Broiler Production-ब्रोईलर मुर्गी उत्पादन

Winter Management in Broiler Poultry Farming in India

January 11, 2024

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Winter Management in Broiler Poultry Farming in India

Winters are good for the growth & FCR of poultry birds. All strains whether Hubbard / Ross / Aviagen perform well because these birds are from temperate countries & well adapted to cold climates. They are developed to perform in cold climates. The second thing is the quality and availability of feed is quite good. Feed become cheaper because harvesting season has just completed after rains. Good quality toxin-free cheap feed is available all around. Its a time to start new businesses, and farmers should aim to earn well this season. Whatever losses faced in summers and previous seasons should be compensated in these days. Do not become lazy in winter.

Why are winters bad?

Infectious disease outbreaks in winter are quite dangerous and widespread due for various reasons. Metabolic & management problems also create huge setbacks if proper care is not taken. Due to high production, markets are weak.

Ranikhet – VVND
Infectious Bronchitis (IB)
ILT in broilers
HPAI & LPAI
CRD

These diseases become very frequent and cause huge mortality. Metabolic and management problems take a central place due to reducing ventilation and improper temperature management. Mortality during brooding, high ammonia/dust in sheds and ascites / sudden death in heavy birds are responsible for losses.

Before the arrival of chicks

Cleaning of shed

Proper disposal of previous litter
Cleaning of roof and spider webs & dirt
Remove fans & clean them properly
Whitewash of all structures with lime (chuna)
Kachha floor – lime treatment after scrapping upper 6 inch layer
Pakka floor – wash it properly and spray with 1% Biobuster (10g per liter water)
Clean the curtains with high pressure water and placed them on sides
After that fogging/Spray with Sokrena or B904 or with peracetic acid (cheap and best).
Water pipeline should be cleaned with peracetic acid.
After spray keep farm closed for atleast 2 -3 days or until the arrival of chicks.
12 hours before arrival start preparing for chicks
Arrangement of heating and its back should be done in advance.

Before arrival – day zero

Electricity with all backup
Proper bulbs and lights, keep drinkers feeders ready
Heating source along with backup (temperature of brooding area should be 30-32 d C)
Never let them free in open farm, always make a brooding area. Properly place newspaper on litter.
Litter thickness should be 4 inch. Rice husk is best litter.
3% EASY BROOD solution (3g per liter water) should be ready in chick drinkers 1 hour before chicks arrival
EASY BROOD contains all essential probiotics, yolk dissolvers, vitamins, amino acids, glucose & electrolytes.
All water in first 48-72 hours should have EASY BROOD in it.
Feed should also be spread on newspaper and in chick trays (1/100) before the arrival of chicks.
Temperature maintenance is very necessary in the first 12 days because chicks cannot maintain their temperature.
To maintain temperature consider brooder canopy over false ceiling. Space per chick? (3-4 chicks per sqft)
In this system ventilation is not hampered much.
Otherwise dust and ammonia causes sound problem
Dim the light while placing chicks in brooding area, when chicks are accustomed to the environment slowly increase the light.
Give 23hr light (30-40 lux), 1 hour dark can be given from 1st day without affecting FCR.
20 chick drinkers per 1000 chicks should be present and place at equal distances. Change water 2 times a day at least.
Observe chicks – best indicator of temperature is chick’s behavior
They should be uniformly distributed (as shown in the diagram)
All chicks must be able to eat and drink immediately upon placement in the house.
The empty boxes should be removed from the house without delay.
Leave chicks to settle for 1 to 2 hours to become accustomed to their new environment.
The longer the chicks remain in the boxes, the greater the degree of potential dehydration.
This may result in early mortality and reduced growth as indicated by 7-day and final live weight.
After this time, make a check to see that all chicks have easy access to feed and water.
Make adjustments to equipment and temperatures where necessary.

Key Points and recommended values of climate factors are:

Pre-heat the house (30-33 d C)
Ready EASY BROOD solution and feed
Dim the light
Unload and place chicks quickly
Make feed and water available immediately
Leave chicks to settle for 1 to 2 hours
Air temperature of 30°C/86°F
Litter temperature of 28–30°C/82–86°F
Relative humidity of 60-70%

Day One Management

When chicks arrived they are hungry, healthy chicks should eat feed quickly, properly and fill their crops.
Check a sample of birds at 8 and 24 hours after arrival on the farm to make sure that all the chicks have found feed and water.
Gently feel each chick’s crop.
Give first-dayvaccination as per schedule
The chick on the left has a full, rounded crop, while the chick on the right has an empty crop.
Target crop fill at 8 hours after delivery is 80% and at 24 hours after delivery 95–100%.
Ventilation at this time is equally important as that of temperature, During day time, if possible open the curtains or run exhaust fans.
In winter sometimes RH goes down below 50%. It increases dust in air and reduces air track moisture.

