POULTRY FARMING AND FEED FORMULATION Everything you need to know about poultry TROL R Cer net meee Ye a)TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE 445 1.0 Ll Introduction to poultry farming Major industries in poultry 1.2 Common terms used for different ages of birds 1.3 Classification of chicken on the basis of commercial purposes 14 Poultry housing CHAPTER TWO 16-62 2.0 Chick management 241 Brooding 2.2 Activities done before chicks’ arrival 2.3 Activities done on chicks’ arrival 2.4 Equipment 2.5 Problems during brooding and consequences 2.6 — Mortality during brooding period 2.7 Litter management 2.8 — Daily routine management 2.9 Feeding in layers 2.10 Management of growers 2.11 Management of laying stock 2.12 Factors affecting egg production2.13 Occasional routine 2.14 Layers vaccination/medication chart 2.15 Vaccination program for broilers 2.16 Common poultry diseases 2.17 Biosecurity CHAPTER THREE 63-76 3.0 Feed formulation 3.1 Basic information needed in feed formulation 3.2. Factors to consider in sourcing and procurement of feed ingredients 3.3 Factors to consider in feed formulation 3.4 Classification of poultry feed ingredient 3.5 Common feed ingredients 3.6 Nutrient sources 3.7 Important protein sources 3.8 Broilers feedCHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION TO POULTRY FARMING Poultry refers to a group of birds reared fora useful purpose, Birds means feathered animals. They are mostly reared under man's ire and kept for either egg or meat production. So, broadly speaking poultry refers to all birds or feathered animals that are domesticated. The word "Poultry" doesn't refer to chicken alone, They include: * Chickens # Ducks © Turkeys * Goose 1.1. TWO MAJOR INDUSTRIES IN POULTRY 1. Egg industry 2. Meat industry Other branches of poultry are; © Chicks’ production © Production of point of lay pullets © Feeds production * Manufacturing of poultry equipment © Processing and marketing1.2 COMMON TERMS USED FOR DIFFERENT AGES OF BIRDS CHICKEN * Chicks: Young of both males & females * Cockerel: Young male or rooster © Hen: Adult female © Pullet: Young female © Cock: Adult male TURKEY © Poult: Young Turkey of either sex © Tom: Adult male turkey © Hen: Adult female turkey 1.3 CLASSIFICATION OF CHICKEN ON THE BASIS OF COMMERCIAL PURPOSE 1. TURKEY FARMING Turkey farming is a very profitable business, just like broilers. But they are much more difficult to farm than broiler chickens, especially in the early stages. Just like other poultry birds, they need warmth during early stage of life. They respond to heat/ draught in a similar way just like broilers. They need good and standard housing, vaccination, good feeding and water supply.They grow faster and attain table size within short period under adequate care and management. Despite the fact that turkey share same management with chicken, they require adequate care at early stage because of their fragility. There are three major breeds of turkey; + Local Turkey + Foreign Turkey + Hybrid Turkey (Crossbreed). The risk involved in turkey farming is minimal when compared to broiler farming. Turkey ‘management is not totally different from other poultry birds’ management To start with, itis important to target market (potential customers) for your turkey products (Poults, Live Turkey, Processed Turkey or Grilled Turkey) which is part of good business planning. 6Both Local and foreign breed of turkey require: + Vaccination + Toe clipping + Debeaking + Gmding Turkey needs adequate ventilation, feeding, bio- security etc., just like other poultry birds. They should be housed to protect them against extreme weather conditions and predators. Deep litter system is mostly used to raise turkey but they can also be raised under semi intensive system which allows scavenging Local turkeys are hardier, resistance to diseases than foreign turkeys and even good grazer. Pure breed turkeys take approximately between 16-18 weeks to grow to full size. The hen turkeys take 16 weeks to mature completely, and average of 3.6 kg to 7.2 kg in weight while the Tom takes approximately 19 weeks fo mature and weighs between 7.2 kg and 10.8 kg. ‘Under good conditions with a well-balanced ration and management, a modern white hybrid turkey can reach the weight of 6kg by 10 weeks of age. Commercial turkeys are bred specifically to have ‘more meat in the breast and thighs. However, it’s essential to maintain good hygiene. For efficient production, ensure the birds are kept in a healthy environment. Never feed your birds contaminated feed. Always provide them clean and fresh water. Keep sufficient space inside the house.It’s very important to note that, nutrients requirements of turkey are different from those of broilers and layers. Turkey needs more protein in their feed for first few weeks than other domestic birds. Feed the turkey starter for first six weeks and after that period you can feed them grower feed. The amount of protein in turkey feed is higher than chickens or other poultry birds’ feed. In the formulation of feed for turkey, attention must be paid to the protein requirement, energy, fiber as well as calcium. Along with providing nutritious food, always serve them sufficient amount of fresh and clean water. 2. BROILERS They are raised for the purpose of meat production. They mature for table as early as 8 weeks. Under good management, feeding and bio-security, they can reach up to 6kg body weight. They 8also require vaccination, more calcium in their feed to be able to carry their body weight. Lack of adequate quantity of calcium can result into paralysis because they wouldn’t be able to carry their body weight and move around. 3. KUROILER This’s produced by crossing male broiler with exotic pullet. Kuroiler is a foreign breed whereas noiler is produced by Amo hatchery. Kuroiler and Noiler chickens are easier to raise and manage than others. They look like local chicken but they have high survivability than them and also produce more meat. They can be raised for eggs production and meat production. They have high growth rate, Just like local breeds, they can adapt well to extreme conditions. They can be raised in cages, deep litter or allow to scavenge for food. They are cheaper than broilers and layers. They are cheaper to raise and maintain. They have high resistance to diseases compared to layers, broilers etc. But this doesn’t imply that they shouldn’t be managed properly. They should be housed, It’s advisable to raise them eitherunder intensive or semi-intensive system. This will help to prevent loss to predators (snakes, dogs). They should he adequately managed, vaccinated and fed well for optimum performances. 