POULTRY UNIT
Poultry farming is the raising of domesticated birds such as
chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese, for the purpose of meat or eggs production
and Poultry production is one of the lucrative farming in our great country
Nigeria. The breed at EBSU teaching and research farm
is totally broilers and the method of broiler production at EBSU research is
highly intensive. Birds are totally confined, Most efficient, Convenient and
economical system for modern poultry production.
MAJOR ACTIVITIES
CARRIED OUT IN POULTRY UNIT
·
Brooding period of
day old chick
·
Sanitation
·
Inspection
·
Orderly feeding of birds regular supply of drinking water
·
Orderly vaccination
of bird
·
Record keeping
BROODING PERIOD OF
DAY OLD CHICK
The first two (2) weeks of a chicken's life are known as the
brooding period. In this period, important developmental and physiological processes
occur.
Although the bird is
anatomically complete at the day of hatch,
the digestive, immune and thermoregulatory systems are not
fully developed yet.
In this period a chicken'
cannot regulate its own body temperature. If environmental variables, such as
air temperature and air velocity, are not optimum, it will have a direct affect
on the chicken's body temperature. If this body temperature is too high or too
low, a chicken will not start eating and drinking and/or will suffer from
stress. The first days of a chicken's life are decisive for the technical
results subsequent to the growing period. The chicken strongly depends on the
ambient conditions provided by its farmers.
Controlling the brooding
period requires professionalism and dedication. In poultry houses variables,
such as air temperatures, floor temperatures, air velocity and humidity levels,
are difficult to control. Abnormalities will be a direct cause of poor
technical results. Practical experience learns us that not controlling the brooding
period leads to high first week mortality and moreover creates huge
uncertainties with respect to growth curves, feed conversion and other future
technical results.
Turn the heat on at least
one day before the birds arrive on the farm. The temperature 1 cm (Va ) below the litter
surface should be at least 26°C (80°F) even if the air is the correct
temperature, the birds can be chilled by the cold floor under them. Temperature on the floor, at the
edge of the heat source, should be 32 to 35°C (90 to 95°F) for the
first week. As long as the temperature at the edge of the heat lamp or brooder
stove is this warm, the air temperature 2m (6') away from the heat source can
be as low as 28°C (82°F). The birds can then chose where they feel most
comfortable.
But at Ebsu teaching and
research farm, electric bulb was used and kerosene lantern and stove was also
used incase of power outage. One of the pens was covered with a black polytene sheets
to control the temperature
needed in brooding pen.
Material Needed for Brooding
Prepare the brooding pen.
Clean and disinfect the
brooding pen and equipment thoroughly, e.g Izal Wood shavings or newspaper
should be spread on the floor. Start ventilation in good time to avoid high
CO2-concentration. Take chicks out of cartons immediately on arrival in the
house, to avoid them becoming
overheated.
Have fresh/ clean water and feed easily accessible to the birds
after arrival. Source of heat must be in place to maintain their normal body
temperature.
Material Needed For
Brooding
Ø Feed and clean water
Ø Wood shavings or Newspaper
Ø Polythene Sheet
Ø Vaccines Drugs: Antibiotics and Vitamins).
Ø Feeders and Drinkers
Ø Overall Uniform and Safety Shoes for workers
Ø Storage house
Ø Writing material for record keeping
Ø Weighing balance
SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION
OF BIRDS
Inspection is a close examination of the birds before attending to
them and it is done every morning on your arrival to the farm Or the most
generally/ an organized examination or formal evaluation exercise. Both the
birds and the equipment are among the things under inspection.
Inspection promote efficient
management practice in
the poultry production. It also
in checking criminal activities in the farm as well as
sincerity for the poultry record.
SANITATION
This is a practice carried out in the poultry house in order to
ensure proper hygiene. This
includes removing the
poultry droppings when
due, sweeping the poultry vicinity and
washing of the floor with detergent, drinkers and cleaning the feeding troughs.
FEEDING OF THE BIRDS
This is the subsequent supply of different kind of feeds to the
birds depending on their age to attain maturity.
Starter Mash: This feed is a
kind of feed that is given to young broilers (chicks) from day-old to fourth
week of age. The feed contains about 20% crude protein and energy of about 2600kcal
ME/kg to be able to meet up with what is needed in them. In order to facilitate
maximum feed intake, the feed has to be regrind do to their age. The crude
protein (CP) is higher in starter mash than that of finisher and the feed was
served to the young chicks in a small shallow plastic tray to increase the rate
at their access the feed and reduce stress. A quality water was also supplied
to the birds (chicks) to increase digestion and utilization. But at Ebsu
teaching and research farm, all the feed used throughout my attachment period
was procured from the market but from a reputable poultry feed formulator (C.
