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.
OTHER
POSTS ON AGRICULTURE
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.
OTHER
POSTS ON AGRICULTURE
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.
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.
OTHER
POSTS ON AGRICULTURE
· Local Fish Pond
Construction My Area
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
OTHER
POSTS ON AGRICULTURE
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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