Broiler Production and Management

Broiler Production and Management

Ranjana Sinha¹, D.N. Singh² and Ashish Ranjan³

1- Assistant Professor, Livestock Farm Complex, Bihar Veterinary College, BASU, Patna-14

2- Associate Professor, Livestock Farm Complex, Bihar Veterinary College, BASU, Patna-14.

3- Touring Veterinary Officer, Animal and Fish Resources, Government of Bihar.

Broilers are the most popular poultry meats. The broiler business is recognized as an important source of animal protein, serving to feed the world’s constantly expanding population. India produces around 5.3 MT of meat. Poultry is a highly vertically integrated sector in India that rivals the efficiency of several Western countries. Broilers are birds of either sex up to 8 weeks old with body weights ranging from 1.5 to 2.0 kg that are raised for meat purpose. Broilers are scientifically designed to produce more delicate and soft meat. Many private enterprises work with farmers on contract farming for boiler manufacture.

Broilers can be kept in battery cages, on slatted or wire floors, or in deep litter. Broilers can be raised in successive batches for brooding and rearing, or as a single batch at a time (all-in-all-out system). In All-in-all-out systems, only one batch of broilers kept belonging to the same hatch at any time. This strategy reduces horizontal disease transmission and subclinical infections, making it more hygienic and promoting increased growth, feed efficiency, and a decreased mortality rate. On the other hand, this approach requires more fixed and working capital per bird and is not appropriate for large-scale farming. It includes all aspects of managing a chick from the time it is received until the day it is sold, such as as housing, feeding, watering, brooding, and vaccination.

Several husbandary practices to successful broiler production

1. Feeding management of broiler

The consumption of energy is a crucial component in the production of broilers as it affects growth rate, carcass quality, and the emergence of certain metabolic diseases. Especially in an intensive rearing system, feeding accounts for at least 60% of the total variable costs in the production of chickens, making it the most costly input. The challenge of producing high-quality chicken products at an economical price has been an issue for farmers and feed makers for many years. A number of factors, including feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), digestible nutrient content, energy to protein ratio, feed form, feed processing, environment, and disease, can impact the cost of production and the quality of poultry products. It has been shown that dietary management of energy intake can reduce production costs and increase product quality more than the previously listed criteria (Ferket and Gernet, 2006).

Since feed generally accounts for a significant portion of the cost of raising broiler chickens, the industry faces significant challenges due to the limited supply of feedstuffs, particularly essential feed components like maize and oil seedcakes. The young broiler’s improved nutritional condition is interdependent upon many mechanisms, all of which depend on the bird’s ability to metabolize sufficient amounts of energy and other nutrients. Numerous factors including genetics, management, nutrition and processing, affect the quality of poultry meat. Vitamin E and selenium are two feed additives that may have an effect on the carcass and meat quality of chickens. Previously, the goal of broiler food formulation was to maximize animal performance. But this kind of intensely focused, high-protein diet can be expensive and have an adverse effect on profitability. Scientists recommend farmers for enhancing broiler performance and production by implementing a holistic approach to diet formulations. This takes into account the price of raw materials, the present condition of the market, revenue generated and use of new or alternative feed ingredients. It ensures the accomplishment of sustainability goals and also protects the health and wellbeing of poultry birds.

A balanced and healthy feed intake is dependent upon the nutritional value, safety, and mode of delivery of the feed. Animal feed is always at risk of spoilage or contamination from harmful microorganisms such yeasts, mold, E. coli, and salmonella. Signs of contaminated feed include clumped particles, off odours and changes in colour. Inadequate feed hygiene has the potential to decrease an animal’s metabolism and their availability of vitamins A, D3, E, K, and thiamine. If there is mold, palatability may be decreased. The amount of spoiling organisms in animal feed may be assessed in lab conditions in order to help with feed quality control. For broiler chickens, water is one of the most essential ingredients. It plays an important role in thermoregulation and serves as a vehicle for additive like vitamins and medications. The water must have superior chemical and microbiological quality since broilers drink twice as much water as feed.

The growth and metabolism of broilers are significantly influenced by trace minerals including manganese, copper, and zinc. Providing trace minerals in the incorrect form and amount, either too low or too high, could generate negative outcomes for a broiler’s productivity. Ensuring that broilers receive an optimal quantity of trace minerals on a regular basis will help their immune system, oxidative response, growth, and overall health.

