A TERM PAPER ON THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE CHANGE ON POULTRY PRODUCTION IN OFFA, KWARA STATE.

SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF METEOROLOGY FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY,AKURE ONDO STATE

1.0

INTRODUCTION

Poultry production is an important practice in food production across the country which has economically empowered the poultry farmers. It is unmitigatedly obvious that temperature has influence on poultry farming. This influence has amplified as there is a global climatical change across the globe. This rise has also been felt in Offa and its poultry production. Poultry production has been affected by change in temperature in recent time in Offa, Kwara State. Temperature change is the rise or fall in the degree of hotness and coldness of a place over a period of time which is not in line with the regular temperature of the area. (Encarta dictionary). Offa, a town in kwara state which is located on latitude 80 30`` and longitude 40 35``. The town which occupies an area of about 80km square (Oyegun, 1992) and the total population of about 200,152 people (Nigeria population census, 2006) is situated at a strategic point between the densely populated south-western and the sparsely populated middle belt area of Nigeria. Offa, Ilorin is known to be one of the best commercial producers of poultry products with the help or aid of suitable temperature. This paper will consider the effect of temperature change on poultry production in Offa, Kwara state, Nigeria and the critical analysis of problems faced by the effect of temperature and solutions to the problems.

2.0
2.1

CAUSES OF TEMPERATURE CHANGE

DESERTIFICATION: The term applied to regions of the earth that is

characterized by less than 254 mm (10 in) of annual rainfall, an evaporation rate that exceeds precipitation, and, in most cases, a high average temperature. Because of a lack of moisture in the soil and low humidity in the atmosphere, most of sunlight penetrates to the ground. Daytime temperatures can reach 55 C (131 F) in the shade. At night the desert floor radiates heat back to the atmosphere, and the temperature can drop to near freezing. (Encarta students, 2008)

2.2

EXCESSIVE USE OF FOSSIL FUELS: This causes global warming which is

responsible for the cracking of the ozone layer of the atmosphere thereby allowing the escape of excessive sunlight to the earth surface and increasing the average temperature in the day.

3.0

EFFECTS OF TEMPERATURE CHANGE ON POULTRY PRODUCTION

POSITIVE EFFECTS

When eggs are just hatched, the chicks have little covering against cold, so most of them are likely to die in temperatures below 34c (Lawrence, 1979). This is the reason why chicks brood under their mother till they are able to stand the temperature of their

environment. Brooders provide heat lamps for their brooding houses till the chicks are at least five weeks old; therefore such high temperature that has come with climate change has increased the rate of survival for the chicks in Offa (Oyegun, 1992). But most poultry farmers are unaware of this advantage so they still use heat lamp which makes chicks uncomfortable. These poultry farmers were found to have been indoctrinated with this custome; they therefore need re- orientation as conditions are changing. Another positive effect is linked to the free range system of keeping poultry. A light temperature may fall to as low as 13c and this is very fatal for the chicks that has to roost in the cold night. In recent times, the temperature at night as risen by 2-3c. though, the change is not much, but the chicks feel better under the warmth of their mothers plumage. The rise in temperature has also reduced the cost of setting up poultry. Interestingly, this is true because, in conditions of high temperature, ventilation is needed more; therefore, it is necessary to leave most parts of the poultry house unbuilded. Here, resources are conserved because nets which are cheaper are preferred to bricks for the building of the poultry. (W.H. freeman) Hypothermia, a health condition due to low temperature the birds cant endure is prevented. Experts know from experience that chickens and poultry animals in general die young mostly of low temperatures, interestingly, the temperature may just be a little bit below 34c for chicks and yet some of the birds still die. There the increasing temperature due to climate change is helping issues in this regard. (Lawrence, 1979).

NEGATIVE EFFECTS

The effect of temperature rise on egg production is a reduction in the production. This is economically crippling to a poultry farmer.

30 25
Rate of evaporation

20 15 10 5 0 Environm ental tem perature

CWL(cutaneo us waterloss) RWL(respirato ry waterloss

(Richards, 1976, 112) Temperature contributes 1.9% of climatic effect on egg production (elija and adedapo, 2006; 10). Excessive heat (heat beyond that which a bird adapts to) causes muscular strain and this diverts the metabolisms of the body. This causes a shortage in supply to the ovary and these results in eggs of thin shells, small sizes and a general low output. In Offa, these effects are already setting in though still in its primary stage. (Gueye, 1998). The rise in temperature causes a proportional rise in humidity that provides a medium for fungal and bacterial growth. Disease outbreak becomes inevitable when the relative humidity gets high and this is caused by the rise in temperature evaporating more water into the air. These microbes cause diseases like coccidiosis, eicoli, hemorrhagic syndrome, fowl pox and infections. Bronchitis is among the few that are transmitted via

moist air breathed by the birds. This occurrence is not new to the poultry farmers, but, it is sure to get worse with the current rising of temperature. The only reason why the influence is not felt in Offa is because of the availability of effective medication.

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CONCLUSION

Effect of temperature change on poultry in Offa, as seen is an important part of poultry farming that must be thought to the poultry farmers. Offa is a suitable location for the raising of poultry animals especially chicken because of its location and most importantly, the climate of the area. As said earlier, from the positive effects of this rise in temperature, we can see that there is enough for poultry farmers to gain, yet the negative effect has to be dealt with maybe by the use of heat lamps in times of cool temperatures and air coolants in times of extremely hot temperatures to regulate temperatures to suit the birds. And to say, there are easy and low cost solutions to this negative effects and such would be put in place if a vibrant poultry production would continue in Offa.

5.0

RECOMENDATION

5.1

ROOFING OF POULTRY HOUSES: To reduce heat in the poultry house, metal

roofing sheets should be avoided and replaced with concrete made roofing slabs. These

concrete roofing slabs though more costly, would not only reduce heat in the poultry house but would also stand a test of time. 5.2 VENTILATION IN POULTRY HOUSES: The poultry houses should be well

ventilated, as discussed in the negative effects, rise in temperature causes a rise in relative humidity which also causes a relative rise in disease causing pathogens. These pathogens would be reduced in concentration as there is a free flow of air which prevents their build-up in the poultry house 5.3 MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: There should be good management practice which

would consist of ways to space out the birds in their respective cages to avoid congestion, because the more congested the birds are, the more internal heat generated by each bird and within the birds, the more discomfort they feel. 5.4 REDUCTION IN THE USE OF FOSSIL FUELS: There should be limited use of

fossil fuels, because the more the rate at which these fuels are used, the more environmental hazards which would be dangerous to the health of the birds. Also, temperature is liable to increase due to the damage these gases must have caused the ozone layer of the atmosphere.