Adapting to Change: Investigating Climate-Induced Microclimate Shifts in the Closed House of Laying Hens | ||||
| Egyptian Journal of Veterinary Sciences | ||||
| Volume 55, Issue 7, November and December 2024, Page 2119-2130 PDF (1.63 MB) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/ejvs.2024.260566.1766 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Mohamed Atef1; Zakia Attia Mohamed Ahmed1; Mahmoud Abdelaty Khalf1; Mohammed Abdelhameed Mohammed Kamal   2
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| 1Department of Veterinary Hygiene and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt 12211. | ||||
| 2Fourth Gate, Mina, 149 Ain Haram | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Climate change poses considerable challenges to poultry farming, as it affects the microclimate and air quality in enclosed poultry houses. This study investigated the influence of seasonal climate variations on the indoor microclimate of a commercial laying hen house. Over seven months, outdoor and indoor temperatures, relative humidity (RH%), air velocity (AV), and temperature-humidity index (THI) were systematically measured. The indoor temperatures closely mirrored the outdoor trends and significantly differed from the outdoor temperatures, except for April and May. The outdoor temperature significantly influenced the indoor front (Beta = 0.732) and back (Beta = 0.685) temperatures. Positive correlations were observed between the outdoor and indoor front (R2 = 0.536) and back (R2 = 0.470) temperatures. The indoor RH% was notably affected by the outdoor RH%, especially in warmer months. The outdoor RH% significantly predicted the indoor front (Beta = 0.463) and back (Beta = 0.427) RH%. Weak positive correlations existed between the outdoor and indoor front (R2 = 0.214) and back (R2 = 0.182) RH%. Indoor AV consistently lagged outdoor values, with no impact as a predictor of indoor front (P = 0.130) or back (P = 0.361) AV. The outdoor THI significantly influenced the indoor front (Beta = 0.774) and back (Beta = 0.751) THI. The indoor microbiological analysis revealed significant differences in the total colony count and the back-side total fungal count. In conclusion, these findings underscore the challenges posed by temperature and humidity fluctuations, highlighting the need for climate-responsive strategies to optimize indoor conditions for poultry production. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Climate change; Environmental factors; Laying hens; Macroclimate; Poultry farming | ||||
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