{"id":27376,"date":"2026-04-20T13:47:47","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T06:47:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.poultryindonesia.com\/?p=27376"},"modified":"2026-04-20T13:52:47","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T06:52:47","slug":"memahami-kebutuhan-broiler-pengedalian-lingkungan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.poultryindonesia.com\/en\/memahami-kebutuhan-broiler-pengedalian-lingkungan\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Broiler Needs: Environmental Control"},"content":{"rendered":"
Effective environmental management in broiler houses creates conditions that allow chickens to grow optimally, remain healthy, and maintain good welfare. Even small improvements in temperature control can lead to measurable performance gains across an entire flock.<\/h6>\n
At every stage of growth, broilers have a comfort zone\u2014a narrow temperature range in which feed can be utilized most efficiently for growth. This thermoneutral zone<\/strong> changes as the birds develop (around 30\u00b0C when DOCs are placed, decreasing to about 20\u00b0C near harvest). Therefore, ventilation and heating must be continuously adjusted throughout the production cycle to match the birds\u2019 needs.<\/h6>\n
When temperatures fall below this comfort zone, feed intake typically increases. However, the extra nutrients are used to maintain body temperature rather than growth, reducing production efficiency. Conversely, when temperatures exceed the comfort zone, birds reduce feed intake to limit metabolic heat production and begin panting to dissipate excess heat\u2014both of which ultimately suppress growth.<\/h6>\n
Heating capacity is essential during the early life stage. However, throughout the growing period, ventilation becomes the most critical tool for environmental control. Even in cold weather, ventilation is still required\u2014not only to regulate temperature but also to maintain air quality and control moisture. The environment inside the house must be uniform. Drafts, hot spots, or areas with stale air can reduce performance and increase mortality.<\/h6>\n
Broilers as Biological Heat Producers<\/h6>\n
Chickens convert feed and water into energy for maintenance and growth. In doing so, they produce metabolic heat and moisture that must be removed from the environment. During the first days of life, supplemental heating is required. But as birds grow, their own body heat becomes the primary heat load in the house.<\/h6>\n
The larger the birds, the more heat and moisture they generate. For example, a flock of 20,000 birds weighing around 1.8 kg each can produce heat equivalent to two to three large heaters running continuously.<\/h6>\n
Chickens also consume significantly more water than feed, and most of that water returns to the environment through excreta and respiration. Under hot conditions, water intake increases further as birds rely on panting for cooling. This added moisture must be removed through effective ventilation; otherwise, litter quality deteriorates and house conditions worsen.<\/h6>\n
Heat, Humidity, and Air Velocity<\/h6>\n
Relative Humidity (RH) indicates how saturated the air is with water vapor. Warm air can hold much more moisture than cold air. This is why winter ventilation can still help dry litter\u2014cool incoming air warms up inside the house, lowering its RH and enabling it to absorb more moisture from the litter.<\/h6>\n
Temperature and RH together determine the effective temperature<\/strong> felt by the birds. For every 5% increase in RH above 70%, birds may feel about 1\u00b0C hotter. Conversely, lower RH reduces the perceived temperature.<\/h6>\n
Chickens dissipate most of their body heat either directly to surrounding air (radiation) or through moving air that carries heat away (convection). When overheated, birds often lift their wings to increase exposed surface area. If heat persists, they begin panting, releasing heat through evaporative cooling from the respiratory tract.<\/h6>\n
For fully feathered birds, a sufficient temperature difference between body temperature (around 37.8\u00b0C) and ambient temperature is required for effective heat loss. When house temperatures exceed approximately 27\u00b0C, birds struggle to dissipate heat efficiently. If not corrected, feed intake drops, growth slows, and in extreme cases, heat stress occurs.<\/h6>\n
Ventilation replaces warm indoor air with cooler outside air. Airflow moving across the birds (wind-chill effect) helps them feel cooler than the actual air temperature. Tunnel ventilation systems are highly effective for this purpose. Some houses also use evaporative cooling systems such as foggers or cooling pads (cool cells). These systems reduce air temperature by converting water into vapor, which absorbs heat from the air. While effective in low-humidity environments, they increase RH inside the house and must be paired with adequate airflow.<\/h6>\n
When humidity is high and the air is saturated, birds cannot cool themselves effectively through panting. High humidity also leads to wet, caked litter and increased ammonia levels, negatively affecting health and welfare. If temperature (\u00b0C) + RH (%) exceeds 110\u2013120 (or \u00b0F + RH (%) exceeds 160), birds are likely experiencing heat stress\u2014especially when air movement is low.<\/h6>\n
Chickens can tolerate high daytime temperatures if they can cool down at night. When nighttime temperatures drop significantly, birds can release accumulated body heat and recover before the next day. Running fans at night to maintain airflow can enhance this cooling effect, helping sustain performance and reduce heat-related losses.<\/h6>\n
Conclusion<\/h6>\n
Environmental control is not optional\u2014it is a primary factor in profitable broiler production. Proper ventilation keeps birds within their comfort zone, removes excess heat and moisture, and maintains air quality. Understanding how chickens produce heat, how they dissipate it, and how temperature and humidity interact enables farmers to make more precise and effective management decisions.<\/h6>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Effective environmental management in broiler houses creates conditions that allow chickens to grow optimally, remain healthy, and maintain good welfare. Even small improvements in temperature control can lead to measurable performance gains across an entire flock. At every stage of growth, broilers have a comfort zone\u2014a narrow temperature range in which feed can be utilized […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":27377,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\t\n