Lecture 15: Poultry 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What are the major poultry types for broiler chickens?

A

-Raised for meat (there are broiler turkeys but usually chickens)
-Heavy-boned, large body, and genetically selected for fast growth and high breathing meat yield
-Main breeds in CA: Ross and Cobb

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2
Q

What are the major poultry types for layer chickens?

A

-Produce table eggs
-Light weight and genetically selected for high egg production
-Main breeds in CA: Lohmann, ISA, Hyline, Shaver, Bovan, Dekalb

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3
Q

What are the major poultry types for turkey?

A

-Raised for meat
-Heavy-boned, large body, and genetically selected for high breast meat yield
-Main breed in CA: Broad Breasted White
-There are only 2 commercial strains in North America supplied by two primary breeding companies: Avian Turkeys in the US and Hybrid Turkeys in ON

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4
Q

What are major types of poultry breeders?

A

-Produce hatching (ie fertilized( eggs for the next generation of broilers, layer or turkey (parent stock)

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5
Q

What are minor types of poultry?

A

-Ducks and geese (Fairly large in CA for export)
-Ratites (ostriches, emus, rheas)
-Pigeons (‘squab’) ie young pigeon
-Game birds (quail, partridges, pheasants)

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6
Q

What are the basics relating to supply management?

A

-Government endorsed partnerships that regulates domestics production and imports of certain commodity groups, including chicken, turkey, eggs, broiler hatching eggs (and milk)
-Corresponding national marketing agency sets the quota based on domestic consumption of the product
-The quota is divided by province based on historical human populations
-Producer must purchase quota to have the right to market their product
-Cant legally raise poultry without quota (exceptions up to 50 turkeys, 99 layer chickens and 300 broiler chickens)
-Price of quota fluctuates depending on demand (but generally increases)
-Major financial investment for the producer

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7
Q

What are the 3 pillars of supply management?

A
  1. Production planning:
    -Supply of the product is kept steady by determining how much of the product to produce every quota period
  2. Import controls:
    -Predicting imports plays a critical role in determining how much of the profit the industry needs to produce to satisfy Canada’s needs (tariff rate quotas with effective over-quota tariffs to control imports of products)
  3. Producer pricing:
    -Farmers collectedly negotiate a fair price for their products based on what it costs to produce them (every source/feed of ingredient gets factored in)
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8
Q

What does supply management ensure?

A

-Supply of the commodity matches the demand for it
-Prices paid to farmers are steady overtime, cover their production costs (fair), and leave them with a predictable income
-Canadian consumers have access to a consistent supply of high quality, domestically-produced products at reasonable prices..all without government subsides

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9
Q

What is a brief overview of the poultry industry?

A

-Globally CA is a minor player with respect to poultry production, importing and exporting (exception: turkey genetics)
-Highest producing Provences: ON, Quebec, BC

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10
Q

What is the Canadian Hatching Egg industry?

A

-Part of Broiler Breeders
-240 broiler hatching egg farmers in 8 provinces
-Produced 757 million broiler hatching eggs to meet the needs of the CA chicken industry
-Industry consists of breeder growers and hatching egg producers
-Birds are moved from the breeder grower facility to the hatching egg facility ~ 20 weeks of age
-Average flock size is 10k - 15k birds
-Begin laying fertilized eggs at ~26 w (don’t collect eggs right away wait until 26w bc want to a minimum size of egg to control size of chick coming out ie want bigger so wait a little longer)
-Each hen will lay 150-160 fertilized eggs over the course of a laying cycle that is ~34-36 w (8months) in duration (taken out of proaction around 60-62w)
-Fertilized eggs are collected daily and inspected by famers before being shipped to hatcheries (if cracked/contaminated then taken out)

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11
Q

What is the broiler breeder flock?

A

-Hens and roosters are housed together at a ratio of ~10hens: 1 rooster
-Mating is natural
-Light duration and intensity
- <21w: short day length (8h); low intensity
- >21w: longer day length (11h) higher intensity (to stimulate laying/reproduction

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12
Q

What happens in the broiler hatchery?

A

-Hatching eggs can be stored for at least 7 days at 16-18C and 75% humidity (cool and humid) with the small end pointed down (air bubble)
-Proper storage conditions prevent the embryo from developing while preventing moisture loss

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13
Q

What is the total incubation time for broilers?

A

21d

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14
Q

What is the first stage of incubation for broiler and what happens?

A

-Setter -1st stage of incubation (1-18d)
-Hatching eggs are incubated at 38C and 58-60% relative humidity
-Eggs are turned every hour (mimics what would happen in nature, keeps embryo viable and not stuck against side)

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15
Q

What happens at day 18 for fertilized broiler eggs?

A

On day 18 of incubation, eggs are transferred from the setter to the hatcher
-In-ovo vaccination for Marek’s disease occurs at this time (candling will recognize if fertilized w/ embryo and take out ones that aren’t & vaccination start with spray of alcohol and needle come in supposed to go to embryonic fluid but muscle is okay)

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16
Q

What is the 2nd stage of broiler hatchery what happens and how long?

