Temperature stratification and fuel use during winter in three Pennsylvania broiler houses

Providing a comfortable, uniform environment for broilers is one goal of ve ntilation, but minimizing fuel consumption is often an overriding considera tion during cold weather. Three broiler houses in central Pennsylvania mere monitored over three complete flock cycles for temperature conditions to d ocument the impact winter ventilation management had on house environment a nd fuel use. Undesirable temperature stratification resulted in chick-level temperatures that averaged over 3.0 degreesC (5.4 degreesF) cooler than ta rget temperatures on the day of chick arrival at the poultry house. Tempera tures at the thermostat sensor height of 1.5 m (5 ft) were closer to desira ble conditions. Space heaters (furnaces) directed heated air well into the room, but when the ventilation system inlets did not pro,ide adequate mixin g of this heated air with cooler outside air, temperature stratification de veloped. This was particularly a problem at low minimum ventilation rates w hen timer fans were employed. Timer fans were not necessarily effectively m anaged in these facilities. Monitoring environmental conditions at bird lev el is a first step in eliminating cool floor temperatures, A more uniform t emperature can be maintained when more effective air mixing discourages tem perature stratification development. Partial house brooding was an advantag e because approximately one-third less fuel was utilized with an opportunit y for tighter environmental control in a smaller space.