MY REARING OF BROILERS

After more than six months gap I am posting today. I have completed three batches and 4th batch of rearing of Broilers is going on.
As I said in my earlier postings I have a contract of rearing of Broiler Chicken with Venkateshwara Hatcheries Private Limited.

First batch I incurred loss, 2nd and 3rd batches I got profit.

Loss occurred due to inexperience, improper feed management and House management.

As per VHPL (Venkatesheara Hatcheries P ltd) norms the standard Production Cost is Rs. 65 per Kg and they will give Rs. 4 per KG as Rearing Charges if our production cost is as above. If production cost exceeds standard PC i.e., Rs. 65 per kg, farmer will be penalised by reducing 1 paisa for every 2 paisa cost. Ex If production cost is Rs. 66/-, the rearing charges Rs. 3.50 will be given. The penalty will be limited to maximum one rupee deduction from standard RC. Similarly, if production cost decreases the incentive will be given.

Rate incentives also given if market price is more than Rs.70/-

Everything went against me in FIRST BATCH. Received a small amount from VHPL, which is less than what I expended. For the 2nd and 3rd batches I have taken care and vigilant about the health of Chicks and received good amounts.

The farmer has to provide the following facilities.....
1. Shed
2. Water
3. Tanks for storage of water, Drinkers and feeders of different sizes.
4. Rice Husk for bedding.
5. Adequate labour to give water, feed, medicine etc
6. Power supply (for me 20HP)
7. Death pit (Disposal of dead birds)
8. Removal of Litter.
9. Side curtains
10 Bruders
11. Sprinklers etc

I have faced problem with power failures, Short-circuits, contaminated water, feed adjustment and labour. Rains, strong winds and extreme hot weather from mother nature also tested my ability of successful rearing of birds.

Letter from MD TSTRANSCO to MD TASNPDCL on power subsidy to the Poultry Sector

Bio-security practice on poultry units (shared from the article posted in poultryliveindia.com)

INDIA – Official guidelines have been released prescribing biosecurity practice on poultry units.

The Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying & Fisheries (DADF) has released “General Guidelines for Biosecurity at Central Poultry Development Organization” with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.

The Department from time to time reviews the biosecurity situation in their subordinate Organizations viz. Central Poultry Development Organizations (CPDOs). The last biosecurity guidelines were issued in 2013. It was decided to revisit the biosecurity guidelines in light of latest developments and to incorporate some practices in vogue to make them more effective. Keeping this in mind, the General Guidelines for Biosecurity at Central Poultry Development Organizations were revised so that the basic tenets can be applied not only to CPDOs but also State and Private Poultry Farms.

Poultry farms across the country need to maintain the basic sanitary conditions essential for healthy birds and hygienic products. An integrated biosecurity programme is an application on logical and sound principles specific to an enterprise, monitoring of disease status, evaluation of ongoing poultry farm operations on continuous basis with an objective to contain the diseases at bare minimum level. Some poultry diseases like Avian Influenza are zoonotic in nature, i.e. they may be transmitted to humans, and potentially poses serious public health risks.

The farms should strive to maximize the benefits achievable through effective biosecurity and to be consistent with HACCP (Hazard Analysis, Critical Control Points) principles which can be developed easily. For this, the Central Poultry Development Organization & Training Institute (Southern Region), Hessarghatta would design training modules and hold workshops based on demand from the States.

After lessons from Avian Influenza and other poultry disease outbreaks across the country both in public and private farms, we must implement, as far as possible, a biosecurity plan to prevent any future disasters. These guidelines are proposed to act as roadmap for keeping a close vigil and maintenance of biosecurity and have been attempted to cover the conceptual, structural and operational biosecurity through advisories on the farm location and design, restricted access to birds, traffic control, isolation and quarantine of new birds, cleaning and sanitation, personnel hygiene, hygienic disposal of poultry manure, disposal of dead birds and other bio/ biomedical wastes, feed safety, period of rest or rearing of single age group, medication/ vaccination of birds, flock profiling, collection of infective / suspected material for laboratory testing etc.

The major routes for disease and pathogen transmission are briefly enumerated. Emphasis is given on feed safety and water management, which were earlier not described in detail in the previous guidelines. It is also suggested therein, to refer the Action Plan on Avian Influenza (revised in March, 2015), compartmentalization checklist, the Prevention and control of Infections and Bio-Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 1998 under Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 etc., Disposal of dead bird(s) in a bio-secured manner, and compliance to the Prevention and Control of Infectious and Contagious Diseases in Animals Act, 2009. It is urged that the concerned personnel should be well versed of these and apply the biosecurity measures in consonance, so that all relevant points are covered.

