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Poultry ventilation
Ventilation in a poultry house supplies fresh air that is essential to sustain life. It also helps reduce the extremes of temperature, humidity and air contamination to tolerable limits for confined chickens. Improved ventilation systems have also made possible the high density populations of livestock and poultry in confinement, thus reducing the building cost per unit housed. This is economically important since it reduces production and labour costs. Ventilation air removes excess heat, moisture, dust and odours from the building and, at the same time, dilutes airborne disease organisms. Properly designed winter systems also conserve energy by utilising heat generated by the birds. Providing proper ventilation to poultry is an art but it can be mastered by any determined and willing poultry grower. It is a challenge, however, since poultry houses are different and ventilation requirements change with time of day, season, temperature, humidity, wind, bird age and density.
When it comes to setting minimum ventilation fan runtimes during cold weather it is important to keep in mind that one of the primary objectives of minimum ventilation is to manage house moisture levels. Too much fan runtime will not only result in excessive moisture removal from a house, leading to dry, dusty conditions which can lead to bird respiratory issues, but it will also result in high heating costs. Conversely, if the minimum ventilation fans are not operated enough, too little...
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As discussed in Part 1 of "Balancing Poultry House Moisture Levels," one of the primary objectives of a minimum ventilation system during cold weather is to manage house moisture levels. If we get rid of too much moisture, a house will become dry and dusty, which can lead to respiratory issues. Conversely, if we don't get rid of enough moisture,...
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May 5, 2026
Canada - Alberta - Edmonton
Respiratory problems are among the most important problems facing the poultry industry in Egypt. It is the first problem in poultry breeding farms, regardless of the type of poultry reared in these farms (broiler breeders- layer breeders- commercial broilers – commercial layers-native breeds). There are many factors that help to spread these respiratory problems in poultry farms such as:
- Little experience of the of the poultry farms managers in...
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What is Wet Litter? Wet litter in meat chicken production is a major concern due to its impact on animal welfare, flock health, environmental sustainability, and production efficiency. It arises when water addition (excreta, spillage) exceeds removal (evaporation), leading to litter moisture above 25 %, which compromises its cushioning and insulating properties. The causes are multifactorial, involving housing design, micro and macro environmental conditions, nutrition, health, and...
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The brooding area of most broiler houses requires a heating system capable of providing between 40 and 60 Btu's/hr to maintain an air temperature in the low 90's during cold weather. For instance, a 54' X 250' brooding area would typically require a heating system capable of producing between 675,000 BTU/hr (54' X 250' X 40 BTU/hr = 540,000 BTU/hr) and 810,000 BTU/hr (54' X 250' X 60 BTU/hr = 810,000 BTU/hr) depending on climate and house...
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A house tightness test is conducted on a 40' X 500' broiler house using a 54" tunnel fan that moves 25,900 cfm @ 0.10". With everything closed, the 54" fan generates a static pressure of 0.20", which would be considered a relatively tight house by most. Using the Poultry411 Poultry House Leakage Area Calculator, it was determined that the house had a total of approximately 12 ft 2 of cracks in the end and side walls, tunnel doors, and fan shutters. The producer...
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MetAMINO® Atlas: Essential Insights for Animal Nutrition Professionals
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Mike Czarick (University of Georgia) talked about the use of filters and the relevance of biosecurity in poultry houses, during IPPE 2019 in Atlanta, USA....
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1. Introduction
Stress, a response to adverse stimuli, is difficult to define and understand because of its nebulous perception. According to Selye [1], “stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand”, whereas stressor can be defined as “an agent that produces stress at any time”. Therefore, stress represents the reaction of the animal organism (i.e., a...
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One of the biggest complaints surrounding the poultry houses is the smell of manure. The ammonia concentration in poultry houses not only contributes to the smell but can be harmful for both the birds and the workers who frequent the barn. This article is about how ammonia gas is formed, its impact on the birds and how to control ammonia levels in poultry houses. Ammonia emission in poultry houses Ammonia emission is one of the greatest concern in poultry houses....
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Dear members, There´s a growing interest in tunnel ventilation systems in order to reduce heat stress and increase animal comfort in hot weather. Despite its many benefits, operating costs can be high. How can we minimize the use of energy? Look forward to your ideas and experiences! ...
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Ventilation is one of the most important principles of raising broiler chickens in farms, which is the only key to reduce the respiratory problems of the bird and to reach the highest productivity and the highest conversion rate. Ventilation is an important factor that controls the productive performance of birds. Poor ventilation leads to low weight and food conversion rate, as well as respiratory diseases that increase the mortality rate, reduce the immunity of birds and make them...
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1. Introduction Factors such as investments in breeding facilities and the adoption of advanced technologies have been decisive in consolidating Brazil’s global leadership in broiler chicken exports [1]. Among the available structural typologies, the “dark house” stands out as an intensive production system, equipped with automated systems that control variables such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and light intensity. The precise control of these...
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Mike Czarick (University of Georgia) comments on the factors to consider when choosing the right kind of fan, in this Engormix interview during IPPE 2025 in Atlanta, USA....
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About this Webinar (Free for PSA Members!)
In today's competitive poultry industry, optimizing bird performance is essential for maximizing productivity and maintaining a healthy flock. This webinar will explore science-based strategies to enhance efficiency, improve overall...
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FIGAP 2026: The Scientific And Technological Exhibition Of The Livestock Industry
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Figure 1. FAPP Poultry house at UGA Poultry Research Center With growing concerns about avian influenza some poultry producers are wondering if there are ways to filter the air...
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Importance of air quality control in poultry farms Air quality control in poultry production is key to maintain animal welfare , which is closely related to productivity and absence of diseases. When the air components are not in...
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Poultry industry experts at the 2025 Latin American Poultry Summit will present information on factors that affect the efficient marketing of poultry farming. The program is organized into five sessions – grain management, food safety, genetics, breeding and health – and will take place on Monday,...
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In a negative pressure-ventilated poultry house, the amount of air entering through each side wall inlet depends primarily on the level of negative pressure generated by the house exhaust fans, the size of the inlet opening, and the air inlet design. The higher the static pressure, the faster the air will enter the house and...
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It is well known that the higher the static pressure, the faster the air will enter through an air inlet and therefore the greater the amount of air which will enter through the inlet. But how precisely does velocity change with pressure and similarly how does the amount of air entering through an inlet change with static pressure? To answer these questions, the performance of typical 44" X 7" (42.75" X 5.75" actual opening) and 44" X 14" (42" X 10.75" actual opening) galvanized door inlets...
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When building a new house or retrofitting an older one, tunnel fan selection is one of the most, if not the most important decision a producer has to make. A house’s fans are essentially the engine of the ventilation system and as a result have a significant effect on a producer’s ability to maintain the proper environmental conditions throughout the year. Furthermore, with rising electricity prices, selecting the right energy-efficient fan can save a producer thousands of...
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