BROODING MANAGEMENTTHE CRITICAL PERIODPresent by : JIRAWAT SEETHAOTechnical ServiceCharoen Phokphan Food Public Company Limited

The objective of proper brooding is to develop appetite as early as possible.

Back To The BasicHouses Preparation and Biosecurity.Chick Quality and Transportation.Feed Quality and Feeding.Water Quality and Drinker.Management and Knowledge.

THE FIRST 48 HOURS:MaximizeImmunityPerformanceLivabilityTo achieve all of them come from yolk and feed consumption.

THE FIRST 48 HOURS:ProperTemperatureHumidity Feeding programs water management Air qualityare also essential components of brooding to avoid stress.

THE FIRST 48 HOURS:It is essential to assess and correct early management problems to achieve full genetic performance potential and maximum immunity.

Building PerformanceProper management during the first 48 to 72 hours of a broiler chicks life is critical to:maximize immunity, performance and livability.

Building Performance Chickens yield breeds in particular are still developing The immune system,The thyroid gland and Intestinal tract

Building PerformanceThe thyroid gland is responsible for producing thyroxine (and ultimately, T3), a hormone involved in :protein synthesis growth development of the skeleton development of the nervous systems tolerance of stress.

Building Performance The intestinal tract is where feed conversion begins.

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Supply vs Demand Organs

% Growth of the Supply Organs versus Demand Organs (based on dry weight) (Katanbaf -Avian)

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Supply Organs versus Demand Organs (%)

Percentage Growth of Supply versus Demand Organs on a Day - Weight Basis

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Supply Organs

Building PerformanceThey help form the basis of performance that reaches the genetic potential.It is essential to protect the development of these organs through stress-free early management.

Building PerformanceDamage to these systems will irreversibly affect growth and feed conversion for the life of the flock.

Building PerformanceAvoiding stress through proper management is critical because stress induces the release of immunosuppressing hormones called corticosteroids. It can also encourage the growth of unwanted pathogens such as salmonella or campylobacter.

Building PerformanceStress can turn very minor infections into life and performance-threatening infections.

Environmental Factors to ConsiderWhen Brooding Chicks

Thermoneutral Zone The thermoneutral zone is the place where the temperature humidity Ventilation interact to produce a chick that is neither heat nor cold-stressed.

All 3 components are significant

TemperatureAmbient Temperature (Air Temperature)Effective Temperature (Chick Feel)

TemperatureMaintain the correct temperature. This factor is crucial in chick brooding, especially during the first seven to ten days of the chick's life.

TemperatureEarly in life, the chick is poorly equipped to regulate its metabolic processes to raise or lower body temperature. Chilling or overheating during this crucial period can be disastrous.

TemperatureDeath is often the result of temperature extremes, but chilling or overheating can damage young chicks without causing death.

Temperature and Chick Physiology Temperatures of 35 C or higher cause a highly significant drop in cardiac output and blood pressure.

Temperature and Chick Physiology

Table 1. Average body temperature as influenced by age.

Temperature and Chick PhysiologyMaintain proper temperature levels and use good husbandry practices to prevent long-term effects such as:low growth rate. reduced uniformity. poor feed conversion.

Usually measure at chick height, one foot from edge of hover** Usually measure at chick heightRecommended Brooding Temperatures by House Type and AgeTable 2

BROODER MANAGEMENTCheck point one foot from edge

TemperatureIf a house is too cold, a chick's body temperature will decrease, which can stunt its growth and/or make it more susceptible to disease.

TemperatureIf the house is too hot, the chick's body temperature will rise, which can lead to dehydration problems.

TemperatureAvoidance of temperature stress, either hot or cold, is key to proper development of the thyroid and gastro-intestinal tract of the young bird.

TemperatureThe actual environmental temperature is the single greatest determinant of chick temperature, But it is influenced by both humidity and airflow.

HumidityHumidity is the heat transfer agent. Sufficient humidity must be present to transfer heat to cold chicks or away from warm chicks.Chickens lose heat to the environment by evaporation of moisture primarily from the respiratory tract.

