1. Uniformity through the production period
Glenn Bushell
Norway
February 2017

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

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

4. 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

5. 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

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

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

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

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

10. 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.

11. Checking Chick Comfort

12. Checking Environment

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

14. 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 .

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

16. Weight, FCR, Yield

17. Breeder Flock Management Challenge !

18. 2. Factors having an impact on Uniformity
People

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

20. Uniformity of Crop Fill
STOCKMANSHIP

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

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

23. Accurate
Nøyaktighet
Consistent
Jevnhet

24. 3. How to improve uniformity?

25. 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.

26. Grading = Handling = Stress =

27. 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!!

28. Uniformity
Management!!

29. Mediums
Large
Smalls
- 10%
+ 10%

30. When to Grade 1 day grading: by flock source
First grade is at 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

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

32. 6 Week Grade

33. 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)

34. 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)

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

36. 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

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

38. 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

39. 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)

40. 5. Sexual uniformity

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

42. Pullets must lose their juvenile feathers at the same time

43. 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

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

45. 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