4. COCKERELS They are raised for breeding purposes. It’s therefore essential that their feeding should be adequately controlled. They must not be overweight because once this happens, when it’s time for mating, their weight will be suppressing that of layers and the layers will in tum avoid mating resulting in production of infertile eggs. However, they are mostly raised for artificial insemination, so that their semen can be collected and used in fertilization. 5. LAYERS ‘They are poultry birds raised for the purpose of laying. They require adequate management (Good feeding, bio-security, vaccination). Poor management can result into drop in eggs production and can even pave way for disease outbreak which can wipe off the whole flock. 10‘Vaccination program should be strictly followed. Vaccination program is done on the basis of disease prevalent in the area where they are being raised. Lasota, gumboro, Fowl pox, ND + IB + EDS etc. must be given appropriately. If not done properly, vaccine failure may occur. It's important that sick birds shouldn’t be vaccinated. Vaccination should be done on the cooler part of the day. During transportation, vaccine should be maintained at cold chain, lack of adherence to all these can cause vaccine failure. Production of layers requires patience and good management. Unlike broilers, you have to weigh their feed because they have standard quantity of feed per age and weight. There's something we call Grading: this has to be done every week to determine feed conversion and efficiency. Your result is what will determine the quantity of feed each bird will eat per day throughout the week With that, you will have a uniform flock and performances. And the fact that you have the knowledge of feed formulation and production will be an added advantage. This is because, when ‘you notice that you are not comfortable with the performance production you are getting from your birds, you will know which nutrient should be increased or decreased. uw1.4 HOUSING The type of poultry housing must be suited to the climatic conditions of the locality. An ideal poultry house must be open- sided and built along East- West axis direction so as to avoid direct rays of the sun into the House. The wall should be made of wire nets to allow air current get in contact with the birds so as to reduce high temperature and heat stress, 1.1 HOUSING SysTEMS There are two common housing systems for layers. They are: © Battery Cage System © Deep-Litter System 21, Cage System This is a kind of system in which the pullets are confined in cage inside pen. The cage usually comes with accessories like nipple drinkers, feeders, pipelines and water tanks. This is the most common method of raising layers because it’s very easy to manage, feeding, eggs collection, vaccination is easier compared to the other method. It reduces the chances of them drinking eggs because the floor of the galvanized wire cage is sloppy towards the front in such a way that eggs are rolled out of the cage to the collection point in front. It also makes it possible to easily identify any weak or sick bird, so that they can be removed immediately and taken to sick bay for immediate treatment. There is low risk of disease outbreak because the birds are not in contact with their droppings. So, this is highly recommended for commercial poultry farmers. 232. Deep-litter system This involves raising chickens on the floor of a pen. Wood shavings or Rice husks should be poured on the floor to about 2-3 inches, then arrange your drinkers and feeders on the floor. There are different types of drinkers and feeders. Tray feeders are used mainly for brooding. Hanging feeders should be used after the brooding stage because they can be adjusted up after feeding to create space for easy movement. There is also need to make provision for nests for the pullets, so that they won't be laying their eggs on the floor to prevent eggs cracking. However, there's need to ensure regular changing of litter because the birds are always in contact with their droppings, so if not properly managed, there may be high risk of disease outbreak that may be difficult to curtail.Although some farmers use this method from brooding stage till they start laying, However, this method is mostly commonly used by farmers from brooding to grower stage. They are then later transferred to cage before laying stage. 15CHAPTER TWO 2.0 CHICK MANAGEMENT 2.1. BROODING ‘This refers to as the period from hatching till supplemental heating is no more needed. This is the period from day old to 2-3 weeks old depending on the weather conditions. Efficient management is very important particularly during this period because poor management will result into high mortality rat. 16Chicks should not be brooded in a house near other poultry or older birds. They can be brooded using cage or on deep litter system. In the use of cage, brooder should be provided to keep the chicks warm, There are special cages that are designed mainly for this purpose. The nipple drinkers are designed in such a way that the chicks can easily drink from them, Although some cages do not come with nipple drinkers, so you have to make provision for small drinkers that the chicks can drink from comfortably. In the case of deep litter system of brooding, you have to cover the floor with wood shavings or rice husks, then cover with newspaper before you arrange your chick guard, drinkers and feeders on it. You can make use of coal pot or brooder (electric or gas) to keep them warm during the brooding period. vVisitors should not be welcomed into the brooding house. Only staff should be allowed in the brooding house and they must always be made to put on farm shoes and farm overall and disinfect their body before they enter the brooding house. The chicks’ requirements at this age include: Heat Air Water Feed Vaccination Efficient combination of these aforementioned factors will determine the physical and physiological development and also the mortality of the chicks. The mortality of the chicks during brooding should not exceed 5 182.2. ACTIVITIES DONE BEFORE CHICKS ARRIVAL Some activities are carried out prior to chicks” arrival to be able to provide a healthy environment for chicks’ growth. Cleaning of the pen starts two weeks prior to chicks’ arrival. The appliances ie., feeders, drinkers, chick guard should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly with Lysol and allowed to dry. The old litter of the pen should be completely swept out and the whole building should be cleaned free of cobwebs and dust on the frames. The