Breeder Management

Breeding birds are reared for the production of hatching eggs. Care should be taken to produce maximum fertile eggs that hatch well. For this purpose males should be reared separately from the females during the growing period.

Breeder males should be introduced to the flock of females at 20 weeks of age in the ratio of 1 : 8 for heavy breeds and 1:10 for light breeds.

BROILER PRE-STARTER MASH

Broiler production is one of the most profitable businesses in poultry industry. However, it can be so frustrating if after 10 weeks, your broilers are weighing far below 2kg.

In past years, broilers are raised to attain market weight at 12 weeks of age. But recently, things have turned around. Due to improved breeding, feeding and medication, broilers can be raised to attain market weight at about 6 weeks.

FEED FORMULATION: BROILER FINISHER (I)

Here is the awaited broiler finisher. I have made this as cheap as possible and contains 3000 kcal/kg ME (minimum) and 20% CP (minimum). Also, this formula has been tested on broilers and the result was satisfactory.

LAYERS FEED FORMULATION (II)

Here in this blog, I will be giving a feed formula which is of high quality and with low cost of production.

EXTERNAL SYMPTOMS FOR DIAGNOSING POULTRY DISEASES

A disease is defined as a state of deviation (of an animal) from normal state of health. Diagnosing a disease through observation of external symptoms such as eyes, nostrils, body posture, appetite etc is called ante-mortem. Below are various external symptoms which can be observed to diagnose a disease in poultry.

BODY

• Emaciation - Off-feed; nutritional deficiencies; lymphoid leukosis;enteritis; gizzard impaction; tuberculosis
• Stunted, uneven growth - Gizzard impaction; bluecomb disease; alfatoxin poisoning; synovitis; contaminated hatching egg
• Swellings - Ruptured air sac; edema
• Twitching, muscular spasm - Botulism; infectious bursal disease 
• Trembling - Epidemic tremors; encephalitis (brain damage) 
• Paralysis - Botulism; Marek's disease; arthritis; aflatoxin poisoning; epidemic tremor
• Dehydration - Acute lack of water; coccidiosis; infectious bursal disease; nutritional imbalance-dietary salts
• Nervousness - Hysteria; drug intoxication; Newcastle; fungus infection 
• Lying on breast, legs paralyzed - Algae poisoning; acute lack of water; yellow jasmine poisoning; botulism; drug toxicity

FEED FORMULATION: BROILER STARTER

The feed formula below has been tested on broiler chicks and the result was quite satisfactory. It contains 2,800 kcal/kg ME (min) and 22.5%CP (min).

Now, go over the ingredients used and quantities below.

INGREDIENTS                       QUANTITY
√ Maize.                                      47.3
√ Wheat offal                             10.0
√ Soya bean meal                     24.5
√ Groundnut cake                     14.1
√ Limestone                                 2.0
√ Bone meal                                 1.5
√ Premix                                      0.25
√ Methionine                                0.1
√ Lysine                                        0.1
√ Salt                                             0.2

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HOW TO INTRODUCE LIGHTING PROGRAMME TO LAYERS

Still on the lighting programme. Now I want to explain how to improve egg production by introducing lighting programme to your birds. It's going to be a short but precise training.

So pay attention.

This training is suitable for birds at point of lay or those already laying.

Incandescent light (yellow) or florescent light (white) will work well for this purpose.

Ensure that you are ready for the programme before you start because inconsistency will take you back to zero point.

The aim of the light you are introducing is to artificially increase the photoperiod from 12hours to 16hours.

How?

Naturally, day light period takes about 12 hours (6:30am - 6:30pm) and all through this period, the birds are either eating or drinking. But 12 hours is not enough. So you give artificial light for additional 4 hours. In so doing, they have more time to feed. Also, the lighting effect helps stimulate growth and production.

When it is 4 hours, put off the light (NEPA or no NEPA...lol). This practice means you have exposed the birds to a total of 16hours of light.

Please note this!

If you are giving them light for the first time, you should give 13 hours the first week, 14 hours the second week...bla bla bla...until you get to 16hours.
If you do this well, you will surely see an unbelievable result after 1 month.

Meanwhile, do not starve your birds for any reason during this period.

Confused about anything? Post your questions below.

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LIGHTING PROGRAMME FOR LAYERS - WHY THE NEED?

Lighting programme does have a big effect on performance of layers. The type of light used is also important.
Basically, lighting programmes are aimed at achieving one/more of the following:

• Induce growth rate
• Induce laying performance
• Prevent cannibalism
• Increase live weight gain
• And so on

However, the type of light matters a lot.

Blue light help increase growth rate

Red light prevents cannibalism

Yellow light/Incandescent light improves egg laying and live weight gain

Florescent light is not a perfect light for chickens because they can't see well. Although, they get adapted to it after some period and this can also help improve egg production and live weight gain.

If you must carry out a lighting programme to improve egg production, consistency needs to be put into consideration in order to avoid irregular performance.

If this piece is helpful in a way or you have any question, comment below.

Factors affecting feed intake of broilers

There are many factors which affect feed intake of chickens generally and hence determine nutrient intake level and efficiency of poultry production. Although the spectrum of these factors is very broad, here the focus will be made on management and environment, feed and water, and physical factors.

