Heat stress and poultry production: a comprehensive review

The impact of global warming on poul-try production has gained significant attention over the years. However, our current knowledge and understand-ing of the mechanisms through which heat stress (HS) resulting from global warming affects the welfare, behavior, immune response, production performance, and even transgenerational effects in poultry are still incomplete. Further research is needed to delve deeper into these mechanisms to gain a comprehensive under-standing. Numerous studies have investigated various biomarkers of stress in poultry, aiming to identify reli-able markers that can accurately assess the physiological status and well-being of birds. However, there is a significant amount of variation and inconsistency in the results reported across different studies. This inconsis-tency highlights the need for more standardized methods and assays and a clearer understanding of the factors that influence these biomarkers in poultry. This review article specifically focuses on 3 main aspects: 1) the neu-roendocrine and behavioral responses of poultry to HS, 2) the biomarkers of HS and 3) the impact of HS on poultry production that have been studied in poultry. By examining the neuroendocrine and behavioral changes exhibited by poultry under HS, we aim to gain insights into the physiological impact of elevated tem-peratures in poultry.