floor should be washed with disinfectant. Few days to chicks’ arrival, the brooding house should be white washed with hydrated lime powder. Two days to chicks’ arrival, the pen floor should be littered with wood shavings and the pen should be partitioned by means of chick guard then old newspapers should be used to cover the wood shavings to prevent bruising of chicks’ feet due to tendemess. Feeders and drinkers should be placed over it and brooder should be installed in the pen to keep the chicks warm. 192.3. ACTIVITIES DONE ON ARRIVAL OF THE CHICKS On arrival of chicks, the chicks should be un-boxed and inspected for defects before placing inside chick guard, The chicks should then be served with water containing glucose / Anti stress. Water should be provided for about 2 hours before feed is given. It’s important for them to drink before they eat because, it prevents dehydration. ‘Then ad-libitum feed should be served after. Brooder should be switched on for some hours prior to chicks’ arrival. Ensure the brooding pen is heated with brooder or coal pot to keep the birds ‘warm at night and during cold days. This should be done for 2-3 weeks. 20The distribution of chicks in response to brooder/coal pot should be monitored carefully because when heat is inadequate, the chicks will huddle under heat source, if it's too much, they will move away from heat source, they may also be panting. Similarly, when the heat is adequate, the chicks will spread uniformly. Brooder Heat Lamp Is: Perfect! Too Hot! Too Cold! Se © ci Chicks circle around Chicks huddle the heat! together! 2124 EQUIPMENT Chick guard: These are built ring-like enclosed area that circle the chicks heat area. It prevents chicks from staying too far from the heat supply. Inside the chick guard, old newspapers should be used to cover the wood shavings to prevent bruising of chicks’ feet likewise feeders and drinkers should be arranged inside. As the chicks grow older, the area inside the ring should be increased to create enough floor space. The expansion continues till itis totally removed when the chicks can fly over it. Chick guard 22© Brooder (Gas/electric): This is used to provide warmth to the chicks. It helps to supply heat to meet the requirement of the chicks. It comes in different capacities and types. You can as well make use of coal pot if you cannot afford to buy a brooder. The reaction of chicks to this light will show if the heat is adequate or much. Ifchicks move awway from the brooder, it shows that the heat is too much. If they huddle together, it shows that heat is inadequate. But, if they are uniformly distributed, it shows the heat is adequate. + Thermometer: This measures the temperature inside the brooding house. One should be placed on the wall and one thermometer each should be placed per chick guard. There is need for temperature control because if the temperature is too high, the chicks will start panting and this may result into mortality. Similarly, low temperature will result into mortality because the chicks have not developed enough feathers to keep them warm. 23Thermometer Feeder: Feeders should be easy to fill, clean, built ina manner that avoids waste and the birds will be able to reach. The age of chicks determines the type of feeder that would be used. At early stage, tray feeders are used but as they advance in age they are substituted with larger feeders and should be placed about the same level as the back of the birds @vs Tray feeder Flip-top feeder Hanging feeder 24Drinker: This is a container from which chicks drink water. The drinkers should be high enough so that litter doesn't get into it and the birds will not contaminate the water with their droppings. At early age, manual drinkers should be used due to the height of chicks and can be substituted with bigger manual drinkers or automatic drinkers as they grow older. Drinkers 25+ Tarpaulin: This is used to cover the open sides of the pen at night and when the temperature is low to retain heat inside the brooding house. It should be raised up during hot days for ventilation. RECOMMENDED BROODING TEMPERATURE 264. PROBLEMS DURING BROODING AND CONSEQUENCES LOW TEMPERATURE/ DRAUGHT Off feed Huddling together Emaciation Death HIGH TEMPERATURE/ HEAT STRESS Panting/ pecking Dehydration INADEQUATE FEEDERS AND DRINKERS. Runts Non uniform flock Death CAKED LITTER Coccidiosis outbreak Respiratory problem TOO LARGE SPACE PER BIRD Poor feed conversion Poor weight gain 276. OVER CROWDINESS + Stampeding + Pecking + Death 7. RATS INVASION + Killing + High loses 2.6 MORTALITY DURING BROODING PERIOD Mortality during the first week in the pen is greater than any week thereafter during the growing period but shouldn’t be over 2%. Losses during the second week should be less. High mortality during brooding and growing periods are as a result of lack of adequate management and inexperience of farm staff. 2.7 LITTER MANAGEMENT ‘Wood shavings should be used in the brooding pen, and the shavings should be covered with old newspaper to prevent bruise. This should be changed at least once in three days. Wet litter encourage the growth of molds that causes health hazards to the chicks, it also brings about ammonia build up which is very detrimental to their health. So, it should be avoided. 2828 DAILY ROUTINE MANAGEMENT Observation: This is the first thing that should be done in the morning on entering the pen. ‘The health status and activeness of the birds should be checked. The weak and sick chicks should be isolated and placed in sick bay to prevent the spread of disease. All the equipment should be checked to ensure they are in good working state. If there’s need to repair anything in the cage, it should be done immediately. Changing of foot dip: This is an important biosecurity measure in poultry. There should be foot dip at the entrance of each pen and ensure that workers dip their feet into it always before entering the pen. The water should be mixed with disinfectant to prevent diseases from gaining access to the pen and similarly, foot wear should be changed before entering the pen. Make sure you have a particular foot wear you use inside the pen only. Heating of the pen: This is done by providing a warm condition for the chicks with the aid of heating equipment, Le, Brooder, coal pot from day old to 2-3 weeks old. Cleaning: The feeders and drinkers should be cleaned thoroughly each day before usage. Similarly, the brooding house should be cleaned and sprayed with disinfectant. E.g., Lysol, ‘D4, germicide at least twice a week. The pipelines and water tanks should be clean always to prevent bacteria