation, thermal insulation of roofs and walls to help reduce the negative effects of heat stress. Technological strategies include: reducing the density of poultry, reducing the thickness of the litter, the use of intermittent light, avoidance of feeding in the hottest period of the day; regular purification and disinfection of water and irrigation systems; water acidification; increase the watering front by 20-25 %. Feeding strategy during heat stress: increasing the proportion of fat relative to carbohydrates, reducing protein and increasing the level of easily digestible amino acids, the introduction of electrolytes, increasing the dose of vitamins C and E, limiting feed intake. Increasing the proportion of microelements by introducing into the diet of highly effective metal-amino acid complexes, especially those containing zinc, manganese and selenium. To reduce the negative impact of heat stress on poultry, veterinary drugs and feed additives, both mono - and multicomponent, are used, including veterinary drugs containing acetylsalicylic, ascorbic and citric acids and feed additives containing essential oils, menthol, micro- and macro elements in the form of sulfates and sulphates and vitamins.