Breeder management in poultry farm
Time : 2012-11-22

Basic information

Breeding management is a fundamental system within the poultry industry which produces animals destined for egg production (laying birds) or meat production (broilers). Management in these farms is complex and must consider different aspects that have an impact on the reproduction of the birds

Breeder farm management begins with the arrival of the chicks and their rearing. At this stage, feeding and lighting aspects must be considered, later, during the development of the breeding poultry, the feed will play a fundamental role. Lighting in breeder farms is an aspect to be carefully managed to obtain the best reproductive performance at peak production, this goes hand in hand with the type of facilities available on the farm

There are two stages in breeders’ life which is the rearing and breeding. Farmers have separate barns called pullet barns, where the chicks are raised until they are ready to be transferred to the breeding barns. A pullet is the technical term for a young female chicken before she starts to lay eggs. During the rearing stage, males and females are raised separately because of their different growth rates and nutritional requirements. Later on, the females and males will be moved into the breeding barn

Hens begin laying eggs at approximately 26 weeks of age. They will lay between 145 and 150 eggs before the end of their expected lay period approximately 35 to 40 weeks later. Broiler breeder farms have automated egg gathering systems where the eggs gently roll from the nest box onto a conveyor belt to an egg gathering station. Broiler hatching eggs are collected several times a day and only high quality ones are sent to the hatchery to be hatched into broiler chicks. The hatchery picks up the hatching eggs from the broiler breeder farm one or more times per week

Breeder management in poultry farm


Features

1. Importance of light in the poultry house

Lighting is a parameter that is always considered in poultry farming, including the breeder farm, it is recommended that the first days where chicks are received and reared, most of the day should be with the lighting of 60 to 100 lux. With time, a gradual decrease of lighting both in time and intensity is made. Lighting at an early age favors feed consumption, development of the immune system and the digestive system. At two weeks of age, lighting should be provided for 8 hours a day. In addition, it is important to verify that the lighting is uniform throughout the house. This lighting is maintained until 20 to 21 weeks where the birds will move from rearing to production. Once there, the light will be increased depending on the system available and only when the birds are fully mature and in ideal physical condition for breeding

There are three types of lighting in the breeder farm depending on the facilities and light management which is as follows

1. Rearing in dark sheds and subsequent production with natural light

2. Rearing in dark sheds and subsequent production in dark housing

3. Rearing in natural light or semi-dark and subsequent production in natural light

Each of these types of lighting management has different considerations related to hours of light and hours of darkness, natural light management, light intensity, among other variables. When birds have reached sexual maturity and are in good physical condition, high lighting increases reproductive performance. However, this goes hand in hand with the types of lighting mentione

2. Fertile eggs on the breeder farm

1. The success of breeder farm management lies in meeting its main objective, which is to produce the highest number of fertile and viable eggs. Once the birds start mating and producing fertile eggs, management measures must be taken to ensure adequate performance, the following are some guidelines to promote the hatchability of fertile eggs

2. Periodically check the laying houses for fertile eggs on the floor at least four to six times a day

3. Constant cleaning of the nests to avoid fertile eggs with excrement or dirty material adhered to them

4. Ensure nest temperature like that of the incubator, collecting fertile eggs and cooling them to 21-25°C which reduces embryonic mortality

5. Training of personnel to promote hygiene during the collection of fertile eggs and care in their handling

6. Using the recommended equipment for collecting and transporting fertile eggs and avoid damaging them

7. Do not mix floor eggs with fertile eggs collected in the nest to avoid contamination

8. In mechanical nesting systems avoid the accumulation of fertile eggs and schedule collection

9. Perform manual disinfection and cleaning of collected fertile eggs as directed by the veterinarian and commercial house

10. Establish protocols for the transport and classification of fertile eggs. In addition, follow the recommendations of the commercial houses regarding the ideal temperature and humidity to ensure the viability of the collected fertile eggs

3. Good biosecurity practices

Biosecurity protocols and measures are indispensable in breeder farm management. A Good Biosecurity Practices approach includes all critical points related to health and disease prevention in the poultry house. Some of the most important aspects of breeder farm biosecurity that should be considered are summarized below

1. All-in All-out system of this biosecurity principle applies to vehicles, personnel, equipment, and birds. Implementing this protocol prevents the entry and exit of infectious agents from the farm

2. Control of external parasites involves biosecurity measure prevents the entry of infectious agents mobilized in vectors such as lice or flies. It also prevents the decrease in reproductive efficiency due to parasitism

