Comparison of Broiler Performance in Two Conventional and Environmentally Controlled Modern Broiler Houses at Tropics

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate broiler performance, environmental conditions and litter quality in two conventional and environmentally controlled condition modern broiler houses. Two consecutive experiments were conducted using 60800 one day old broiler chicks (Ross 308 strain) on a commercial poultry farm included two types of conventional and environmentally controlled modern broiler houses during summer and winter seasons of Shoush, Khuzestan province of Iran. In each experiment, a total of 30400 day-old broilers were placed into both houses. Average temperature and relative humidity of the ambient and inside of the conventional and environmentally controlled condition modern houses during summer and winter at two experiments were 39.4ºC, 30.5ºC, 29.3 ºC and 40.1%, 45.3%, 44.4%, and 12.9ºC, 28.5ºC, 28.6 ºC and 36.8%, 45.2%, 39.5 %, respectively. Bird performance including live body weight, feed intake, feed conversion ratio, mortality rate, production efficiency index and litter pH, moisture content and air ammonia levels were not significantly affected by types of the houses. However, the chickens grown in the environmentally controlled condition modern house, although raised at higher stocking density (21 vs. 16 Birds/m²) than conventional house, had numerically lower mortality rate and greater production efficiency index probably due to improved environmental conditions trough proper ventilation applied in environmentally controlled condition modern house than conventional house. In conclusions, application of environmentally controlled condition modern house in addition of greater production efficiency index and less mortality rate can be useful in increasing stocking density of broiler chickens compared to conventional houses