The influence of short-term heat stress for body temperature and acid-basebalance in turkeys

This experiment was carried out on twenty 12 week-old BUT 9 female turkeys. The birds were exposed to an outside temperature of 35 degreesC over a per iod of 50 hours. Body temperature in the cloaca was measured before heat st ress and 2, 6, 26 and 50 hrs after the beginning of the experiment and bloo d samples were collected from the vena ulnaris. The following acid-base bal ance parameters were measured in the blood: pH, pCO(2), pO(2) , HCO3, BE. T he body temperature increased by 0,5 degreesC 2 hrs after the beginning of the heat stress. After 6 hrs it returned to normal and after 20 and 50 hrs It had decreased by 0,5 degreesC. No acid-base imbalances occurred during t he experiment.