With ever increasing commodity prices chipping away at profit margins, broiler producers need to continually find ways to optimize flock performance to remain competitive. With feed costs up to 70 % of total production costs, feed efficiency becomes the most important factor in broiler production. A slight improvement in feed efficiency can increase the cents per kilogram payoff.
Measuring Feed Efficiency
Feed efficiency is generally defined in two ways: feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and feed conversion ratio (FCR), the latter being the most common and well-known term used in broiler production. FCR is calculated by the amount of feed per kilogram of bodyweight gain with the goal of FCR being as low as possible. Throughout the broiler production period, the best FCR occurs in the first five to seven days due to low or almost no heat production in chicks during the first five days. As a result, chicks have low caloric expense and body weight maintenance cost meaning more nutrients available for growth. FCR during this period can be lower than one, meaning the birds put on more bodyweight relative to feed intake. Fat and protein from the yolk sac also contribute to the low FCR. However, if early feed consumption is limited, chicks will need to use the protein from the yolk sac for energy instead of growth, negatively impacting FCR.
Maximizing Early Feed Intake
It is therefore essential to provide the ideal environment during brooding to maximize early feed consumption. Supplementary feeding to ensure adequate access to feed during brooding is critical. The most important part is to provide sufficient feeding space and feed. Growers may be reluctant to place 75 grams of feed per bird on the paper since waste of feed from supplementary feeding is approximately 15 to 20 %. However, growers need to appreciate that, at the start, each gram of feed consumed increases bodyweight by one gram or more. Within any given population of chicks there will always be stronger chicks who can easily find feed. Likewise, there will also be a percentage of smaller weaker chicks that rely on sufficient supplementary feed to achieve good early intake. Improving average first week bodyweights, decreasing first week mortality and culls, and improving flock uniformity is best achieved by ensuring these smaller weaker chicks get off to a good start through good early feed consumption and brooding management.
Return on High Early Intake
Attaining high seven-day body weights generally leads to high body weights at the end of the flock, good uniformity, low final mortality, and low final FCR. Interestingly, there is often minimal improvements in FCR when seven-day body weight ranges from 150 to 170 grams. However, seven-day bodyweights ranging from 170 to 200 grams have big improvements in FCR. This improvement in FCR far outweighs any feed wastage from supplementary feed placed in the first days. Factoring in high final body weights, low mortality/culls, and good uniformity, providing sufficient supplementary feed pays dividends back to the farmers.
Evaluating Management
To measure the effectiveness of brooding preparations and supplementary feed, a simple crop-fill evaluation can be performed. Sample 100 chicks from across the brooding area. If checked 8 hours after placement, a minimum of 85 % of chicks should have both feed and water in their crops. A minimum of 95 % should have filled crops 24 hours after placement. Adjustments to brooding management or supplementary feeding can be implemented if targets are not achieved.
Summary
In order to take advantage of the modern broiler chick’s genetic potential, they should never have to search for feed. Ensuring sufficient feeding space and feed availability will support maximum consumption at an early age resulting in high seven-day bodyweights while providing the foundation for the best feed efficiency.