Modeling Environmental Conditions in Poultry Production: Computational Fluid Dynamics Approach.

In recent years, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has become increasingly important and has proven to be an effective method for assessing environmental conditions in poultry houses. CFD offers simplicity, efficiency, and rapidity in assessing and optimizing poultry house environments, thereby fueling greater interest in its application. This article aims to facilitate researchers in their search for relevant CFD studies in poultry housing environmental conditions by providing an in-depth review of the latest advancements in this field. It has been found that CFD has been widely employed to study and analyze various aspects of poultry house ventilation and air quality under the following five main headings: inlet and fan configuration, ventilation system design, air temperature-humidity distribution, airflow distribution, and particle matter and gas emission. The most commonly used turbulence models in poultry buildings are the standard k-ε, renormalization group (RNG) k-ε, and realizable k-ε models. Additionally, this article presents key solutions with a summary and visualization of fundamental approaches employed in addressing path planning problems within the CFD process. Furthermore, potential challenges, such as data acquisition, validation, computational resource requirements, meshing, and the selection of a proper turbulence model, are discussed, and avenues for future research (the integration of machine learning, building information modeling, and feedback control systems with CFD) are explored.

Application of Mamdani Fuzzy Inference System in Poultry Weight Estimation.

Traditional manual weighing systems for birds on poultry farms are time-consuming and may compromise animal welfare. Although automatic weighing systems have been introduced as an alternative, they face limitations in accurately estimating the weight of heavy birds. Therefore, exploring alternative methods that offer improved efficiency and precision is necessary. One promising solution lies in the application of AI, which has the potential to revolutionize various aspects of poultry production and management, making it an indispensable tool for the modern poultry industry. This study aimed to develop an AI approach based on the FL model as a viable solution for estimating poultry weight. By incorporating expert knowledge and considering key input variables such as indoor temperature, indoor humidity, and feed consumption, FL-based models were developed with different configurations using Mamdani inferences and evaluated across eight different rearing periods in Samsun, Türkiye. This study's results demonstrated the effectiveness of FL-based models in estimating poultry weight. The models achieved varying average absolute error values across different age groups of broilers, ranging from 0.02% to 5.81%. These findings suggest that FL-based methods hold promise for accurate and efficient poultry weight estimation. This study opens up avenues for further research in the field, encouraging the exploration of FL-based approaches for improved poultry weight estimation in poultry farming operations.

Hyperspectral Image Data and Waveband Indexing Methods to Estimate Nutrient Concentration on Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) Cultivars.

Lettuce is an important vegetable in the human diet and is commonly consumed for salad. It is a source of vitamin A, which plays a vital role in human health. Improvements in lettuce production will be needed to ensure a stable and economically available supply in the future. The influence of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) compounds on the growth dynamics of four hydroponically grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) cultivars (Black Seeded Simpson, Parris Island, Rex RZ, and Tacitus) in tubs and in a nutrient film technique (NFT) system were studied. Hyperspectral images (HSI) were captured at plant harvest. Models developed from the HSI data were used to estimate nutrient levels of leaf tissues by employing principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares regression (PLSR), multivariate regression, and variable importance projection (VIP) methods. The optimal wavebands were found in six regions, including 390.57-438.02, 497-550, 551-600, 681.34-774, 802-821, and 822-838 nm for tub-grown lettuces and four regions, namely 390.57-438.02, 497-550, 551-600, and 681.34-774 nm for NFT-system-grown lettuces. These fitted models' levels showed high accuracy (R2=0.85-0.99) in estimating the growth dynamics of the studied lettuce cultivars in terms of nutrient content. HSI data of the lettuce leaves and applied N solutions demonstrated a direct positive correlation with an accuracy of 0.82-0.99 for blue and green regions in 400-575 nm wavebands. The results proved that, in most of the tested multivariate regression models, HSI data of freshly cut leaves correlated well with laboratory-measured data.

Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling of a Broiler House Microclimate in Summer and Winter.

Appropriate microclimate conditions in broiler housing are critical for optimizing poultry production and ensuring the health and welfare of the birds. In this study, spatial variabilities of the microclimate in summer and winter seasons in a mechanically ventilated broiler house were modeled using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. Field measurements of temperature, relative humidity, and airspeeds were conducted in the house to compare the simulated results. The study identified two problems of high temperature in summer, which could result in bird heat stress and stagnant zones in winter, and simulated possible alternative solutions. In summer, if an evaporative cooling pad system was used, a decrease in temperature of approximately 3 °C could be achieved when the mean air temperature rose above 25 °C in the house. In winter, adding four 500-mm circulation fans of 20-m spacing inside the house could eliminate the accumulation of hot and humid air in the stagnant zones in the house. This study demonstrated that CFD is a valuable tool for adequate heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system design in poultry buildings.