Global climate change is accelerating at an unprecedented rate, and the consequences of global warming are expected to worsen.
Many heatwaves have recently hit various parts of the world, causing major losses in livestock, particularly in the poultry sector, resulting in massive mortalities and catastrophic economic losses.
Bangladesh is also grappling with the El Nino year of 2023-2024, a relentless heatwave tightens its grip on various regions of the country.
According to the Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD), soaring temperatures, ranging from 40°C to over 43°C, have been scorching 51 out of 64 districts and have been anticipated in the last few days.
The situation is dire, with forecasts indicating a steady rise in temperatures, potentially reaching 44°C -45°C by mid-May.
These high temperatures are damaging to livestock as they will experience heat stress. Heat stress is one of the most important environmental stressors challenging poultry production worldwide as it has detrimental consequences on growth and production, leading to significant economic losses.
In the United States, heat stress in the poultry industry results in estimated total annual economic losses of approximately $128 to $165 million.
Bangladesh’s poultry industry also faces the dire consequences of these severe heatwaves. Chickens are dying in many farms due to the ongoing heatwave, while egg and meat production is declining for the same reason.
Production may decrease to 30%
Livestock experts and poultry farmers say meat and egg production may decrease due to the searing heat.
Farmers say chickens eat much less in extremely hot weather, resulting in the slow growth of broilers and a decline in egg production.
Thus, the production of eggs decreases by 15%-30% while the average broiler chicken gains 500 grams less weight than intolerable temperatures. Furthermore, the mortality of chickens on poultry farms has increased due to the extreme heat and load-shedding.
Industry experts and the government’s animal resources research officials also agreed on this issue.
Dr Aminul Haque, scientific officer of Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute, said: “Due to the heatwave, the poultry industry has had a lot of impact this year. In many places, farmers have reported the death of chickens. Which doesn’t happen so much in other years.”
“Summer has an effect every year. But, this year, it has increased a lot due to the long period of extreme heat. Which can have long-term effects,” he added.
Plight of poultry farmers
Dhaka Tribune reporter found that heat stroke, kidney failure, breathing problems, and diarrhea occur very frequently in chickens in this weather while visiting several farms in Gazipur, a major poultry-growing area of the country.
Farmers cope with normal summer heat by reducing the number of chickens in their sheds. However, the relentless heat this year has made them seriously anxious about the survival of their chickens, the decline in production, and business losses.
“Chicks do not grow properly due to hot weather, and the chickens suffer from diseases like breathing and digestion problems, apart from heatstroke. Almost 50 of our 2,000 birds aged two weeks have already died,” said Mamotaj Begum, a broiler farmer of Angutia Chala village in Gazipur Sadar.
She has been poultry farming with her husband for 15 years and their “Sumaiya Poultry Farm” can accommodate 3,500 birds. In the present cycle, the couple might not achieve the weight of birds normally expected in 32 days, even in 36 days.
“While the average weight per bird is around two kilograms in the winter, it would hardly be 1.5kg in summer when the cost of medicine also rises by 50%,” Mamotaj added.
Syed Abdul Munayem launched his Redix Poultry Farm in Gazipur City Corporation’s Nanduain area in 1991.
He refrained from placing broiler chicks in his two sheds, which can accommodate 4,000 chickens, after the Eid-ul-Fitr in April, fearing production loss in the hot weather. He also has 2,900 pieces of 35-week-old layer hens producing eggs.
“Before this heatwave, we were getting eggs at a rate of 93% (93 eggs per 100 hens per day), and at one stage, the rate went down to 70% (73 eggs per 100 hens per day), which has now increased slightly, after treatment of the chickens,” Munayem said.
He explained that reduced egg production means the egg cost increases.
Abu Nayeem of Shalna Mollapara in Gazipur Sadar has a 1,400-capacity farm. He bought 1,000 chicks out of which over 50 died in four weeks.
“I am going to suffer lost production of 300kg live chicken in this cycle,” he said.
Bijoy Barman, a farmer of Bawpara, Gazipur, also reduced farming from 2,400 to 800 birds during this cycle, saying: “We are certainly going to make a loss due to effects of hot weather.”
Feed intake
Farmer Yunus Ali, also from Bawpara, noticed that each bird eats only 80 grams of feed each day compared to 115 grams normally, resulting in a decline in egg production from 97% to 80% in his farm.
Feed conversion ratio (FCR) measures kilograms of feed required to produce one kg of live broiler.
FCR is higher than 1.5 (1kg live chicken is produced from 1.5kg feed) this summer, compared to FCR of 1.32 during cool weather, according to Dr Md Sajedul Islam, a poultry consultant working in Gazipur.
Regarding the factors affecting the feed intake of chickens, Savar Upazila Livestock Officer Dr Sajedul Islam said: “The biggest change in summer is food habits. Poultry (boiler/layer) birds have reduced feed intake. As a result, their weight also decreases. A reduction in food also affects egg size. Meat is also affected.”
“Heatstroke increases again in summer. As a result, the death rate of poultry also increases,” he added.
Noor Islam, caretaker of Mamun Poultry in Bhawraid Porabari, Gazipur, highlighted that power outage during this hot summer often raises risks for birds and leads to business losses.
“The temperature range of 24°C-27°C is proven good for the healthy growth of chickens. Since Bangladeshi farmers do not have environmentally controlled sheds, the business faces risks during the current heatwave,” Sajedul said.
A supply-demand imbalance is imminent
Dwelling on the situation, the President of the Breeders Association of Bangladesh, Mahbubur Rahman, said: “The poultry sector is facing a disaster due to the hot weather, which is causing a 25% fall in production of both eggs and broiler chickens.”
He said the sector currently supplies 50 million pieces of eggs and 2.5 million pieces of chickens daily, adding that there might be a supply shortfall if the situation continues.
Prof Dr Md Elias Hossain of the Poultry Science Department at Bangladesh Agricultural University highlighted the profound challenges confronting the poultry industry amidst the scorching summer conditions.
He said: “The current heatwave is precipitating substantial losses, primarily attributable to diminished appetite among birds, leading to a significant reduction - ranging from 20% to 30% - in their targeted body weight, thereby decelerating growth rates.”
Dr Elias underscored the heightened vulnerability of birds to various ailments during heatwaves, with the looming specter of heat-induced strokes claiming the lives of hundreds of birds overnight in numerous instances.
“The persistent and relentless nature of the summer heat poses an annual ordeal for poultry farmers, resulting in substantial financial setbacks. This year’s losses are particularly exacerbated by the prolonged duration of the heatwave,” he added.
Dr Elias cautioned about the impending impact on market dynamics, elucidating that while the ramifications may not be immediately discernible, a significant supply-demand imbalance is imminent.
“The reduction in production levels will inevitably lead to a surge in prices in the coming months, amplifying the economic strain on both producers and consumers alike,” he concluded.
Upazila livestock officer Sajedul also said in the same tone: “If mass chicken death starts in the poultry sector, it may affect the farmers. It can also affect the market.”