Monitoring of Litter Quality and Temperature in Breeding of Fattening Chickens

Abstract

This paper is focused on monitoring of the outside temperature and humidity, together with microclimate conditions in a hall in order to investigate the impacts on fattening chickens during the winter period, the litter temperature and its quality, as well as stocking density. The outdoor and indoor temperature was monitored by means of Comet logger R 3120; the litter temperature measurement was performed with use of a non-contact thermometer Raytek Raynger ST. To determine the stocking density, the Guide TP8S thermographic camera was utilised. Stocking density was evaluated on the basis of obtained thermographic images. By monitoring of the litter quality, we achieved an average of 1.6 on the 10th day and 1.5 on the 20th day of fattening. Stock density was 1.1 on the 10th day and 2.1 on the 20th day. Comparing the P values and the significance level α (0.05), we found that the P value was (0.000) < α (0.05), R – 0.622, R2 – 0.39 on the 10th day. This value is a result of comparison of the litter temperature and its influence on its quality. By comparison of stocking density and its impact on the litter quality, the P value was (0.000) < α (0.05), R – 0.916, R2 – 0.84. When comparing the temperature of the litter and its influence on stocking density, the P value (0.000) < α (0.05), R – 0.711, R2 – 0.505. These values indicate that the observed indicators are strongly statistically dependent on the observed days. By comparison of the litter quality on the 10th and 20th day, a statistically significant difference (0.000 <0.05) was observed, as well as by comparison of the litter temperatures on the 10th and 20th day (0.024 <0.05).

Keywords

• broiler
• litter temperature
• litter quality
• air temperature
• air humidity