3. Program against helminths and coccidiosis are internal parasites which constitute one of the most important problems in the management of breeding farms at a sanitary level. Establishing an anti-parasitic program focused on these pathogens improves the reproductive performance of the birds

4. Control of other animals such as insects, rodents, and wild birds can act as vectors and reservoirs of diseases, putting the biosecurity of the farm at risk. In breeder farm management, facilities should be designed with the control of external animals in mind

5. Vaccines are a pillar in a biosecurity program in breeder farms, due to their role in the prevention of viral and bacterial diseases that can cause high mortality and morbidity

6. Responsible use of medications in a biosecurity manual should include protocols for handling medications on the breeder farm

4. Use of pro-nutrients in breeding poultry

Pro-nutrients are active molecules that improve the immune system of poultry against environmental pathogens. These molecules are a natural alternative for the control of some infectious diseases of importance in poultry farming such as coccidiosis. Against this pathology there are intestinal optimizers pro-nutrients that induce gene expression related to specialized proteins against eimeria spp. Pro-nutrients do not create resistance since they do not directly attack the pathogens but favor the immune mechanisms for its control. Therefore, they are a great help for the control of infectious diseases in breeding poultry, vaccinated as babies against common human diseases. It is really important that the chicks are kept warm and protected from any drafts as they are readied for transport. They are carefully placed in clean and disinfected crates, free of any sharp edges that might injure them. Once in the crate and on the clean, climate-controlled transport truck, they are ready for the journey to their new home, a barn where they will be raised for about 35 days until they become broiler chickens ready for market


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Principles

1. Males and Artificial Insemination

Day old male parent chicks are supplied dubbed and detoed. Males are reared separately from 0-21 weeks of age, start with 12% males in case of natural mating and 8% in case of artificial insemination. At the beginning of the breeding season (22 weeks), introduce 8 males per 100 females and replace weak, lame and sick males promptly. In case of A.I. maintain at least 5% males which can yield about 0.5 ml neat semen per ejaculate with not less than 60% motility, inseminate females once in 5 days, with 0.03 – 0.05 ml of neat semen; within 30 minutes after collection

2. Debeaking

Both males and females are debeaked at 10-14 days of age and again at 12-14 weeks of age. For females, leave 2mm beak from the nostrils, whereas for males, cut half of the beak between nostrils and tip of the beak. Both upper and lower beaks are cut off straight. Give vitamin K in water 1 day before debeaking and electrolytes for 2 or 3 days from the day of debeaking

3. Vaccination program and health care

It is more or less similar to the program followed for commercial layers. The program varies from place to place and time to time, depending on the prevalence of diseases in the area. The only difference will be, killed vaccines are given, for diseases like N.D., I.B.D., I.B., REO and M.G, before the onset of egg production. Sometimes, N.D., I.B.D. and I.B. killed vaccines are repeated at 45 weeks of age in problematic areas, to increase the maternal acquired immunity in the chicks. Fowl cholera vaccine has to be given at about 10 weeks of age in endemic areas moreover, the flock has to be tested for Mycoplasma and Salmonella at around 16 weeks of age, to eliminate the positive reactors, deworming will be done every month or once in 6 weeks in deep litter system and once in two months in case of cage and slat reared breeders. Lasota vaccination will be invariably followed after deworming

4. Feeding

The feeds given to layer parents will be more or less similar to that of commercial layers in respect of major nutrients, but the breeder feeds, especially the breeder hen feed is enriched with all micronutrients like trace minerals and vitamins in order to obtain high rates of fertility and hatchability besides peak egg production. Moreover, the breeder feeds must be practically free from all mycotoxins, because mycotoxins will not only affect the egg production and health status of the birds but also fertility and hatchability

5. Sex separate feeding

The breeder males must be fed with a low protein diet having 13-14% protein only because high protein diet will affect sperm quality as well as semen volume. Therefore, sex separate feeding of breeder hens and cocks will be followed. The females will be fed a 18% protein and 3.0 to 3.5% calcium feed while the cocks with 13-14% protein and 1-1.5% calcium feed with higher levels (40mg/kg) of vitamin E; on other aspects, both the feeds are comparable, the male and female feeds are offered in separate feed hoppers in slat and deep litter system. In cage system, sex separate feeding can be followed with 100% accuracy since they are reared in different cages

6. Uniformity

Flock uniformity is a major goal to be achieved in breeding flock management for peak egg production, less number of culls and more uniform sized chicks. From 4 weeks of age, group the chicks according to body weight. The weak chicks should be taken extra care for attaining uniformity. At any stage, the flock must be having at least 80% uniformity

