BROILER PRODUCTION/MANAGEMENT

Broilers are fast growing birds which reach market weight of 1.6kg to 3kg in 8-10 weeks or 12 weeks at most. A broiler can be of either sex. Its flesh is tender, with soft pliable smooth textured and flexible breast. The commercial tale birds industry is now largely based on broilers.

Facts Pertinent to an Understanding of Broiler Performance:
 1.At any given age, males are heavier than females.
 2.Weekly increases in body weight are not uniform.
 3. Weekly feed consumption increases as weight increases. The more feed consumed, the better the feed conversion at a given age. As weekly gains increase, feed efficiency increases.
 4.Healthy birds consume more feed and have better feed conversion than sick birds.
 5.cannibalism causes lowered feed intake, growth and feed conversion.
 6.Changes in temperature cause changes in feed consumption. High temperatures reduce feed intake while low temperatures cause them to eat more.
 7. At market time, the birds in a flock will not be uniform in weight. Mortality rate should not exceed 5%.

Breeds of Broilers: Commercial hybrid broiler chicks are derived from Plymouth Rock, Cornix Sussex, and Rhode Island Red. Progeny test and family selection have been effective in the development of broiler lines. The end product of all well-planned selected crosses is to produce a modern chick, white in color, yellow shanked, which grows faster than either of the parents (hybrid vigour), with tender flesh and flexible breast cartilage. All these characteristics of broilers depend on the genetic make up of their parents which themselves are not broilers.

Broiler Housing:Broilers are reared traditionally on deep litter. In modern commercial broiler production, the bird spends its entire life in one house. This means that broilers are not brooded in a special brooder house, then moved to another house for growing. Broiler raising is essentially, a brooding operation. The broiler house should be located in such a way that:
1. It takes advantage of prevailing wind for ventilation and sun for light.
2. Its ground elevation is higher than the surrounding ground level to permit good water drainage away from building and It is readily accessible to power and water supply.
3. There are many different styles and designs of houses and even more variations in equipment. What is important is that broiler houses and equipment provide comfortable conditions, so that the birds can perform at the highest level of which they are genetically capable. A satisfactory broiler house must protect the birds against heat and cold, high winds and inclement weather.

Management Practices For Broiler: The essential conditions for broiler rearing are similar to that of the pullet. However, the following should be noted:

•Poultry House Temperature: Broiler chicks require a higher starting temperature of about 35oC which is gradually reduced to environmental temperature.

•Ventilation of Broiler House: A higher rate of ventilation is required in the house because broilers have a higher stocking density than pullet chicks. The main functions of ventilation are to maintain 02, keep C02 at low level, remove dust or moisture and ammonia from the house and maintain required temperature.

•Lighting for Broilers: Many operators use all night lights during early growing period. A low light intensity of 1.076 lux or less is adequate for broilers after an initial light intensity of about 10.76 lux necessary for the first few days. The birds require only enough light to see the feed.

•Broiler Feeds: Broilers require higher levels of certain nutrients like protein with the amino acids and energy than pullet chicks. Starter ration is having more protein about 22% and less metabolisable energy 2,900Kcal than the finisher ration, about 20% and 3000 Kcal ME/kg. The finisher diet containing increased levels of fat and xanthophylls pigments aids in the development of the uniform yellow skin colour.

•Sexing: Broilers may be sexed by vent, colour or rate of feathering. Males attain market weight faster than females of the same age. The latter grow more slowly and need less protein than males. Males convert feed to meat more efficiently than females. Females also show less response to chemical growth promoters than males.

•Floor Space Requirement: Broilers require a floor space of 0.06m2 from day old to market age. This stocking rate is mainly to ensure maximum profit from floor space and also to restrict extensive movement which is accompanied by the wasteful dissipation of energy by the birds.

•Broiler Health Programme: A health programme is fundamental to successful broiler production. A suggested disease prevention and control programme is as follows:
            •Start with disease-free chicks
             •Use effective drugs and vaccines •Keep feed free from aflatoxin
             •Only people wearing disinfected boots and clean clothing should be allowed into
               pen house
              •If there is more than one age group on the farm, the younger batch should be
                 attended to first while performing daily routine works.
               •Cover floor with clean litter at least 5cm deep after each clean out.
               •Debeaking: In addition to preventing cannibalism, debeaking lessens mash feed
                wastage. Chicks are debeaked at one day old. However, if management is
               standard, the feed is adequate and well balanced and the light is dim, it may not
               be essential..