Cobb Breeding Administration Information: Part 1 – Brooding: 0 to 4 weeks

28 March 2024

3 minute learn

Editor’s observe: This text is an excerpt from the Cobb Breeder Administration Information and extra articles will observe. The Information was designed to focus on important components which are more than likely to affect flock efficiency. To learn or obtain the whole Information or to view Cobb’s different administration guides, click on right here.

Early feed administration

The aim of the brooding section is to situation the chicks to handle progress. The mum or dad inventory broiler breeder originates from populations chosen for fascinating broiler traits that embody common each day acquire (ADG) and feed conversion (FCR) each of that are negatively related to reproductive effectivity. With a purpose to handle this propensity to develop, birds have to be managed to an outlined progress curve established by Cobb. This progress curve varies based mostly on breed and intercourse.

Common body weight is a crucial metric and deviation from the usual might be attributable to low water and / or feed consumption. Flock uniformity is one other necessary metric important for creating a flock that can constantly reply to feed modifications at later ages.

Troubleshooting early weight acquire and uniformity points

Main motive for low early weight acquire concern is low water consumption:

• Water temperature too sizzling
• Water line too excessive
• Incorrect nipples for beginning chicks (have to be 360 diploma)
• Water stress too excessive
• Nipple pins caught or clogged with particles
• Soiled water (inadequate flushing of water strains

Secondary motive for low early weight acquire concern is low feed consumption:

• Conduct crop checks
• Consider feed situation, high quality and kind (crumble or micro pellet)
• Test feed availability – feeder house and entry

Managed feeding

Managed feeding is critical to forestall birds from exceeding the body weight normal. That is particularly necessary for females from 4 weeks of age to the tip of the rearing interval. Following the advisable body weight requirements through the first 4 weeks is necessary for body dimension and uniformity improvement for women and men.

Throughout the first month of progress the chick experiences fast improvement of organs that assist the wholesome maturation of the breeder hen. Organs embody these related to neurological, immune, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, pulmonary and skeletal programs. Forestall prolonged time durations under body weight normal which can compromise the conventional improvement of the organs and result in points later within the lifetime of the flock.

Over or underneath body weight requirements are detrimental to mature breeder efficiency. Managed feeding is due to this fact advisable instantly after placement. Advert-libitum feeding shouldn’t be advisable through the first week as a result of it’s tough to find out feed quantities that the flock consumed and might waste feed.

Stopping feed wastage within the litter is necessary in order that birds is not going to eat this feed at a later age and acquire weight unexpectedly. As a substitute, use particular quantities of feed with small incremental modifications every day through the first week as proven within the desk. By feeding a chosen quantity of feed every day, the body weight of the females and males ought to be heading in the right direction by 4 weeks of age.

• Feminine feed might be set at 29 g from day 8 to 14.
• Male feed might be set at 32 g from day 8 to 14.
• Each day feed allocation ought to be based mostly on expertise and managing weights to obtain Cobb normal body weight at 14 days.

Feeder house suggestions

Starting at placement, a progressive feed house plan can be utilized to configure the system for the right variety of birds per pan or chain size at completely different ages, and to get hold of good feed and hen distribution. Feeder house will increase ought to be gradual and based mostly on hen age and the quantity of feed wanted to cowl your entire feed observe. See tables on the continuing web page for feed house necessities based mostly on flock age and intercourse.

It’s typical for homes to have as much as 4 chain feeder loops, nonetheless, due to the quantity of feed being delivered in relation to hen age use the next suggestions. Distribute the each day feed allocation throughout 2 loops from 0 to five weeks of age. Lengthen the feeding observe to three loops from 5 to 11 weeks and all 4 loops from 12 to twenty weeks.

Feeder house calculations are based mostly upon the common size and width of a full grown feminine, 30 and 15 cm, respectively. Utilizing a series feeder for example, 1.5 meters will accommodate 10 birds on one facet of the feeder. With a pan or oval feeder, the widest a part of the hen is definitely 10 cm away from the feeder ((30 cm + (10 cm X 2) = 50 cm; see diagram under). Due to this fact, to find out the feeding house, calculate the circumference of the particular feeding circle utilizing the system 2πr = (2 X π X 25) = 157 cm.

For feeder house between strains, a minimal of 60 cm is required, which is the size of two birds tail to tail. Nevertheless, there is no such thing as a room for birds to cross between the feeders. Due to this fact, by inserting feeders 75 cm aside, one hen can cross and by inserting feeders 90 cm aside, two birds entering into reverse instructions can cross between the feed strains.

Cheap strategies for enhancing feed distribution

• Supplemental hoppers might be added to the system to extend factors of feed distribution.
• Further strains of feeders or loops within the chain system might be added.
• Situation the birds to affiliate feed a selected sign equivalent to sign lighting or the sound of the feeder. This course of will enable birds to unfold out with sufficient entry to the feeder. For instance, turning off the lights previous to and through feed distribution will prepare the birds to count on feeding after this sign. Coming into the home after distribution at midnight is not going to set off a number of motion of the birds and cut back stress.

Monitoring bodyweights and uniformity

Establishing flock uniformity requires the gathering of correct weight knowledge utilizing constant sampling strategies. The objective is to weigh sufficient birds to precisely signify common body weight of the flock. Birds ought to be individually weighed at placement and seven and 14 days. To expedite chick placement, chicks might be bulk weighed. If bulk weighing, use a platform digital scale with sufficient floor house to weigh a bunch of 5 to 10 chicks. Preserve group dimension constant to forestall miscounting the chicks. It is necessary that a minimum of 2 % of the flock be weighed so as to accurately estimate common body weight and calculate flock uniformity.

As soon as the flock reaches 3 weeks of age, it’s endorsed to extend the pattern dimension to three to five % of the inhabitants. Weigh birds from three completely different areas (entrance, center, again) of every home to make the pattern extra consultant of the flock.

To extend accuracy of the sampling, use a catching pen, don’t randomly choose up and weigh birds, and don’t power birds into the pen. Forcing birds into the pen or selectively catching birds and inserting them in a pen may end up in a non-representative flock pattern for weighing. As a substitute, the catch body ought to be positioned to permit the birds to freely enter the pen for a extra consultant pattern of the flock. Weigh each hen individually contained in the catch pen, together with small birds, and don’t reject any weights, apart from sexing errors. After every hen is weighed, launch the hen into the home. Proceed weighing till the pen is empty. File every weight and calculate the common weight in addition to the flock weight distribution. 

To learn or obtain the whole Cobb Breeder Administration Information or to view Cobb’s different administration guides, click on right here.