Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Parent Stock Handbook 2018 2018 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Preface This Handbook The purpose of this Handbook is to help Aviagen® customers to optimize the performance from their parent stock. It is not intended to provide definitive information on every aspect of parent stock management, but to draw attention to important issues, which if overlooked or inadequately addressed, may depress flock performance. The management techniques contained within this Handbook have the objectives of maintaining flock health and welfare, and achieving good flock performance. Introduction Aviagen produces a range of genotypes suitable for different sectors of the broiler market. All Aviagen products are selected for a balanced range of parent stock and broiler characteristics. This variety allows our customers to choose the product that best meets the needs of their particular operation. As parent stock, all Arbor Acres® genotypes are selected to produce the maximum number of vigorous day- old chicks by combining high egg numbers with good hatchability, fertility and welfare. This combination is achieved by mating together male lines that are bred in a balanced way with emphasis on fast growth, feed efficiency, and high meat yield, with females that are selected for the same health, welfare and broiler characteristics, and to lay high numbers of eggs. This Handbook summarizes best practice parent stock management for all Arbor Acres parent stock, taking into account the ongoing selection for improved broiler traits. Additional management advice for specific Arbor Acres products can be found on the Aviagen website. Performance The most common management strategy worldwide is for birds to receive first light stimulation after 21 weeks (147 days) of age and achieve 5% production at 25 weeks of age, as this gives distinct advantages in early egg size, chick numbers and broiler chick quality. However, poultry production is a global activity and across the world, differing management strategies may need to be adapted for local conditions. The information presented is a combination of data derived from internal research trials, published scientific knowledge, and the expertise, practical skills and experience of the Aviagen Technical Transfer and Technical Service teams. However, the guidance within this Handbook cannot wholly protect against performance variations that may occur for a wide variety of reasons. Aviagen therefore accepts no ultimate liability for the consequences of using this information to manage parent stock. Customer Services For further information, please contact your local Arbor Acres representative or visit the website at www.aviagen.com. 2018 2 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Using this Handbook Finding a Topic Blue tabs appear on the right-hand side of the Handbook. These tabs allow readers immediate access to those sections and topics in which they are particularly interested. The Table of Contents gives the title and page number of each section and subsection. An alphabetical Keyword Index is given at the end of the Handbook. Key Points and Useful Information Look for this symbol to find Key Points that emphasize important aspects of husbandry and critical procedures. Useful Information Look for this symbol to find suggestions for further Useful Information on specific topics in this Handbook. These documents can be found in the Resource Center of the Aviagen website unless otherwise stated. Supplements to this Handbook Supplements to this handbook contain performance objectives that can be achieved with good management, as well as nutritional, environmental and health control. Nutrition specifications are also available. All management information can be found online at www.aviagen.com, by contacting your local Arbor Acres representative, or by emailing [email protected]. 2018 3 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Contents Key Management Timetable........................................................................................7 Stockmanship ...............................................................................................................11 Section 1: Rearing (0-105 Days/0-15 Weeks) ............................................................15 Management Requirements for Males and Females During Rear ...........................................15 Chick Management ................................................................................................................................................17 Equipment and Facilities ......................................................................................................................................33 Best Practice in the Absence of Beak Treatment............................................................................................40 Grading to Manage Uniformity ........................................................................................................42 General Procedures for Grading...........................................................................................................................43 Flock Management After Grading (Post 28 Days).........................................................................................47 Section 2: Management into Lay (15 Weeks to Peak Production).......................53 From 105 Days (15 Weeks) to Light Stimulation ............................................................................53 Management Considerations .............................................................................................................................53 Management of Females Post Light Stimulation Until 5% Production ..................................66 Management Considerations .............................................................................................................................66 Floor Eggs ................................................................................................................................................................67 Nest Box Set-up......................................................................................................................................................68 Management of Females from 5% Hen-day Production Until Peak Egg Production ............70 Management Considerations...............................................................................................................................70 Feed Clean-up Trends.............................................................................................................................................71 Egg Weight and Feed Control...............................................................................................................................72 Management of Males Post Light Stimulation Until Peak Egg Production..............................75 Feeding Considerations.........................................................................................................................................75 Mating Ratio ..............................................................................................................................................................76 Over-mating ..............................................................................................................................................................77 Section 3: Management in Lay (Peak to Depletion) ...............................................79 Management of Females After Peak Production Through to Depletion .................................79 Factors for Post-peak Management .................................................................................................................79 Procedures ................................................................................................................................................................80 General Guidelines for Post-Peak