What if the Biggest Threat to a Poultry Farm isn't Disease but Heat
- GitiTech Private Limited
- Jul 24
- 4 min read
In the summer of recent years, India’s poultry industry has repeatedly witnessed a harsh reminder that climate change is no longer a distant concern—it is an immediate business risk.
Across several states, intense heatwaves, soaring humidity and unexpected power failures have resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of birds within days.
According to news reports:
· Andhra Pradesh: More than 4.18 lakh chickens reportedly died within a single week as extreme temperatures swept across the state. Besides the enormous economic loss to farmers, distress selling caused retail chicken prices to fall sharply.
· Odisha: In Malkangiri district, an unexpected power outage shut down the ventilation system of an environmentally controlled poultry shed. Within hours, 5,300 broiler chickens (approximately 12.5 tonnes of live weight) suffocated after cooling fans stopped functioning.
· Maharashtra: Heatwaves reportedly caused the deaths of around 1,000 birds in Nashik and neighbouring districts as temperatures climbed well above seasonal averages.
These incidents are not isolated accidents.
They represent a growing challenge confronted by poultry farmers across India. As summers become hotter and heatwaves more frequent, maintaining a safe thermal environment inside poultry houses is emerging as one of the most critical determinants of productivity, profitability and animal welfare.
Chickens Are Exceptionally Vulnerable to Heat
Unlike humans, chickens have virtually no ability to sweat.
Their primary mechanism for removing excess body heat is panting. Once ambient temperature and humidity rise beyond their comfort zone, this natural cooling mechanism rapidly becomes inadequate.
Scientific studies show that prolonged heat stress causes birds to reduce feed intake, divert energy away from growth and egg production, suppress immune function and experience significant physiological stress (Oluwagbenga & Fraley, 2023; Lara & Rostagno, 2013).
For every degree Celsius above the birds’ thermal comfort zone, feed intake may decline by approximately 1–2%, depending on breed, age and humidity. Less feed means fewer nutrients are available for growth, egg production and immune defence.
The Hidden Cost of Heat Stress
Heat stress affects far more than bird comfort.
Research consistently demonstrates reductions in:
· Feed conversion efficiency
· Body weight gain
· Egg production
· Egg weight
· Eggshell quality
· Fertility
· Hatchability
while simultaneously increasing mortality and disease susceptibility.
Economic analyses estimate that heat stress costs the U.S. poultry industry alone US$128–165 million every year. Considering India’s tropical climate and increasingly frequent heatwaves, the economic implications for Indian poultry farming could be even more significant.
Why Heat Stress and Antibiotic Use Are Connected
One of the less appreciated consequences of heat stress is its effect on immunity.
Elevated temperatures increase circulating corticosterone—the principal stress hormone in birds. This effect suppresses immune responses, weakens the intestinal barrier and alters the gut microbiome, making birds more vulnerable to infectious diseases.
The above vulnerability does not imply that cooling systems or thermal insulation replace vaccination, veterinary care or biosecurity.
However, healthier birds experiencing lower physiological stress are naturally better equipped to resist disease. Lower disease pressure may reduce the need for therapeutic antibiotic interventions as part of a comprehensive health-management programme.
This effect matters beyond poultry farming.
The World Health Organization identifies antimicrobial resistance as one of the leading global public health threats. Any intervention that responsibly reduces unnecessary antibiotic use contributes to slowing the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and supports safer food production.
More Eggs from Happier Birds
Heat-stressed hens instinctively reduce feed intake to lower metabolic heat production.
Unfortunately, sub-optimal food intake also reduces the intake of protein, calcium and energy needed for egg formation.
The result is often:
· Lower egg production
· Smaller eggs
· Thinner shells
· More cracked eggs
· Poorer shell strength
Conversely, birds maintained under cooler and more stable environmental conditions continue to eat normally and allocate nutrients toward egg production instead of survival.
The Roof Is the First Line of Defence
When discussing poultry cooling, ventilation systems usually receive most of the attention. Yet every ventilation system begins by fighting heat that has already entered the building.
On a typical Indian summer afternoon, the roof of a poultry shed can become dramatically hotter than the surrounding air due to intense solar radiation. This heat is continuously transferred into the shed, increasing the thermal burden on every bird inside.
Roof-top thermal insulation works differently
Instead of removing heat after it enters the building, the roof-top insulation, like the “cooling sheets of GitiTech” reduces the amount of solar heat entering the shed in the first place. This strategy lowers the workload on ventilation systems, improves indoor thermal stability and provides an additional safety margin during periods of extreme weather or temporary equipment failure.
As climate change continues to intensify, thermal insulation should no longer be viewed merely as an energy-saving measure. It should be regarded as an essential component of modern poultry-house design—one that supports bird welfare, productivity, responsible antibiotic stewardship and the long-term resilience of the poultry industry.
Newspaper articles & Research Papers
Attia et al, “Climate change and its effects on poultry industry and sustainability”, Discover Sustainability (2024) 5:397. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43621-024-00627-2
Oluwagbenga EM, Fraley GS. “Heat Stress and Poultry Production: A Comprehensive Review”, Poultry Science, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2023.103141
Brugaletta G. et al. “A Review of Heat Stress in Chickens: Part I—Insights into Physiology and Gut Health”, Frontiers in Physiology, 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.934381
Saeed M. et al. “Heat Stress Management in Poultry Farms: A Comprehensive Overview”, Journal of Thermal Biology, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.07.025
He J.H. et al. Impact of Heat Stress and Nutritional Interventions on Poultry Production. World's Poultry Science Journal, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0043933918000727
Lara LJ, Rostagno MH. Impact of Heat Stress on Poultry Production. Animals (Basel). 2013 Apr 24;3(2):356–369. doi: 10.3390/ani3020356.
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