Curtain color and lighting program in broiler production: III - thermal comfort

The objective of this study was to evaluate the thermal comfort of broilers reared under two lighting programs (almost continuous and intermittent) in broiler houses with yellow or blue lateral curtains. The experiment was carried out from June 24, 2004 until May 12, 2005. Six consecutive flocks were housed in four 12 × 10 m broilers houses internally divided into four pens of 200 birds each. Six flocks were raised on the same litter. The registration of data was accomplished at 3-hour intervals, for 24 hours twice a week. In the center of each pen and outside the house, dry and wet bulb temperatures, black globe temperature, and air velocity were collected. Based on the data collected at each time, air temperature (AT) (ºC), black globe humidity temperature index (BGHTI), radiant thermal load (RTL) (W/m²), and relative air humidity (RH) were determined. Harmonic analysis was used to estimate m, R, and f parameters. In general, the best results in terms of thermal comfort for the birds were found when near-continuous lighting program and yellow curtain were used.