The principal objective of this work was to evaluate the environmental influence on the thermal comfort and productive indices, in poultry farm installations, covered with cement asbestos tiles using three diferent thermal air conditioning systems: artificial ventilation and water sprinkling over the roof, artificial ventilation and artificial ventilation and humidification. The poultry farm is located in the district of São José da Mata, in the municipality of Campina Grande, Paraiba state, Brazil. The environmental evaluation was based on the relative humidity of the air, black globe temperature and humidity index, thermal radiation load, and humidity of the bed. The production indices were evaluated through the final weight, daily weight gain, feed conversion and mortality rate. In all systems the comfort indices varied during the day. Black globe temperature and humidity index presented above ideal values. Relative humidity and thermal radiation load indices were within the recommended thermal comfort zone. Artificial ventilation and humidification systems increased the humidity of the bed when compared to the other systems. The values of the poultry performance indices were within the ideal range considered for the broiler industry in the Northeast of Brazil.
chickens; thermal comfort; environment
