USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at North Carolina State University in which researchers evaluated the effects of heat stress in poults. The research was made possible in part by an endowing Foundation gift from Prestage Farms and proceeds from the International Poultry Expo, part of the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE). The research is part of the Association’s comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. A summary of the completed project is below.

Project #F104: Blood Chemistry Led Environment Manipulations to Reduce Poult Mortality

(Dr. Rocio Crespo, Department of Population Health and Pathobiology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, N.C.)

Dr. Rocio Crespo at North Carolina State University recently completed a research project to investigate the effect of heat stress on blood parameters as an objective measure of poult comfort and its association with early poult mortality. Findings indicated that heat stress may be associated with increased incidence of pendulous crop and decreased performance. However, further research is needed to better understand the effect of environment on blood chemistry.

The research summary can be found on the USPOULTRY website. Information on other Association research may also be obtained by visiting the USPOULTRY website, www.uspoultry.org.