Acessibilidade / Reportar erro

Effect of the production environment on sexed broilers reared in a commercial house

The effect of the production environment on the productive performance and physiological responses of sexed broiler chickens, male and female, was evaluated. The birds were raised in two separate regions inside the broiler house. The productive environment was determined using the black-globe temperature humidity index, as well as noise and luminance levels. The physiological responses (breath rate, rectal temperature, skin temperature and feather temperature) and productive responses (weekly weight gain, body mass and mortality) were used to evaluate the effect of the production environment on the broilers raised in a house equipped with conventional and misting ventilation systems. The mean body mass of the males was 214.6 g greater than females at 35 days of life, which became equal to the male mean body mass only at 38.47 days of life. The physiological responses were not related to the environment.

broiler; thermo acoustic environment; luminance; performance


Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária Caixa Postal 567, 30123-970 Belo Horizonte MG - Brazil, Tel.: (55 31) 3409-2041, Tel.: (55 31) 3409-2042 - Belo Horizonte - MG - Brazil
E-mail: abmvz.artigo@gmail.com