A

Hatcher - 2nd stage of incubation (days 18-21)
-Humidity is increased to at least 65%
-This helps the chick break out of the egg shell

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17
Q

What happens at day one for chicks (broiler hatchery)?

A

At day one of age, chicks are processed:
-Health check (always- look for open naval, malformations, swollen hocks)
-Sexed (sometimes but mostly go into barn together)
-Spray-vaccinated against infectious bronchitis virus +/- coccidiosis (carwash, music membrane similar outcome but mass immunization technique)
-Placed into a shipping box (102 chicks per box) and transported to a commercial farm

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18
Q

What is done to prepare the barn for chicks (broiler)?

A

Must:
-Remove manure and used litter (after every flock)
-Dry clean (blow down dust off fans, walls, feed lines)

Should not mandatory:
-Wet clean using water and detergent to remove organic material and decrease pathogen load (something with surfactant allows to disinfectant to work better)
-Disinfect barn surfaces and equipment to kill remaining pathogens (foam, spray, fog)
-Disinfect water lines (can be pathogen/mineral build up in water lines)

NOW CLEAN NOT STERILE BARN

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19
Q

After cleaning a broiler barn before chicks come what needs to be done after?

A

-Add clean bedding: wood shavings or straw (own straw cut)
-Lower the feed and water lines IMPORTANT
-Pre-heat the barn to 32-33C IMPORTANT (Cant thermoregulate first 10d of live so important usually have heat lamps)
Should provide:
-Place chick paper, and supplemental feeders and waterers
-Turn on heat lamps

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20
Q

What happens when the chicks first arrive on a broiler farm with a clean barn?

A

-Day old chicks arrive at a commercial farm from the hatchery in temperature-controlled trucks
-To ensure chicks find feed and water: place chicks on the floor in strategy positions (by feeding lines on paper bc early access feed important for GI development) and providing 23 h of light for the first 1-3d (to find feed/water)

21
Q

What are requirements for optimal growth and quality in broiler chickens?

A

Health
-growth rate, feed conversion and overall performance

Feed
-Increase protein, decrease energy, then shift as get older, AA important as well balanced

Air (ventilation)
-Respiratory health

Light

Temperature and humidity
-Body temp 35C so anything high or low will impact
-Dry= dust. wet= Co2 and ammonia
-Linked to ventilation and litter

Water supply
-Accessible, palatable

Stocking density
-Overcrowding lead to disease issues (Code of practice will tell)

Litter

*Litter, temp/humidity and air/ventilation all relate

22
Q

What are the major markets for broiler production chain?

A

-Broilers are marketed at 28-50d
-Cornish game hen
-Fryer
-Broiler
-Roaster

23
Q

What are layer breeder flocks?

A

-Egg industry also has breeder flocks
-Hens and roosters are housed together
-Mating is natural
-Hatching eggs are sent to the hatchery

24
Q

What happens at the layer hatchery?

A

Day 1 of age: chicks are processed
-Health check (always)
-Sexed (always, only F have value male chicks are humanly euth)
-Beak-trimmed (prevent damage from FP)
-Vaccinated against Marek’s infectious bronchitis virus +/- coccidiosis
-Placed into a shopping box and transported to a rearing (pullet) farm

25
Q

What happens at the pullet flocks?

A

-1 d old pullets are transferred from the hatchery to a rearing facility
-The type of housing they are reared in should be the same as the production facility they will be transferred to upon maturity (so able to jump/ walk if need to)

26
Q

What is the goal of the pullet grower? What are the key factors?

A

Goal: grow a uniform flock of healthy pullets capable of achieving their genetic potential in the layer barn

Key management factors:
-Achieve target weight for age (size eggs depend on wright going into laying so they are weighted every week)
-maintain flock uniformity (easier for producer to manage feed intake if all same weight)
-Consistent environmental temp, and air quality
-Minimize feed wastage
-Ensure good health management and vaccination programs
-Provide proper light stimulation

27
Q

What kind of diet do chicks of pullet flocks get? How strong is the vaccination program?

A

-Chicks are started on high protein feed, which is gradually stepped down
-Pre-lay diet ~2w before lay must have adequate Ca to ensure the birds have good Ca stores in their bones for shell productions
-Pullets have an intense vaccination program to ensure they have adequate immunity against a number of pathogens before they go into production

28
Q

What is so important about the photoperiod for pullet flocks?

A

-Birds are receptive to photoperiod and reproductive tract development accelerates in response to increasing day length
-Day length is strictly controlled during rearing (day length influences release of hormones from the pituitary gland in the brain that controls the development and maturity of the ovary)
-A few w before entering the laying barn the lightning duration is incrementally increased, if the pullets have reached their target weight (lighting up flock to synchronize flock)

29
Q

How old are pullets when they are transferred to the production barn?

A

-19 weeks of age

30
Q

What is the most common type of housing for layer flocks today?

