Environmental control in poultry houses

Abstract

Egg production is optimised by ensuring that the needs of the birds are fulfilled. Automated equipment for feeding, watering and temperature control is available in New Zealand and is being used by increasing numbers of poultry fanners. The situation is that we have, on the one hand, the farmer who has none of this equipment with, perhaps, the exception of a demand supply of water. All operations are manual. However, this farmer finds that as daytime temperatures drop, more feedstuff is required since food requirements increase by one percent for every celcius degree the air temperature drops below 20°c. So he either increases his feedout rate or accepts a drop in egg production. This type of farmer is becoming less common since it is now cheaper to heat the birds from the outside father than from the inside.