Thermoregulation Responses of Broiler Chickens to Humidity at Different

Ambient Temperatures. I. One Week of Age

H. Lin,*†,1 H. F. Zhang,† H. C. Jiao,* T. Zhao,* S. J. Sui,* X. H. Gu,† Z. Y. Zhang,†

J. Buyse,‡ and E. Decuypere‡

*Department of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, PR China; †Institute
of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100094, PR China; and ‡Lab of Physiology
and Immunology of Domestic Animal, Department of Animal Science, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, 3001 Heverlee, Belgium

ABSTRACT Three trials were conducted to investigate which were, respectively, beneficial and unfavorable at
the effect of RH (35, 60, and 85%) on thermoregulation high and low temperatures. These results suggested that
of 1-wk-old broiler chickens at different temperatures (35, feedback effects of surface temperature on core tempera-
30, and 25°C). The response to humidity in rectal tempera- ture also exist in poultry, as already observed in mam-
ture and plumage temperature at the back and breast mals, and could be induced not only by changed ambient
within 24 h after exposure were recorded at 5 time points temperature but also by the changes in humidity at high
(1, 4, 8, 16, and 24 h). Humidity affected the thermoregula- temperature. The disturbance of thermal equilibrium

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tion of 1-wk-old broiler chickens by redistributing heat could not be established solely by changes in RT, but
within the body at high, low, and thermoneutral tempera- rather core and surface temperatures had to be consid-
tures. The redistribution of heat resulted in decreased ered. The daily rhythms in rectal and surface tempera-
rectal temperature and increased peripheral temperature, tures were affected by humidity.
(Key words: thermoregulation, broiler chicken, humidity, ambient temperature)
2005 Poultry Science 84:1166–1172

INTRODUCTION ity on thermoregulation and the growing performance

of broiler chickens depend on the ambient temperature.
The detrimental effects of a hot environment on the Yahav et al. (1995) reported that at 35°C and 40 to 75%
growing performance of broiler chickens have been well RH the maximal growth rate and feed intake of broiler
documented. In summer, because high humidity is al- chickens were observed at 60 to 65% RH between the
ways accompanied with high air temperature, the chal- ages of 4 and 8 wk. Furthermore, humidity also plays a
lenge of high humidity to thermoregulation and welfare role at moderate ambient temperature (28 and 30°C),
of broiler chickens is important. and broiler chickens consume more feed and gain more
At high temperature, heat production decreases while weight at 60 to 65% RH during the same age period
heat dissipation increases. The main pathway of heat (Yahav, 2000). Because the relative growth rate of broiler
dissipation for birds under hot environment is respira- chicken decreases with age (Scheuermann et al., 2003)
tory evaporation (Hillman et al., 1985), especially when and the thermal sensitivity to high temperature increases
ambient temperature approaches body temperature. with body weight (Lin et al., 2004a), we hypothesized
When air temperature rises, the breathing frequency of that the optimal humidity for broiler chickens at 1 wk
chickens is increased (Egbunike, 1979; Hassan and Al- of age might be different from that at older ages.
Rawl, 1982; Raup and Bottje, 1990; Wiernusz and Teeter, In poultry, nonevaporative heat loss (NEHL) takes
1996), and the evaporative heat loss is significantly en- place at the surface of bare skin and plumage. The resul-
hanced (Spiers, 1983; Chwalibog and Eggum, 1989; Wier- tant level of feathered skin temperature depends on the
nusz and Teeter, 1993, 1996). The amount of evaporative rate of heat loss and the rate at which warm blood flows
heat loss depends on air humidity and is suppressed from core to the skin, whereas the plumage temperature
when humidity rises (Chwalibog and Eggum, 1989; is dependent on not only the rate of heat loss from its
Nichelmann et al., 1991). However, the effects of humid- surface but also the total sensible insulation from the
core of the animal to the environment, which includes

2005 Poultry Science Association, Inc.

Received for publication December 1, 2004. Abbreviation Key: NEHL = nonevaporative heat loss; PBAT = sur-
Accepted for publication May 2, 2005. face temperature of plumage at back; PBRT = surface temperature of
1
To whom correspondence should be addressed: hailin@sdau.edu.cn. plumage at breast; RT = rectal temperature; VP = vapor pressure.

