Consultation from The Father Of Joseph
Sukabumi-West Java
What is the impact if broiler experiencing cold or heat stress like the extreme weather that is happening right now?
Answer :
Broiler chickens today (modern) have different characteristics when compared with broiler chickens of antiquity. Modern broiler chickens have the following advantages :
- Fast growth
- Big breast meat
- Low feed conversion (FCR)
But it has disadvantages, including :
- Susceptible to disease
- Sensitive to the environment
- Low feed conversion (FCR)
- Immune-forming organs are unbalanced by weight growth
So there is a need for special attention to chicken related maintenance management, especially in extreme weather like today. When a chicken is one day old or DOC, it is a cold-blooded animal so it cannot regulate its own body temperature until it is 5 days old. After 5 days the chicken can regulate its own body temperature so it is called a warm-blooded animal. The need for temperature in chickens broiler can be seen in Table 1 below.
If the temperature received by the chicken is too hot it will result in :
- Heat stressheat stress) with symptoms of chicken panting quickly and the condition of the beak is open, the feathers are raised, and the wings are also lifted up as a response to sweat.
- Chickens will drink more due to dehydration. Excessive drinking will result in diarrhea, as water is excreted in the urine and feces in poultry. Thus resulting in litter wet and ammonia levels in the cage will increase. Chickens will be more susceptible to respiratory diseases such as CRD and korisa.
- If some of these conditions are not treated immediately will cause death in chickens.
If the temperature received by the chicken is too cold, it will result in :
- DOC's chickens that receive too cold temperatures will gather under the heater. Chickens tend to be silent, curled up with wet feet.
- The chicken is cooked (feed intake not fulfilled)..so that growth is stunted.
Actions that need to be done during extreme weather so that the condition of the chicken remains prime, namely :
- Create comfort zone or a comfort zone with the repair of a leaky cage roof, arrangement of cage ventilation, good ration management and provision of quality drinking water.
- Maintain the immune system of chickens by giving vitamins such as Fortevit/Vita Stress and immunostimulating herbs such as Imustim and carry out vaccination programs on schedule. Pay attention to diseases that increase during the rainy season such as ND, AI, korisa and IB.
- Reduce the number of disease seedlings with optimal empty cages (14 days) , disinfection of cages and equipment using Antisep or Medisep.
- Perform cleaning of drains to prevent growth biofilm (a thin layer on the surface of drinking places, reservoirs/tubs, and water pipes that become a place of growth and development of pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli (penyebab colibacillosis).