HumidityHigh RH increases the apparent temperature at a particular dry bulb temperature, Whereas, low RH decreases apparent temperature.

HumidityHigh temperatures have a more adverse effect when the relative humidity is 65 percent or higher. House is near 60 percent relative humidity, the combination of high temperature and humidity can cause serious problems.

HumidityHigh humidity at the wrong temperature may increase the speed at which heat is lost from chicks in a cold environment may cause rapid overheating in a hot environment.

HumidityThe level of humidity appears to be critical for poultry. Results show that increased relative humidity results in depressed feed consumption.

Table 3 : Feed Consumtion

Relative Humidity (%)Dry-Bulb Temperatures374956677382Feed Consumed (grams)32.2C441427.2C565022.2C6147

Interaction Between Temperature and Relative Humidity

Effective Temperature

Relative Humidityrecommended : first three weeks = 60 % to 70 % next four weeks = 40% to 60%

The Effect of Brooding Temperature and Relative Humidity on Performance of Broiler Chicken at 1 st. Wk. of AgeKheang Khoi Research Farm : CPF Thailand

The Effect of Brooding Temperature and Relative Humidity on Performance of Broiler Chicken at 3 rd Wk. of AgeKheang Khoi Research Farm : CPF Thailand

Recommend Brooding Temperature (Ross2003)OKToo Low

Optimum TemperatureRelative Humidity 60%MaximumMinimumAverage

VENTILATION

VENTILATIONAir quality is critical during the brooding period. Ventilation is required during the brooding period to maintain temperatures at the targeted level and to allow sufficient air exchange to prevent the accumulation of harmful gases such as: carbon monoxide. carbon dioxide. ammonia.

VENTILATIONGases such as carbon dioxide and ammonia (in water vapor) are heavier than oxygen. If they are present in the house, they will tend to sink to floor level, displacing oxygen.

CO2 + NH3O2

VENTILATION The result can be the dual problem of ammonia blindness due to ammonia concentration at the floor, and ascites due to low oxygen at floor level!.

Lack of Oxygen (High Co2 )

VENTILATIONEstablishing minimum ventilation rates from one day of age will ensure fresh air is supplied to chicks at frequent, regular intervals. Stirring fans can be used to maintain evenness of air quality at chick level.

AirflowAirflow impacts the temperature of the chick through wind chill. It is also needed to distribute temperature uniformly throughout the environment.

AirflowSignificant airflow is necessary in stacked chicks to remove excess heat. Too much airflow may chill chicks after placement in the houses.

Air velocity and Cooling EffectMichael Garden: Aviagen 2005

Estimate wind chill effect broiler chick

Chick Felt at Air Temperature 32C

The Effective Temperature of Different Age of Bird

The Effective Temperature of Each Air Velocity and Relative HumidityMature bird

Minimum Ventilation RateThe most practical way to calculate the air-flow is by the rule of thumb; provide 0.22 cubic feet of air-flow per minute per kilogram of body weight of the chickens in the house for each 1 F of temperature of outside air (Table 2). Key Factors for Poultry House Ventilation Larry Vest, Extension Poultry Scientist & Bobby L. Tyson, Extension Engineer

Table2 :Suggested Air Flow

How to Calculate CFM

estimate wind chill effect broiler chick

Chick Felt at Air Temperature 32C

Chick Felt at Night Time (22C)Air Velocity can Chill The Bird and induce to infect by diseases.

WATER AND FEED

WATER AND FEEDPrior to chick delivery, a final check must be made of feed and water availability and distribution within the house.

Feed Feed must be within the comfort zone of the chicks. Proper physical composition (good crumbles, not pellets or mash) will encourage uniform distribution of nutrients and efficient consumption by the chicks. Proper nutritional composition will give the chicks a good start.

Water Water must be easily available to the chick, and it must reside within the chicks comfort zone. Nipple drinker height is important to adjust according to the actual size of the chick delivered. Pressure must be low enough to allow easy access to water for a small chick, while not wetting the floor.

