Saturday , PM , ENVIRONMENT AND MANAGEMENT A 132

s of papers 31 Saturday, PM, ENVIRONMENT AND MANAGEMENT A 132 Temperature heterogeneity and moisture accumulation in trailers transporting broilers under Canadian winter conditions. T.D. Knezacek*1, G.F. Audren1, M.A. Mitchell2, P.J. Kettlewell3, R.R. Hunter2, H.L. Classen1, S. Stephens1, A.A. Olkowski1, E.M. Barber1, and T.G. Crowe1, 1University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, 2Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Roslin, Midlothian, United Kingdom, 3Silsoe Research Institute, Wrest Park, Silsoe, Bedford, United Kingdom. The objective of this research was to study the temperature and relative humidity conditions in trailers transporting market age broiler chickens under climatic conditions common in Canadian winter. Four commercialscale broiler transport trailers, using Anglia Autoflow modules, were monitored under different external temperatures and journey durations. Pre-selected modules were equipped with data loggers recording temperature and humidity of the microenvironment. Rectal temperatures (4 modules, 10 birds/module) were taken immediately before and after transportation, and 3 sentinel birds, implanted with devices for recording deep body temperature, were placed in each of 2 selected modules. Temperature heterogeneity was found among modules on all loads with temperatures ranging from 11-32, 10-28, 2-26 and 1-16◦C for transportation times of 191, 193, 182, and 18 min and ambient temperatures of -7, -27, -28 and 18◦C, respectively. The results demonstrated the potential for cold stress near air inlets and paradoxical heat stress in poorly ventilated areas. Body temperature recordings for individual birds indicated the potential for hypoor hyperthermia. Despite the low external temperatures, low levels of passive ventilation resulted in the temperature within modules increasing 18-55◦C above ambient recordings. Wet birds, condensation and frost provided evidence for moisture accumulation during transportation. The data demonstrates that passive ventilation on tightly tarped transport trailers, in cold climatic conditions, produces a heterogeneous distribution of airflow and consequently, less than optimum temperate and humidity conditions.