Cobb Control Breeder Information: Breeder flock switch

Editor’s be aware: This text is an excerpt from the Cobb Breeder Control Information and extra articles will observe. The Information was once designed to spotlight important components which might be in all probability to steer flock efficiency. To learn or obtain all the Information or to view Cobb’s different control guides, click on right here.

Breeder flock switch

Age for shifting inventory to the manufacturing farms is decided principally via the amenities to be had, body weight and the lights program. The switch is usually a very annoying time for the birds. Plan the switch intimately and maintain the birds in moderation. Previous to switch, the rearing and laying managers must meet to talk about the flock. A replica of the rearing data must be transferred with the flock to the manufacturing farm and come with:

• main points of illness demanding situations, drugs, and vaccination methods
• switch chicken numbers
• bodyweights as they relate to straightforward
• water intake
• fleshing and pelvic fats scorings
• rearing lights program and depth
• feed quantities and instances of feeding
• different related knowledge to help the manufacturing farm supervisor all the way through the transition duration.

In some instances, it can be important to present further feed a number of days earlier than and/or after the birds had been transferred. The quantity of additional feed and the time when it’s given relies on the season and the gap travelled. At the day of transferring, birds must now not be fed on the rearing farm to be sure that birds are empty (no feed in vegetation) to restrict possible mortality, greater tension, and grimy crates.

When making plans the switch:

• The laying space will have to be able to obtain the flock, with the feeders, drinkers, and nest containers totally operational, one week earlier than the deliberate switch date.
• Be sure that there are sufficient blank crates, coops or packing containers to transport the complete flock.
• The general variety and switch of the men must be completed 2 to three days earlier than women folk are transferred if sexual synchronization is perfect between the sexes.
• The women folk must be in moderation noticed and any birds that don’t meet high quality requirements must be got rid of all the way through switch.
• Transfer the birds at evening or within the early morning, particularly in summer time all the way through scorching climate.
• If the usage of packing containers or coops with wheels, transparent a trail alongside the scratch space earlier than disposing of the birds.
• Birds must have empty vegetation and digestive tracts previous to transferring to cut back tension and stay the apparatus cleaner.

Instantly submit switch:

• When taking birds out of crates or coops via hand, position them immediately at the slats. If the usage of modules with a loader or a pullet trailer to switch birds to the laying space, birds must be positioned at the clutter since this procedure comes to mechanical apparatus. To stop damage, by no means position birds immediately on forged apparatus (ex: feeder or nests).
• After arrival, supply feed within the tracks. Feed will supply a distraction, scale back tension, and lend a hand the birds transform aware of the brand new space. Relying on transportation and climate, feed quantities will also be greater via 20 % for two to 3 days after the transfer.
• Practice the birds carefully and carry out crop tests to ensure that they have had get entry to to feed and water.
• Stroll thru the home steadily to inspire birds to make use of the slatted space.
• Preferably, use the similar drinker and feeder apparatus kinds in rearing and in manufacturing. Alternatively, if apparatus is other in moderation apply feeding the
  first 3 days after switch to proper any problems.
• The flock will redistribute the shavings or straw day after today over the entire
  scratch space.

Sexing mistakes (intercourse slips)

Sexing dad or mum inventory chicks is completed within the hatchery to split the women folk and men. The women folk are used as dad or mum inventory and the men are generally utilized in broiler manufacturing. Sexing chicks will also be difficult and a few intercourse mistakes (intercourse slips) happen all the way through the sexing procedure. Alternatively, those mistakes aren’t visual within the flock till 12 to 16 weeks of age as men will increase a comb previous than women folk.

The sexing error proportion within the rapid feathering dad or mum inventory, that are sexable via wing feathers, is usually between 0.3 % to 0.5 %. Alternatively, the gradual feather go will have to be sexed via the cloaca. That is extra difficult and generally leads to extra sexing mistakes (between 1 to at least one.5 %).

Leaving sexing mistakes within the flock will compromise the genetic possible of the offspring. It will possibly additionally distort feather coloring and motive decrease body weight in addition to deficient feed conversion, processing yield and uniformity in broiler flocks. For those causes, it is very important do away with all of the sexing mistakes earlier than 20 weeks of age.

Manufacturers with just right darkish out rearing stipulations and coffee gentle depth (2 to 4 lux; 0.2 to 0.4 fc) would possibly not acknowledge sexing mistakes simply. On this case, sexing mistakes will also be detected and got rid of at 18 weeks of age all the way through the person vaccinations when the sunshine depth is prime sufficient at the vaccination desk to tell apart the intercourse mistakes. Any intercourse mistakes now not detected all the way through the vaccinations are generally obviously visual when transferring women folk to
the manufacturing space and will also be got rid of at the moment.

After switch, it is necessary for at least 2 other people to stroll throughout the flock earlier than hatching eggs are amassed to take away any final sexing mistakes from the flock (that is completed when the flock is between 22 and 24 weeks of age). At this level, sexing mistakes will also be identified via analyzing the 4th and fifth feet (also referred to as dewclaws) that are handled to situation the nails in men.

One method to establish sexing mistakes in men after switch is to investigate cross-check the feet. Men that had been sexed appropriately must have their feet (dewclaws) conditioned to take away the nail (as proven within the photograph). Any men with out conditioned feet are in all probability sexing mistakes and must be got rid of from the flock.

Preparation for photograph stimulation (20 to 24 weeks)

Preferably, at the beginning of photograph stimulation, the ratio of pullets with a fleshing rating of three and four must be 60 and 40 % of the women folk respectively. The primary photograph stimulation must be between 147 and most 154 days of age. After first photograph stimulation, use small feed will increase of two to 4 g in keeping with feminine every week till the onset of manufacturing (round 5 % of manufacturing).

Physiological readiness for photograph stimulation

The flock is ready for photograph stimulation when dry (earlier than feeding) body weight is 2450 to 2600 g (5.40 to five.73 lb) for speedy feathering pullets and 2500 to 2600 g (5.51 to five.73 lb) for gradual feathering. As well as, 95 % of the pullets have a fleshing rating of three or extra and 85 % have pelvic fats.

A pullet in the proper situation could have a outstanding fats deposition below the wing. Parallel to this fats deposit is a big blood vessel. This mix is steadily known as the fats vein. The fats vein can be utilized to resolve subcutaneous fats deposition. Alternatively, pelvic fats is usually deposited previous than the subcutaneous fats vein.

The fats vein starts to seem in pullets round 21 weeks of age. Analysis of the fats vein is maximum informative after 25 weeks of age, when manufacturing has began. At this level, the pelvic bones are now not a just right indicator of the way a lot fats is being deposited within the belly hollow space as a result of they have got widened significantly to permit for the passage of the eggs. As soon as the pelvic bones start to separate, the pelvic area will widen after photograph stimulation. This transformation must transition from a width of not up to 1 finger for a pullet at 21 weeks outdated to a width of greater than 2.5 to three arms in totally generating hens. That is the principle reason it’s higher to make use of the fats vein as a trademark of fats reserves after the women folk get started manufacturing. It’s at all times very best to prolong photograph stimulation if the birds aren’t in the proper situation (frame composition), as this may occasionally strengthen their efficiency, well being and welfare all the way through the laying segment.

To learn or obtain all the Cobb Breeder Control Information or to view Cobb’s different control guides, click on right here.