1166
 THERMOREGULATION OF CHICKENS TO HUMIDITY 1167
2 additive insulations in series, the internal and the exter- 35% RH (VP, 1,952 Pa); 35°C, 60% RH (VP, 3,346 Pa);
nal (Richards, 1973). Therefore, the plumage and skin and 35°C, 85% RH (VP, 4,840 Pa).
temperature could give a certain reflection of the re- Trial 2. Sixty broiler chickens of both sexes were as-
sponse of thermoregulation from different aspects (Mi- signed to 3 groups of 20 chicks (BW, 116.9 ± 1.1 g) and
chels et al., 1985). exposed to 1 of 3 treatments for 24 h at 7 d of age. The
The objective of the present study was to determine temperature of the 3 treatments was all maintained at
the impact of RH on thermoregulation of broiler chickens 30°C, and the RH was 35% (VP, 1,474 Pa), 60% (VP, 2,527
at 1 wk of age. Three trials were conducted to evaluate Pa), or 85% (VP, 3,580 Pa).
the effects of RH (35, 60, and 85%) at high (35°C), ade- Trial 3. The trial was similar to trial 2, except the
quate (30°C), and low (25°C) ambient temperatures, re- temperature was maintained at 25°C in all 3 thermal
spectively. As during long-term heat exposure, the effect treatments (BW of chicks, 120.6 ± 3.9 g), and the RH was
of heat treatment may be attenuated by acclimation. It 35% (VP, 1,102 Pa), 60% (VP, 1,889 Pa), or 85% (VP,
is, therefore, suggested that chickens could acclimate at 2,676 Pa).
least partially to thermal exposure within a few hours
(Lin et al., 2004b). In order to avoid the possible influence Measurements
of acclimation, an acute model (24-h exposure of thermal
treatment) was employed. In the present study, the re- In all 3 trials, the experimental chicks were exposed
sponses of rectal temperature (RT) and surface tempera- to different thermal treatments at 0800, and the RT,
ture of plumage at back (PBAT) and breast (PBRT) were PBAT, and PBRT of each chicken were recorded at 1 h
measured to represent, respectively, the core and periph- (0900 h), 4 h (1200 h), 8 h (1600 h), 16 h (2000 h), and 24

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eral or surface temperature. h (0800 h) after heat exposure as reported by Lin et al.
(2004b). RT was measured with thermometers (±0.01°C),
MATERIALS AND METHODS and the surface temperature was detected with the same
infrared thermal radiometer (BAU-1,2 ±0.1°C). The ex-
Bird and Diets perimental chickens were handled very gently to avoid
influence by the experimenter.
Arbor Acres broiler chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus)
were obtained from a commercial hatchery at 1 d of Statistical Analysis
age and were raised in battery brooders located in an
environmentally controlled room. The temperature was In trial 1, the data of RT, PBAT, and PBRT at 35°C
maintained at 35°C during the first 3 d and then de- were subjected to repeated analysis to estimate the main
creased gradually to 30°C (40% RH) by 7 d of age. The effect of RH, exposure time, and the interaction between
heat exposure experiments were conducted in 4 environ- RH and time by ANOVA (SAS Institute, 1998). Mean-
mental chambers equipped with computerized tempera- while, a one-way ANOVA model was used to evaluate
ture (±0.5°C) and humidity controllers (RH, ±5%) as the main effect of environmental treatment at each time
described by Lin et al. (1996a,b). The 4 environmental point. The paired t-test analysis was used to evaluate
chambers were identical in terms of size, construction the time effect within each environmental treatment.
materials, climatization equipment, cages, feeders, and The data of RT, PBAT, and PBRT in trial 2 were sub-
drinkers. During the rearing and experimental period, jected to repeated analysis to estimate the main effects
broilers had free access to water and feed. The lighting of treatment, time, and interaction between treatment
schedule provided 24 h of light per day. The chicks were and time. The paired t-test analysis was used to evaluate
fed a standard starter (3,100 kcal of ME/kg and 22.3% the time effect within treatment. All the variables in trial
CP) diet formulated according to the recommendations 3 were subjected to the same analysis as in trial 2. Means
of the National Research Council (1994). were considered significantly different when P < 0.05.