growth. Water medi n: Chicks should have access to clean water always. The kind of water that should be made available to them should be the kind of water that you can drink as well. There may be need to test the water before you can start using in the farm. So, you have to take your water sample to laboratory for analysis. You may need to be adding water purifier like isochlor to their water before you use at all in the farm but, that depends on the result of your laboratory test. They have low resistance to diseases compared to local 29chicken, so they should not be allowed to drink dirty water. Chicks should be served with medicated water and the stale/left over dirty water should be withdraw and pour away. Water is medicated by addition of multivitamins/Antibiotics e.g., Introvit, aminogrow, amivit and antibiotics like Enrosol, megadox, Intergendox, Microlan Feeding: The birds should be fed with chick masb/starter at early stage. During the first week of their life, ad-libitum feed should be fed to them. Then weighing of feeds follow after. Feeding should be done during the cooler part of the day like moming 5-8am or Evening (5-Spm). The kilograms of feed should be recorded to ascertain the feed conversion rate. Feeding is done twice per day. Feeds are mostly produced in mash, crumble and pellet form. FOR BROILERS Broiler Starter mash: This should be fed to broilers from day old till 3 weeks of age. It’s made up of nutrients that enable them to grow and develop. This contains 22%ep and above. Grower: This is only necessary if you are going to keep the broilers for longer period like 12 weeks upward. If not, there may not be need for you to give them grower mash. Broiler Finisher: This is fed to Broilers from 4" week till 8“week when they are sold out, It contains 17-19%ep. The picture below shows broiler fed with formulated finisher mash. 30Daily record keeping: Record keeping is important in poultry unit to determine the feed conversion rate of the birds. The temperature of the pen should be recorded every hour, the feed quantity/chick, total number of chicks in the pen, medication, vaccination as well as mortality should be recorded on the daily production record book. In layers, you have to keep records of eggs production in addition to all the aforementioned records, a12.9 FEEDING IN LAYERS Feeding should be done during the cooler part of the day (Morning/Evening). Unlike broilers and others, there is need for you to ensure you maintain standard feeding and weight. Because if they don’t attain an expected weight, they will not lay. It is also very important that you monitor the way you feed them because if they are overweight at early stage before they reach 20 weeks, they ‘may start experiencing prolapse. 322.10 MANAGEMENT OF GROWERS Growers are young pullets between 8 and 22 weeks of age. They are the future laying birds and the management during the growing stage will determine how well they will do during laying They can be raised on deep litter system or inside cage. You may brood your pullets by yourself’ or buy them at growing stage, but make sure you buy from reputable farm. After the brooding period, the pullets should be transferred from the brooding pen to the growing pen for further adequate management. The growing houses should be separated from houses containing birds of other age groups. For the cage system, ensure the cage has all the necessary accessories like nipple drinkers and feeders and they should always be kept clean, Always wash your water tank and flush your pipeline to prevent bacteria growth. Also, ensure that you always pack their droppings. This can be sold to crop farmers because it’s a very good fert In deep litter system, the floor should be covered with wood shavings before you arrange your drinkers and feeders. Bigger drinkers should be used because they drink more compared to the brooding period. Hanging feeders are the recommended ones for them at this stage because they can be easily adjusted up after feeding for easy movement around, it also prevents wasting of feed or contamination with their droppings Grower mash should be fed to them during this period. Ensure you buy good quality feed to meet their requirements. Feeding should be done in the moming/evening. 33Reduce light (daylight or artificial light) during the growing period. This will delay the beginning of egg laying. Because, high lighting at early stage stimulates egg production which may result into laying of small eggs. Debeaking should be done during this period to prevent them from injuring one another, pecking, cannibalism or egg drinking. Also, ensure you follow your vaccination and medication table. Check the drug dosage very carefully before usage and do not over treat or undertreat birds. Sick, weak, crippled, injured and deformed birds should be removed from the flock daily (culling) and taken to sick bay for proper attention, Vaccinate the birds according to the standard vaccination schedule for layers in your region. Sanitation is very important. Rats can consume a lot of feed and spread diseases. Start a rodent elimination program if they are already present. So, keep everything clean and refresh the disinfectants regularly. Visitors or family members that do not have any business in the poultry house should not be allowed into the place in order to prevent disease transmission, Ensure that they disinfect their body if they need to enter the poultry pen at all. Record keeping is also very important. So always take a record of relevant information such as feed consumption, vaccination, drugs, mortality and stock balance. Carefully kept records inform the poultry farmer about the past and are helpful in planning future operations 342.11 MANAGEMENT OF LAYING STOCK They mostly start laying at about 18-20 weeks of age, but in some cases, they may drop as early as 16 or 17 weeks under good management. The laying period is believed to have started when they reach 5% egg production on daily basis. The size of their eggs at the beginning of the laying period is usually small and as they advance in age and lay more, the eggs will be getting bigger and may reach peak production of 90% in the first 2 months. Do not allow your birds to come into lay too early because if this happens, most of them will suffer fiom egg bound or prolapse. One of the ways to prevent this is by reducing light (daylight or artificial light) during the growing period. 