In Nagaland Broiler production has gained popularity in recent years, but large scale production has not taken place due to which the demand of broiler meat in the state is not met by the local producer.
With the ever increasing population the demand of meat is also increasing and scope for Broiler production especially on small scale in the interior areas can play an important role in increasing the production of broiler meat which will help to minimise the gap between demand and supply. Broiler farmers must have some basic knowledge regarding its production and management to get maximum profitability.
An attempt has been made through this article to describe all those managemental practices which will help to improve production.
Broiler
Broiler is a young immature chicken of 6-8 weeks of age may be of either sex with an average body weight of 1.8 to 2.2 Kg with a flexible breast bone cartilage and tender meat.
Commercial Broiler strains available in India: Cobb, Hubbard, Lohman, Anak 2000, Avian -34, Starbra, Sam rat are some of the strains which are available in the market. While buying day old chicks farmers should know what strains of Broilers he is going to rear and how much body weight it will achieve within 6-8 weeks of rearing and should ensure that the chicks are from reputed hatchery. On an average it should reach 1.8 -2.0 kg within 42 days.
Important points for broiler production
Preparation of house between crops, chick quality, brooding, feeding, lighting, disease control, record keeping and marketing are some of the important factors which influence the economic broiler production
Preparation of the House between Crops
1. Feeders and drinkers used in the previous batch should to be removed from the house for cleaning and disinfection, so that infection does not pass to the new batch.
2. Remove dust and cobwebs from corners, walls, wire mesh etc.
3. Remove all litter material i.e. bedding material from the house.
4. Disinfect walls, floor, wire mesh and all surfaces by using flame gun.
5. Clean and disinfect the house with 5 per cent phenyl. Instead of phenyl, a combination of several disinfectants available in the market with different trade names can be used. Follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully for the effective utility.
6. Whitewash the building with 3 parts of lime and 1 part of bleaching powder as a good sanitary procedure.
7. Scrape, wash and disinfect all equipments like feeders, drinkers etc.
8. Allow the house to be clean and empty for a week at least to “Air out” drying.
9. If necessary fumigate the house with 10 per cent formalin.
Preparation of House to receive Chicks
1. Spread, dry, mould-free litter material to 5 – 7.5cm (2 – 3”) height. Commonly used litter materials like paddy husk, saw dust or groundnut hulls can be used.
2. Fix hover or infra red bulbs at the centre of the brooder. Place chick guards of at least 45 – 60cm (18 – 24”) height, 60 – 90cm (2-3”) from the edge of the hover to confine 200 – 250 chicks to heat.
3. Old newspaper or soft cartoons can be spread on the top of the litter material in the brooding area for first 3 days in order to prevent chicks coming in contact with the litter material.
4. Chick feeders and drinkers should be placed alternatively in a cart wheel fashion.
5. Feed should be spread for 2 days on the newspaper.
6. Verify brooders 24 hours before the arrival of chicks. Temperature should be 35ºC (95ºF), 5cm (2”) above the floor at the edge of the hover.
Brooding
1. Brooding means providing heat to the chicks and the equipments used for this purpose are called as brooders. Brooder may be of hover type or infra red bulbs.
2. Brooding period depends on our conditions and may be extended or removed earlier depending upon the season.
3. Adjustment of temperature of the room at about 35ºC (95ºF) for first week and reduce it by 2.8ºC (5ºF) every week till the room temperature is reached. At high altitude brooding may be extended for one or two weeks.
4. Remove newspapers placed on the litter materials after 3 days and chick guards after 7 days.
5. During brooding period observe chicks for comfort:
i) Comfort: Under comfort condition chicks are spread throughout the brooding area.
ii) Hot: Chicks are away from the heating source and spread out throughout beyond the edge of the brooder therefore heat should be reduced.
iii) Cold: Chicks huddle together under the heat source therefore heat should be increased.
Feeding
1. Change the different type of feeders according to their age.
2. Generally two phase feeding programme is followed in broilers i.e., starter mash/pellet from 0-2 weeks of age, followed by finisher mash/pellets from 3-6 weeks of age or until marketing.
3. Specification for protein and energy levels of broiler starter and finisher mash
4. Use always balanced mash.
5. Provide proper feeding space and sufficient number of feeders.
6. Brim of the feeder has to be in line with the back of the bird.
7. Feeders should not be filled more than half.
8. Use properly designed feeders.
9. Mixed feed should not be stored for prolonged period.
10. Store feed bags on wooden platform of 1’ height and keep feed bags 1’ away from the wall.
11. Adjust feeder height according to the height of chicks.
Watering
1. Change drinkers according to their age.
2. Provide proper watering space and sufficient number of drinkers.
3. Brim of the drinkers has to be in line with the back of the bird.
4. Provide always clean and fresh water.
5. Drinkers are to be cleaned daily.
6. Avoid spillage of water to prevent litter materials getting wet.
Lighting
1.22 to 23 hours of light is recommended for broilers and for first 3 days 24 hours of light with intensity enough to locate feeders and drinkers should be provided.