Treatments RESULTS
Trial 1. At 6 d of age, 48 broiler chickens of both sexes In trial 1, the effects of high temperature (35°C) and
were divided into 4 groups of 12 chicks according to the RH (35, 60, and 85%) were evaluated. Compared with
sex and body weight to make the equal number of males the control group (30°C, 60% RH), RT was significantly
and females with similar mean body weights in each increased by the 3 treatments at 35°C regardless of hu-
group (141.3 ± 3.8 g). After a 24-h accimation in the midity (Table 1), but the highest values were observed
environmental chambers at 30°C and 60% RH [vapor in the 35 and 60% RH groups. Exposure time had a
pressure (VP), 2,527 Pa], the experimental broilers were significant effect on RT in all 4 treatments (P < 0.05). The
exposed to 1 of 4 thermal treatments for 24 h, which lowest value was observed at the 24-h point in all the 3
were 30°C, 60% RH (control group, VP 2,527 Pa); 35°C, RH treatments at 35°C, whereas in the 30°C group, the
lowest values were measured at the 16 h point. At 35°C,
there was a significant interaction (P < 0.001) between
2
Qinghua University , Beijing, PR China. time and RH for RT. At 35°C, the highest RT values
1168 LIN ET AL.
TABLE 1. Effect of humidity on the rectal temperature of 1-wk-old broilers at 35°C in trial 11

30°C 35°C

Time 60% RH 35% RH 60% RH 85% RH

1h 41.57 ± 0.14a,z 42.40 ± 0.14a,x 42.02 ± 0.09a,y 41.99 ± 0.14a,y

4h 41.27 ± 0.15ab,z 42.42 ± 0.14a,x 41.81 ± 0.16a,y 41.50 ± 0.12bc,yz
8h 41.24 ± 0.14ab,y 41.36 ± 0.10b,y 42.18 ± 0.15a,x 41.80 ± 0.15ab,x
16 h 40.88 ± 0.10b,y 41.58 ± 0.15b,x 41.79 ± 0.14a,x 41.45 ± 0.14bc,x
24 h 41.28 ± 0.17ab 41.42 ± 0.14b 41.32 ± 0.14b 41.17 ± 0.12c
Mean 41.25z 41.84x 41.82x 41.58y
ANOVA Time Humidity Humidity × time

30°C 0.0232
35°C <0.0001 0.0042 <0.0001

Means within the same column with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
a–c

Means within the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
x–z
1
Values are means ± SEM (n = 12).

were observed during the first 4 h in the 35% RH group and PBRT, illustrating the differential time course of
compared with both other RH groups. However, after changes depending on RH. In general, the decrease in

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8 h of exposure the opposite was true. Thereafter, there surface temperature was more pronounced in the 35%
were no differences in RT among the RH groups. RH group compared with the 60 and 85% RH groups.
The overall mean surface temperatures (PBAT and The effect of humidity on the thermoregulation of 1-
PBRT) were significantly increased by high temperature wk-old broilers at thermoneutral temperature (30°C)
groups in all 3 humidity treatments except that PBAT was further investigated in trial 2. The results showed
in 35% RH was significantly decreased when compared that RH had a significant (P < 0.02) effect on RT (Table
with the control group (Table 2). At 35°C, RH had a 3). Overall mean RT was significantly (P < 0.05) lower
significant effect (P < 0.0001) on PBAT and PBRT, and in 60% RH group than in the 35 and 85% RH treatments,
significantly lower values were observed in the 35% RH which were not different from each other. Rectal temper-
treatment. The PBAT and PBRT were significantly influ- ature was significantly affected by time (P < 0.0001), and
enced by exposure time, and the peak values were all the lowest values were found at the 16-h point. There
observed at 1 h after heat exposure and subsequently was a significant interaction between RH and time for
decreased with time. A significant interaction between RT as the acrophase time point differed among the
time and humidity treatment was observed for PBAT RH treatments.

