The study was carried out with the objectives to quantify the distribution of the superficial temperature of the body of the broiler, to determine the relationship of proportion of the rate of heat loss (HLR) and of cooling (CR) in function of the weight and broiler age and to accomplish morphologic evaluations by means of image analysis. The ROSS 508 broilers of one day were weekly accompanied during 42 days of age, distributed in two groups of 10 animals. Weekly, each broiler was weighed, photographed and the temperature of each body part was observed. The data of the temperature of broiler´s body parts were appraised using PROC MIXED of the SAS. Both temperature measurements of the broiler parts showed variability though not presenting a defined behavior with age. The rate of heat loss (HLR) increased with age and broiler weight. However, cooling rate (CR) was inversely proportional to the broiler weight. The use of digital images to esteem the area, the weight and the morphologic measures in function of the broiler age is viable and can be used in calculation of heat and mass transfer for climatization systems of poultry house and also for the development of equipments using vision computational.
area chikens; empiric model; loss heat; cooling
