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Abstract

1. Production of total heat, divided into sensible and latent heat, together with carbon dioxide and animal activity were determined at different ambient temperatures under full-scale conditions in an aviary system with loose-housed laying hens. 2. Sensible heat production decreased approximately linearly with increasing ambient temperature and was lower during the day than at night. One explanation may be that some sensible heat produced by the hens was converted to latent heat by evaporation of moisture due to increased activity of the hens during the day (scratching in the bedding and drinking/waste water). 3. Latent heat production increased with increasing ambient temperature and was higher during the day than at night. This confirms that the hens, by agitating the bedding during the day and by spilling drinking water, transferred some sensible heat to latent heat by evaporation. 4. Total heat production decreased with increasing temperature because the hens by thermoregulation decreased their metabolism in order to maintain a constant body temperature. The difference between day and night values of total heat production was less pronounced than in the case of sensible and latent heat. In comparison with current guidelines the measurements showed a higher total heat production (22% higher at 20 degreesC). 5. There was a large diurnal variation in carbon dioxide production, closely correlated to measured animal activity; on average carbon dioxide production during the 12-h dark period was only 66% of the production during the day

Published in

British Poultry Science
2001, volume: 42, number: 2, pages: 171-179
Publisher: CARFAX PUBLISHING

SLU Authors

  • Von Wachenfelt, Eva

    • Department of Rural Buildings and Animal Husbandry [LBT], Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

  • Gustafsson, Gösta

    • Department of Rural Buildings and Animal Husbandry [LBT], Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

UKÄ Subject classification

Animal and Dairy Science
Veterinary Science

Publication identifier

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00071660120048401

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/19243