TABLE 2. Effect of humidity on the surface temperature of plumage at back (PBAT)

and breast (PBRT) of 1-wk-old broilers at 35°C in trial 11

30°C 35°C

Time 60% RH 35% RH 60% RH 85% RH

PBAT
1h 36.5 ± 0.2y 37.9 ± 0.3a,x 38.2 ± 0.3a,x 37.7 ± 0.1a,x
4h 36.1 ± 0.2y 35.8 ± 0.3b,y 37.7 ± 0.2ab,x 37.2 ± 0.2b,x
8h 36.7 ± 0.2y 35.7 ± 0.3b,z 37.3 ± 0.2bc,xy 37.6 ± 0.2ab,x
16 h 36.3 ± 0.2yz 35.7 ± 0.3b,z 36.6 ± 0.2d,xy 37.3 ± 0.1b,x
24 h 36.1 ± 0.2y 35.1 ± 0.3b,z 36.7 ± 0.2cd,y 37.5 ± 0.2ab,x
Mean 36.3y 36.0z 37.3x 37.5x
PBRT
1h 36.5 ± 0.1b,y 37.9 ± 0.2a,x 38.1 ± 0.3x 38.0 ± 0.1x
4h 36.1 ± 0.1c,y 36.7 ± 0.3b,y 37.6 ± 0.3x 38.1 ± 0.1x
8h 36.6 ± 0.2b,y 36.5 ± 0.2b,y 38.0 ± 0.2x 38.3 ± 0.1x
16 h 36.1 ± 0.1c,z 36.8 ± 0.3b,y 37.8 ± 0.2x 37.9 ± 0.2x
24 h 37.2 ± 0.1a,y 36.1 ± 0.2b,z 37.9 ± 0.2x 38.2 ± 0.2x
Mean 36.5z 36.8y 37.9x 38.1x
ANOVA Time Humidity Humidity × time

PBAT:30°C NS
35°C <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001
PBRT: 30°C <0.0001
35°C 0.0053 <0.0001 0.0012

Means within the same column with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
a–d

Means within the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
x–z
1
Values are means ± SEM (n = 12).
 THERMOREGULATION OF CHICKENS TO HUMIDITY 1169
1
TABLE 3. Effect of humidity on the rectal temperature of 1-wk-old broilers at 30°C in trial 2

Time 35% RH 60% RH 85% RH

1h 41.15 ± 0.06ab 41.02 ± 0.05a 41.11 ± 0.10ab

4h 41.09 ± 0.05bc,xy 40.98 ± 0.04a,y 41.16 ± 0.06ab,x
8h 41.03 ± 0.06bc 41.06 ± 0.06a 41.18 ± 0.06ab
16 h 40.97 ± 0.07c,x 40.74 ± 0.06b,y 41.07 ± 0.07b,x
24 h 41.26 ± 0.07a,x 40.99 ± 0.06a,y 41.19 ± 0.07a,x
Mean 41.10x 40.96y 41.14x
ANOVA Humidity Time Humidity × time

0.0166 <0.0001 0.0307

Means within the same column with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
a–c

Means within the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
x–y
1
Values are means ± SEM (n = 20).

The PBAT and PBRT were significantly affected (P < interaction between humidity and exposure time was
0.0001) by RH and were higher in the 85% RH treatment, significant for PBRT (P < 0.05) but not for PBAT (P > 0.05).
followed by the 35% RH treatment, and finally the 60%
RH treatment (Table 4). The PBAT and PBRT were signif- DISCUSSION
icantly influenced by time (P < 0.0001) and there was a

