Dealing Summer Stress in Backyard Poultry Farming with Cost Effective Ecofriendly Cooler

Backyard poultry farming is a vital supplementary activity for empowering rural households in developing nations like India, but this sector faces challenges such as slow growth rates, high mortality, disease susceptibility, inadequate nutrition, poor housing management. Increasing environmental temperatures specially in summer causes heat stress, leading to reduced feed intake, weight gain, feed efficiency, and egg production, as well as higher mortality rates. To address these constraints, an innovative and cost-effective eco-friendly cooler has been introduced for backyard poultry farming, especially in areas without electricity. The eco-cooler operates on the Joule-Thomson and Venturi effects, cooling the air as it enters the poultry shed, thereby reducing the temperature by 3°C to 5°C. This cooling effect decreases heat stress symptoms like panting and respiratory distress, improves bird activity, and reduces mortality rates. Additionally, the eco-cooler enhances ventilation, increasing oxygen levels and preventing harmful gas buildup, thereby, improving overall poultry health, productivity and welfare.