1. South West Chicken Association Conference 23 rd April 2013

2. “Technical Chickens” Alan Thomson

3. “Chickens” are “Chickens” ???

4. Inputs

5. Management Nutrition Genetics Environment Health Temp Weight loss Contamination Hatch time Processing Quality Weight Contamination Handling Storage Appetite Water Environment Nutrition Health

6. Chick Start First 7 Days Optimal Environmental Control Flock Uniformity Lighting Feed Quality Bio security Egg Handling Bodyweight Control Feed Distribution Vaccination Stress Gut Health Water Flock Transfer Male Management Flock Health Chick Quality

7. Chick Start First 7 Days Optimal Environmental Control Flock Uniformity Lighting Feed Quality Bio security Egg Handling Bodyweight Control Feed Distribution Vaccination Stress Gut Health Water Flock Transfer Male Management Flock Health Chick Quality

8. Inputs

9. 56 days

10. Inputs 21 days 37 %

11. Inputs 35 days 63%

12. Inputs 42 days + 17%

13. Inputs

14. Weight, FCR, Yield

16. Inputs

17. Feed (fuel) Protein Energy 660 grams 10,500 kcal 10

18. Inputs

19. Assuming no water wastage ! 595 45 Gallon Drums 122,000 Litres 610,000 Litres 122 Tonnes 610 Tonnes 20,000 Broilers 100,000 Broilers

20. How ? – The Gut Crop Proventriculus Duodenum Jejunum Ileum Cloaca Caeca Colon Gizzard How ?

21. How ? – The Gut

23. First 7 Days Chick StartGut Health Stress

24. First 7 Days Chick StartGut Health Stress

25. First 7 Days Chick StartGut Health Stress Growth FCR

26. Delayed chicks don’t catch-up! (Pinchasov & Noy, 1993)

27. First 7 Days Chick StartGut Health Stress Environmental Management Nutritional Health

28. First 7 Days Chick StartGut Health Stress Environmental Management Nutritional Health dysbacteriosis

29. Inputs

30. Weight, FCR, Yield Management Challenge

31. More efficient - 12% - 17% Shorter time and less feed volume needed to achieve target weight 200120132006

32. Control MANAGEMENT TASK ! Control AD LIB 0 20 40 60 80 100 1525354555

33. Critical Inputs Nutrition Genetics Health Management Temp Weight loss Contamination Hatch time Processing Quality Weight Contamination Handling Storage Bodyweight Control Flock Uniformity Appetite Water Equipment Environment Chick Starts Male Management Bio-security Lighting Feeding

34. Critical Inputs Nutrition Genetics Health Management Temp Weight loss Contamination Hatch time Processing Quality Weight Contamination Handling Storage Bodyweight Control Flock Uniformity Appetite Water Equipment Environment Chick Starts Male Management Bio-security Lighting Feeding

35. UniformityBodyweight Control Appetite Feeding

36. UniformityBodyweight Control Appetite Feeding 25g Protein 500 Kcal

37. When a mammal embryo develops in the womb it can be influenced by the quality of nutrition of the mother In an chicken that is complete by the time the egg starts incubation

38. “Technical” Chickens !