Day Two Management

Keep continuing EASY BROOD in water. Around 30 litres of water is consumed by 1000 chicks.
Take care of feed, 1000 chicks consume around 13kg of feed.
In the evening start giving GOUTSTER for kidney health & gout prevention.
10g GOUTSTER per 1000 chicks in drinking water.
It also increases water intake and improves kidney filtration.
Observe chicks’ behaviour and separate any loose chicks.
If mortality is seen (10 out of 1000 chicks died), it is alarming.
First-week mortality is mainly due to hatchery infection/transport stress / poor temperature management.

Day Three Management

In morning water, give 12g GOUTSTER and 10ml VIMERAL per 1000 chicks in same water.
In evening start giving ALCAEU 12g per 1000 chicks. If mortality seen earlier it can be given before.
Remove soiled newspaper and replace with new
Third day is very important as by this day chicks are start consuming feed properly and adjusted in the environment. Take proper care of temperature and ventilation.
If mortality is seen by this time it is mainly due to huddling and poor hatch or long distance travel. Chicks should weigh around 80g by the end of 3rd day.

Day Four Management

In morning water, give 10g Nexamune and 10ml VIMERAL per 1000 chicks in same water.
In evening start giving ALCAEU 12g per 1000 chicks.
Total water consumed around 40 to 45 liter.
Third day is very important as by this day chicks are start consuming feed properly and adjusted in the environment. Take proper care of temperature and ventilation.
If mortality is seen by this time it is mainly due to huddling and poor hatch or long distance travel. Chicks should weigh around 80g by the end of 3rd day.

Day Five Management

In morning water, give 10g Nexamune and per 1000 chicks in same water.
If mortality is not seen ALCAEU should be stopped. Water sanitizer except acidifier should not be given.
By fifth day average weight of chicks should be around 125 -130g and mortality should less than 0.2% (2/1000).
Water consumption should be 55liter or less in winters.
Total feed consumed by now is 100 to 110g & FCR of 0.76
5th day is important because many people give ND vaccination on 6th day, so NEXAMUNE on 5th day is beneficial.
Check temperature and observe any huddling, remove weak, small and dull chicks in a separate brooder. Increase brooder area if required (depend on weather).

Day Six Management

Give F1 or Lasota vaccine in the morning through nasal or eye route.
After this, give 10g Nexamune and per 1000 chicks in water.
Stop any sanitizer in water.
Remove newspapers.
Remove chick trays and give feed in feeders only.
Gradually increase floor space.
Increase brooder height and maintain temperature.
Avoid any huddling or any other stress.
Give them ventilation during suitable warm time of the day.
Never ignore mortality at this time. Do a postmortem and try to identify the cause.
Stress should be avoided at this time.
Total mortality should be less than 0.4% by now.
1 hour dark in the night should keep continuing.

Day Seven Management

Most important work to do is to weigh chicks and monitor growth.
Weight on 7th day explain us the whole picture of farm management, feed and chick quality.
Check total feed intake.
Body weight between 180 to 200g is fine. Any weight below this shows problem which has to be identified.
Area should be increased but keep under brooder.
On this day, if you are going to keep birds for more than 2.5kg than give IBH vaccination (only if IBH is a problem).
In morning water, give 30g Septima per 1000 chicks in water & in evening 30g Virocon per 1000 chicks.
It must be noted that if mortality in early days was high due to any reason than uniformity in flock will be lost and target weight is very difficult to achieve.
Separate these chicks and start growth promoter in them.

Day Eight & Nine Management

For 2 days, in morning water, give 30g Pyroliv DS & in evening 30g Virocon per 1000 chicks.
Growth should be monitor regularly.
Keep giving sanitizer if required

Day Ten to Twelve Management

For 3 days, in morning water, give 40g Goutster & in evening 40g Grotek per 1000 chicks.
Grotek should be given when growth is not proper. In low-weight chicks grotek has good effects.
Growth should be monitor regularly.
Keep giving sanitizer if required
Total feed consumption on 10th day is approximately 300kg per 1000 chicks.
Daily water intake per 1000 chicks is about 100liters.
By 9 or 10th day brooder can be removed
Area should be increased
Temperature should be at least 28 d C.
Biosecurity should be keep tight
Increase ventilation in farm otherwise sound problems could occur.
Dust & ammonia should be controlled in winters (spray of alum may be proved beneficial).

