Effects of a Sprinkler and Cool Cell Combined System on Cooling Water Usage, Litter Moisture, and Indoor Environment of Broiler Houses

Abstract

Climate change is a serious challenge to food production around the world. Sustainability and water efficiency are critical to a poultry industry faced with global production concerns including increased demands for high-quality, affordable animal protein and greater environmental pressures resulting from rising global temperatures, flock heat stress, and limits on water availability. To address these concerns, a commercial sprinkler system used in combination with a cool cell system was evaluated against a cool cell system alone for two summer flocks of heavy broilers at Mississippi State University to determine effects of sprinkler technology on cooling water usage, litter moisture, and in-house environments. Environmental data were calculated and recorded throughout the flocks. The combination house exhibited a 2.2 °C (4 °F) increase in daily maximum temperature, lower coincident relative humidity, and a 64% (62,039 L/flock) reduction in average cooling water usage over the cool cell-only house. Litter moisture for the combination house tended to be numerically lower but showed no significant difference at several time points between and across flocks. A combined sprinkler/cool cell system reduced cooling water use by 64% over two flocks compared to a cool cell alone system and decreased in-house relative humidity levels.

Field Implementation of Precision Livestock Farming: Selected Proceedings from the 2nd U.S. Precision Livestock Farming Conference

“…The USPLF2023 conference featured four primary research topics: Sensors and Sensing in PLF [1][2][3][4][5], Data Management and Algorithm Development [6][7][8], Measuring, Modeling, and Managing of Dynamic Responses [9][10][11][12][13][14], and Societal Impacts of PLF [15,16]. A total of 126 submissions were received for these topics from individuals representing universities, research institutions, and PLF companies from 13 different countries across Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and South America.…”