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significant interaction between humidity and time (P < Surface temperature is the result of the balance be-
0.0001). In the 35% RH group, PBAT and PBRT values tween the heat flow from the body core to the skin and
increased dramatically at the fourth hour after exposure, from skin to plumage and finally to the surroundings.
whereas this was not the case in the other RH groups. At high temperature (trial 1), the temperature gradient
The effect of humidity at relative low temperature between plumage surface and ambient temperature was
(25°C) was investigated in trial 3. At 25°C, RT was signifi- much lower than that of control birds (2.6 vs. 6.4°C).
cantly affected by humidity and time and there was a This finding suggests that the capacity of NEHL is sup-
significant (P < 0.01) interaction between RH treatment pressed by elevated ambient temperature and is in
and time (Table 5). Broiler chickens in the 60 and 85% agreement with the results of Belay and Teeter (1993),
RH treatments had significantly (P < 0.05) lower RT than who reported that NEHL is decreased in broiler chickens
those subjected to the 35% RH treatment. A significantly (45 d of age) exposed to 35°C. The increased surface
higher RT was found at 85% RH until the 4-h point, and, temperature may result from an increased heat transfer
thereafter, the highest values were observed in 35% RH from core to plumage surface, or decreased heat dissipa-
group. Overall mean PBAT and PBRT values were signif- tion to the surroundings, or both. The decreased NEHL
icantly elevated with humidity (Table 6). Time also had capacity should be responsible, at least partially, for the
a significant (P < 0.0001) effect on PBAT and PBRT. The elevated RT at high temperature, which was in line with

TABLE 4. Effect of humidity on the surface temperature of plumage at back (PBAT)

and breast (PBRT) of 1-wk-old broilers at 30°C in trial 21

Time 35% RH 60% RH 85% RH

PBAT
1h 31.9 ± 0.3c,z 34.2 ± 0.3a,y 35.9 ± 0.2bc,x
4h 34.8 ± 0.4a,y 32.6 ± 0.4b,z 36.2 ± 0.1b,x
8h 34.8 ± 0.2a,y 32.6 ± 0.4b,z 35.7 ± 0.2bc,x
16 h 35.2 ± 0.3a,y 33.6 ± 0.3a,z 36.8 ± 0.2a,x
24 h 33.7 ± 0.3b,y 32.2 ± 0.4b,z 35.4 ± 0.2a,x
Mean 34.1y 33.1z 36.0x
PBRT
1h 31.3± 0.4d,z 33.4 ± 0.3b,y ± 0.2b,x
35.6
4h 34.0± 0.4ab,y 31.7 ± 0.3c,z ± 0.1b,x
35.7
8h 33.8± 0.2b,y 32.7 ± 0.3a,z ± 0.1bc,x
35.4
16 h 34.5± 0.2a,y 32.8 ± 0.3ab,z ± 0.2a,x
36.2
24 h 32.6± 0.2c,y 31.9 ± 0.2c,z ± 0.2c,x
35.1
Mean 33.3y 32.5z 35.6x
ANOVA Humidity Time Humidity × time

PBAT <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001

PBRT <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001

Means within the same column with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
a–d

Means within the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
x–z
1
Values are means ± SEM (n = 20).
1170 LIN ET AL.
TABLE 5. Effect of humidity on the rectal temperature of 1-wk-old broilers at 25°C in trial 31

Time 35% RH 60% RH 85% RH

1h 40.92 ± 0.09c,xy 40.79 ± 0.06b,y 41.08 ± 0.04ab,x

4h 41.00 ± 0.05bc,xy 40.94 ± 0.06ab,y 41.09 ± 0.04a,x
8h 41.06 ± 0.06abc,x 40.83 ± 0.06b,y 40.67 ± 0.06d,y
16 h 41.10 ± 0.07ab,x 41.01 ± 0.05a,xy 40.87 ± 0.06c,y
24 h 41.22 ± 0.08a,x 40.89 ± 0.05ab,y 40.79 ± 0.07bcd,y
Mean 41.06x 40.89y 40.90y
ANOVA Humidity Time Humidity × time

0.0049 0.0032 <0.0001

Means within the same column with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
a–c

Means within the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
x–y
1
Values are means ± SEM (n = 20).