It is also suggested that if there is any mortality reported in wild bird / water birds / crows, etc. in farm campus the post mortem of such birds should be avoided in farm area. The Department and the Regional / State / District Disease Diagnostic Labs should be informed immediately and they may be requested to collect the samples as per their protocol for diagnosis [or for onward transmission to National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal in case of Avian Influenza] for diagnosis, as per the requirement to be decided by the competent authority. If Avian Influenza or Notified disease is suspected or confirmed at any farm demobilize the staff of the farm with immediate effect.

It is also suggested to immediately stop sale-purchase / inflow-outflow of all poultry products, feed or feed ingredients, etc. if disease is even suspected or diagnosed in any shed or farm till final test results of disease diagnosis is done and regarding Notified diseases / Avian Influenza after confirmation from designated / NIHSAD Bhopal.

An indicative quick checklist for implementing an effective poultry biosecurity plan is also given mentioning about securing perimeter by keeping “restricted” signs posted at drive entrances, avoiding trees or dense foliage around sheds and prevent roosting site for wild birds, restrict entry to essential personnel and record entry, keeping poultry houses locked, providing boots and coveralls for staff and visitors for each shed, personnel precautions like changing by staff into dedicated/disposable boots and coveralls upon entering each different shed. Other relevant pointers are also mentioned like removing poultry mortality daily, storing or disposing them off by an approved method; create awareness about the dangers of raising or visiting other avian species and their contact with their flock. Pointers on monitoring of vehicles, taking appropriate precautions such as disinfection, implementing a strong control program for insect, mammalian and avian vectors are also given. It is also reminded to recheck and review biosecurity plan and flock health program, including vaccination protocols, with veterinarian on a regular basis.

It is also added that biosecurity on poultry farms is an essential tool for ensuring welfare of poultry and humans by preventing transmission of poultry-related zoonotic and food-borne pathogens. Method of collection of infective/ suspected material for laboratory testing is added as it is mostly seen that the samples sent to laboratories are not proper and testing/ diagnosis is either not possible or leads to incorrect results. Some tables in the appendices are added for easy reference and monitoring of visitors’ movement, water quality and formats for overall supervision and internal auditing of biosecurity on-farm.

Thus it is believed that this lucid General Guidelines on biosecurity will help prevent ingress of diseases in the poultry farms. If all poultry farms across the country, both public and private follow the basic tenets listed in true spirit it will help in a disease-free, safe and wholesome poultry production.

E. coli Infections in Poultry

As published in  NUTRITION LINE
E. coli Infections in Poultry
By Eric Gingerich, DVM
Technical Service Specialist - Poultry
Diamond V

