Adjust of regression models to estimate the rectal temperature of broilers for the first 14 days of life

Abstract

The broiler rectal temperature (trectal) is one of the most important physiological responses to classify the animal thermal comfort. Therefore, the aim of this study was to adjust regression models in order to predict the rectal temperature (trectal) of broiler chickens under different thermal conditions based on age (A) and a meteorological variable (air temperature - tair) or a thermal comfort index (temperature and humidity index -THI or black globe humidity index - BGHI) or a physical quantity enthalpy (H). In addition, through the inversion of these models and the expected trectal intervals for each age, the comfort limits of tair, THI, BGHI and H for the chicks in the heating phase were determined, aiding in the validation of the equations and the preliminary limits for H. The experimental data used to adjust the mathematical models were collected in two commercial poultry farms, with Cobb chicks, from 1 to 14 days of age. It was possible to predict the trectal of conditions from the expected trectal and determine the lower and superior comfort thresholds of broilers satisfactorily by applying the four models adjusted; as well as to invert the models for prediction of the environmental H for the chicks first 14 days of life.