Poultry Farming in Focus: How to prepare poultry farms for the summer heat and maintain productivity.

The Brazilian summer presents significant challenges to poultry farming. With high temperatures exceeding the birds' thermal comfort zone, producers who fail to anticipate these challenges face serious operational and financial risks. Preparing the farm for the heat is not just a matter of animal welfare, but a strategy for maintaining production levels.

In this article, we've provided some tips to help you protect your property from the typical heat of this season. Keep reading and enjoy.

Why should poultry farmers prepare their farms for summer?

Excessive heat has many negative impacts on birds, after all, they are homeothermic animals, meaning they need to maintain a constant body temperature. However, they do not have sweat glands, that is, they do not sweat. Their main way of dissipating heat is through thermal polypnea, also known as panting. When the external environment is too hot, this mechanism becomes insufficient, leading to heat stress, which poses significant risks to production.

The impact of heat on production is direct, causing:

• Decreased performance: Birds reduce feed intake to generate less metabolic heat, resulting in lower weight gain.

• Health problems: Acid-base imbalance and immunosuppression make the group more vulnerable to disease.

• Increased mortality: In severe cases, extreme heat can lead to sudden and large-scale losses.

Tips for protecting your poultry farm in the summer.

To help your birds avoid heat stress and maintain production, we've listed some tips to help you prepare your flock for high temperatures. Check them out below:

1. Hydration is essential.

Water is the main mechanism for regulating body temperature in poultry. Therefore, in the summer, water consumption can double or even triple. To maintain well-being and productivity, it is essential to guarantee access to and quality of water for the animals. It must always be fresh, as hot water, above 30°C, is rejected by the birds, exacerbating stress. Furthermore, heat favors the proliferation of biofilms (communities of microorganisms that attach to the walls of pipes, forming a viscous layer) and bacteria in the pipes.

Management strategies:

• Periodic flushing: Flush the water in the distribution lines several times a day to ensure that the water reaching the drinking fountain nozzle is always fresh.

• Shading water tanks: Protecting the tanks from the sun is a simple measure that prevents overheating even before the water enters the building.

• Height and flow adjustment: Poorly adjusted waterers hinder consumption. In summer, the flow rate should be checked so that the birds do not have to make extra effort to hydrate themselves, and the positioning should be adequate so that they can drink water constantly and comfortably.

2. Strategic nutritional adjustments

When temperatures rise, there is a natural decrease in the appetite of birds. To compensate for the reduced nutrient intake, their diet needs to be adapted and balanced.

Adjusting energy sources and using fatty acids to compensate for the partial replacement of carbohydrates helps reduce the heat generated by digestion. In addition, electrolyte balance is also crucial. Replenishing ions, such as sodium and potassium, helps mitigate respiratory alkalosis caused by intense panting.

These strategies minimize metabolic heat production and ensure that the birds receive all the necessary nutritional support to grow, even under stress.

3. Environmental monitoring and control

Controlling the temperature and humidity on the farm is one of the best ways to maintain animal welfare and preserve production. This can be done through the use of specialized solutions.

Well-designed equipment, such as exhaust fans, ventilators, and evaporative cooling pads, are essential for the ventilation and cooling of the space. When properly positioned, fans assist in air velocity , which is essential for heat exchange, while misting systems and pads help reduce the temperature through evaporative cooling.

To ensure efficiency, it is essential that the entire system be reviewed and programmed before the peak of summer. Equipment that is properly maintained consumes less energy and responds better to temperature fluctuations.

4. Invest in technology.

Technology can be the greatest ally of poultry farmers, especially in high-density farms.

Using Kilbra technology allows you to optimize the environment in an automated way. Our solutions guarantee everything necessary so that your flock is not affected by the high temperatures of summer, avoiding the impacts caused by heat stress on the birds.

Seasons change, but with Kilbra, production continues!

Preparing your poultry farm for summer is an investment to ensure consistent production, regardless of the season. Kilbra is ready to support your business with solutions that bring peace of mind to the producer and comfort to the birds.

Want to know how to modernize your farm to face the summer heat? Click here to get in touch and learn about our customized solutions.