These factors are listed below:

• Flock size
• Stocking rate
• Temperature
• Lighting
• Feed flavour
• Anti-nutritional factors
• Volume of GI tract
• Genes and hormones
• Water
• Health status of the bird

 The chart below shows the feed consumption and Live weight gain of broilers from week 1 to week 7.

From the chart, one can easily determine to quantity of feed the birds will consume over a period.

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LAYERS FEED FORMULATION

The feed formulation below has been tested and proven to be adequate for performance of layers (tested on Isa Brown and the Nera breeds)

INGREDIENTS                                                                QUANTITY

Maize                                                                                      45.8

Wheat Offal                                                                            23.2

Soya Bean Meal                                                                     19.5

Palm Kernel Cake                                                                    2.4

Limestone                                                                                5.6

Bone Meal                                                                                3.5

Premix                                                                                    0.25

Methionine                                                                              0.1

Lysine                                                                                      0.1

Salt                                                                                          0.25

NUTRITIONAL ANALYSES

The above formulation contains:

Metabolizable Energy = 2600 ME kCal/kg Minimum

Crude Protein = 16.5% CP Minimum

Crude Fibre = 4.5% CF Maximum

Calcium = 3.5% Ca Minimum

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BEGINNERS' GUIDE TO GRASSCUTTER PRODUCTION - PDF

Grasscutters (a rodent family), like many rodent species have been and continue to be a delicacy in a number of countries, in Latin America, Africa and Asia where markets exist for a wide variety of rodent species for consumption, grasscutters are often preferred over other sources of meat. The vast majority of these animals are still gathered from the wild and several species have been hunted so extensively that they are now extinct. And this offers small-scale farmers, investors, businessmen and all those with wealth-mind set, an economic incentive for raising grasscutters in captivity. 

DOWNLOAD A COMPLETE GUIDE TO GRASSCUTTER PRODUCTION

 
Grasscutters are widely distributed and valued in West and Central Africa. The meat is of a higher protein but lower fat content than domesticated farm meat and it is also appreciated for its tenderness and taste. More recently, intensive production of grasscutters has been undertaken in many African countries, including Nigeria.

Research carried out over the last two decades has allowed the selection and improvement of stock for captivity with much knowledge and techniques for grasscutter production.

Grasscutter has been overhunted and savanna habit is often at risk during the dry season from bushfires, which are lit during bushmeat hunting expeditions. Grasscutters are not the most prolific of rodent species but the high demand, attract market price and small amount of investment required makes grasscutters a suitable mini-livestock activity for income generation in many part of Nigeria.

Below are the importance/advantages of grasscutter production:1. They can easily be reared at home

2. They are herbivorous animals, so they feed mostly on grass. They can also be fed on kitchen wastes.
 

3. Grasscutters are polygamous in nature, hence it makes it easy to raise them in captivity and in large numbers.
 

4. It requires little start up capital.
 

5. Source of income and employment.

6. High demand

7. Production of pharmaceuticals: The pancreas of the grasscutter is believed to have a high concentration of insulin, which is used in local preparation for the treatment of diabetes. The possibility of using the brains, blood and various organs for producing various biological products for use in medicine and research generally could be explored.
 

8. The meat has high carcass quality and protein is comparable to that of poultry.
 

9. The meat tastes well and highly relished.
 

10. There is no known religion discrimination against grasscutter meat.
 

11. Grasscutters do not compete with man for food.

12. As pets

Click HERE to download a comprehensive material on grasscutter production

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BASIC BROILER VACCINATION AND MEDICATION PROGRAMME

Effective and proper vaccination programme in poultry is necessary to prevent mortality and losses from many dreadful poultry diseases.

All birds reared on your farm either for your own stock or for sale to the public must be properly vaccinated.

VACCINATION AND MEDICATION PROGRAMMES

Age                         Vaccine                                      Route

Day 1 @hatchery             Marek disease vaccine                           Subcutanous

Day 1                              Newcastle Disease Vaccine

                (Lasota)                                    Intra ocular/nasal

Day 1 – 3                        Multivitamin                                             Drinking water

Day 4 – 6                        Broad antibiotic spectrum                        Drinking water

Day 8                              Multivitamin                                             Drinking water

Day 9                              Infectious bursal disease

                (Gumboro)                               Drinking water

Day 13                            Multivitamin                                             Drinking Water

Day14                             Newcastle disease vaccine

                (Lasota)                                    Drinking water

Day 16-20                       Coccidiostat                                               Drinking water

Day 21                            Infectious Bursal Disease

                (Gumboro)                               Drinking water

Day 28                            Newcastle Disease vaccine

                 (Lasota)                                    Drinking water

Day 31 – 33                    Broad antibiotic spectrum                          Drinking water

Day 39 – 41                    Multivitamin                                              Drinking water

Day 42*                          Fowl Pox                                                     Wing web

The days coloured red are vaccinations while others represent a general medication programme. However, vaccination must be carried out at the appropriate time to avoid failure.

Note that Fowl pox vaccination may not be necessary if the birds are to be sold/slaughtered before 8 weeks of age.

If this is helpful, kindly leave a comment below. You can also ask questions.