PHYSIOLOGICAL-RESPONSES OF CHICKENS AND TURKEYS TO RELATIVE-HUMIDITY DURING EXPOSURE TO HIGH AMBIENT-TEMPERATURE

1. At 35 degrees C, the response functions of body weight gain and fee d intake of 5-8 week old chickens to relative humidity (RH) were bell shaped with maxima at 60-65%, corresponding to minima in core and skin temperature, blood pH, and to maxima in blood pCO(2). 2. In 5-8 week old turkeys, weight gain and feed intake declined only with the increa se from 40-45% to 50-55% in RH. Core and skin temperature, and blood a cid-base were not affected by RH. 3. Plasma (T-3) concentration was po sitively correlated with feed intake.