title: The effects of early-age thermal manipulation and daily short-term fasting on performance and body temperatures in broiler exposed to heat stress.
abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of thermal manipulation at 5 days of age and short-term fasting during the warmest part of the day on responses to prolonged heat stress of broilers. A total of 240-day-old Ross 308 female broiler chicks were divided into three groups: control, thermal manipulation (chicks were exposed to 36 °C for 24 h at 5 days of age) and short-term fasting during the warmest part of the day (10.00-17.00 h). Prolonged heat stress was induced daily from 28 to 42 days by heating until the ambient temperature reached 32-35 °C between 10.00 and 17.00 h. Both thermal manipulation and short-term fasting resulted in a decrease in rectal temperatures and haematocrit values at 35 and 41 days of age. Thermal manipulation improved body weight, feed consumption and feed conversion. However, short-term fasting caused a reduction in body weight and a deterioration in feed conversion. Short-term fasting lowered the percentages of carcass, whereas thermal manipulation highered breast yield. Both thermal manipulation and short-term fasting decreased heart mass and abdominal fat.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Suleyman Demirel University, Isparta, Turkey.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Günal
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000375:Aging; D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D002645:Chickens; D005260:Female; D005508:Food Deprivation; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000662:veterinary*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D013997:Time Factors