Intermittent partial surface wetting and its effect on body-surface temperatures and egg production of white and brown domestic laying hens in Antalya (Turkey)

Abstract

1. The effect of intermittent partial surface wetting on body and surface temperature were investigated at 62 and 20 weeks of age in domestic laying hens of ATABEY (white) and ATAK (brown) strains.

2. The number of control and treatment birds was 96, half of which were 62 weeks of age and the remainder 20-week-old birds.

3. Sprinkling was done on the head, head appendages, neck and dorsal surface by releasing 10 ml/bird in a sprinkling session. The control birds were not sprinkled at any time.

4. The first measurement was carried out immediately before sprinkling, the second just after sprinkling, and measurements were then repeated every 5 min until the end of the 20th min.

5. Partial surface sprinkle cooling had a positive effect in relieving the birds of heat stress. The treatment birds had lower core body, head and dorsal surface temperatures than the control birds.

6. The treatment effect on egg production was significant in young birds but not in the older ones.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Scientific Research Projects Unit of Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey. We thank Dr P.G.A Glower at the Faculty of Education for useful language comments on the manuscript.