Cloacal temperature (CT) of broiler chickens is an important parameter to classify its comfort status; therefore its prediction can be used as decision support to turn on acclimatization systems. The aim of this research was to develop and validate a system using the fuzzy set theory for CT prediction of broiler chickens. The fuzzy system was developed based on three input variables: air temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and air velocity (V). The output variable was the CT. The fuzzy inference system was performed via Mamdani's method which consisted in 48 rules. The defuzzification was done using center of gravity method. The fuzzy system was developed using MAPLE® 8. Experimental results, used for validation, showed that the average standard deviation between simulated and measured values of CT was 0.13°C. The proposed fuzzy system was found to satisfactorily predict CT based on climatic variables. Thus, it could be used as a decision support system on broiler chicken growth.
expert system; fuzzy sets; thermal environment