Y. FARM at Ugwuachara).
Gross composition of broiler starter mash
·
Yellow Maize
·
Soya Beans
·
Wheat Offal
·
Bone Meal
·
Limestone ysine
·
Fish Meal
Finish Mash: This is another
kind of feed given to broilers from fourth (4th) 1 week to twelve
(12th) week which is the last week because at this week broiler is
assumed to have matured to table size or dispose to culled. The energy content
of this feed is about 2800kcal ME/kg and crude protein (CP) is always 16% and
at this stage birds are know longer chicks, so the drinkers and feeders is
always bigger than the one used when their where still chicks in the brooding
house.
Gross composition of broiler finisher mash.
·
White Maize
·
Wheat Offal
·
Bone Meal
·
Limestone
·
Lysine
·
Methonine
·
Toxic Binder
V Fish Meal s Salt Premix
Quantity of feed to be
offered: This is simply the amount in kg or grams that a farmer feeds to his or
her birds per/day. But in Ebsu teaching and research farm, feeding of birds is
based on 10% of their body weight and that is standard for broiler feeding as
recommended internationally. And to ensure quality feed, poultry feed has to be
purchased from a reputable supplier or a farmer can choose to formulate his or
her feed but don't forget you have to a professional or consult the knowledge
of an animal nutritionist.
ORDERLY VACCINATION
OF BIRDS
This is known as the normal
vaccination birds to avoid uncalled disease outbreak in the farm. Antiboitics
like Keproceryl which prevent and also treats diseases caused by gram-positive
and garm-negetive, Vitalyte which supplies vitamins/ electrolytes and amino
acids and also Glucose that works as an anti-stress and also helps to control
their body temperature where also used. This diseases like Newcastle disease,
gumboro disease and possibly fowl box and other related diseases that
constitute about 70% mortality rate of broilers.
The
chart bellow shows the vaccination program of broilers at ebsu teaching and research farm during my
attachment with the institution.
Vaccination programme for broilers
Weeks
|
Vaccines
|
Mode administering
|
Day 1
|
Lasota vaccine
|
Aerosol spraying
|
2nd week
|
Gumboro vaccine (fow box and other viral diseases)
|
i/o
|
4th week
|
Lasota vaccine (Newcastle disease)
|
i/o
|
Their
litters are usually removed at three days interval or if wet can cause its removal before that date. At ebsu teaching and research
farm, rise dust was used to cover the floor
after brooding stage.
RECORD KEEPING
This is simply the overrun farm accounting of
ebsu teaching and research farm:
v Inventory record
v Sales record
v Production cost record
v Revenue record
BIOSECURITY MEASURES
There should
be dipping in front of the poultry house/ where—farm attendant should disinfect their
foot before entering into the poultry house. Attendant and other people working in the farm should be
discourage from visitine other farm.
Overall should be worn before attending to birds.
-Attendant should have their baths after attending to the birds to
avoid transmit!ng zoonotic diseases.
Extreme cold and dry conditions should avoided.
Clean water and fresh feed should be given to the birds to avoid
poisoning.
Feeders and drinkers should be washed before use,
Feeds should be kept in cool and dry environment and also rodent
free store house.
Already in use feed should not be allowed to last more than two
weeks. Visitors should not be allowed to advance into poultry house unchecked.
Source of birds should be from a reputable farm to maintain good
genetic make-up breed
of broilers.
Avoid overcrowding of birds
Policy should be adopted to guide in and out the farm.
Sick birds should be isolated from the rest of the flock and dead
once removed for autopsy.
Avoid transferring birds into your from other farm as that can
dangerous risk.
DISEASE MANAGEMENT
Prevention of disease is
best advice to farmers as their say prevention is better than cure. It is
important to prevent some of this disease causing organisms like: Bacteria,
Fungi, Virus and Protozoa.
FOWL TYPHOID: Fowl
typhoid is kind disease that causes rule feathers/ loss of appetite and
dehydration in birds. The liter becomes watery and this disease can causes up
to 70 - 80 (%) motility rate.
Treatment
There need to isolate all the affected bird and be given furadis
25 to weigh the disease
down.
Prevention
Proper biosecurity measures should be adopted and maintained.
COCCIBIOSIS: This disease is another major disease of protozoa which is
caused by Eimeria spp and this disease affect
birds at younger age and it has the power to cause up to 80% of mortality rate
in some cases.
Symptoms
Blood stain in the excreta/ slow growth and weakness. Treatment
A recommended dosage of coccidiostat should used to bring it to
terms, (e.g. Embazine forte).