Day Thirteen to Fifteen Management

For 3 days, in morning water, give 50g Nexamune.
In evening schedule give Ascitox 70g per 1000 chicks, if ascites problem is suspected due to poor brooding and extreme winter temperature.
Gumboro vaccination is risky
By 14th day 1000 chicks should gain 430 – 450kg weight.
At this time birds should e shifted to starter diet.
Check droppings after changing the feed if loose dropping are seen give Remipro.
Proper ventilation could be provided in day time even in cold temperature.
Keep eye on sound problem.
Water tank should be checked for any algae growth.

Day Sixteen to Nineteen Management

Sound problem came in the flock by 16th day. To tackle this RESPOZE should be given from 16-19 day @ 75g per 1000 birds.
Working of RESPOZE is unique as it clear mucous from trachea and have protective effect on cilia.
It effectively control sound problem.
Other problems in these days are development if IB – CRD duo which is further complexed by E.coli.
Another problem is IBH which start showing at this stage of broiler life.
If CRD -E.coli is seen tha ALCAEU & SEPTIMA should be used.
For prevention of virals like IBH, IB, RD, LPAI etc VIROCON should be given on 17-18-19th day 75g per 1000 birds.

Day Twenty to Twenty-Two Management

Sometimes ceacal droppings are seen on these days which are chocolaty in color.
SEPTIMA should be given in water @ 130g per 1000 birds.
Keep eye on weight.
By day 21, average weight of the bird would be around 900 to 950g.
FCR at this point should be between 1.25 to 1.30
Daily feed intake is about 100g
Dark period in night should continue
On 21st day Lasota should be given through drinking water of eye drop method. DO NOT IGNORE THIS VACCINE. Do not perform lasota if it is not done on day 1 or 6.
Ventilation day should be given by opening the curtains
Check the quality of litter, it you find is too dusty than spray of alum. If found wet than spread lime powder. DO NOT SPREAD LSP, THAT IS NOT OF ANY USE.
If flock is running good till now than take a breath of sigh.

Day Twenty-Three to Twenty-Five Management

This is the time when liver-related problems are started.
In the morning PYROLIV DS should be given in water @ 120g per 1000 birds for 3 days.
If ascites is a problem and cold conditions are prevailing then keep continuing ASCITOX Q10 schedule 23 to 25 in the early night.
Never forget to lift the feed in the night for 2 – 3hrs.
By the 25th day sudden mortality or lameness type of conditions are seen. If a bird is losing and mortality is occurring due to E.coli then use ALCAEU and SEPTIMA one after another.
Water intake should be observed, in normal conditions 1000 birds could drink 220liter water per day. GOUTSTER should be given in case of low water intake.
You should note one point here, that in Ascites mortality it is not necessary that died bird have water in her belly.

Day Twenty-Six to Twenty-Nine Management

During this time birds are rapidly growing and sudden death issues become more prevalent. Gumboro, IB and RD is seen and MABs goes down in the birds. Mucosal immunity is required to enhance. Birds are heavy and have more than 1kg of weight.
Finisher feed starts by this time so necrotic enteritis cases also rise which causes huge losses.
ALCAEU and SEPTIMA keep in hand if necrotic enteritis is seen & RESPOZE for sound problems.
REMIPRO form 26 to 29 day age 150g per 1000 birds.
VIROCON from 27 – 29 days ago 175g per 1000 birds.
Bird weight on 28 day should be 1500g
Water intake should be observed, in normal conditions 1000 birds could drink 320liter water per day.
Ventilation requirements are very high during this time, if it is compromised than huge losses could be seen.

Day Thirty to Thirty-Five

Mortality does not occur after 1.5kg weight. Only sudden deaths due to heart failure are seen.
Birds consume feed very vigorously and the feeder should not run out of feed otherwise weight could be back.
Some extra maize /wheat could be given without affecting FCR & it saves feed.
Higher feed intake needs higher water but in winter water consumption is reduced which consequently reduces feed intake.
GOUTSTER should be given @ 200g per 1000 birds on alternate days
PYROLIV DS is also useful if feed intake is a lower and fatty liver problem is seen.
On the 35th day 2kg weight should be reached
If this weight is not achieved start giving GROTEK @ 200g per 1000 birds.
If all runs well then no medicines are required beyond this stage.

Compiled & Shared by- This paper is a compilation of groupwork provided by the Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

Image-Courtesy-Google

Reference-On Request

Disclaimer: This blog is vet-approved and includes original content which is compiled after thorough research and authenticity by our team of vets and content experts. It is always advisable to consult a veterinarian before you try any products any kind of treatment/medicines on your poultry birds, as each bird is unique and will respond differently.

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