35However, the eggs production may start to decrease from 10 months upward and during this period it may drop to as low as 60 or 50% and you may even start seeing changes in the egg size, shell color and thickness. Pullets should be transferred to laying house few weeks before commencement of laying so that they can adjust to the environment. Moving them to laying house after the commencement of laying can subject them to stress and it will affect their production. Layers can be raised on deep litter system or inside cage. There will be need to provide nests for them to be laying their eggs if deep litter system is used. But in cage system, the eggs are rolled out of the cage to collection point. So, it is the best and easier method of raising layers. If pullets are purchased at point of lay, they should be quarantine for like two weeks so that they can adjust to new environment, It will also enable you to observe them and be sure they are free from diseases and parasites after which selection should be carried out and all birds considered to be unfit for laying should be removed before transferring the selected ones to the laying house. Collection of eggs should be done at intervals like, 9 am, 11 am, 2 pm and $ pm with crates only. Dirty eggs may be cleaned with a dry light cloth. They should never be washed, because this would enable the entrance of bacteria through the shell of the egg. They are susceptible to heat. So, there should be good ventilation to prevent heat stress because, when the ambient temperature is high, they consume less feed. You may be required to get fans to maintain cool temperature or get fogger from poultry equipment store. This will help to absorb heat in the pen with a resultant cooling effect. When the daily egg production reaches 10%, make a gradual change from the grower feed to the layer feed. Just use a mix of both grower and layer feeds for one week before you switch totally to 36layer mash. Feeding should be done during the cooler part of the day and you may need to provide artificial lighting to allow the birds to eat when the temperature is relatively comfortable (early in the morning or in the evening) during hot weather. Make sure that the farm never runs out of feed because if this happens and you starve your birds, their egg production will drop. Maintain strict biosecurity and administer vaccines and drugs when necessary. Make sure you remove inferior and unproductive birds from the pen. If cage with automatic equipment is used, (for feeding, water supply, lighting, switches), check daily whether everything is in order; replace worn-out parts without delay. ‘Also, make sure you always take a record of relevant information such as feed consumption, eggs production, vaccination, drugs, mortality and stock balance. a7The table below shows the recommended feed quantity each bird should eat per day and per week and the expected weight.39402.12, FACTORS AFFECTING EGG PRODUCTION © Nutrition ‘Nutrition is one of the most important factors that affect productivity. Feeds are formulated to meet the requirements of poultry in specific stages of their life. Adequate nutrition and supply of balanced and sufficient feed are necessary to maintain good egg production. Good feed should contain all the necessary feed nutrients like energy, protein, vitamins, mineral (calcium, phosphorus) in adequate quantity Ifthe protein content of the feed is below the standard requirement of the layers, it will result into drop in production and reduction in egg size. So, the feed should contain the required percentage of crude protein. aLLow calcium content in the feed also has negative impacts on egg formation. It may result into laying of shell-less eggs, cracked eggs, eggs losing color and layers having leg problem. So, ensure that the feed contains all the nutrients they need to get optimal results. Underweight or overweight birds lay eggs at lower rate. Therefore, proper feeding is necessary to achieve optimum. weight that’s ideal for egg production. + Water ‘Water is an important parameter in poultry because it is very vital for physiological processes. They need water to maintain their body temperature. So, they should have access to very clean and cool water. During hot weather, the rate of water consumption may be higher than during winter because of heat. So, ensure that the water is cool. If the water temperature is high, there will be decrease in water consumption and the production may drop during this period. + Age The age of the pullet will determine the time the laying will start. So, egg production is directly related to their age. They mostly start laying at about 18-20 weeks of age, but in some cases, they may drop as early as 16 or 17 weeks under good management. The size of their eggs at the beginning of the laying period is usually small and as they advance in age and lay more, the eggs will be getting bigger and may reach peak production of 90% in the first 2 months. However, the eggs production may start to decrease from 10 months upward and during this period it may drop to as low as 60 or 50% and you may even start seeing changes in the egg size, shell color and thickness. 42= Stress Layers are very susceptible to stress like sudden change in humidity, location, noise, temperature etc. and this used to have a negative impact on production. So, any activity that can subject them to stress should be discouraged. Movement of pullets from one farm to another or from one pen to another should be done only very early in the morning or in the evening. On no occasion should ‘you try to transport your birds or vaccinate them in the aftemoon because this can subject them to stress and it’s one of the major causes of reduction in productivity, + Lighting Layers should have access to not less than 14-16 hours of light for adequate laying and 8 hours of darkness for resting. During raining season when light rete is low, provision of artificial lighting should be done, so that they can have access to standard 14 hours light because, during this period the egg production may decreases and most time stimulate early onset of molting. Molting is the process by which the birds renew their feathers. This is a natural process and it occurs every year. During molting period, the birds channel all the mutrients in their body that should be used in the production of eggs, into the production of new feathers and this will subsequently result into reduction in egg production. So, ensure they have access to good quality feed to speed up the molting process to enable them resume egg laying. © Broodiness Naturally, the main purpose of egg laying is for reproduction. So, it’s expected of them to enter the stage of broodiness. So, they will focus all their energy on this and may not drop new eggs. At this stage, you will see them on top of their eggs, covering them and trying to incubate and hatch 43the eggs. This is only common among local hen and in layers on deep litter system especially if the eggs are not being picked as they are lay So, regular picking of eggs should be done to discourage this act. Disease Several diseases like Aspergillosis, Coccidiosis, Newcastle disease, Fowl typhoid and parasites like mites, worms etc. can cause reduction in productivity. So, efficient management techniques are very important to increase productivity. 