Evaluation of the thermal comfort indexes for different phases of broiler production using control charts

Abstract

The search for better zootechnical and economic indexes, in view of the challenges generated by the environment where birds are raised, has stimulated researches related to changes in the structure of the sheds and in diets, in an attempt to mitigate the damage caused by high temperatures on the performance of broilers. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the Thermal Comfort Indexes, being ITU (Temperature and Humidity Index) and ITGU (Black Globe Temperature Index and Humidity), of an experimental broiler house located in the municipality of São Cristóvão-SE. A device, developed and validated by the Department of Agricultural Engineering, was used to calculate and store the thermal comfort indexes over a period of seven weeks. To analyze the values of the thermal comfort indexes, control charts were used, prepared using the Minitab 19 program. According to the results found for ITGU, the Poultry Metabolism Laboratory (LBMA) presented the ideal environmental conditions for the adequate development of broilers. Regarding the ITU, the values were inconsistent in relation to those suggested by the literature.