A

Conventional cages
-4-8 tiers high
-7-9birds/cage
-manure belts (separate birds from feces, lower coccidiosis and prevents parasites

-Easiest in terms of management
-in 2021 57% of production was conventional housing (goal to have phased out by 2036

31
Q

What is the second most common type of housing for layer flocks?

A

Enriched colony housing
-4 tiers high
-30-80 birds/cage
-Manure belts
-Have features to express natural behaviour such as nesting box, perch, and scratch areas

-2021 27% of proaction was enriched colony housing

32
Q

What is the 3rd type of housing for layer flocks?

A

Non-cages (free-run, aviaries, free-range)
-Free-run barn is similar to a breeder barn
-Aviaries may/may not have manure belts

-Free-range: access to outdoors weather dependant
-Multi-tieared (aviaries)

33
Q

What happens upon arrival at the production facility for layer flocks?

A

-lighting is gradually increased to 14-16 hours/day
-It takes ~24 hours to form an egg
-Rate of lay is ~320-340 eggs/hen/year (broiler was 150-160)
-Ca and Vit D supplementation is critical to repent cage layer fatigue (osteopenia) also broiler who producing eggs
-Laying hens are in production for ~12 months (average age at end of production is 17 months)
-Layer production facilities are highly automatic and efficient

34
Q

How are eggs collected and managed at the layer barn?

A

-Collected and cooled slowly, stored (10-13C) and ship twice weekly to the grading station

35
Q

What are the major markets for layer production?

A

Table market
-70% are sold in the shell
-Table market eggs are shell eggs
-They are used at home, and in restaurants and some bakeries

Industrial product market
-30% are sold as liquid/processed or powdered eggs
-Industrial production eggs are processed into variety of forms, pasteurized frozen, refrigerated liquid, dried eggs, pickled, hard cooked, special blends, and extracts

36
Q

TRUE OR FALSE: Canada is a major exporter of turkey genetics?

A

TRUE
-Fertilized eggs are shipped

37
Q

Whats some general info about the turkey breeder flocks?

A

-Turkey industry also has breeder flocks
-Hens and toms are housed separately
-Breeding is by AI (bc selection too big)
-Hatching eggs are sent to the hatchery

38
Q

How long are fertilized turkey eggs incubated for at the hatchery?

A

-Incubation: 28d (21 for chickens) so 25d in setter and 3d in hatcher

39
Q

What happens right at day 1 when the poults are born?

A

Processed (similar to pullets)
-Health check
-Sexed (always) go to different production facilities marketed older so size difference is way larger
-Beak trimmed, toe-trimmed, de-snooted (grade A perfect birds so no scratches so toe-trimmed)
-Spray vaccinated against coccidiosis (sometimes)

-Placed into shipping box and transported to commercial farm

40
Q

What happens at the commercial turkey flocks for brooding?

A

-1st 5-6w
-Closed floor barn
-Bedding: wood shavings
-Brooder rings
-Supplemental heat
-Supplemental feed/water (1st w)
-Prevent piling

41
Q

What is the growth cycle for Turkey flocks? Where are they housed?

A

-Growing cycle: until 11-17w
-Single level, closed or open-sided (curtained) floor barns (often not the same barn used for brooding)
-Bedding: straw or wood shavings, litter Is often re-used
(in brooder the litter is changed bc they have a lower immune system where as grower the litter is kept bc they have a higher immune system)

42
Q

What are the major markets for the turkey production chain?

A

-Turkeys are marketed at 10-17w
-Broilers: up to 6.2kg (avg: 5.4)
-Hens: 6.2-10.8kg (avg: 7.7) typically grown for the whole bird market
-Toms: 10.8kg and up (avg: 14.9) further processed market through some are sold as whole birds

*TOMS: 1kg per week of age ie 18kg= 18w

43
Q

What is the infection cycle?

A

-Shed in droppings, dander, aerosols
-Direct: transmission through shared environmental feed, water
-Indirect (mechanical): transmission through contaminated equipment, closing, vehicles insects and wild life, formats

44
Q

TRUE OR FALSE: disease spread is not exponential.

A

FALSE
easy one

45
Q

What are the 3 general principle for biosecurity?

A

biosecurity manages disease risk through:
1. On farm disease control
2. Preventing pathogens from entering the farm
3. Stopping pathogens from spreading within and between barns

46
Q

What does on-farm disease control include?

A

-Prevention
-Early detection
-Treatment of identified diseases

47
Q

What are the biosecurity access control zones/points?

A

Controlled Access zone (CAZ)
-Area of land constituting poultry production area (restricted area)
-Has securable controlled access point

Restricted Access Zones (RA)
-An area inside the CAZ
-More restricted than the CAZ

Controlled Access Point (CAP)
-Visually defined entry points through which all traffic enter the CAZ and/or RAZ

48
Q

What is the goal of access control?

A

Goal of access management: to reduce and control traffic onto and within the farm
Somethings can do: change foot wear, have specific people entering only certain barns, young to older birds.