Uniformity through the production period Glenn Bushell Norway February 2017

Uniformity Stockmanship Uniformity Important to start well Body weight and skeletal frame Sexual

Using all of your senses to monitor a flock Stockmanship Using all of your senses to monitor a flock

Human senses All human senses are connected to the brain, the most advance “processor” on earth that can interpret data in split seconds Smell Touch Hearing Taste Sight

Controllers Don’t rely on controllers to manage your house Controllers need constant adjustment, fine tuning and human input Nothing can replace the human, stockman

Checking Chick Start, touch 75% Crop Fill at 2 Hours 95% Crop fill at 24 Hours

Chick Environment - touch If the feet feel cold on your cheek, the chick is cold! <39.80C

Eye sight Look at Body language of birds Injuries – naval feathering – age of the bird Feet, joint swelling, birds off their legs

Listen to the chick Uncomfortable chicks will be “noisy” Cold environment Warm environment No water or feed

Brooder Management Key Points: • Temperature is critical and should be maintained as recommended. • Temperatures should be checked manually at chick level. • Chick behavior should be observed closely and frequently.

Checking Chick Comfort

Checking Environment

Environment, smell carbon monoxide (≤ 10 ppm), carbon dioxide (< 3000 ppm) and ammonia (< 10 ppm) should never be exceeded.

Objectives 1. Why is Bodyweight Management Important? 2. Factors having an impact on uniformity 5. Sexual uniformity 3 . How to improve uniformity! 4 Female Bodyweight Control .

1. Why is Bodyweight Control Important ? Broiler breeders have the same characteristics as the broiler generation   Growth rate Breast meat yield Feed efficiency

Weight, FCR, Yield

Breeder Flock Management Challenge !

2. Factors having an impact on Uniformity People

We work with populations, not with individuals ! But every individual counts

Uniformity of Crop Fill STOCKMANSHIP

Feed distribution To achieve target bodyweights for age with good uniformity by means of accurate control of feed allowance and feed distribution. Bums up

Feed distribution Birds are used to spin feeders – therefore they will gather at the feed source

Accurate Nøyaktighet Consistent Jevnhet

3. How to improve uniformity?

Grading To sort the flock into sub-populations of different average weight, so each group can be managed separately. The aim is for each category to achieve the target bodyweight within the period in which skeletal development and growth is taking place.

Grading = Handling = Stress =

Factors to consider People We work with populations not individuals!! Uniformity Sample weight Feeder and Drinker Space Floor space Vaccination Program Environment Biosecurity People Why do we need to grade? We work with populations not individuals!!

Uniformity Management!!

Mediums Large Smalls - 10% + 10%

When to Grade 1 day grading: by flock source First grade is at 35 - 42 days Allow the populations to settle for at least two weeks before you assess grading Set your own standards to determine if a regrade is necessary

When to grade? Remember, grading is fire fighting! Determine the cause the problem. Set your own standard (8% CV, and 80 % UNIFORMITY)

6 Week Grade

Physiological Development FAT Sexual maturity >98 days sexual hormones, Fast ovary and testes growth Dinamic development Muscles Tendons ligaments Skeletal development 85% at 56 days Skeletal Development >95% day 84 (12 weeks) Physical growth stops Cardiovascular & Inmune system, Skeleton and feathers 3 6 8 10 12 15 23 30 Age (weeks)

12 4 To 12 Weeks 3 6 8 10 15 23 30 Age (weeks) Sexual maturity FAT Sexual maturity >98 days sexual hormones, Fast ovary and testes growth Dinamic development Muscles Tendons ligaments Skeletal development 85% at 56 days Skeletal Development >95% day 84 (12 weeks) Physical growth stops Cardiovascular & Inmune system, Skeleton and feathers 3 6 8 10 12 15 23 30 Age (weeks)

Three Important Stages First four weeks 4 To 12 Weeks 18 to 22 Weeks

0 - 28 days growth Profile Frame Size Bodyweight Uniformity Fleshing Ad-Lib feed until body weight is reached, then restrict Better to be 50 to 100 g above target than below Weigh, twice per week for the first 28 days At 35 to 42 days – Select and Grade Change feeding methods prior to grading

Feed Allocation In Production 18 to 22 weeks Feed for bodyweight Don’t hold back !!!!!!! 5%to Peak Feed program

When to stimulate? How do I know when the flock is “physiologically prepared” for sexual maturity? Bodyweight: 2.1 – 2.300Kg Fleshing: Breast Score 3 Uniformity: CV of 8 Fat: Development of Fat Pad Outside edges of pinbones rounded

Objectives for Fat Deposition Week 22: 0.8 – 1.2% (% body weight) Week 26: 1.3 – 1.8% (% body weight) Week 31: 2.0 – 2.5% (% body weight)

5. Sexual uniformity

Female selection Age Keel Shank Feather Drop 4 Weeks 59 mm 67 mm

Pullets must lose their juvenile feathers at the same time

Key Points First four week bodyweight First Grade 4 To 12 weeks Reduce handling of birds as much as possible Feed to body weight from 18 to 22 weeks Light Stimulation

Remember We are working with a population not with individuals BUT Every individual counts!

Take Home Messages STOCKMANSHIP Uniformity is key in all aspects Weight Body condition Distribution of Bird Feed Water Light Ventilation Let the birds tell us what should be happening! STOCKMANSHIP