Escherichia coli (E. coli for short) is a Gram-negative bacterium that can cause various forms of disease in poultry. Diseases caused by E. coli are called colibacillosis and may infect all classes and ages of poultry. The E. coli bacterium is ubiquitous wherever fecal material from animals is found. E. coli related diseases continue to be at or near the top of lists of disease issues for broilers, turkeys, and egg layers. The different disease syndromes and their control are described herein.
Yolk infections in chicks and poults due to E. coli are primary infections from exposure to the bacterium during the hatching process. Eggshell contamination is the main reason for the exposure although poor hatcher sanitation can leave a residue of E. coli from the previous hatch. Losses normally occur during the first three days of life and present clinically as normal sized chicks on feed but dead. Lesions of caseous yolk material are often seen. Culture of this yolk material is used for diagnosis to differentiate from other possible bacterial causes such as Salmonella spp., Pseudomonas spp., Staph. aureus, etc. Treatment with antibiotics is normally not used because the course of the disease is so short-lived that by the time a diagnosis is obtained, the disease losses are nearly complete. Effective prevention means only utilizing clean hatch eggs by using effective nest management and sanitation techniques. Also, the use of an effective hatcher and hatcher tray sanitation program is important. The use of Diamond V Original XPC in feed can also be an aid as E. coli levels in the breeder feces will be less, reducing nest contamination.
E. coli infections secondary to respiratory infections in broilers, egg-type pullets and layers, and turkeys, is an important disease scenario. The normal respiratory tract has the capability to remove E. coli and other bacteria from deep in the respiratory tract due to the action of ciliated epithelial cells lining the trachea. In respiratory disease situations such as Bordatella avium in turkey poults, infectious bronchitis in chickens, Mycoplasma Galli septic um infections in both turkeys and chickens, the epithelial cells of the trachea and bronchi of the lungs undergo changes that do not allow normal function of these cells. Hence, E. coli numbers increase and infection of the respiratory tract occurs. The initial lesion seen when E. coli infection is established is a caseous airsacculitis. The deadly and chronic lesion seen with E. coli infection is a caseous peritonitis, perihepatitis, and/or pericarditis.
House management practices can play a role in the incidence and severity of E. coli infections. Low ventilation rates that lead to high atmospheric ammonia, increased litter moisture, and high dust counts in the air all will aid in carrying more E. coli deep into the respiratory tissues. Increased litter moisture also has the effect of increasing the survivability and reproduction of E. Coli bacteria.
Egg layer colibacillosis is viewed as a primary disease due to E. coli. It is most often seen at the onset of egg production but can be seen at older ages as well. The sources of infection appear to be water, dust, or fecal material pecked off equipment. The stress of recent movement and the onset of egg production appear to be factors in the onset of the disease early in lay. One theory is that the young layer’s everted reproductive tract during egg laying is quite susceptible to infection with E. coli and the bacterium infects the bird by moving retrograde up the oviduct.
Turkey poults suffer an E. coli related syndrome after viral enteritis. This is due to overgrowth of E. coli in the intestine from poor digestion of nutrients and a buildup of these undigested nutrients in the lower intestine. Poult death losses can be quite high with lesions seen as a septicemia or caseous peritonitis, perihepatitis, and/or pericarditis.
Antibiotic treatment of older flocks infected with colibacillosis has met with much less success recently than in the past due to widespread antibiotic resistance and the lack of new and effective antibiotics to take their place. For example, there is only one antibiotic preparation available to treat bacterial infections in egg layers in production. The tetracyclines and sulfa drugs are available for use in broiler and turkey flocks. A very effective antibiotic, enrofloxacin, was taken away from the industry by FDA several years ago due to the ill-perceived notion that enrofloxacin was being used in feed or as a widely used preventative medication and not as a therapeutic as intended.
Treatment now involves supportive measures to aid in reducing the level of infection for the remaining flock members as follows:
• Vaccination with the live E. coli vaccine;
• Fogging (nebulizing) disinfectants such as VirkonS or chlorine dioxide;
• Sanitizing water with five to 10 ppm chlorine or six to 12 ounces of iodine disinfectant per a gallon of stock solution metered at one ounce per gallon drinking water;
• Collecting dead birds more frequently to remove them as a source of infection in an the attempt to decrease the disease cycle;
• Replacing wet litter with dry in floor houses;
• Adding an intestinal health aid such as Diamond V Original XPC will give some immediate boost of the immune system while prolonged use will aid in improving the microflora makeup.
Prevention of E. coli infections is, therefore, the main control measure used. Several preventative practices are available as follows:
• Intestinal health aids. Several research-backed products are on the market. Diamond V Original XPC has been shown to reduce E. coli levels in the cecum when fed at recommended levels and would aid in reducing contamination levels in the birds’ environment and improve their response to invading bacteria.
• Water sanitation. Routine sanitation of water with either chlorine or iodine can be very effective in reducing bacterial infections.
• Vaccination. The live E. coli vaccine has been a very useful tool in egg layers and is being evaluated in broiler and turkey flocks. In egg layers, two to three doses are applied by spray during the growing period prior to housing. Booster applications are given to some flocks prior to molting.
• Ventilation practices. Reducing ammonia levels by providing the proper ventilation rates and temperatures throughout grow for broilers will keep litter dry and reduce the release of ammonia from the litter. Keeping the stored manure dry in high-rise layer houses is also important in reducing ammonia. The use of manure drying fans in the pits of highrise houses has been a great aid in reducing the moisture of the manure piles.
• Moving age of egg layers. Moving egg layer pullets at least one to two weeks prior to the onset of production will aid in getting the birds’ microflora stabilized and the birds exposed to pathogens in the new layer house environment prior to the stress of egg production. Spreading out these stressors appears to reduce the problems with early lay E. coli problems in egg layers.

My Experiences

So far I have not posted the rearing of broilers which started on 26.8.2015. Whatever I have posted, all are the results of web search. I have not explained, how my broiler farming is going on. Everything I will post my practical experiences, faults, etc., after lifting all of my birds by the integrator. Still 6 days to go for desired period. The Market price of chick is very low, less than the expenditure. Let me see when the birds are going to be lifted by the integrator. 

Prevention and Control of Disease

Disease prevention and control programme
1. Start with disease free stock
2. Vaccine chicks against Ranikhet and Gambora
3. Keep feed free from aflatoxins
4. Donot allow visitors inside the poultry house unless they wear dis-infected clothes and foot wear
5. Cover floor with clean litter atleast 3 inches deep
6. All in all out system of rearing should be followed to ensure minimum disease problems
7. Foot bath at the entrance of the shed must be constructed
8. Adequate clean and fresh water should be available

Simple Rules for prevention of Poultry Diseases

1. Give chicks the healthy Feed and clean Water, especially the small chicks.
2. Protect them Wind and Rain.
3. Poultry sheds should be clean regularly
4. Provide dry litter as and when required.
5. Do not keep too many birds together.
6. Vaccinate chicks for most important diseases (only healthy birds to be vaccinated).
7. Sick birds should be isolated. If not cured or not curable disease, then kill them to avoid infestation
8. Burn or bury dead birds.
9. Follow strict bio-secure methods.