213 OCCASIONAL ROUTINE Administration of Antibiotics/Multivitamin: Antibiotics should be administered occasionally to prevent and treat bacterial infections, and multivitamin to prevent vitamin deficiency and enhance good performance e.g., Microlan, megadox, and Intergendox. Administration of Anti-Stress: Anti-Stress should be administered anytime the birds are weighed, graded or transferred from pen to pen or any activity that can subject them to stress etc, E.g., Strexia Weighing of the birds: This should be done at least once in a week to determine the weight of the birds. This will be useful when calculating feed conversion rate and it will enable you to know if they are utilizing the feed nutrients well. Debeaking This is the trimming of the beak. It is mostly done for pullets and it is done at early stage before they start laying. This should be done during cool hours to prevent stress. It is done by using debeaking scissors or machine. Debeaking helps to reduce cannibalism, aggressive behaviors, and feather pecking. 44Debeaking 5. Administration of vaccines: Vaccine is administered to chicks depending on their age or type. Le., Broiler, Turkey or Layers. The common routes of administration are: + DAW (drinking water) + Intra ocular (VO) + Web + Subcutaneous (SC) + Intramuscular (IM) ‘The intra ocular requires that you mix your vaccine inside water, then put inside empty clean eyes drop and apply on the eyes. This requires less water in mixing of the vaccine In drinking water method, you have to firstly take away your drinkers for like some minutes on the day of vaccination, just to starve them, then serve the vaccine in drinkers. Make sure that you use the quantity of water they can finish within 30-45 minutes of vaccination. You have to monitor them to be sure that all of them drink the water to prevent vaccine failure. If 45they do not finish the water, withdraw the water and dispose far away from your poultry house. When you are done with your vaccination, you can then serve them clean water without any drug, Age of birds Water per 1,000 doses of vaccine © 2-4 weeks 2.5 gallons (9.9 L) © 4-8 .weeks 5 gallons (18.9 L) © Sweeks or older 10 gallons (37.9 L) In the Web route administration, you are going to make use of jabber (pin -like) to apply the vaccine. It is mainly for fowl pox vaccination. The fowl pox vaccine usually comes with its diluents. So, make sure you mix both of it together very well before you start to apply by lightly hitting the wing, Other routes are; Intramuscular (on the muscle), Subcutaneous (tunder the skin). VACCINE FAILURE CAUSES: Storage problem ‘+ Using chlorinated water + Untrained personnel handling vaccine + Hand contaminated with oil, soap, cream, ete. ‘Using contaminated water and equipment 46CONSEQUENCES © Outbreak of disease + Death PRECAUTIONS * Do not open and mix your vaccine until the day you want to vaccinate them. * Removeall medication, sanitizers, and disinfectants from the drinking water 72 hours prior to vaccination. ‘© Provide sufficient water so that all of the birds can drink at one time. Clean and rinse the drinkers thoroughly. © Add non-fat powdered milk to the water at the rate of one (1) ounce per gallon before mixing the vaccine. © Remove the aluminum seal and rubber stopper from your vaccine vial. © For drinking water route; fill the vaccine vial two-thirds (2/3) full with clean, cool water and mix gently using syringe ‘© Mix together, then pour into the measured quantity of water you want to use, mix together and serve with drinkers. ‘* Dispose or bury the vaccine vial far away from your poultry pen. a72.14 LAYERS VACCINATION/MEDICATION CHART Glucose/Multivitamin Antibiotics/ Multivitamin Multivitamin DY Lasota 1 Multivitamin ‘Antibiotics ‘Multivitamin IBD Gumboro 1 ‘Multivitamin Dw IBD Gumboro 2 Dw Multivitamin Dw ‘Antibiotics Dw ‘Multivitamin DW NDV Lasota 2 Dw Multivitamin DW Anticocel Dw ‘Multivitamin Dw Mattivitamin Dw Fowl Pox Web Maitivitamin DW ‘Anti CRD Dw ‘Multivitamin Dw Deworming Dw Muttivitamin Dw Debeaking Multivitamin DW NDV Kamorov 1M Maitivitamin Dw ‘Antibiotics DW 48.492.15 VACCINATION PROGRAM FOR BROILERS AGE (Days) VACCINE NAME ROUTE T Glucose DW 24 Antibiotics + Multivitamins Dw 3 Multivitamins Dw 6 Ist Lasota 10 9 Multivitamins DW 10 Ist Gumboro 10 un Multivitamins Dw 114 ‘Antibiotics Dw 17 Multivitamins DW 18 2nd Gumboro DW 1» Multivitamins DW 20 2nd Lasota DW 2124 “Multivitamins Dw 25.27 Anticocei DW 28 Multivitamins DW 29 3rd Gumboro Dw 30-33, Multivitamins DW 4 3rd Lasota Dw 35:37 Multivitamins DW 38-42 ‘Antibiotics DW B Plain water DW 4 Deworming DW rr Plain water DW 16-48 Anticoccidiosis DW ® Multivitamins DW 30 Fowl pox Web 502.16 COMMON POULTRY DISEASES 1. HEMORRHAGE {FLHS} This is a condition that affects primarily layers and sometimes broilers during hot weather as a result of high energy intake. This condition causes enlarged, friable liver evident at post mortem. SYMPTOMS ‘© Uncontrollable water consumption © Reduced appetite © Blood-stained eges © Small size eggs + Shell-less eges + Discolored eggs © Anaemia © Cannibalism © Prolapse SLPREVENTION/ CONTROL © Reduction in energy intake © Increase in ventilation * Avoid over crowding + Fortifying feed with fat metabolism substances » Feed birds very early in the morning during dry season ‘© Create a highly humidified environment. 