Uniformity through the production period Glenn Bushell Norway
Uniformity through the production period Glenn Bushell Norway February 2017
Uniformity • Stockmanship – Important to start well • Uniformity – Body weight and skeletal frame – Sexual
Stockmanship Using all of your senses to monitor a flock
Human senses All human senses are connected to the brain, the most advance “processor” on earth that can interpret data in split seconds Smell Touch Hearing Taste Sight
Controllers Don’t rely on controllers to manage your house Controllers need constant adjustment, fine tuning and human input Nothing can replace the human, stockman
Checking Chick Start, touch • 75% Crop Fill at 2 Hours • 95% Crop fill at 24 Hours
Chick Environment - touch If the feet feel cold on your cheek, the chick is cold! <39. 80 C
Eye sight • Look at – Body language of birds – Injuries – naval – feathering – age of the bird – Feet, joint swelling, birds off their legs
Listen to the chick • Uncomfortable chicks will be “noisy” o Cold environment o Warm environment o No water or feed
Brooder Management Key Points: • Temperature is critical and should be maintained as recommended. • Temperatures should be checked manually at chick level. • Chick behavior should be observed closely and frequently.
Checking Chick Comfort
Checking Environment
Environment, smell • carbon monoxide (≤ 10 ppm), • carbon dioxide (< 3000 ppm) and • ammonia (< 10 ppm) should never be exceeded.
Objectives 1. Why is Bodyweight Management Important? 2. Factors having an impact on uniformity 5. Sexual uniformity 4 Female Bodyweight Control . 3. How to improve uniformity!
1. Why is Bodyweight Control Important ? • Broiler breeders have the same characteristics as the broiler generation • Growth rate • Breast meat yield • Feed efficiency
Weight, FCR, Yield
Breeder Flock Management Challenge !
2. Factors having an impact on Uniformity People
We work with populations, not with individuals ! s t un o c l a u id v i d in B y r e v e t u
Uniformity of Crop Fill STOCKMANSHIP
Feed distribution • To achieve target bodyweights for age with good uniformity by means of accurate control of feed allowance and feed distribution. Bums up
Feed distribution • Birds are used to spin feeders – therefore they will gather at the feed source
Accurate Nøyaktighet Consistent Jevnhet
3. How to improve uniformity?
Grading To sort the flock into sub-populations of different average weight, so each group can be managed separately. The aim is for each category to achieve the target bodyweight within the period in which skeletal development and growth is taking place.
Grading = Handling = Stress =
Factors to consider • • Uniformity s Sample weight n o i t Feeder and Drinker Space a l u Floor space p o p Vaccination Program h t ! i ! s Environment w l a k u r Biosecurity o id v w i e ind • People W t Why do we need no to grade?
Uniformity Management!!
Mediums Large Smalls - 10% + 10%
When to Grade • 1 day grading: by flock source • First grade is at 35 - 42 days • Allow the populations to settle for at least two weeks before you assess grading • Set your own standards to determine if a regrade is necessary
When to grade? • Remember, grading is fire fighting! • Determine the cause the problem. • Set your own standard (8% CV, and 80 % UNIFORMITY)
6 Week Grade Grading 2500 Body Weight 2000 1500 In Season Mediun Small 1000 Heavy 500 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Physiological Development Sexual maturity >98 days sexual hormones, Fast ovary and testes growth Dinamic development Muscles Tendons ligaments Skeletal development 85% at 56 days FAT Skeletal Development >95% day 84 (12 weeks) Physical growth stops Cardiovascular & Inmune system, Skeleton and feathers Age (weeks) 3 6 8 10 12 15 23 30
4 To 12 Weeks Sexual maturity >98 days sexual hormones, Fast ovary and testes growth Dinamic development Muscles Tendons ligaments Skeletal development 85% at 56 days FAT Skeletal Development >95% day 84 (12 weeks) Physical growth stops Cardiovascular & Inmune system, Skeleton and feathers Age (weeks) 3 6 8 10 12 15 23 30
Three Important Stages • First four weeks • 4 To 12 Weeks • 18 to 22 Weeks
0 - 28 days growth Profile • Frame Size • Bodyweight Ad-Lib feed until body weight is reached, then restrict Better to be 50 to 100 g above target than below • Uniformity • Fleshing Weigh, twice per week for the first 28 days At 35 to 42 days – Select and Grade Change feeding methods prior to grading
Feed Allocation In Production • 18 to 22 weeks Feed for bodyweight Don’t hold back !!!!!!! • 5%to Peak Feed program
When to stimulate? Ø How do I know when the flock is “physiologically prepared” for sexual maturity? • Bodyweight: 2. 1 – 2. 300 Kg • Fleshing: Breast Score 3 • Uniformity: CV of 8 • Fat: Development of Fat Pad Outside edges of pinbones rounded
Objectives for Fat Deposition • Week 22: 0. 8 – 1. 2% (% body weight) • Week 26: 1. 3 – 1. 8% (% body weight) • Week 31: 2. 0 – 2. 5% (% body weight)
5. Sexual uniformity
Female selection Age 4 Weeks 8 Weeks 12 Weeks 16 Weeks 20 Weeks 25 Weeks Keel 59 mm 79 mm 99 mm 115 mm 128 mm 135 mm Shank 67 mm 83 mm 99 mm 106 mm 108 mm Feather Drop 9. 5 7. 5 4. 0 2. 5 1. 5
Pullets must lose their juvenile feathers at the same time
Key Points • • First four week bodyweight First Grade 4 To 12 weeks Reduce handling of birds as much as possible • Feed to body weight from 18 to 22 weeks • Light Stimulation
Remember • We are working with a population not with individuals BUT Every individual counts!
Take Home Messages • Uniformity is key in all aspects – Weight – Body condition – Distribution of • • • Bird Feed Water Light Ventilation • Let the birds tell us what should be happening! • STOCKMANSHIP
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