WaterWater Temperature =18-24C

Water 360o nipples are easier for chicks of all sizes to trigger than nipples that must be pushed straight up. Check nipples by depressing them lightly from the side, to see how easy it is to access water. Older drinkers may become less responsive to the light pressure a small chick might apply.

MONITORING EARLY CHICK PERFORMANCE

Overheating in the holding area or during transportCareful troubleshooting by taking rectal temperatures is needed to discover and correct overheating problems in the holding area or during chick transport to the farm.

Overheating in the holding area or during transportThe air temperature within the basket of chicks will be higher than the surrounding air temperature. One hundred 40-gram chicks at 32.2C will produce 165 Btus per hour. If the air circulation stops, the temperature within the basket will rise 0.75C per minute resulting in an ambient temperature around the chicks of 40C in about 10 minutes.

How do I know when my chicks are in the zone?The only way to know for certain is to take rectal temperatures of chicks throughout the house (at least 3 locations).

Comfortable: Rectal temperatures are solidly at 40-40.8oC. At the farm, the chicks will spread out, eating and drinking. The chicks have warm feet.

Hot: Rectal temperature is over 41.1oC. The chick is panting. In the houses, a chirping distress sound may occasionally be heard. Chicks may move away from the heat source and line up along the wall.

Hot:At the hatchery or during transport, the chicks cannot move out of their uncomfortable environment - panting is their only option.

Cold: Rectal temperature less than 40oC. The chicks will be less active. At the house, the cold chicks may huddle or bunch around the heat source or in feed lids. The low temperature chick has cold feet.

Struggling Rectal temperature just at 40oC. The chick has cold feet.These chicks may be more difficult to pick out of the group without actually taking temperatures. Struggling chicks are diverting energy that should be used for growth and development to temperature maintenance.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of broodingChicks do not have the ability to control their body temperature completely until they are 2 weeks old. They are reacting as a cold-blooded animal during the first few days. Floor temperature and insulation will be more important to chicks during this time than the air temperature.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of broodingFloor temperature in the area of the feed and water should be 32-33C at placement.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of brooding Smaller chicks from young flock sources have more trouble controlling body temperature than larger chicks: They will be the easiest to chill. Floor temperature is more critical to these chicks, and warm temperatures must be held longer to achieve maximum survival and performance.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of broodingInsulation from the cold and condensation inherent with concrete flooring is also essential. At least 5 to 7 cm of fluffy dry litter material is needed.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of brooding Students at the University of Georgia6 submitted chicks to 12.8C for 45 minutes. At 35 days of age, the liveweight of the cold-stressed chicks was 0.11 kg less than the normally brooded controls.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of brooding Increased metabolism required to meet the demand for heat production in a chilled chick requires increased oxygen. The heart works harder to meet this need, predisposing the chick to ascites later on.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of broodingLitter with a tendency to mat and hold moisture at the surface should be avoided. Thin floor coverage may be adequate for summer brooding, but doesnt provide enough protection from cold concrete and moisture in the cooler seasons.

Key PointLitter temperature is critical Not air temperature.

Over Heating in the first 12-48 hours of brooding Ernst et. al.4 found that heat stress at 40C (environmental temperature) for one hour significantly reduced growth rate to 16 days. The weight difference persisted with no compensatory gain!

Over Heating in the first 12-48 hours of brooding Van der Hel et. al.5 examined feed intake at environmental temperatures over 35-36C, especially during the first 48 hours. He note that exposure to temperatures above this is critical temperature resulted in decreased feed intake during the following 14 days, as well as increased mortality.

Chilling in the first 12-48 hours of brooding Cold stress negatively impacts all chicks, young flock sources suffer the greatest impact, most noticeably reflected as dehydration or starve-out losses.