2. COCCIDIOSIS Coccidiosis is a type of disease that is caused by coccidian infection. Coccidia are present in droppings of infected birds which make it capable of spreading. If cages/ houses are not properly cleaned, chickens can get infected by eating feed and water contaminated by droppings. SYMPTOMS © Decrease in feed and water consumption © Weight loss + Birds hiding head under their wings © Bloody diarrhea © Droop neck © Ruffled feathers © Poor growth 53Bloody diarrhea CONTROL ‘© Separate infected birds from healthy ones © Maintain good hygiene, (changing of foot dip, eradication of reptiles, rats etc.) + Visitors shouldn't be allowed into farm or if need be, must change cloth and foot wear and must compulsorily use foot 3. NEWCASTLE DISEASE. New castle disease is a very contagious viral disease that has the capacity to wipe out the whole flock within 48-72 hrs, if not taken care of because its air borne. It's very important to isolate the affected birds as soon as the symptoms are observed to prevent spreading of the disease. It's a 50/50 treatment, but over the years organic method of treatment has proved to give 80% effectiveness. saSYMPTOMS OF NEWCASTLE DISEASE + Loss of appetite © Coughing, gasping + Ruffled feathers and drooping wings © Head circling Dragging of legs © Twisting of neck © Greenish diarrhea © Milky discharge from nose and eyes Twisted neck Greenish diarrhea 55.4. INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE (GUMBORO) Gumboro is a highly contagious viral disease that is very difficult to treat if birds are infected. The level of severity varies with breed and age of the birds SYMPTOMS © Slimy white diarthea + Soiled vent © Ruffled feathers Picking its own vent © Discomfort ‘+ Sleeping with beak touching the ground RufMled feathers 565. MAREK'S DISEASE This is also a very contagious viral disease affecting chickens. It's capable of causing high mortality if not taken care of on time. SYMPTOMS ‘+ Wings, legs paralysis + Bent neck ‘© Irregular or grey pupils color © Rough feathers Legs paralysis 576. FOWL POX Fowl pox is a viral disease that can affect turkeys and chicken. It's characterized by appearance of lesions on the various parts of unfeathered skin of birds, wattles, combs, necks, legs and feet. It starts as spots, enlarges, become yellowish which later result into thick dark scabs. Fowl Pox 7. INFECTIOUS CORYZA. IC is an acute respiratory disease caused by bacteria. The bacteria multiply with time under favorable conditions when left untreated. It's characterized by inflammation of mucus membrane of the nose passage and sinuses. Infectious coryza is caused by several factors which include; © Poor management Poor management conditions like wet litter, bring about buildup of heat underneath the wood shavings thereby creating a favorable condition for the bacteria to dwell, flourish and multiply. 58© Ammonia ‘Wet shavings generate heat that irritate the eyes, increasing the susceptibility of birds to bacteria and since the bacteria is air borne, they are suspended in the air and are breath in by the birds. It’s therefore very necessary to ensure changing of wood shavings not less than twice a week. © Consumption of feed/ water contaminated with bacteria © Through contact with infected birds. SYMPTOMS * Swelling of the head especially around the eyes © Mucus discharge from the eyes and nose * Sneezing, rale © Greenish diarrhea © Drop in egg production (layers) PREVENTION * Practice good hygiene, litter management, Avoid wet shavings! water spillage * Avoid feeding moldy/contaminated feed to birds. © Always observe your birds well to detect abnormal conditions early, for fast treatment. 8. CRD © Gasping for air © Panting 599. Worm infestation SYMPTOMS © Loss of appetite © Reduction in weight gain © Dark faecal output © Pale wattle and comb 60217 BIOSECURITY Isolation: The poultry site should be separated from passers-by or non-staff. These particular set of people carry infection from farm to farm thereby causing colossal losses to farmers. Relatives that have no contribution to make should be barred from entering pen. ‘Wild! Local birds: These should not be allowed to enter the pen because many of them are carriers of infectious diseases. Staff: Staff'should change to farm wear and use foot dip before entering pen. Farm clothing should not be taken home but rather kept in bio-secure changing room on the farm. Foot dip: There should be disinfectant foot dip at the entrance of the pen. Dead birds: These should be removed from pen immediately so that their carcasses are not eaten by other birds. After removal and diagnosis, they should be buried or thrown far away from the farm Sanitation: This is the most important way of reducing negative impact of disease-causing organisms on growth and performance of flock. Very good sanitation program will help prevent outbreak of disease, 61CHAPTER THREE 3.0 FEED FORMULATION This involves compounding feed using different proportions of feed stuffs in the correct amount to meet the nutrients requirements of the birds. 3.1 Basic information needed in feed formulation 1. Nutrients requirements of the animals 2. Feed stuffs analysis data Feeds are formulated on the basis of the values of ingredients composition and biological information about the uses of ingredients The ingredients we use in feed formulations are incorporated into the feed in two ways © As fed basis © Dry matter basis In feed formulation, least cost principle is adopted. This involves making enquiries about the availability of the ingredients within your area and the prices. The best feed may support growth and good performance but may not be economically pocket friendly. Similarly, the cheapest feed may be unproductive. So, despite adopting the use of least cost ingredients, attention should be paid to the nutrients requirements of the birds. 623.2. FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN SOURCING AND PROCUREMENT OF FEED INGREDIENTS © Availability of feed ingredients ‘© Cost of ingredients © Nutrients composition © Palatability and suitability © Quality of protein 1. Availability of feed gredients: This is a very important factor to consider in the procurement of ingredients. Ingredients to be used in feed production should be locally available. So, preference should be paid to ingredients that are locally available than those that would be sourced from a far location. This is because locally available ingredients are cheaper and easier to transport, 2. Cost o gredients: This is a major factor that must be considered in feed manufacturing, The cost of feed ingredients will ultimately determine the cost of the manufactured feed. The major focus of farmers is efficient production. Efficient production can only be possible when appropriate ingredients are used in feed production. Least cost ingredients should be used in feed manufacturing. This is because, using ingredients of high cost will result into high cost of production. 633. Quality of protein: There is a recommended standard of protein percentage per age of the bird. Attention should be paid to the quality and quantity of protein fed to the birds in order to supply all the needed essential amino acid. 4, Palatability and suitability The kind of feed that's produced for birds should not injure their health or affect their production. The kind of feed suitable for chicks isn't suitable for layers. Palatability of feed is also very important in feed manufacturing because it will enhance adequate consumption and performance of the birds, Palatable feed can only be produced from good feed ingredients. 