7. Hatching egg collection and care

In slat or deep litter system, keep nest boxes at the rate of one hole for 4 to 5 hens at 18-20 weeks of age. Close the nest holes during night time, to discourage broodiness and soiling of nest material. Introduce males around 22 weeks of age at 8 cocks/ 100 hens or as per the recommendation of the principal breeder. Collect hatching eggs when they reach at least 48-50g weight or from 25 weeks of age whichever is later, collect eggs at hourly interval during forenoon and once in 2 hours in the after-noon in deep litter and wire floor sheds. In cages collect eggs 2 or 3 times a day then separate clean, soiled dirty, broken, misshapen and abnormal eggs soon after collection. Save clean eggs with sound shell, shape and size for hatching; without any cleaning, dry clean soiled eggs with the help of a sand paper, dry cloth or cotton and also save them for hatching. Discard other eggs which can be sold for table purpose then fumigate hatching eggs with formaldehyde gas at 3 X concentration and store in an egg store room, until 6 hours before setting. Do not store hatching eggs for more than a week. In case of cage system, netlon or rubber mat is placed over the cage floor to prevent hair cracks (checks) in hatching eggs. Otherwise, plastic coated steel mesh is used as cage bottom

8. Hatchery operation and sanitation

The eggs are set according to the demand or order for pullet chicks. Depending upon the size of the hatchery, the eggs are set 1 to 6 times a week. Set 250 eggs for every 100 pullet chicks required. The remaining hatching eggs may be either sold as hatching eggs for other needy hatcheries or sold for table purpose. The cockerel chicks produced may be either sold for specialized cockerel market or destroyed and recycled in feed as “male chick meal”, replacing fish meal, discard weak female chicks also, weighing less than 32 grams. Unlike the old design, the modern hatcheries locate the tray cleaning room etc. Atleast 30 m away from the main hatchery, on sanitation grounds

9. Production targets and standards

The recommended body weights, feed consumption, egg production and mortality are reported in table. But these values vary marginally from strain to strain. The breeder must aim at achieving these targets for optimal profits, In slat or deep litter system, keep nest boxes at the rate of one hole for 4 to 5 hens at 18-20 weeks of age. Close the nest holes during night time, to discourage broodiness and soiling of nest material. Introduce males around 22 weeks of age at 8 cocks/ 100 hens or as per the recommendation of the principal breeder. Collect hatching eggs when they reach at least 48-50g weight or from 25 weeks of age whichever is later. Collect eggs at hourly interval during forenoon and once in 2 hours in the after-noon in deep litter and wire floor sheds. In cages collect eggs 2 or 3 times a day. Separate clean, soiled dirty, broken, misshapen and abnormal eggs soon after collection, save clean eggs with sound shell, shape and size for hatching; without any cleaning. Dry clean soiled eggs with the help of a sand paper, dry cloth or cotton and also save them for hatching. Discard other eggs which can be sold for table purpose. Fumigate hatching eggs with formaldehyde gas at 3 X concentration and store in an egg store room, until 6 hours before setting. Do not store hatching eggs for more than a week. In case of cage system, netlon or rubber mat is placed over the cage floor to prevent hair cracks (checks) in hatching eggs. Otherwise, plastic coated steel mesh is used as cage bottom

10. Hatchery operation and sanitation

The eggs are set according to the demand or order for pullet chicks. Depending upon the size of the hatchery, the eggs are set 1 to 6 times a week. Set 250 eggs for every 100 pullet chicks required. The remaining hatching eggs may be either sold as hatching eggs for other needy hatcheries or sold for table purpose. The cockerel chicks produced may be either sold for specialized cockerel market or destroyed and recycled in feed as “male chick meal”, replacing fish meal. Discard weak female chicks also, weighing less than 32 grams, unlike the old design, the modern hatcheries locate the tray cleaning room etc., atleast 30 m away from the main hatchery, on sanitation grounds


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Frequently ask questions

Q: What can be considered as a proper breeder management?

A: Feeding and lighting aspects must be considered because later during the development of the breeding poultry, the feed will play a fundamental role in the bird's life

Q: What control measure can I put in place in other to avoid disease spread in my poultry farm?

A: The poultry facilities should be designed with the control of external animals in mind such as insects, rodents, and wild birds which can act as vectors and reservoirs of diseases thereby putting the biosecurity of the farm at risk

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