Remedial Measures?Studies have shown that some of the damage caused by early stress is irreversible: A percentage of the genetic potential will be permanently lost. Measures can be taken to minimize the impact of short-term management lapses and the subsequent performance loss:

Different weight curves depending on body weight at 7 days of age (1996).

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Age in Weeks

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Culling Avoid culling before day 7, especially in flocks composed of chicks from young breeders, mixed breeder sources or split placements. Give chicks an opportunity to start.

Culling By day 7, however, poor chicks should be obvious. These struggling chicks will serve as an infection source and a drain on feed and floor space. No amount of medication will fix this chicks. Cull them from the flock.

Walk the chicks! When chicks are congregating in feed lids, along walls or in corners, frequent walking will force the birds to move out. This allows the chicks in the center to access feed and water, and may prevent sweating due to condensation in the groups.

Walk the chicks! Attempt to correct the temperature, humidity or air movement issues that are causing the bunching in the first place, but try to manually keep the chicks spread out in the meantime.

Be alert to flock differences! The identical environment may produce 40C rectal temperatures in chicks from older flocks but only 38.3-38.9C rectal temperatures in chicks from younger flocks. Dont assume that the birds will always respond to management the same way!.

Be alert to flock differences!All of these measures may be helpful to the borderline chick. The unstressed chick does not need them, and the severely stressed chick will probably be irreversibly damaged, and ultimately culled.

Vitamins? Electrolytes? Antibiotics?The use of vitamins, electrolytes or antibiotics will not be deemed cost-effective by a large integrated operation. On a house-by-house basis, however, logical use may improve the performance of the struggling chicks.

Take time to Assess and Correct the Problem!The first 48 hours go by quickly. It is easy to let the problems go, especially since the rectal temperatures of most birds will be 40-41.8C after 48 hours anyway.

Take time to Assess and Correct the Problem! Do not let it slip by! Failure to properly assess and correct problems flock after flock lets the genetic performance potential of every flock slip through your fingers!

Take time to Assess and Correct the Problem!Check rectal temperatures of chicks in hatchers, holding areas and during delivery to make adjustments in airflow where possible to correct problems.Check rectal temperatures of chicks in the barn after placement.

Take time to Assess and Correct the Problem!Make corrections in early management for the current flock, or adjust management for future flocks as needed. Be sure to walk chicks to keep them spread out, eating and drinking, until the corrections take effect.

Take time to Assess and Correct the Problem! Observe feeding and drinking behavior. Note any repeated incidence of the indicators of poor air quality: ascites and ammonia blindness. Correct early air quality issues with improved ventilation and temperature control.

Take time to Assess and Correct the Problem! Do not rely on remedial measures once damage is already done! Some of the lost performance is irretrievable!

Conclusion Before chicks arrive, inspect the house closely to ensure proper setup. After a poor start, there is little time to compensate for the lost growth as a chick's life is only approximately 1000 hours.

Conclusion Thus, every hour represents 0.10% of the chick's life. In a 24-hour period, 2.4% performance can be lost. Many producers recognize that performance lost the first day or first week will be reflected in final performance results.

Take Time For a Good Start

THANK YOU

References1. Hill, D, 2001. The crucial first 48 hours in the life of a chick. Proceedings of Virginia Poultry Health and Management Seminar, Roanoke, Virginia, 2001.2. Hulet, R. M. and R. Meijerhof, 2001. Multi- or single-stage incubation for high-meat yielding broiler strains. Proceedings of Southern Poultry Science and Southern Conference of Avian Diseases, Page 35.3. Savage, S. The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Broiler Tip, March, 1991.4. Ernst, R. A., W. W. Weathers, and Jean Smith. 1984. Effect of heat stress on day-old broiler chicks. Poultry Sci. 63:1719-1721.5. van der Hel, W., M.W.A. Verstegen, L. Pijls, and M. van Kampen, 1992. Effect of two-day temperature exposure of neonatal broiler chicks on growth performance and body composition during two weeks at normal conditions. Poultry Sci. 71:2014-2021.6. Lacy, M. P., The University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service Broiler Tip, January, 1994.