other reports (Yahav et al., 1997; Zhou and Yama- perature (tympanic temperature; Iwase et al., 2002).
moto, 1997). Therefore, the present result suggests that 1) the feed-
When NEHL decreases at high temperature, chickens back effect of peripheral temperature on core tempera-
have to increase evaporative heat loss (Belay and Teeter, ture observed in mammals exits also in poultry and that

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1993), which may be suppressed by high humidity 2) there is a redistribution of heat within the body. More-
(Chwalibog and Eggum, 1989; Nichelmann et al., 1991). over, our observations also imply that the change in
In the present study, however, the assumed suppressive humidity at high ambient temperature could induce the
effect of high humidity on heat dissipation was not fully same response as temperature in 1-wk-old broiler chick-
reflected in a higher RT, as the RT was even significantly ens. The relatively lower core temperature in high RH
lower in 85% RH than in the 35 or 60% RH treatment (85%) treatment as reflected by RT may suggest the lower
(Table 1). Nevertheless, this result is not in conflict with heat load of visceral organs of broiler chickens at high
previous reports, as there was an opposite change in temperature. It is speculated that might be beneficial for
surface temperature that PBAT and PBRT increased with their growth and health and, in turn, their welfare.
humidity. In studies with rats and human it has been In commercial rearing, 30°C is the thermoneutral tem-
shown that warming of the skin decreases core tempera- perature for 1-wk-old broiler chickens, and the effect of
ture (Corbit, 1973; Sessler and Moayeri, 1990). In rats, humidity at this temperature is usually not monitored.
there is a significant negative correlation between hypo- However, in the present study, the lowest RT, PBAT,
thalamic temperature and skin temperature at the onset and PBRT in medium humidity (60% RH) compared
of tail skin vasodilation (Sakurada et al., 1993). It is the air with low or high humidity (Table 2) indicated that hu-
temperature rise-induced reduction of vasoconstrictor midity also had a significant influence on the thermoreg-
nerve traffic that leads to the decrease in body core tem- ulation of 1-wk-old broilers even at thermoneutral

TABLE 6. Effect of humidity on the surface temperature of plumage at back (PBAT)

and breast (PBRT) of 1-wk-old broilers at 25°C in trial 31

Time 35% RH 60% RH 85% RH

PBAT
1h 32.1 ± 0.4a,y 32.3 ± 0.2a,y 33.4 ± 0.3a,x
4h 30.6 ± 0.4b,y 31.6 ± 0.4b,y 33.0 ± 0.3a,x
8h 31.3 ± 0.3ab,y 31.0 ± 0.2c,y 32.0 ± 0.2b,x
16 h 31.6 ± 0.2a,z 32.3 ± 0.2ab,y 33.4 ± 0.2a,x
24 h 31.9 ± 0.3a 32.2 ± 0.3ab 32.8 ± 0.3ab
Mean 31.5z 31.9y 32.9x
PBRT
1h 30.3 ± 0.4b,y 32.2 ± 0.2a,x 32.8 ± 0.2a,x
4h 30.6 ± 0.2b,y 31.4 ± 0.4ab,y 32.5 ± 0.2a,x
8h 31.2 ± 0.3a,y 31.2 ± 0.2b,y 32.1 ± 0.2c,x
16 h 31.4 ± 0.2a,z 32.2 ± 0.1a,y 33.5 ± 0.2b,x
24 h 31.4 ± 0.2a,y 31.6 ± 0.3ab,y 32.8 ± 0.3a,x
Mean 31.0z 31.7y 32.7x
ANOVA Humidity Time Humidity × time

PBAT <0.0001 <0.0001 NS

PBRT <0.0001 <0.0001 <0.0001

Means within the same column with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
a–c

Means within the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (P < 0.05).
x–z
1
Values are means ± SEM (n = 20).
 THERMOREGULATION OF CHICKENS TO HUMIDITY 1171
temperature. The changed RT and skin temperature sug- Hi-Tech Research and Development Program of China
gest a redistribution of heat within body at different (2003AA243040).
humidities. In mammals, the core and cutaneous temper-
atures contribute to thermal comfort (Frank et al., 1999;
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