Week 9 Poultry Flashcards
(46 cards)
Define Breeder flocks
flocks of male and female birds that produce fertile eggs for incubation (in hatcheries)
Define Day old (DO) birds
birds sold by hatcheries, they are up to 72h (3 days) old (female or male)
Define Poults
DO turkeys (female or male)
Pullets
female birds between DO and sexual maturity age, they will be the future egg layers
Define Point Of Lay (POL)
the sexual maturity which is reached at about 18
wks
Define Layer
egg producing female, produces eggs for human consumption (they are kept until 72-76 wks old)
Define Broods
newly born/hatched birds
Define Brooding
the period immediately after hatching where special care (e.g. heat) must be provided to chicks to ensure their health and survival
Define Broiler
bird reared for meat, sent for slaughter between 36-54 days old (very different to layers genetically)
Define rearing farm
where pullets (future egg layers) are kept from DO to
16-18 wks (whereas broilers spend short life in a single fattening unit)
Define Laying unit
where pullets go at 16-18 wks old and remain until the end of their laying cycle – can be cages, barn or free-range
Cock(erel) =
Hen =
Stag =
Gander =
Drake =
Mallard =
= Male chicken
= female chicken or turkey (occ. duck and goose)
=male turkey
=male goose
= male duck
= Wild duck
Describe the development of the poultry industry
1900s large cattle = more cultural importance
than chicken → Cultural shift after WWI → government assistance and first free-range units formed + wheat more available and introduction of electricity → automated systems and egg
collection apparatus
Why did the egg and poultry meat industries separate?
Introduction of fast-growing chain of chicken = broilers
Research and efforts towards improving the 2 industries separately
The poultry industry is an expanding global industry with worldwide trading and supply chains
When did egg production triple?
Between 1970-2005
Since 1960s birds selected for:
1) Egg output
2) Good food conversion (to eggs rather than muscle development and increased growth)
3) Hardiness
4) Docility
Chickens are seasonal breeders ….
…..stimulated by long day (greater than 12 hours of light)
Describe Natural mating
Sperm survive in female and fertilise successively
eggs for several days without further mating
→Hens kept from 24 - 68/70 weeks old and produce > 200 fertile eggs
How long are the eggs incubated in the hatchery?
21 days
→ 80% of eggs in incubator survive
→ Can identify gender of DO chicks from the
down colour
→ Male chicks killed, female sent to rearing unit
DO female chicks are reared until point of lay which is ?
16-18 wks old with target
1.6kg in caged hens
1.65kg for free-range
Why are female chicks raised with restricted light?
To delay sexual maturity à improve egg size
→ also reduces aggression, feather pecking and pulling
When are female chicks introduced to the layer unit?
At 16-18 wks to settle before laying first egg 2 weeks late
→ Kept at production site until appx 72-76 wks old then slaughtered
When are broilers slaughtered?
Between 36-54 days old at a weight between 1.7-
3.5 kg
What is broiler productivity measured in?
1) Food conversion ratio (FCR, kg feed/kg live-weight gain)
2) Food conversion efficiency (FCE, kg live-weight gain/kg feed) or (EBI and EPEF)
3) Modern intensive units usually have a target FCR < 1.8
