BROILER POULTRY FARMING: DAY OLD CHICKS | FEEDING MANAGEMENT / FORMULATION | VACCINATION / MEDICATION | MARKETING

BROILER SECTION
            Broiler is a domesticated feathered, bird reared mainly for meat production; it reaches market weight of about 1.5-3.okg at 6-10 weeks of age depending on feed quality, health and other management practices.
BROODING OF BROILER
Brooding is the care of the chick from a day old to  six and above weeks of age. It consists primarily of the provision of heat which is the most important, air, water, and feed. It is the efficient combination of these factors that determines the level of physical and physiological development and the mortality rate of the chicks.
The brooding house like Our Farm brooding house is expected to one in which heat, light, food and water can be carefully controlled. The mortality rate of the chicks during this period should normally not exceed live percent.
            In poultry section of Our Farm, the bird reared is broiler. The system of production is intensive system while housing system is deep litre system.
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MAJOR ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT
 PREPARATION FOR THE ARRIVAL OF DAY OLD CHICKS
            The preparation of brooding house started at two weeks before the arrival of chicks in Our Farm to avoid last minute rush, i.e in regard to building up of the brooding temperature and proper disinfection of the brooding house.
            The following preparation was conduction before the arrival of chicks.
-           The appliances such as feeding troughs, drinking troughs etc was properly washed, disinfected with antiseptic (IZAL) and sun dried.
-           The old litter was completely removed and the floor swept because old litter serves as hiding place for harmful micro-organisms.
-           The floor of the brooding house was thoroughly washed with Omo detergent and Izal disinfectant.
-           New wood Shavens (littre) was carefully spread on the dry floor.
-           All crevices were thoroughly cleaned and caked-up litter dislodged.
-           The brooding house was left empty for a week to destroy any surviving disease organism through starvation.
-           The brooding house was properly sealed with nylon material to preserve heat which is very essential during stage.
-           Starter top feed, required antibiotics and vitamins were made available.

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ARRIVAL OF DAY OLD CHICKS (DOC)
            At the arrival of the day old chicks, starter feed and clean drinking water mixed with antibiotic, glucose and vitalyte (Anti-stress) were made available to the chicks. Heat was also provided for the chicks depending on the current temperature. The required temperature was 30oC-35oC in the first week of arrival of chicks. If the heat intensity is too high; the chicks will move away from the source of heat and vice versa. The birds were evenly distributed and scattered around the house.
Sources of heat in Our Farm include;
-           Kerosene stove
-           Charcoal pot
-           Electric bulb
-           Kerosene lantern etc.
FEEDING MANAGEMENT
            Feeding is one of the vital activities needed in poultry or any livestock enterprises for proper group and effective disease resistance.
            Feeding was done twice in a day at Our Farm, morning and evening. Clean drinking water treated with the required antibiotics was served simultaneously with feed at Our Farm. Feed quantity and quality given to the birds depended on the age of the birds and the prevailing atmospheric condition.

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AGE OF BIRDS AND THE REQUIRED FEED
AGE                                                              FEED GIVEN
1 – 14 day’s                                                  pre – starter feed
15 – 21 day’s                                                starter feed (plain)
22 – 28 day’s                                                starter feed with tylosine
28 – till maturity                                          finisher feed
N/B: Pre – starter feed was given for the first 14 days so that the high oil content in the feed will provide the chicks with the needed energy for feed conversion to flesh.
            Tylosin starter was given to the broilers at the stated age because the birds are usually prone to chronic respirator disease (CRD) at that period. After Tylosin starter has been given to them, Isochular which is a disinfectant will be added to their drinking water to remove dirt in their guts.
            Starter feed was given to the birds at the average rate of 15.1g per bird while finisher feed was given at the average rate of 33.33g per bird per meal just to minimize cost and maximize profit.

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FEED FORMULATION
            The major factor that affects poultry and other livestock production is the inability to get quality feed at affordable price. Feed constitute about 60% - 70% of total cost of production in order to minimize cost and maximize profit, local feed formulation is of paramount importance.
Sources of protein in poultry feed are;
Plant source are;
-           Soybean meal
-           Groundnut meal
-           Cotton seed meal
Animal sources are;
-           Fish meal
-           Blood meal
Meat meal
Blood meal

Sources of fibre are;
-           Rice bran
-           Corn bran
-           Palm kernel cake
-           Rice husk
-           Wheat offals
Sources of carbohydrate (energy)
-           Maize
-           Guinea corn
-           Sorghurn
-           Corn bran
-           Cassava tuber
-           Sweet potato tuber
Sources of fats and oil (ether extract);
-           Palm kernel oil
-           Sun-flower oil
-           Cotton seed oil
Sources of minerals (calcium and phosphorus) are;
-           Oyster shell
-           Bone meal
-           Dicalcium phosphate
-           Snail shell
-           Limestone

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GROSS COMPOSITION OF FEED FOR BROILER
Ingredients
BROILER STARTER
(kg)
FINISHER
(Kg)
Maize
440
575
Wheel offal
105.5
-
Maize bran
40
81.5
Soybean
180
285
Groundnut cake
130
-
Fish meal
40
23
Bone meal
22.5
25
Oyster
35
35
Salt
2.5
2.5
Metronome
1
1
Lysine
1
1
Premix
2.5
2.5
Total
1000
1000

The above composition will produce quality poultry feed if strictly adhered to as it was done in Our Farm on regular basis.

