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Temperature-Humidity-Velocity Index for Market-size Broilers

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  034037,  2003 ASAE Annual Meeting . (doi: 10.13031/2013.14094) @2003
Authors:   Xiuping Tao, Hongwei Xin
Keywords:   Temperature-Humidity-Index (THI), Temperature-humidity-velocity index (THVI), Heat stress, Thermoregulation, Body temperature, Telemetry

A temperature-humidity-velocity index (THVI) for male broilers (46 3 d; 2.8 0.1 kg; Ross Ross breed) was established based on body temperature (tb) rise of the bird during acute exposure to 18 thermally challenging conditions. The thermal conditions consisted of 18 factorial combinations of 3 dry-bulb air temperature (tdb, 35, 38, and 41 oC), 2 dew-point temperature (tdp, 19.4 and 26.1 oC), and 3 velocity (V, 0.2, 0.7, and 1.2 m/s). The THVI has the form of 058 . 0 ) 15 . 0 85 . 0 ( - + = V t t THVI wb db (where twb = wet-bulb temperature). Homeostasis state of the bird was classified as normal, alert, danger, or emergency that corresponds to a tb rise threshold of 1.0, 2.5, 4.0 or >4.0 oC. These different homeostasis states are functionally and graphically expressed in terms of THVI and exposure time. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for making management decisions and risk assessment associated with marketsize broiler production and handling under adverse thermal conditions.

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