Farmers advised to guard poultry against heat stress

Poultry farmers across the island are being encouraged to take proactive measures to manage heat stress in their flocks, as rising temperatures are expected in the coming months.

Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Francine Webb, noted that temperatures are expected to rise during the April to June period.

“Below normal rainfall is likely for April, May, and June. It means that we have to be aware and mindful of the heat stress on the animals, particularly for our most vulnerable livestock such as poultry… as well as their water needs, in terms of them being hydrated,” she said.

Webb told JIS News that farmers should put measures in place to ensure proper ventilation ahead of the anticipated heat.

“We also have to be mindful that we’re able to provide adequate cooling for the stock that we have. We have to ensure that clean water is available for the animals to be hydrated and that they have adequate feed. You can also supplement that feed so that they have adequate nutrition as well. So we have to look, now, to be able to identify that so, if needed, you can bring that in for them as well,” she said.

Meanwhile, farmers in central St Thomas are being advised to prepare for below normal rainfall during the upcoming second rainy season, which spans May and June.

Webb noted that while some areas may experience above normal rainfall, this is unlikely to be sufficient to ease potential water challenges.

“Based on the level of rainfall that we usually anticipate for this period… indications are it’s going to be less for the majority of the island, and temperatures also are going to be higher than normal for this point in time. There’s also a drought watch that is likely to develop for central St Thomas,” she said.

Considering these changes, farmers are being encouraged to conserve water and practise rainwater harvesting as much as possible to sustain their operations during drier periods.

- JIS News

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