2. Provide bulbs at 2.1M (7’) height and width. 3M (10’) spacing between two ordinary bulbs or 4.5 M (15’) spacing between two tube lights.
Disease control
1. Provide footpath with a disinfectant like phenyl or lysol at the main entrance of the farm and also at the entrance of each poultry house.
2. Follow the proper disinfection procedure recommended between crops.
3. Screen out rodents and wild birds.
4. Keep visitors out of your poultry houses.
5. Avoid management diseases.
6. Deworm the birds.
7. Dispose of dead birds daily.
8. Follow vaccination scheduled.
a) Vaccinate for Ranikhet disease with F1 or lasota at 0-7 days of age. Repeat after 3 weeks of age.
b) Vaccinate for IBD with IBD vaccine at 15 days of age.
9. Coccidiosis: Use Coccidial drugs in feed to control Coccidiosis.
10. Maintain litter condition properly.
Record keeping
Maintain proper records regarding cost of chicks, feed, medicine, labour etc. and also the receipts of sale of broilers, litter materials, gunny bags etc. Work out feed efficiency, cost of production of 1Kg of broiler for each batch and profit.
Technical Standards/Marketing age
1. In broilers, profit depends upon liveability body weight at marketing age and feed efficiency. Broilers should be marketed at 6 weeks of age or else profitability starts declining due to higher feed consumption leading to poor feed efficiency
2. General standards for broilers.
a) 96% livability
b) 1.7 to 2 Kg body weight at 6 weeks of age.
c)1.9 to 2.1 feed efficiency.
VIRAL DISEASE
1. Ranikhet : Birds may die without showing any symptoms. There is usually greenish or yellowish diarrhoea, twitching of neck, in coordination or even paralysis.
Vaccine: Lasota – Intraocular – 1 drop 1st week and repeat in third week.
2. IBD: Birds show dullness, depression, trembling of body, ruffled feathers and death. Bursa of fabricus is knocked out.
Vaccine: I.B.D. vaccine – intraocular – 1 drop 12 to 15 days.
BACTERIAL DISEASE:
1. Coryza: There is foul smelling discharge from nostrils and eyes. The face and wattles may be swollen.
Preventive/Control measures
a. Duaprim powder – 1gm per litre of water for 5 days.
b. Suldin – 5ml per litre of water for 5 days.
2. Chronic respiratory disease: The disease starts with sneezing, coughing, respiratory distress or gargling sound during respiration. Eyes may show frothy exudates and conjunctivitis.
Preventive/Control measures
a. Bidox – N – 1gm per litre of water for 5 days.
b. Tetracycline powder – 1gm per litre of water for 5 days.
3. Fowl cholera: There is loss of appetite, bluishness of combs, wattles, catarrhal discharge from the nostrils, fever, drooling of saliva and diarrhoea. Diarrhoea latter becomes yellow and greenish. Oedema of wattles and combs are also seen.
Preventive/Control measures
a. Duaprim powder – 1gm per litre of water for 5 days.
b. Bidox – N – 1gm per 2 litre of water for 5 days.
4. Salmonellosis: There is loss of appetite, closed eyes, head and wings drooping and tendency to huddle near the source of heat. Yolk remains unabsorbed.
Preventive/Control measures
a. Furasol – 1gm per litre of water for 7 days.
b. Flumquin – 1gm per litre of water for 7 days.
5. Pullorum disease: Disease of newly hatched chicks and symptoms includes as those of salmonellosis.
Preventive/Control measures
a. Furasol – 1gm per litre of water for 7 days.
b. Bidox – N – 1gm per 2 litre of water for 5 days.
COCCIDIOSIS
a. Caecal coccidiosis: Caeca may be filled with blood tinged contents and affected birds show depression, loss of appetite and dropping wings.
b. Intestinal Coccidiosis: Bird shows poor growth, paleness of mucous membranes, loss of yellowish colour of shanks, poor egg production and sometimes diarrhoea but presence of blood in the faces is not very common.
Preventive/Control measures
a. Amprosol – 1gm per litre of water for 7 days.
b. Cordinal – 4gm per litre of water for 4 days.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar Chaurasia, Programme Coordinator KVK, Zunheboto, Nagaland University.
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