The advantages are very unique in terms of crop age, % mortality, FCR, live weight at slaughter and dressing weight when compared with broilers raised on floor. The main barrier to raising cage broiler is only the cost of cages, but this cost is rapidly paid for by a better yield and profitability. Livestock industry foundation for Africa (www.lifango.org) have a comprehensive database on this innovation even in the hottest parts of West Africa.
Stephen Adejoro Dr Sir, my farm is in Calabar. I am working on deploying battery cages for my broiler birds production.
Your advice will be highly appreciated
Great one, Dr. Stephen. I've been thinking about the advantages too. My challenge is this, how do we manage brooding them in these cages? Considering the height of the drinker cups and the depth of the feeder troughs in the conventional cages, do they have special cages?
There are special cages for rearing broilers. This equipment is accompanied by special brooding feeders and drinkers. The advice for farmers going into the vage system is to ensure strict hygiene and biosecurity.
I sincerely disagree with some aspects of the comments by our highly respected patriarch on raising broilers in cages of both the commercial broilers and breeding stocks. When broilers are not on the floor, the advantages of nutrients recycling particularly of proteins, minerals and some vitamins are obviated. Nutritionists will now be made to be more careful especially the precision and accuracy of diets MUST NOW BE STEPPED UP which also implies on the cost. While advantages of cage rearing in disease morbidity and product quality may not be that questionable, it is highly imperative for producers to evaluate the overall economic benefit vis a vis the environmental implications, stability/duration of flock production, cost, cage layer fatigue problems and other complex emanations of rearing in cages. Recent researches and findings in Ibadan here in a hot humid tropical clime are also contrary to the so much believed assertions on the prowess of broiler rearing in cages. Thank you
I have practical cases on ground. The even in the hot humid climate. With production and profitability analysis. I am talking of practical experience and not theory. Today there are brooder cages on sale and even when you intend to modify existing cages by using mini chick drinkers and feeders to brood hit is possible. I will advise Dr. to see me for details as my client found the idea very practicable for sustainability.
You further check information from Google to see whether some companies are practicing this system
We have adopted it in some project here in Nigeria with success and even with less diseases reported
Please for more details contact livestock industry foundation for Africa or info@.lifango.orgl
I think the idea is good because when the broiler growing in cage, they prevent from contamination of litter and other residue which was found in the house. But cage is restrict expressing their natural behavior and it raises the welfare issue.
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology - Nigeria
2 de junio de 2017
There are merits and demerits as highlighted above by Dr Ogunwole. Are there enough scientific data to back up the claims? Adoption of the broiler rearing in cages technology will also depend on the ability of the producer to manipulate. Its not for every Tom, Dick and Harry. I will link up with Dr Adejoro soonest.
Thanks Iganya Samson. There are cages meant for rearing broilers and experience in Nigeria has shown that they achieve better result than those reared on deep litter. I think the emphasis is more on profitability and return on investment rather than research on nutrient recycling.
It has been proved by manufacturers and researchers in broiler cage production that the use of these cages can increase capacity in broiler production by 3 to 4 times compared with standard floor capabilities.(texha).
It reduces contamination rate, achieve optimal FCR and these are the things investors need because they are driven by market demand, return on investment and profitability for them to adopt any new technique such as this.
It is therefore important that researchers in Africa should synergize with practitioners to come out with better results that will be most beneficial to investors and the industry at large.
For more details on more results in Nigeria, contact www.lifango.org.
Dr Oluwaseun Adedapo
Please give some idea of broiler hock swelling in broiler cage rearing, because I have a broiler in cages and facing the Problem of hock joint swelling. Please guide me what is the reason and how to overcome it.
Broilers can be raised successfully in cages without much problem. However, some broilers may show leg and wing defect. Further there can be high occurrence of Peck order related problem particularly during the last two weeks before marketing. the best way to tackle this problem is to introduce sex separate rearing from 3rd weeks of age if not from day old age. At 3rd week the males can be identified easily by observing the early appearance of their comb. when broilers are raised in sex separate way, higher percentage of uniformity and more survivability is observed. Is mainly due to less occurrence of peck order related problem. When broilers are reared on straight run basis, uniformity in the flock is less in both the sexes compared to sex separated broilers from 3rd week of age.
K P Kalita
Professor
Poultry Science Department
College of Veterinary Science
Assam Agricultural University
Khanapara, Guwahati,
Assam
India
Mobile 9194351-43033
I appreciate and commend the very highly scientific comments of this Professor. This is the way it should be. Science do not say anything on absolute note. A scientist will also listen to opposing views before judging. Yes broiler CAN be raised profitably in cages according to him, but where? The merits must be properly assessed particularly, animal welfare which will also be observable in the stability of production, mortality etc. In the hot humid tropics where rearing are undertaken under no environmental control, birds are subject to all whims, vagaries and vissititudes of weather, assertions based on these must be from a strong well informed base and not just from pockets of observations. The much I have seen in poultry industry in south west Nigeria and also in my researches on breeding and commercial broilers is still not supporting the much acclaimed profitability of raising broilers in cages. I am saying this from a modest point of view as a keen practitioner, consultant, a researcher and broiler producer over the last two decades. There may be other opinions but mine is not an ordinary assertion but a very highly informed one
Professor Kula contribution from research and experiences stated on first paragraph that broilers can be raised successfully in cages without much problem ,to me this a strong strength to our presentation and conservation
Peck order, cage fatigue I'd a common challenges in cages rearing and can be nutritionally managed like feet problems and coccidiosis in floor rearing which will be financially addressed in you cost benefit analysis to arrive at comparative advantage of cage and floor rearing
Prof did not start up to condemn our findings but rather added value and open our eyes to a better way to improve out profitability by suggesting the improvement that separate Dex testing can provide to us a very useful knowledge sharing that we find very scientific and synergistic
Researchers in Africa must encourage to work with field researchers and encourage on farm research studies that are participatory and most beneficial to investord
A great idea but costly already in pakistan likewise countries energy sector facing lot of issues then how can v flourish such type of technology n 2ndly in pak no of feed mills are not sincere with birds n also with farmer a very low class feed manufactuered in pak with full of steriodic movments only to gain weight with in short time with low cost
I have raised broilers both on deep litter and in broiler cages in and outside Nigeria, I can boldly tell that the difference is clear, birds raised on cages performed better, i think it all depends on our technical- know -how. Breeds of poor genetic potential are much in Nigeria because of the springing up of mushroom hatcheries, they are not helping the poultry industry and poor/ adulterated raw materials especially amino acids ( methionine & lysine) is terrible. Technology has advanced and our researchers must wake up and add value to the system.
Doc you are doing a great work, Well done Sir.
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