HEALTH MANAGEMENT
SANITATION AND MEDICATION
             Good sanitation is of utmost importance in poultry keeping as dirty area serve as a breeding area for disease causing organisms
    These sanitation measures were observed in Our Farm;
-              Regular washing , disinfection and sun drying of
drinkers and feeders.
-              Poultry attendants ensured the use of foot dip situated
in front of the poultry house to minimize the spread of harmful micro organism that are capable of causing diseases.
-           Water spillage was prevented because wet environment/area has the capability of altering the temperature of the environment which will negatively affect the health status of the birds.
 -          Regular removal of poultry droppings and sweeping of the house was observed. Poultry droppings also served as source of income because it was sold to crop farmers in Ebonyi State at the rate of N50 per 50kg bag.
-           Removed of dead or ill-health birds were ensured for post-mortern or proper medication respectively.
-           Water was given to the chicks ad libitum and the water was clean drinking water at times treated with antibiotics like Doxy-gen against CRD (chronic respiratory diseases).
The number of birds per room was reduced as the birds increased in weight and size to give room for proper ventilation and avoid cannibalism among the birds.

VACCINATION/MEDICATION PROGRAMME
            Vaccination simple means a preventive measure that is been adopted in order to build a resistance to any disease at a particular time.
            Very early in the morning before drinking water is been given to the birds proper inspection are made concerning their health status and some criteria employed which includes the appearance of their faeces and feathers, sign of stress etc. Then, if any observation was made, appropriate medication will be administered immediately mostly through their drinking water depending on their age and population. The following vitamins and antibiotics were administered depending on signs observed.

VITAMINS
a.         Vitalyte: This is a combination of vitamins, amino-acid and electrolyte which was given to the birds to reduce stress. Vitalyte was given after antibiotics administration and also according to the prevailing atmospheric condition.
b.         Amin-total: This serves the purpose of vitalyte but has more vitamins and can be used to balance amino-acid in feed intake.
c.         Glucomol: This is pure glucose that acts as source of energy to the birds.

VACCINATION PROGRAMME CARRIED OUT
AGE
DISEASE
VACCINE
ROUTE
1 wk
New-Castle
Lassota
Intramuscular or drinking water
2 wk
Gumboro
Gumboro vaccine
Intracellular
3 wk
New-Castle
Lassota
Intracellular
6 wk
New-Castle
Lassota
Intracellular
8 wk
Foul-pox
Foul-pox vaccine
Intracellular
N/B
1.         Maintain proper cold chain during storage/premixing.
2.         Use clean cool water free from chlorine quaternary ammonium compounds.
3.         Vaccinate all birds in batch at once.
4.         Vaccine “Stretch” is false and dangerous economy.
5.         Do not manage vaccine and must follow the manufacturer’s instruction.
6.         Anti-stress must be given after each vaccination.
7.         Any Change in programme must be clarified with the veterinarian.
8.         Any medication should be subject to doctor’s prescription.
9.         Route implies medium of vaccination e.g. intramuscular.

POST MORTEM ANALYSIS
            Post Mortem Analysis: This is a scientific approach that involves dissection of a dead bird to ascertain the cause of the death if there is no physical sign i.e. the use of clinical sign to know the cause of death.
            Moreover, during the dissection of the bird, some of the parts that are normally checked include;
a.         Lungs
b.         Liver
c.         Proventriculus
d.         Trachea
e.         Small intestine
f.          Illaeceacal junction i.e. junction of illume and ceacum.
g.         Cloaca.
h.         Thigh muscles
            Any disorder in the above named organs; in colour or presence of foreign substances shows a sign of disease.
N/B:    Illuem and ceacum are mostly site for disease.
Clinical Sign
Disease
Brownish diarrhea at the small intestine
Coccidiosis
Blood at cloaca (bursar) and also inflamed
Gumboro
Whitish substance covering the liver
Bacteria disease
Blood or mucus at the trachea
Respiratory disorder
Unabsorbed yolk
Runt
Greenish diarrhea at the illoeceacal junction with blood
New-Castle disease
Greenish deposit at the thigh muscles
Gumboro
Cooked liver
Excess heat
Blood at the proventiculus
Hemorrhage
Dryness of the trachea
Dehydration
NORMAL PICTURE OF THESE ORGANS
a.         Trachea is supposed to be glossy.
b.         Proventiculus is whitish in colour.
c.         Cloaca is colourless, fabricous and in fold shape.
d.         Thigh muscles need in white plain.
e.         Illoeceacal junction needs to be glossy alone.
f.          Small intestine contains digested food.
g.         Liver and lungs are light brown in colour. Any deposit or change in colour is a sign of disease.
N/B: It is almost viral disease that is common to poultry.
Proper medication enhances productivity.

MARKETING
            The birds were sold unprocessed at their 8-9 weeks depending on their sizes and weight but the average price was N1,700 per bird. Marketing strategies employed were advertisement through media stations, placement of discount for customers who bought in bulk quantity, free gifts etc.

COST AND RETURN OF BROILER PRODUCTION AT OUR FARM FOR A PERIOD OF NINE WEEKS
Activity
Unit
Quantity
Amount per unit
Total amount
Day old chicks

3000
210
630,000
Feeds



595, 000
Drugs



31, 200
Disinfectants
Litres
5
1000
5,000
Tools / equipments



20,000
Advertisement



30,000
Worker’s salary
Main days
7
2 months x 19,000
266,000
Transportation



15,000
Miscellaneous expenses



20,000
Mortality

252
210
52,920
Total cost (TC)



1,665,120
Total Revenue (TR)



3,701,600
Profit= TR – TC



2,036,480
Poultry farm was more profitable than any other farm in our Farm from the records found during an industrial training at other Farms.

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