Can We Still Improve Performance in Modern Poultry Production?

Introduction

• After 25 years of experience in Latin America, the poultry field has a new point of view to give solutions…From the technical support to conventional management.

• More, facing the new world order… The global Market and new tendencies. Competition, Smuggling and Dumping (import black parts from USA).


Objective in broilers production

• Maintain Productivity and Competitively thru decisions.

• The main factor: HUMAN CAPITAL, with a new formation program and commitment.

• Back to Basics: We need check our system and ask us if it has a prevention vision and how much we invest in it.


Technology

• Today is a competitive advantage. But if we made a wrong decision it hits the poultry business “productivity” in less than 3 years. Remember: Stop, See, And Hear your chicken!!!


Point of view

• More than 85 to 90% of the poultry field problems have not a single etiology, but there are multifactor problems, In relationship with management, feed program and genetics.


First Part: The Concepts

PRODUCTIVITY

• The modern poultry system must be understood and analyzing under a point of view…Qualitative and Quantitative in inverse relationship with production cost.

• The quality costs are only those that add VALUE!!!


QUALITY AND PREVENTION

• Every decision makes an economic impact over poultry system…for that it is very important to think about “PREVENTION”. For this reason we should create a new program…called…

“Quality assurement program”


WHAT IS THIS??

• To know all about the productive chain, especially to determine the main control points…

• After that those points will call “Critical Control Points”

• Each point must have a specific control to avoid some problem that make a negative impact and have the solution.


QUALITY

• The concept includes all quantitative results and having results near or better than productive parameters, they are OK.


CRITICAL PERIOD

• Any constant alteration over productive chain… No specific etiology.

• The productive parameters are damaged with negative effects and economic impact.


FACTOR INTERACTION

Composed of a one or many (multifactor)

• Determinant factors i.e.: IB
• Chain Reaction factors i.e.: Micoplasma
• Complicate factors i.e.: E. coli.
• Desease OR syndrome i.e.: CRD
• Consequences i.e.: High Mortality, Immune depression, condemnation, etc.


OTHER FACTORS TO KEEP IN MIND!!

Prevention of:

• Salmonella spp.
• E. coli (multi-resistant)
• Respiratory Problems.
• Prevention and treatment of: Mycoplasma
• Bisoecurity
• Facilities


INTEGRAL SOLUTIONS - MANAGEMENT

• All productive chain phases and processes main objective is to optimize all parameters.


BIOSECURITY

• Is a special program of the productive system that allows improvement and maintain productivity, through prevention that negative affects cause poultry productive potential.


THREE QUESTIONS

• Which one is the biosecurity program objective?
• Answer: create value for improve and maintain productivity.

• How to made it?
• Answer: Is a process based on the prevention with common sense.

• How to reach the objective?
• Answer: With a methodology, well capacitated personnel and commitment.

You don´t need to be a biosecurity maniac!


Second Part: Interaction Management and Disease

BROODING

Poultry producers realize that chicks must be kept warm or brooded during the first week of life. Surprisingly, improper brooding is one of the most common causes of stress in poultry flocks.

If you search about brooding, you can get general information about temperature like: Check the comfort of the chicks several times each day, especially in the evening. Make adjustments to maintain chick comfort.

Constant peeping and even distribution of chicks around and under the brooder indicate comfortable conditions. If the chicks chirp and huddle to one side of the brooder, there is a draft. When the temperature is too cold, the chicks chirp sharply and huddle together under the brooder. If the chicks move away from the brooder, pant, and are drowsy, the temperature is too warm. Don’t forget the ventilation.

But, for us in Latin America, brooding is more than only check the temperatures, because we know the importance of the first seven days in the broiler performance.

We have been adopting brooding as a PROGRAM, and we most start at the hatchery.


ELEMENTS OF EGG SELECTION AT HATCHERY

• Egg Weight.
• Egg Shell Quality.
• Clean Shell.
• Use ovoscopy, to avoid internal defects.
• Deformed eggs.
• Adequate storage conditions.


BROODING AND UNIFORMITY

One of the main objectives for the brooding is to get the best uniformity, because its not the most important thing to get small chickens, but the big problem is receiving chicken with an inappropriate uniformity.

If you develop brooding, you must check:

• Litter temperature.
• House temperature and ventilation.
• Feed quality and quantity.
• Transportation density and brooding density.
• Flocks Uniformity, select by quality and weight.
• Equipment.
• Feeders and drinkers Quantity.
• Water temperature.
• Biosecurity program.
• Post Vaccine reaction.
• Dehydratetion.
• Gas system management.


Physiological Stress

Physiological answer in stress

Long Term Effect

• More Feed Conversion.
• Growing Depression.
• Low Production.
• Immune System Depression.
• Leg Problems.

At The End…LESS MONEY




Author: DR. LUIS ENRIQUEZ
AFAN, International Consultant Group, Guatemala, Central América