Evaluation of Hot Weather Thermal Environment and Incidence of Mortality Associated with Broiler Live Haul

Abstract

Hot weather temperatures experienced by broilers during live haul were studied as they relate to the incidence of dead-on-arrival (DOA) mortality at processing. The DOA are those birds that have died between catching and the moment of slaughter. The data indicate that the thermal environment during catch, pretransport holding on transport trailers prior to movement off farm, and holding at the processing plant prior to unloading are primary points in which environmental temperatures impacting broilers can become elevated. The transport phase of live haul in this study does not appear to be associated with significant risk of birds overheating, whereas the pretransport and post transport segments hold potential for risk of heat stress. It is difficult to associate DOA to the individual segments of the live-haul process even when using postmortem examination.