Feed Reductions Based on Target Performance Characteristics...........................................................................................................................................................81 Monitoring Post-peak Feed Reduction..............................................................................................................86 Post-peak Feed Reductions and Environmental Temperature ...............................................................88 Management of Males After Peak Production Through to Depletion......................................89 Procedures ................................................................................................................................................................89 2018 4 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Section 4: Monitoring Broiler Breeder Growth......................................................91 Monitoring Broiler Breeder Growth ..............................................................................................91 Body-weight Weighing Methods ......................................................................................................................91 Methodology for Sample Weighing .................................................................................................................93 Section 5: Assessment of Bird Physical Condition ................................................99 Assessment of Bird Physical Condition ...........................................................................................99 Assessing Bird Condition .....................................................................................................................................99 Assessment of Male Condition..........................................................................................................................100 Assessment of Female Condition ...................................................................................................................109 Section 6: Care of Hatching Eggs on Farm ............................................................113 Care of Hatching Eggs ......................................................................................................................113 Why do Hatching Eggs Need Care? ................................................................................................................113 The Egg’s Protection System .............................................................................................................................114 Best Practice for Care of Hatching Eggs ........................................................................................................116 Section 7: Environmental Requirements ..............................................................123 Housing .............................................................................................................................................123 Farm Location and Design ................................................................................................................................123 House Design ........................................................................................................................................................125 Ventilation ..........................................................................................................................................128 Air................................................................................................................................................................................128 Housing and Ventliation Systems....................................................................................................................129 Minimum Ventilation ..........................................................................................................................................132 Transitional Ventilation .....................................................................................................................................140 Tunnel Ventilation ................................................................................................................................................141 Evaporative Cooling Systems ..........................................................................................................................144 Light Baffles ..........................................................................................................................................................148 Lighting .............................................................................................................................................149 Lighting During Brooding .................................................................................................................................149 Lighting Programs and Housing Type...........................................................................................................150 Wavelength (Light Color) and Lamp Type....................................................................................................160 2018 5 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Section 8: Nutrition .............................................................................................161 Nutrition .....................................................................................................................................161 Broiler Breeder Nutrition ..................................................................................................................................161 Supply of Nutrients ............................................................................................................................................161 Feeding Programs and Diet Specifications ................................................................................................165 Feed Manufacturing .........................................................................................................................................168 Water .......................................................................................................................................................................170 Section 9: Health and Biosecurity .........................................................................171 Health and Biosecurity ..................................................................................................................171 The Relationship Between Management, Disease Expression and Bird Welfare...........................171 Hygiene Management ......................................................................................................................................172 Water Quality .......................................................................................................................................................178 Dead Bird Disposal .............................................................................................................................................181 Health Management ..........................................................................................................................................182 Health Monitoring Programs ..........................................................................................................................186 Appendices ...............................................................................................................189 Appendix 1 - Records ........................................................................................................................................189 Appendix 2 - Useful Management Information .......................................................................................191 Appendix 3 - Conversion Tables ....................................................................................................................193 