South West Chicken Association
Conference
23rd April 2013
“Technical Chickens”
Alan Thomson
“Chickens” are “Chickens” ???
Inputs
Inputs
• Appetite
• Water
• Environment
• Nutrition
• Health
• Temp
• Weight loss
• Contamination
• Hatch time
• Processing
• Management
• Nutrition
• Genetics
• Environment
• Health
• Quality
• Weight
• Contamination
• Handling
• Storage
Male Management
Gut Health
Water
Bio security
Feed Quality
Flock Transfer
Chick Start
First 7 Days
Chick Quality
Vaccination
Lighting
Stress
Flock Health
Flock Uniformity
Egg Handling
Optimal Environmental Control
Bodyweight Control
Feed Distribution
Male Management
Gut Health
Water
Bio security
Feed Quality
Flock Transfer
Chick Start
First 7 Days
Chick Quality
Vaccination
Lighting
Stress
Flock Health
Flock Uniformity
Egg Handling
Optimal Environmental Control
Bodyweight Control
Feed Distribution
Inputs
Inputs
56 days
Inputs
21 days
37 %
Inputs
35 days
63%
Inputs
Eaglesfield trials : Days to 2.2 Kg
45
40
35
30
25
1999
2000
42 days
+ 17%
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Inputs
Weight, FCR, Yield
Genetic Trends - FCR
Genetic Trends - Bodyw eight
2
2500
1.95
2400
1.9
2300
1.85
2200
1.8
2100
1.75
1.7
2000
1.65
1900
1.6
1800
1.55
1700
1.5
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Genetic Trends - Breast Yield
22.0
21.5
21.0
20.5
20.0
19.5
19.0
18.5
18.0
17.5
17.0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Weight, FCR, Yield
Inputs
Feed (fuel)
• Protein
• Energy
660 grams
10,500 kcal
10
Inputs
20,000 Broilers
122,000 Litres
595
45 Gallon Drums
122 Tonnes
100,000 Broilers
610,000 Litres
610 Tonnes
Assuming no water wastage !
How ? – The Gut
Colon
Ileum
Duodenum
Cloaca
Crop
Caeca
Proventriculus
Gizzard
Jejunum
How ? – The Gut
How ? – The Gut
Chick Start
First 7 Days
Gut Health
Stress
First 7 Days
Chick Start
Stress
Gut Health
EffectEffect
of early
intake
on weight
7 day weight
of 7dfeed
weight
on 35d
2600
200
2400
190
35d
liveweight
7d Feed
intake (g)(g)
180
2200
170
2000
160
1800
150
140
1600
130
1400
120
Males
Females
1200
110
100
1000
100
120
130
120 140
150140
160
160
170
180
7d weight
Weight (g)
7d
(g)
180190
200 200
210
220
220
Chick Start
First 7 Days
Growth
Gut Health
FCR
Stress
Delayed chicks don’t
catch-up!
350
Body weight, g
300
delay=0
250
delay=24h
110g
200
150
-13.2g
100
50
0
0
5
10
Age, days
(Pinchasov & Noy, 1993)
15
Chick Start
First 7 Days
Gut Health
Environmental
Health
Management
Nutritional
Stress
Chick Start
First 7 Days
Gut Health
Environmental
Health
Management
Nutritional
dysbacteriosis
Stress
Inputs
Management
Challenge
Weight, FCR,
Yield
Genetic Trends - FCR
Genetic Trends - Bodyw eight
2
2500
1.95
2400
1.9
2300
1.85
2200
1.8
2100
1.75
1.7
2000
1.65
1900
1.6
1800
1.55
1700
1.5
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Genetic Trends - Breast Yield
22.0
21.5
21.0
20.5
20.0
19.5
19.0
18.5
18.0
17.5
17.0
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
More efficient
105
100
days
feed
%
95
- 12%
90
- 17%
85
Shorter time and less feed volume
needed to achieve target weight
80
2001
1993
2006
1997
2013
2001
100
80
Control
AD LIB
60
MANAGEMENT TASK !
40
Control
20
0
15
25
35
45
55
Critical Inputs
• Nutrition
• Genetics
• Health
• Management
• Quality
• Weight
• Contamination
• Handling
• Storage
• Temp
• Weight loss
• Contamination
• Hatch time
• Processing
• Bodyweight Control
• Flock Uniformity
• Appetite
• Water
• Equipment
• Environment
• Chick Starts
• Male Management
• Bio-security
• Lighting
• Feeding
Critical Inputs
• Nutrition
• Genetics
• Health
• Management
• Quality
• Weight
• Contamination
• Handling
• Storage
• Temp
• Weight loss
• Contamination
• Hatch time
• Processing
• Bodyweight Control
• Flock Uniformity
• Appetite
• Water
• Equipment
• Environment
• Chick Starts
• Male Management
• Bio-security
• Lighting
• Feeding
Bodyweight Control
Uniformity
Appetite
Feeding
Bodyweight Control
25g Protein
500 Kcal
Uniformity
Appetite
Feeding
• When a mammal embryo develops in the womb it can
be influenced by the quality of nutrition of the mother
• In an chicken that is complete by the time the egg
starts incubation
“Technical” Chickens !