5, Nutrients comps This isa very important factor that must be given good consideration, Formulation should be based on the knowledge of each feed ingredients because, some feed ingredients are meant to be used in smaller quantities than others. Using feed ingredient that's meant to be used in lower quantity at higher quantity due to ignorance will have a negative Impact on the birds. 33 Factors to consider in feed formulation © Age of animal © Sex © Availability of raw-materials ‘© Nutritional requirement © Storage 641. Age of the animal The nutrient requirements of birds, rabbits and other livestock vary with their age. The protein requirement, energy, fiber, calcium requirements all vary with age. The quantity of protein that a day-old chick will require according to standard is different from the requirement of layer. ‘The energy requirements of a turkey is also different from broilers and layers 2. Sex The feed requirement in terms of quantity for male bird (rooster/ turkey tom) is different from the requirement for female birds. Similarly, the nutrients requirements also vary. ‘3. Availability of raw materials This is one of the reasons why we farmers prefer buying already made commercial feeds from outlets. Even if ingredients are available, most of them are adulterated and if you don't know how to test the quality, when you make your feed, your birds may not grow and perform well as you expect. 4. Storage The way you store your feed ingredients and feeds really matters. Proper storage is necessary to prevent physical losses. ie., pest damage. Ensure the raw materials are stored at recommended moisture content because heat and moisture encourage the growth of microbes resulting in decrease in the quality and quantity of raw materials. 655, Nutritional requirement The protein, energy, fiber, calcium (mineral), additives requirements of birds and livestock vary. That's why companies produce different types of feeds; © Starter mash © Grower mash © Finisher mash © Layer mash 6. Weather This is a very important factor that feed companies consider in feed formulations but most farmers aren't aware of it. During hot weather, they know how they formulate their feed by cutting down energy and incorporating fiber to aid digestion. Similarly, the birds are wise too, during hot weather, especially in the afternoon they would go off feed. Another altemative approach to this is to feed your birds very early in the morning or late in the evening. 34 CLASSIFICATION OF POULTRY FEED INGREDIENTS 1. ENERGY © Maize © Wheat © Oat © Sorghum * Millet 66* Barley * Rye 2, PROTEIN ANIMAL PROTEIN © Fish meal * Blood meal © Meat meal © Feather meal © Maggot meal PLANT PROTEIN * Groundnut Cake (GNC) © Soy meal * Sun flower meal © Rubber seed meal # Rape seed meal 3. INORGANIC ELEMENT. * Bone meal © Shell (Egg shell, Snail shell, Oyster shell, Periwinkle). © Salt 4, PREMIXES 67OTHERS 3.6 Ony-tetracycline (antibiotics) Salstop Enzyme COMMON FEED INGREDIENTS Maize, Wheat: For energy Soy meal, GNC, Blood meal, Fish meal: Source of protein. Vitamin E & C: Immune booster Oxy- tetracycline: Antibiotics Bone meal/ Oyster shell, Limestone, D C P: Calcium source Concentrate: Feed additive Wheat offal: Digestion Methionine/Lysine: Fat metabolism. Toxirid: Toxin binder and mold inhibitor NUTRIENT SOURCES Energy source: This helps the birds to be active e.g., Maize, wheat Protein source: This aids growth and repair worn out tissues. They include; Soy meal, GNC, Fish meal, Blood meal ete. Fiber: Help to keep animal healthy by keeping the bowel working and aid digestion. Minerals: They are essential for good health, strong bones and normal egg shell formation, e-g., lime stone (calcium), Bone meal, DC P. 6837 Vitamins: They are immune boosters. Help the birds to grow and stay healthy e.g., Vitamin C&E. IMPORTANT PROTEIN SOURCES GNC: This is a major plant protein in Nigeria. It contains 45% Cp. But it's deficient in lysine, Methionine and threonine. Soy meal: It contains 40-49% protein. It's a methionine deficiency and since methionine is required by poultry birds, it has to be provided as an additive in feed formulation. Cotton seed cake: I's also a protein source containing 41-45% Cp. It's deficient in leucine, Isoleucine, methionine, Lysine. I's high in fiber and therefore it's required to be used in moderate inclusion level in combination with other protein source like Soy meal. It contains Anti-nutritional factors (ANF). However, it has to be subjected to treatment before ‘usage to remove the ANF. PKC: This contains 18-25% Cp, Its deficient in Lysine, Methionine, Histidine, Threonine. It has high fiber content and can cause indigestion. It has to be used in combination with other protein source like soy meal when formulating feed, Fish meal: It's very high in protein. It's an animal protein source containing 57-77% Cp, calcium, phosphorus, Vitamin B12 ete. However, Fish meal shouldn't be used more than 10% inclusion level because high inclusion level impact fish smell and taste on eggs. Blood meal: This is also an important high protein source, it contains 80-82% Cp. I's high in Lysine but deficient in isoleucine. It's less digestible and so should not be used at high inclusion level. 693.8 BROILERS FEED BROILER STARTER SIN 10 11 12 13 Ingredients Maize Soy meal Fish meal Wheat offal Methionine Lysine Oxy-tetracycli Bone meal Limestone Premix Salt Toxin binder Total 70 Quantity (kg) 504 34.4 3.6 0.2 O41 O41 iBROILER STARTER SIN 10 11 2 13 14 Ingredients Maize GNC Soy meal Fish meal Wheat offal Methionine Lysine Osy-tetracycline Bone meal Oyster shell Premix Salt Toxin binder Total mn ‘Quantity (kg) 48 20 16.1 02 O41 O41BROILER STARTER SIN 10 11 2 13 Ingredients Maize GNC Fish meal ‘Wheat offal Methionine Lysine Oxy-tetracycli Bone meal Oyster shell Premix Salt Toxin binder Total R ‘Quantity (kg) 49 33 31 10 0.2 o1 O41 1s 25 05 0.25 100BROILER FINISHER SIN 10 11 2 Ingredients Maize GNC Fish meal Wheat offal Bone meal Oyster shell Methi Lysine Oxytetracycline Broiler premix Salt Toxin binder Total 3 Quantity (kg) 54 23.47 14 2.25 25 02 O41 O.1 05 0.25 100BROILER FINISHER SIN 10 11 2 13 14 Ingredients Maize Soy meal Ful-fat soya Fish meal Wheat offal Methionine Lysine Osy-tetracycline Bone meal Oyster shell Premix Salt Toxin binder Total 74 ‘Quantity (kg) 61 153 13.7 02 O41 O41 0.25 O14 100Phone number: 08121822067 Email: Texlandagroconsult@gmail.com é =» —