Appendix 4 - Grading Calculations ...............................................................................................................196 Appendix 5 - Dew Point or Condensation Table ......................................................................................201 Appendix 6 - Calcuations for Ventilation Rates .......................................................................................202 Appendix 7 - Troubleshooting - Vitamin Deficiency ............................................................................206 Appendix 9 - Nutrient Composition of Some Commonly Used Feed Ingredients.......................207 Keyword Index .........................................................................................................208 2018 6 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Key Management Timetable The critical age objectives for parent stock are summarized in the table below. Age (days) Action All housing and equipment should be cleaned and disinfected and effectiveness of biosecurity operations verified prior to chick placement. Preheat the house. Temperature and relative humidity (RH) should be stabilized for at least 24 hours, prior to the chicks being delivered. House set-up should be completed prior to chick arrival. Litter should be evenly spread on the floor, that has been preheated to a temperature of 28- Before chick delivery 30°C (82-86°F). Litter temperature should also be 28-30°C (82-86°F). Drinkers and feeders must be in place and should be filled immediately prior to placement so chicks have immediate access to feed and water. Ensure good biosecurity. Pathogens can survive in the surrounding environment even before the chicks have been placed. Biosecurity before chick delivery is equally, if not more, important than biosecurity after chick arrival. Achieve optimum environmental temperature, which is critical for stimulating both appetite and activity. Establish a minimum ventilation rate, which will ensure that fresh air is supplied to the chicks, help to maintain temperature and relative humidity On chick arrival (RH), and allow sufficient air exchange to prevent the accumulation of harmful gases. Monitor chick behavior to ensure that temperature is satisfactory. Bulk weigh a sample of chicks. Develop appetite from good brooding practice. Ensure adequate drinker and feeder space, provide good quality feed and maintain optimum temperatures. Provide 23 hours of light and 1 hour of dark for the first 2 days after placement. 0-7 Light intensity must be uniformly distributed throughout the brooding area. A light intensity of 80-100 lux (7-9 fc) must be provided in the brooding area to promote feed and water intake. Use crop fill assessment as an indication of appetite development. Monitor bird behavior and adjust house environment as necessary. 2018 7 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Age (days) Action Achieve target body weights. Obtain body-weight sample. A bulk weighing of birds is required at 7 and 14 days of age. A minimum of 2% or 50 birds (whichever is larger) should be weighed from each population. Where possible, provide a constant (8 hour) daylength by 10 days of age. In open-sided houses, daylength will depend on the placement date and the 7-14 natural daylength patterns. Increasing the number of birds weighed or the frequency of weighing (to 2-3 times a week) during the first 2-3 weeks after placement will be beneficial. If 14-day (2-week) body weights for previous flocks have regularly been below target, a longer daylength can be provided until 21 days (3 weeks) of age to help stimulate feed intake and improve body-weight gain. Start recording individual body weights between 14 and 21 days (2 and 14-21 3 weeks) of age. This information is required to calculate body-weight uniformity (CV%). Grade males and females at 28 days (4 weeks). 28 After grading, revise body-weight profiles to ensure that birds achieve target body weights by 63 days (9 weeks). Ensure adequate feeder space and feed distribution is achieved. Monitor and record body weight weekly. If necessary, adjust daily feed allocation for the male and female 28-63 populations to achieve any revised body-weight targets and maintain uniformity. The main focus during this period is to achieve good skeletal uniformity and correctly control the growth within each graded population. Re-examine graded population weights in relation to the body-weight target. Combine populations that are of similar weight and feed intake. If populations are not following the target profile, a new target body- weight line should be drawn. 63 For populations that are over the target weight a new target line should be drawn so that the birds are brought back to target at 105 days (15 weeks). Populations that are under the target should gradually be brought back to target by 105 days (15 weeks). 2018 8 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Age (days) Action Ensure correct feeding space and feed distribution is achieved. Monitor and record body weight weekly. If necessary, adjust daily feed amounts for the male and female populations 63-105 to achieve the target or any revised body-weight targets, and maintain uniformity. The main focus during this period is to correctly control the growth within each graded population. Re-examine body weights in relation to target. Underweight birds need to be brought back to target by 147 days (21 weeks). 105 For populations that are over the target weight, a new target line should be drawn parallel to the target. Remove any sexing errors as they are identified. Movement of birds between populations should stop. Ensure correct feeding space and feed distribution is achieved. Achieve correct weekly body-weight gains by ensuring the appropriate feed amounts are given, particularly from 105 days (15 weeks) onwards. 105-161 All populations should achieve similar body weight by light stimulation. Significant variation in body weight between populations at this age will lead to production problems in lay. Monitor and record body weight weekly. Age (days) Action Remove remaining sexing errors. 126-147 Begin assessment of pin bone spacing. Calculate and record the uniformity (CV%) and evaluate the sexual maturity of the flock to determine the lighting program. If the flock is even (CV less than or equal to 10%), follow the normal 140 recommended lighting program. If the flock is uneven (CV greater than 10%), light stimulation should be delayed by 7-14 days (1-2 weeks). First light increase given (not before 147 days/21 weeks of age). 147-161 Monitor and record body weight weekly. 2018 9 Arbor Acres Parent Stock Handbook Age (days) Action Mating-up: the exact time will depend on the relative maturity of both males and females. Immature males should never be mated with mature females. 147-168 If males are more mature than females, they should be introduced gradually. Monitor and record body weight weekly. 168-175 Introduce the breeder feed from 5% hen-day production at the latest. From first egg, increase feed amounts according to the rate of daily egg production, daily egg weight and body weight. 161-196 Monitor and record body weight weekly. Manage males by observing bird condition. 210-depletion Remove non-working males to maintain appropriate mating ratios. Monitor and record body weight. Female post-peak feed reduction should be started approximately 35 days (5 weeks) after peak production is achieved, which is generally at 252 days (36 weeks) of age. 245-depletion Feed intake should be reviewed weekly and any reductions in feed should be based on feed clean-up time, egg production, daily egg weight, egg mass and body weight. BIRD HANDLING It is important that all birds are handled in a calm and correct way at all times. All people handling birds should be experienced and appropriately trained so that they can handle the birds with the care that is appropriate for the purpose, age and sex of the bird. 2018 10