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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A heat wave that has pushed temperatures well over 100 degrees has killed tens of thousands of turkeys and chickens in Kansas and North Carolina and left farmers across the lower part of the country struggling to cool off their flocks.
In North Carolina, about 50,000 chickens died at a farm after the power went off for less than an hour. In Kansas, one couple lost 4,300 turkeys that took 26 hours to bury.
Temperatures in Kansas on Sunday reached 110 degrees, with a heat index of 118. It was 106 in the buildings near Columbus where Capron and her husband raise 22,000 turkeys for Butterball LLC. She said they've been running big fans and fog nozzles in their poultry buildings, and they've had a tractor pulling a spray wagon to water down the birds. They lost 140 birds on Saturday, but nothing prepared them for Sunday, when 4,300 died.
After receiving approval from state regulators, the Caprons, their workers and friends began digging a massive hole — 60 feet long, 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep — to bury the nearly 50-pound birds. They started at 11 p.m. Sunday, and the last turkey was buried 26 hours later. The crew worked around the clock. No one slept.
In North Carolina, the heat wave killed about 50,000 broiler chickens at a Johnston County farm when the power went out for about 45 minutes, said Gary Rhodes, a spokesman for Colorado-based Pilgrim's Pride Corp., which owned the chickens.
"With the new ventilation systems in these houses, they can handle the heat pretty good," said Bob Ford, executive director of the North Carolina Poultry Federation. "Most everybody's converted their houses to that type of system, and you just have to keep your fingers crossed I guess."
After receiving approval from state regulators, the Caprons, their workers and friends began digging a massive hole — 60 feet long, 40 feet wide and 10 feet deep — to bury the nearly 50-pound birds.
Physical heat regulation
When temperatures are not within the comfort zone, birds have several mechanisms which enable them to keep their body temperature constant without having to produce extra heat. This is referred to as physical heat regulation. Factors influencing physical heat regulation include:
• Tissue insulation – if birds have a layer of subcutaneous fat, they can afford to let their skin temperature drop. Only if the animals are fed properly can they deposit a subcutaneous fat layer when temperatures decrease.
• Feathers – feathers have an insulating effect and decrease the amount of heat that is lost to the environment.
• Changing body position and huddling – birds can effectively regulate heat loss through its body position. Heat loss can be minimized by huddling close together. In hot weather, on the other hand, the birds increase their body surface as much as possible.
• Vaporisation of water – If temperatures are high or extremely high sensible heat loss is minimized and almost all heat will have to be lost as insensible (latent) heat, latent heat loss is the heat lost from the body through the elimination of respiratory moisture.
• Flow of blood through skin and mucous membranes – The flow of blood to the skin and mucous membranes can be controlled through the contraction and widening of blood vessels. The larger the flow of blood is, the more heat is lost.
Recommended temperatures for layers and broilers
The critical temperature for layers is 20oC. For every 1oC lower than 20oC, the birds require 1.5 g of feed per day extra. The most efficient temperature for layers is 20 – 24oC. When temperatures rise to above 24oC, shell quality and egg weight go down. For broilers and rearer birds the critical temperature depends very much on age.
Originally posted by Sri OracleWhy can't birds that die of heat exhaustion be made into dog food?
Originally posted by aorAki
Obviously disgraceful farming practices.
These bastards put money before animal welfare.