Use of thermography for the evaluation of the surface temperature of Japanese Quail submitted at different temperatures

J.O. Castro¹, T. Yanagi Junior¹, A.L. Abreu², P.F.P. Ferraz¹, G.B. Moura¹, D. Cecchin³* and L. Conti⁴

¹Federal University of Lavras, Agricultural Engineering Department, Campus Universitário, PO Box 3037 Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
²Federal University of Lavras, Agricultural Department, Campus Universitário, PO Box 3037 Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil
³Federal University Fluminense, Department of Agricultural Engineering and Environment, Campus Praia Vermelha, São Domingos, Niterói, BR24.210-240 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
⁴University of Firenze, Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and forestry (DAGR), Via San Bonaventura, 13, IT50145 Firenze, Italy
*Correspondence: patricia.ponciano@ufla.br

Abstract:

Thermography has been gaining more space in analyzes of the superficial thermal profile of birds since it is a non-invasive way of evaluating thermal comfort. This study aims to evaluate the influence of different air temperatures (t_air) from 20 °C to 32 °C on the maximum, average and minimum surface temperature (ST_max, ST_average and ST_min) of Japanese laying quails. The experiment was performed in four wind tunnels, where the continuous air temperature within each tunnel, 20 °C, 22 °C, 24 °C, 26 °C, 28 °C, 30 °C and 32 °C represented treatment, with 20 °C being the control treatment. Two experiments, of 21 days each, were carried out. For each experiment, we used four replicates and eight quails in each repetition, in a completely randomized design. Thermographic images of each repetition were made weekly through the Fluke Ti55 camera and analyzed using SmartView® software. The ST_max, ST_average and ST_min of each repetition were obtained by delimiting the area of the quails within the cages. Significant differences were observed between ST as the room temperature increased. The ST of quails behaved similarly from 28 °C on. Both head and feet had higher temperatures. It was possible to verify that air temperatures above 22 °C promoted an increase in the maximum, average and minimum surface temperatures. The highest surface temperatures are found in the head and foot region.

Key words:

quail farming, thermal comfort, thermal image

Use of thermal images for optimizing burner height, operating pressure, and burner angle of a weed flamer

S. Arslan¹*, N. Tursun², F. Kurtulmuş¹ and D. Güleç³

¹University of Uludag, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Biosystems Engineering, TR 16059 Bursa, Turkey
²University of Inonu, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Plant Protection, TR 44100 Malatya, Turkey
³University of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam, Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Department of Biosystems Engineering, TR 46100 Kahramanmaraş, Turkey
*Correspondence: sarslan@uludag.edu.tr

Abstract:

A two-meter wide prototype weed flamer was developed as a tool for thermal weed control. The weed flamer consists of an LPG tank, pressure regulator, back pressure valve, flow valves, and burners. The burner adjustments are flexible with height setting from 0 to 450 mm and flame angle setting from and 0 to 90°.The thermal camera images were studied at different heights (150, 200, 250, and 300 mm), burner angles (30 and 45°), and pressures (0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25 MPa) to determine the best settings under stationary operating conditions. Based on thermal camera image results, it was found that the burner should be set at 200–250 mm with 0.2–0.25 MPa to obtain the highest temperatures and longest flames. The initial tests of the gas burning system were completed as a broadcast flaming machine and gas doses from 15 to 90 kg ha^-1 were applied from 0.25 m above the ground at 30° flaming angle at 0.2 MPa. The dose-response curves of a weed (Convolvulus arvensis L.) were generated to determine the effectiveness of the weed flamer. C. arvensis could be controlled with gas doses from 40 to 82 kg ha^-1 depending on the growth stage at 14 day after treatment (DAT). The theoretical field capacity of the 2 m wide flamer varies from 0.32 to 1.62 ha h^-1 depending on the gas dose to be applied.

Key words: