AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE PROJECT
SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT
2021 (YEAR)
NAME: Angel Mbewe
GRADE: 9 Grade
SUBJECT: Agricultural Science Project report
TITLE:
Animal Production
School:
Rhodes Park School
EXAM NO: 190901370058
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENTS
PAGES
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
1
INTRODUCTION
2
MAIN BODY
4-10
ACKNOWLEGEMENT:
I would like to thank my teacher Mr Simwinga for helping me with my S.B.A on
the broiler production. They had put in a lot of effort with this S.B.A to teach me
how to prepare and structure the project. I also want to thank myself for
putting in the extra work to make sure the broiler production was fully
complete. Thank you once again for helping teachers and students.
Day old chicks arrived on Wednesday the 21st of July, 2021. They
arrived in the morning around 09 hours.
The chicks stayed in the boxes until around 15:00 hours when we
unpacked them put them in the brooders.
Before the chicks arrived, The brooder house was disinfected with a
chemical (disinfectant) using a knapsack sprayer.
NAM FEED BROILER STATER PELLETS AND TIGER FEED
STATER PELLETS.
UTILIZATION OF DIGESTED FOOD BY THE ANIMAL IS CALLED
ASSIMILATION
Problem/issue: Broiler brooded with booster produces a different weight
than the broilers brooded without booster.
Objective of investigation:
1. Technical Objective: To determine if broiler brooded with booster
produces a greater weight than broilers produced without booster.
2. Business Objective: To produce broilers for maximum weight to make a
profit.
Production Plan
1. Clean in and around the poultry house and all its utensils.
2. Select a suitable area in the poultry house for brooding.
3. Set up a brooder to brood 100 broilers in two compartments for 5 days.
4. Place 50 in one compartment and 50 in another compartment.
5. Produce one set with medicated water (booster) and the other set with
fresh water.
6. After brooding provide both sets of birds with fresh water.
7. Carry out some management practices on both sets of birds upon
slaughtering.
8. Slaughter and weigh both sets of birds and record the weight for both.
Materials & equipment
Hay fork
It is used to turn over the litter in the poultry house.
Shovel
After the litter is turn off with the hay fork the shovel is used to move the litter and
spread it over the poultry house
Gloves
It is used to protect the hands from bacteria in the poultry house when the things are
be used.
Footbath
The footbath is placed at the door of the poultry so that when a person entre or
coming out of the poultry house. They clean their foot inside the footbath so that
bacteria dose not spread.
Feeds
There are three types of broiler feeds. They are;
 Broiler Starter Feeds
 Broiler Grower feeds
 Broiler Finisher feeds
Broiler Starter Feeds
The objective of the starter/brooding period (0 to 10 days of age) is to establish good
appetite and achieve maximum early growth. The target is to achieve a seven-day
body weight of 170 g or above. Broiler Starter should be given for ten days. The
Starter represents a small proportion of the total feed cost and decisions on Starter
formulation should be based on performance and profitability rather than cost. The
digestible amino acid levels in the feed are important aspects and must be
considered when purchasing feed. (See Table 1) In wheat-feeding areas the use of
some maize may be beneficial. Total fat levels should be kept low (<5%) and
saturated fats should be avoided, especially in combination with wheat.
Broiler Grower feeds
Broiler Grower feed will normally be fed for 14 to 16 days. The transition from
Starter feed to Grower feed will involve a change of texture from crumbs to pellets.
There is a continuing need for a good quality Grower feed to maximize performance.
Broiler Finisher feeds
Broiler Finisher feeds account for the major cost of feeding and economic principles
should be applied to the design of these feeds. Changes in body composition can be
rapid during this period and excessive fat deposition and loss of breast meat yield
need to be carefully considered.
Sawdust
In general, the best litter is wood shavings from a soft wood, such as pine, spruce, or
hemlock (with pine being the preferred option). However, this material has become
expensive to use as litter in poultry housing due to the dramatic increase in demand
in the last few years. Wood shavings now are being used to make fiberboard, paper,
and cardboard and to supply the horticulture industry with pots, compost, and
mulch.
Water
Water is the most important nutrient for poultry. In addition to being a nutrient,
water also softens food and carries it through the body, aids in digestion and
absorption, and cools the body as it evaporates through the bird’s lungs and air sacs.
Water helps remove waste, lubricates joints, is a major component of blood, and a
necessary medium for many chemical reactions that help form meat and eggs.
Schedule of Operation
Weeks 1-2:
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Brooding of chicks
Brood management
Record keeping
Chick Management/sanitation:
Litter
Water, medication & feeding
Weeks3-5:
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Record keeping
Chick Management/sanitation:
Litter check and changing
Water, medication & feeding
Week 6:
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Record keeping
Chick Management/sanitation:
Litter check and changing
Water & feeding
Slaughtering and dressing
Storage and marketing
Preparation of Brooding Area:
PREPARE THE COOP:
Your chicken coop must be thoroughly cleaned and washed. The entire area must be
disinfected from floor to ceiling. Leave yourself enough time for the area to dry
before putting down fresh bedding.
A thin layer of hydrated lime is advisable on dirt floors at this time to maintain
dryness. Ensure that all feeders, drinkers and brooders have been washed and
disinfected; and are all in proper working order. Check for, and seal off, all draughts,
windows, doors, and do general building repairs, etc. Sealing off draughts does not
mean cutting off all ventilation. A dry hen house greatly reduces the risk of
coccidiosis. You may achieve this by good ventilation and stirring of litter. Do not use
creosote - based products for disinfecting!
LITTER:
Cover the area with about 3-4 inches of bedding. Straw or shavings make the most
effective bedding
HEAT:
Warm the area for AT LEAST 24 Hours before the arrival of your chicks. This will
ensure that your bedding is warm and dry and allows you to accurately MEASURE
THE TEMPERATURE FURTHEST FROM THE HEAT SOURCE DURING THE COLDEST PART
OF THE NIGHT as well as during the day
WHEN YOUR BIRDS ARRIVE:
Your birds could have been in transit up to 48 hours depending where you live. They
will be thirsty. We recommend that the drinking water is cooler than the air temp.,
for the following reasons: If the water is very warm the birds do not realize that they
will get wet and cold so they stand in it and get soaked this can lead to a disastrous
pile up. Monitor the birds closely. It takes 2-3 hours for the birds to adjust to the
brooder house temperature. How they appear when you first set them out may
change drastically in this time period. Again monitor closely. If your birds appear
chilled don't put them directly in the brooder house warm them in their box in your
home under a heat lamp until they appear comfortable. Ensure that they have antibiotic or an electrolyte/multi-vitamin in their water for the first 5 days. Meat birds
will particularly benefit, from this. In addition you may chose to use clean 2.5 dozen
fiber egg flats for the chicks to drink from for the first 12-24 hours. These small cups
provide the chicks a large water area without getting soaked.
FEED AND WATER:
Chicks should always have food and water in front of them and should not have to
fight for food. Do not move the position of the feeders and water for the first few
days. A chick that cannot reach food will pick at the litter, resulting in starve-outs and
impacted crops. Set your drinkers out a few hours in advance of your chick’s arrival.
Have your medication in the water. For the FIRST DRINK ONLY add 1 cup of sugar per
gallon of water to give them a good start. It is a good idea to dip each bird's beak
before releasing the birds. Water should be cleaned daily. Raising your water onto a
platform of wire or slats after, will prevent the chicks from coming in contact with
the damp floor around the water. Upon arrival, after the birds have had a chance to
drink, (1-2 hours) you can put out the feed in feeder trays or 2 1/2 dozen egg flats.
Your birds should receive commercial starter as recommended later. Use one, 24"
feeder for every 25 birds; and one, 1 gallon fount for every 50 birds.
BROILERS/CORNISH ROCK GIANTS: These fast growing birds tend to be susceptible
to leg problems, heart attacks and asceties (enlarged heart; fluid filled chest cavity).
Following our suggestions will minimize these problems.
1. Keep chicks warm and in a small area to start; early chilling, overheating, or
huddling will cause continued problems later. Start your chicks at 80-85ºF
measured furthest from the heat source in the brooder area.
2. Feed 20% chick starter for 3 weeks; then switch to a 16% pullet grower during
the fourth week. A well-balanced chop may be used from the 6th week on
(see page 6 “Making Your Own Feed”).
3. Ventilation is important from the first day. Add heat lamps if necessary but do
not seal up your brooder so that air supply is completely cut off. Increase
ventilation as chicks get older.
4. Keep the bedding (2"- 4"deep) dry. Do not replace all the bedding at one time.
Only replace wet patches and add to the rest of the floor.
5. Restrict feed intake from the 3rd or 4th day onwards by providing continuous
dim light (you should just be able to read a newspaper) while a heat lamp is
needed. When a heat lamp is not needed change to 4-8 hours of total
darkness. Do not remove the feed!
6. Once the birds are a week old, you should move the feed and water apart
from each other a bit at a time until they are at least 4-5 feet apart.
EGG LAYERS:
IS THE TEMPERATURE RIGHT? If your chicks are cold they will crowd beneath your
heat source, and if they are hot they will crowd to the outer circle. Adjust your heat
source accordingly. As a rule of thumb, start your brooder lamp 18 inches from the
ground and raise it according to your chicks age/comfort. You will find you may raise
the lamp a few inches each week. Always measure the temperature at the outer
edge of the area provided for the chicks and at night. Night time temperatures may
be lower in your brooder house than you think.
PASTY REAR END:
This often occurs due to chilling during transportation or in the brooder house. It is
important to remove the paste daily and to add Polytonine Super Booster OR
Neochlor (Both are anti-biotics) to their water for 5-7 days (1 level teaspoon per
gallon of water mixed fresh daily). If it does not clear within a few days, assess your
environment: it may be too hot or too cold. If you are growing your birds organically
your temperature control is even more critical and electrolites and vitamins in the
water will help.
IS THE TEMPERATURE RIGHT?:
If your chicks are cold they will crowd beneath your heat source, and if they are hot
they will crowd to the outer circle. Adjust your heat source accordingly. As a rule of
thumb, start your brooder lamp 18 inches from the ground and raise it according to
your chicks age/comfort. You will find you may raise the lamp a few inches each
week. Always measure the temperature at the outer edge of the area provided for
the chicks and at night. Night time temperatures may be lower in your brooder
house than you think.
WHEN CAN THEY GO OUTSIDE?:
Generally, weather and temperature permitting, all the birds may be allowed access
to the outdoors after one month of age and when the temperature does not dip
below 65ºF. Ensure that they are properly protected from predators, including cats
and dogs. Flight birds, such as pheasants, should have flight netting to keep them
from escaping. Keep in mind that warm days can still end up in chilly nights.
PICKING:
Picking, in baby birds and older birds, will most often occur if the birds are too hot,
crowded, short of fresh air, and sometimes, in older birds if they are short of protein
in their feed or have a brightly lit coop. Often once picking starts it is very difficult to
stop. Action should be taken promptly when picking is first noticed. Check against
the points mentioned here to determine the cause and correct the problem, and
darken the coop for birds over 1 week of age. If the problem continues, beak
trimming may be required. Cut one-third of the top beak. Birds that have been
picked should have black grease or anti-pick lotion applied to the injured area until
healed.
Recommendations
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Poultry house @ Rhodes Park
Use of available foot-bath
Change litter after each batch of chicks.
Etc. whatever else you see fit etc.