Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

High Temperature With Low Humidity or Vice Versa Does Not Affect Performance and Physiology of Laying Hens

Version 1 : Received: 5 November 2020 / Approved: 6 November 2020 / Online: 6 November 2020 (16:58:30 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Kim, D.-H.; Lee, Y.-K.; Kim, S.-H.; Lee, K.-W. The Impact of Temperature and Humidity on the Performance and Physiology of Laying Hens. Animals 2021, 11, 56. Kim, D.-H.; Lee, Y.-K.; Kim, S.-H.; Lee, K.-W. The Impact of Temperature and Humidity on the Performance and Physiology of Laying Hens. Animals 2021, 11, 56.

Abstract

The present study investigated the effect of different ambient temperature and relative humidity (RH) but equal temperature-humidity index (THI) on laying performance, egg quality, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (H/L ratio), corticosterone (CORT) concentration in blood, yolk and albumen, and plasma biochemical parameters in laying hens. One hundred and twenty commercial hens (Hy-Line Brown) aged 60 weeks were allocated into 2 environmental chambers. Laying hens were subjected to either one of two thermal treatments, i.e., 26ºC and 70% RH (LH75) and 30ºC and 30% RH (HL75) for 28 days. Both thermal treatments had equal THI being 75. Neither LH75 nor HL75 affected (P > 0.05) laying performance including egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio. Plasma biochemical parameters such as total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglyceride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus was not altered (P > 0.05) by thermal treatments. As to the stress indicators, both environment regimes failed (P > 0.05) to affect blood H/L ratio and CORT levels in plasma, yolk and albumen although albumen CORT levels were elevated (P < 0.05) in LH75 vs. HL75 at days 3, 7, and 28. In conclusion, our study suggests that laying hens performed and responded equally when they were exposed to equal THI environment conditioned from either 26ºC and 70% RH or 30ºC and 30% RH. The results of this study will be served as a scientific basis for management decisions and handling under thermally challenging conditions.

Keywords

heat stress; temperature humidity index; laying performance; egg quality; stress indicators

Subject

Biology and Life Sciences, Anatomy and Physiology

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