ABSTRACT The thermal and luminous conditions in aviaries affect the production and quality of eggs. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the thermal and luminous environment of commercial laying hen aviaries equipped with compact fluorescent (CF) and light-emitting diode (LED) lamps and their influence on egg production and quality. The study was carried out in two commercial laying hen facilities with similar construction features and management. The first facility was illuminated with CF lamps and the second with LED lamps. The thermal environment was assessed via air temperature, air relative humidity, and enthalpy. The evaluated lamps provided a similar thermal environment in both facilities. The aviary equipped with LED lamps showed higher illuminance than the one equipped with a CF lamp. Production performance was evaluated through feed intake (FI), feed conversion (FC), mortality (M), and laying percentage (LP). Specific gravity (SG) was used to evaluate eggshell quality. The variables related to production performance and eggshell quality of laying hens raised in aviaries equipped with LED lamps were statistically equal (F-test, p > 0.05) to those raised in aviaries equipped with CF lamps. These results indicate that the replacement of CF lamps with LED lamps does not adversely affect the yield and quality of eggs.

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the thermal environment inside conventional cages for laying hens, with and without the use of protective screens. This research was conducted in two conventional cages (open cage), where each cage had half of its area surrounded by high density polyethylene mesh (HDPE) with a diameter of 2.0 cm, and the other half was kept fully open. Hyline W-36 and Dekalb Brown laying hens were housed in these cages. The wind speed, dry bulb temperature (tdb), black globe temperature, humidity index (BGHI), and enthalpy (H) were analyzed. The results indicate that the use of the screen reduced the wind speed inside the cage by 0.22 m s−1. The presence of the screen affected tdb, BGHI, and H in some of the evaluated periods evaluated, making these values higher than those of the treatment without screen. However, the obtained values are within or below the thermal comfort range for laying birds. Therefore, the use of HDPE screen in the cages altered their internal environment. However, it is not enough to hinder the thermal comfort of the housed animals.

ABSTRACT The spatial illuminance distribution interferes in the commercial production of eggs and electric energy consumption, being considered the second major source of costs in the production chain. Therefore, in this study the objective was to evaluate the spatial distribution of the illuminance level and electric energy consumption in two commercial aviaries for egg production. The first aviary was equipped with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) and the second, with light-emitting diode (LED) lamps. The illuminances in the aviaries were analyzed using descriptive statistics and their spatial distribution through geostatistics. It was found that the aviary equipped with CFL showed better uniformity in the illuminances distribution and better results in attending the luminance levels of 5 lux. On the other hand, the one equipped with LED lamps showed electric energy consumption 43.52% less than the one equipped with compact fluorescent lamps (CFL).

Devido às ocorrências dos vírus de influenza aviária (H5N1 e H7N2), estudos relacionados à biosseguridade têm-se intensificado, e uma das soluções discutidas é o uso de tela para cercar completamente o perímetro dos galpões, visando a evitar o contato das galinhas poedeiras alojadas com outras aves. Desta forma, o presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar e comparar a utilização de tela cercando o perímetro de galpões convencionais de poedeiras, sobre o ambiente acústico e aéreo no interior da instalação. A pesquisa foi realizada em uma granja comercial para produção de ovos, localizada no sul do Estado de Minas Gerais, e foi conduzida em um galpão aberto, que teve a metade de sua área cercada por tela e a outra metade mantida totalmente aberta. Foram alojadas galinhas poedeiras da linhagem Hyline W-36, sendo analisadas as variáveis de intensidade sonora, concentração de amônia (NH3) e concentração de dióxido de carbono (CO2). As variáveis foram coletadas em seis pontos de medição, em cada região (com e sem tela), dois em cada corredor (norte, central e sul). Os resultados indicaram que o uso de tela não alterou o nível de ruído e as concentrações de NH3 e de CO2 no interior do galpão analisado. Contudo, os níveis mensurados foram inferiores àqueles que ofereceriam riscos à saúde das aves e dos trabalhadores, podendo-se concluir que o uso de tela não influenciou negativamente no ambiente aéreo do galpão.

Avian influenza viruses (H5N1 and H7N2) triggered a great number of studies on biosafety, and one of the discussed solutions is the use of screen to enclose completely the poultry house perimeter, since it can avoid the contact of laying hens with other birds. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate and compare the use of screen enclosing a conventional laying house perimeter by assessing acoustic and aerial environment inside the facility. The research was performed in a commercial egg production farm located in Southern Minas Gerais State, Brazil. It was carried out in an open facility, in which half area was enclosed by screen and the other half was maintained completely open. Hyline W-36 laying hens were housed. Sound intensity, ammonia concentration (NH3) and carbon dioxide concentration (CO2) were analyzed as variables. These variables were collected from six measuring points in each region (with and without screen), two in each alley (north, central and south). The results indicated that the use of screen did not alter the noise level, NH3 and CO2 concentrations inside the analyzed poultry house. However, the levels measured were smaller than to the thresholds that can offer health risks to birds and workers. Therefore, it may be concluded that the use of screen did not influence negatively the facility aerial environment.