1 R.A. Bucklin, J.P. Jacob, F.B. Mather, J.D. Leary and I.A. Naas 2 Functions of a Ventilation System Proper ventilated housing is essential for profitable poultry production in Florida. Of these five, the two most important are removing built up heat and moisture. The time of the year determines which of these is of primary concern. During the summer, the most important thing that a ventilation system does is to remove heat from the house.
Birds give off heat as they grow.
During cold weather, or when chicks are little, this heat is beneficial. During the summer, however, bird body heat, combined with the heat from outside air and from solar radiation, causes reduced feed consumption, reduced growth, and increased mortality. Ventilation and cooling systems remove the heat added to a broiler house by bird body heat and by solar radiation. As birds near market weight, they give off relatively large amounts of heat. Eighty tons of refrigeration would be required to remove this amount of heat.