EFFECT OF FORMALDEHYDE EXPOSURE IN THE HATCHER AND OF VENTILATION IN CONFINEMENT FACILITIES ON BROILER PERFORMANCE

Broiler embryos and chicks were exposed to formaldehyde vapors (up to 130 ppm) during the final 3 days of incubation. Bacterial load was sig nificantly lower In a form aldehyde-fumigated hatcher than in an unfum igated hatcher. Hatchability was not affected. To determine if exposur e to formaldehyde vapors in the hatcher would affect broilers' ability to tolerate variations in air quality, chicks were placed in either a dequately or pearly ventilated confinement facilities for 45 days. Tot al and respirable dust panicles (less than or equal to 5 mu m in diame ter) increased to a greater extent between 5 and 6 weeks of broiler ag e in the poorly ventilated facility than in the facility with adequate ventilation. Mortality at 6 weeks of age was significantly higher in broilers exposed to formaldehyde in the hatcher and housed with poor v entilation than in broilers exposed to formaldehyde and raised with ad equate ventilation. Six-week body weight, feed conversion, and septice mia/toxemia condemnations were ad versely affected by poor ventilation . This study found that the quality of air in the confinement facility had a greater influence on broiler productivity than did exposure to formaldehyde vapors in the hatcher.