Effects of diurnally cycling versus constant temperatures on chicken growth and food intake

1. Male broiler chickens were exposed in separate experiments to: (a) constant ambient temperatures (Ta) ranging between 10 and 35 degrees C; (b) 12 h:l2 h diurnal high-low temperature of 10:30 degrees C, 15:35 degrees C and 15:30 degrees C in different trials; and (c) 12 h of 30 or 35 degrees C and 12 h of variable lower temperature. 2. A progressive decline in weight gain and food intake was obtained as Ta increased from 18 to 35 degrees C. Under diurnally cycling temperature, weight gain and food intake were lower than in the average corresponding constant temperature, with the exception of chickens exposed to 15 : 30 degrees C, where weight gain and food intake were not significantly different from those of the constant average temperature. 3. As the diurnal cold period was made colder, chickens exposed during half of the diurnal cycle to high temperature (30, 35 degrees C) demonstrated a significant (P <= 0.05) increase in weight gain and food intake. 4. There was a good correlation between plasma triiodothyronine (T3) and Ta. The correlation between T3 and food intake was highly significant, but that between T3 and weight gain was poor. 5. The results indicate the difficulties in predicting the performance of broilers exposed to diurnally cycling temperatures from knowledge of the average temperature.