2. Housing management of broiler

A broiler can be raised in a cage, on a slatted or wire floor, or in deep litter. Battery cages may also be used to raise broilers in deep litter systems. Grower cages and broiler cages are alike. Some plastic materials may be applied to the bottom of the cage to avoid breast blisters. In cages, the required floor area is 75% of the total amount needed in deep litter.

Deep litter system

In this system the birds are kept in litter floor. Materials for litter might include wood shavings, sawdust, rice husks and nut hull. Litter should be three to six inches deep.  Inside the home, arrangements are made for food, water and the nest. Always spread out fresh litter stuff on the ground. The birds are housed on appropriate litter that ranges in depth from 3 to 5 inches. Frequent stirring is necessary with this method, however it eliminates the need for labor-intensive feces (droppings) cleaning. Every two weeks, the litter is layered two inches thick on the floor until the necessary drying is accomplished. Birds can obtain vitamin B₂ and vitamin B₁₂ from the litter material due to bacterial activity. Manure from deep litter is a good fertilizer. Fly nuisance is less than that of a cage system. Using deep litter helps to ensure the welfare of birds to some extent.

Cage system

Under this approach, chickens are grown on elevated wire netting floors in smaller enclosures known as cages, which can be suspended from the ceiling or equipped with platforms for usage on the ground level. At present, 75% of commercial layers in the world are using cage system. Feeders and waterers are attached to cages from outside except nipple waterers, for which pipeline is installed through or above cages. Auto-operated feeding trolleys can be used in this rearing system.The droppings are either collected in trays underneath cages or on belts or on the floor or deep pit under cages, depending on type of cages.The floor space requirement in cages is 50% of the floor space needed in deep-litter.

3. Brooding Management

 In order to maintain the health and survival of the chicks, more care and attention must be given during the brooding phase, which begins just after hatching. A newly hatched chick cannot sustain its body temperature during the first few weeks of life because it is yet to develop its own system to control its own body temperature. The chicks will not eat and drink as much as they should if additional heat is not supplied during the cold. Inadequate digestion of the yolk occurs due to improper development of the internal organs involved in digestion, which in turn causes decreased growth rate.

In natural and artificial brooding, artificial brooding methods are most practiced to field farmers. The brooding procedure is now followed by broiler management throughout the first week of life. In tropical regions where big traditional open housing is common, brooding practices vary according to the season. In the summer, farmers commonly utilize half of the house for brooding, whereas in the winter, they use one-third of the space.

The brooder house must be away from the all other poultry house. The brooder house must be built with a minimum of 100 meters away from other poultry structures.  A brooder home’s construction should be such that fresh air enters the building first before moving on to another house. Farmers have to build their poultry houses to ensure that sunlight does not penetrate directly. In order to give birds the benefit of airflow from north to south, the house should be built in an east to west direction.

Preparation of brooder house before receiving the chicks

• Take out all portable devices, give them a thorough cleaning and wash, dip them in an appropriate disinfectant per the manufacturer’s instructions, and let them air dry for a day.
• Remove all organic material, especially by spraying 5–10% formalin and discarding it off-site from the farm..
• Remove all organic material, especially by spraying 5–10% formalin and discarding it off-site from the farm.
• Chemical Treatment: To destroy the IBD virus, soak the floor in a strong caustic soda (NaOH) flake solution for 12 to 24 hours with a dosage of 11–12 gm/liter of water, or 2 kg/1000 square feet.
• White wash consists of lime stone with 2 to 5% formalin, 1% copper sulfate and 1% kerosene.
• Fumigation: 20 g of KMnO4 and 40 ml of formalin are used for every 100 cubic feet.
• Keep the shed vacant for 7 to 10 days.

Preparation of brooder house 24 hours prior to arrival of chicks:

• Brooder House Temperature:

Set the temperature at 95°F (35°C) at the brooder’s edge, 2 inches (5 cm) above the litter, for the first week after the chicks arrive. This adjustment should be made 24 hours prior to the arrival of the chicks. Lower the temperature by 5°F (2.8°C) each week until it reaches to 70°F. A temperature of 21°C appears to be ideal during growing period. Too low or too high temperature will cause poor growth rate and ultimately poor performance of birds.

