Scientific means for management of poultry species in winter season

*Dr. Anshul Gautam¹, Dr. Nistha Yadav¹ and Dr. Bhavinkumar Dhandhala²

1-Arawali Veterinary College, Sikar, Rajasthan,332403

2-FVSc &AH, SKUAST, Shuhama, Jammu & Kashmir,190006

Corresponding author-anshulgautam789@gmail.com

The growth of the chicken business is hindered by a number of factors, including temperature-related environmental problems. Adverse climatic conditions, in particular, cause severe stress to birds and consequently lower performance. The temperature range in which poultry can regulate their body temperature is limited. Poultry producers have difficulties throughout the winter months because of the severe temperature swings that can negatively affect the quality of life and productivity of birds. The production and well-being of the birds over the winter months depend on efficient management. Poultry performance is negatively impacted by low ambient temperatures, with meat-type birds being more vulnerable than egg-type birds. Unfavourable environmental temperatures have a significant impact on chicken production performance and can lead to the incorrect expression of genetic potential in birds. It is necessary to strike an extremely precise balance between ventilation and climate control. Similar to this, making extremely thoughtful decisions is necessary to lower the cost of production while maintaining a healthy environment. The management of poultry throughout the winter is a major concern for poultry farmers, as climate fluctuation is currently a major threat to the poultry industry, particularly for marginal poultry farmers in open-house systems.

Chickens fluff up their feathers to stay warm during the cold. By doing this, they allow their body heat to form microscopic air pockets beneath their feathers. If a chicken can use its feathers to capture and warm as much air as possible, it will remain warmer. Because their feet lack feathers, chickens stand on one foot and tuck the other foot under their feathers to stay warm. To keep their heads warm and avoid frostbite on their combs and wattles, they also tuck their heads under a wing as they sleep.

Mitigation strategies-

• Feed management– Birds with low body temperature require more energy in the form of calories as the temperature drops, which results in low feed efficiency. Chickens will eat 25–50% more food in the winter than they do in the summer. A bird’s intake of protein and other nutrients from feed will grow as it eats more of it. Protein and other nutrients are used to produce energy, but then they are wasted. The ration should be changed to minimize the amount of protein and other nutrients while maintaining the same energy level in order to prevent this waste. Energy-rich sources such as oil, fat, and other substances should be used to boost the ration’s energy content. The bird should have access to food throughout the day.
• Water management- Birds drink less water in the winter. To encourage water consumption, the drinking water should be kept at an appropriate temperature. In order to keep the body’s water levels stable, a steady supply of fresh water that the bird may consume must be provided. Even though they don’t drink as much as they do in the summer, water is still essential for their existence in the winter. Chickens cannot lay eggs, produce heat, digest their food, or grow feathers without water.
• Orientation-Throughout the winter, poultry house should offer every comfort. The shed’s design should allow for the maximum amount of daylight to penetrate during the day. In winter, a rectangular home-oriented east-west maximizes its solar energy intake.
• Ventilation- Birds exhale copious amounts of water vapor instead of sweating. Wintertime ventilation restrictions lead to an accumulation of ammonia in the air, which aggravates respiratory conditions. Thus, enough ventilation is always necessary to remove gasses from the home and supply fresh air. Sliding windows serve this purpose well since they may be opened during the day and closed at night. Exhaust fans should be installed in order to evacuate dirty air.
• Housing & litter management- Gunny bags should be hung at the points where cold air enters the building in order to shield birds from chilly breezes. As soon as dusk falls and continues until dawn the following day, these gunny bags should be removed. The chicken shed should have an external heat source to stay dry and warm. A false ceiling is frequently utilized to minimize the shed’s volume.

A high-quality litter absorbs moisture, encourages drying, and acts as an insulator to keep temperatures consistent. Both the bedding and the rearing surface should always be dry and warm. In houses, about six inches of bedding material is required in the winter. The birds get heated by this litter material in the cold. When handling it, it will feel fairly warm if litter control is done well. Avoid the damp litter and humid circumstances as they offer an ideal habitat for gut pathogens such as Clostridium and Coccidiosis. Straw is the most effective material to use as bedding in chicken housing when it comes to keeping birds warm during the harsh winter months.

Conclusions-

Winter season causes huge economic loss to the poultry industry by affecting the productive and reproductive performances of birds. In severe cases the loss can’t be compensated later if the bird dies. To control climate change is a very long and tedious process. Fortunately, proven strategies exist to mitigate some effects of cold stress on birds. So its better to focus more on the mitigation strategies.