According to Dr MacDonald Gayakaya, a state veterinarian in Kimberley in the Northern Cape, extremely high temperatures can have a negative effect on poultry farming. However, there are some ways in which poultry farmers can help their birds during the hot summer months. 

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Gayakaya says poultry usually experience heat stress with temperatures above 30 degrees Celsius – which is typically from September until March. It also depends on which parts of the country poultry farmers are located.

Heat stress is a stressor and as such, it can also increase the poultry’s susceptibility to getting infected with other diseases as it weakens the animal’s body.

Other symptoms of heat stress include poultry not eating as they would normally, they don’t move around as much and seem tired, their wings are elevated, and if temperatures continue to increase, they may start to have convulsions and die.

Gayakaya says that as of late, heat stress has been seen as an animal welfare issue. “Once animals are in stress like that, it raises animal issues.”

In terms of how heat stress can affect poultry farmers’ pockets, Gayakaya says, because the birds eat less food, production rates and growth potential of the business reduces. Farmers may also notice that egg sizes are smaller and the quality of the eggshells are not as good as before, which will lead to receiving lower prices at the market.  

How to assist poultry during warmer months

If poultry is to be housed indoors, Gayakaya says that one of the important things to consider is the design of the housing. He advises that a veterinarian can be consulted first to discuss the housing structure. This, as housing plays a pivotal role when it comes to protecting birds from heat and even from cold.

He says depending on the type of housing structure, there are different things that one can do to increase the movement of air inside the place. One would be to avoid direct sunlight from coming in and another would be to provide birds with lots of fresh cool water which will help them cool down.

Furthermore, removing feed six hours before peak warm temperatures in the afternoon can also help reduce the risk of heat stress.

Free range birds, on the other hand, can be assisted by providing them with shed and also making clean fresh water available to them.

Gayakaya urges farmers to get in touch with their state veterinarian as soon as any of the symptoms become visible or even before the warmer months in order to discuss what they can do should poultry experience heat stress.

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