• Ventilation: Fresh air is required for well being and good health of chicks. Poor ventilation results in accumulation of carbon monoxide, ammonia and wet litter condition in brooder house. If concentration of carbon monoxide higher than 0.01 percent it will poisonous to chicks. Ammonia irritates the eyes of chicks and retards growth. The level of ammonia should be less than 10 PPM in brooder house. High levels of moisture in litter are the cause of coccidiosis.
• Space: For the first week, a chick in an electric brooder needs 45 to 60 square centimeters of area is sufficient for broiler chickens. One square foot of room per bird is sufficient for rearing; but, if available, 1.5 square feet per bird is preferable in order to promote greater development in broiler chickens.

4. Light management in broiler

In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to the effects of lighting management on growth performance, immune status, and welfare of broilers because lighting is closely linked to the development of a synchronous and rhythmic physiology in broiler chickens as well as the release of hormones related to their maturation and growth. A proper lighting regimen  is crucial to improve the health and growth performance of broilers. The impacts of light on broilers mainly depend on the light source, light colour (wavelength), light intensity and light duration (program).

Recent research has shown that adjusting the right light schedule for broilers can improve their welfare and health outcomes by reducing their physiologically aggressive behaviors, increasing feed intake, and modifying the systemic immune response (Riber, 2015, De Oliveira and Lara, 2016). The term “broiler lighting regimen” describes a constant light intensity of 20 lx for the first 7 days after hatching, then 3 to 5 lx for the remaining time. (National Chicken Council, 2005). A comprehensive understanding about the potential interactions between the light characteristics and broiler physiology is essential to optimize the lighting program in poultry production. In addition, light regimen selection depends on many other indispensable factors, including rearing house type, feeding strategy, rearing density, nutritional quality of feed and season.

5. Litter management

Since many integrators have recently shifted to antibiotic-free broiler programs, litter management has become more and more crucial for the effective production of broilers. Poultry litter is a popular and economical method of managing litter used by broiler producers; however, if the litter is not handled effectively, using it again for several flocks might be hazardous. Conditions in the litter during the first few days of a chick’s life affect the health and productivity of broiler chicks. Aerial ammonia levels are significantly influenced by proper litter management, heating, and ventilation systems. Prolonged exposure of chickens to high levels of ammonia in the atmosphere can have a major adverse economic effect on the poultry production.

One major element affecting the quality of the litter in broiler houses is moisture. The broiler house environment (temperature, ventilation rate, and humidity) as well as the characteristics of the litter (bedding material, new vs built-up litter, depth, and moisture content) all have an impact on the moisture content of the litter. Severe footpad dermatitis can be brought on by improper litter moisture management (Shepherd and Fairchild, 2010), which has an impact on poultry’ health and performance.

6. Rearing system of broiler

The rearing systems refer to either single batch at a time (all-in all-out system) or multiple batches of brooding and rearing of broilers.

All-in all-out system

Under all-in all-out system, the farm will have only one batch of broilers, belonging to same batch at any time. The farm will purchase enough chicks to occupy its capacity, rear them, and sell them all in one batch. In turn, this approach results in a lower mortality rate, greater growth rate, and increased feed efficiency. It also has less subclinical infections and horizontal disease transmission. However, this system is not suitable for large scale farming and needs higher fixed and working capital per bird.

Multiple batch system

The multiple batch system consists of rearing of more than one batch of chicks at any time, with a batch interval of 1 to 4 weeks. Here, the farmer purchases day-old chicks and sells mature broilers on a weekly, fortnightly, monthly, or once every three weeks interval basis. The chicks are reared for five to six weeks of age, or until they attain the desired body weight and sold for table. The ideal system for India at present is having 5 to 6 batches of broilers at any time, with weekly interval between batches and “direct retail marketing”. Here, the birds will be marketed daily, from 40 to 54 days of age, based on their body weight, i.e. heavier birds will be sold earlier; giving a chance for weaker birds to have a compensatory growth.

 References

De Oliveira, R. G., and L. J. C. Lara. 2016. Lighting programmes and its implications for broiler chickens.World Poult. Sci. J. 72:735–741.

Ferket PR, Gernat AG. Factors that affect feed intake of meat birds: A review. International Journal of Poultry Science. 2006;5(10):905-911

National Chicken Council. 2005. National chicken council animal welfare guidelines and audit checklist for broilers.

Riber, A. B. 2015. Effects of color of light on preferences, performance, and welfare in broilers. Poult. Sci. 94:1767–1775.

Shepherd, E., and B. Fairchild. 2010. Footpad dermatitis in poultry. Poultry Science, 89(10), 2043-2051.

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