Modernizing Microenvironmental Control to Enhance Animal Wellbeing and Production Efficiency

1
Study I Conditions Losses in Transport of
Breeder Chicks
Shipping chicks by commercial aircraft
Inside the chick box
Journey duration vs. chick mortality
Publication Transport conditions and
mortalities associated with remote international
shipment of young chicks. Transactions of the
ASAE 38(6) 1863-1867.
Funded by Hy-line International
Typical in-transit temperature RH profile
2
Study II Determine Relieve Transport Stress of
Breeder Chicks
Nutrient
Water/Fast
Effects of nutrient supply on early chick
mortality
Chicks under 3-d nutritional treatment

• Lack of nourishment during transport is the
  primary cause for excessive chick mortality.
• Availability of in-transit nutrient supply is
  essential to alleviating chick stress and losses
  for long-journey shipment.

Publications 1. Use of Aqua-Jel and feed for
nutrient supply during long-journey air transport
of baby chicks. Transactions of the ASAE 39(3)
1123-1126. 2. Physiological evaluation of chick
morbidity during extended post-hatch holding.
Appl. Poultry Res. 6(4) 417-421.
Funded by Hy-line International
3
Study III Effects of Thermal Conditions on
Breeder Chicks

• Relations were established between energetics,
  body mass loss (BML), and mortality of breeder
  chicks and their thermal environment.

Publications 1. Responses of group-housed
neonatal chicks to post-hatch holding
environment. Transactions of the ASAE 39(6)
2249-2254. 2. Mortality and body weight of
neonatal breeder chicks as influenced by air
temperature fluctuations. Appl. Poultry Res. 6
199-204.
Funded by U.S. Poultry Egg Association
4
Study IV Improving Air Exchange Through Chick
Containers

• Airflow rates of the existing and modified chick
  containers for different stacking arrangements
  were quantified.
• Recommendations were made on lid type and stack
  spacing to improve airflow rate.

Publication Effects of structural and stacking
configuration of containers for transporting
chicks on their microenvironment. Transactions of
the ASAE 40(3) 777-782.
Funded by U.S. Poultry Egg Association
Chick shipping boxes stacked on skid for airflow
rate measurement. Sensible heat was generated
with electrical heating wires inside the boxes.