CAFRE - Young Farmers Level 2 Qualification

•POULTRY WELFARE

What to consider before the chicks are placed

Biosecurity:•Poultry House (Clean and Disinfect)•Day old chicks•Bedding•Feed and Water•People/Visitors/Transport•Vermin•Dead bins

Disease can spread via recognised vectors of infection:• animals themselves• people: employees, contractors, lorry drivers, advisors, catchers and vets• contaminated feed and water• housing and equipment• other animals, vermin (wild birds, rats, mice, flies and beetles)• and even the air itself

What can I do?

Poultry House (Clean and Disinfect)•Have a protocol of C&D in place•Remove litter (consider hygienic disposal)•Clean up by using a detergent•Spray an appropriate disinfectant onto dry surfaces•Correct dilution and cover all surfaces •Consider fumigation/floor burning as additional measures•Repeat that protocol each time

What can I do?

What can I do?

People •Prevent entry unless essential..lock the door•This entry point must be obvious...close the gate...put up a tape•If essential make sure you know where they were last...is this likely to put your birds at risk?•Keep a visitors book•If in doubt ask your vet!

What can I do?

People• Give visitors protective clothing• Wash your hands before entering bird area• Ensure visitors wash their hands• Provide warm water, soap and disposable hand towels• Always dry your hands...and sanitise

What can I do?

Footdips•Essential but need proper management•Need to use approved disinfectant•At proper concentration..not diluted by rainwater•Need to change weekly..more frequently if a lot of use and if dirty•Don’t dip grossly contaminated boots

Hygiene Barrier

Bedding•Use bedding material from an approved supplier. Increased moisture – risk of mould (Aspergillus spp)

Feed•Consider raw material source•Feed needs to be formulated correctly in accordance with the birds’ metabolic needs otherwise health issues can occur (wet litter, malabsorption, toxicity)

WaterIt’s role is very important as birds drink twice as much as they eat!

Consider:•Chemical quality (e.g. high iron concentration)•Source (mains, borewell)•C&D of tanks, drinker lines•Removal of biofilm that can hide bacteria•Have your water tested regularly

Vermin•Carriers of Salmonella, pasteurella, e coli…•Prevent and control•Keep vegetation cut, keep bait boxes in place ..check regularly and replenish, clean up feed spills/leaks immediately, maintain bins•Don’t encourage wild birds onto range..no outdoor feed/water..standing water is a problem

What to consider during the cycle

• The modern broiler is very different to the bird reared 60 years ago!• Demand for poultry is increasing yearly around the word• Genetic selection for a more efficient bird• Normally thinning at 33-35 days and depopulation at 42-45 days

• But is there a downside? (sudden death syndrome, ascites, lameness etc)

What to consider during the cycle

Health aspects•Disease (bacterial, viral, fungal, protozoal)•Metabolic (imbalance of vitamins, minerals)

Welfare aspects- Five Freedoms•Freedom from hunger, thirst, malnutrition•Freedom from physical discomfort (too cold, too hot, too little space)•Freedom from pain, injury and disease•Freedom to express normal behaviour•Freedom from fear and distress

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

Welfare aspects•All our efforts are focused on imitating nature•Chicks are transferred from the hatchery to the farm (often long journeys)•Transition needs to be as smooth as possible

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

Welfare aspects•Good chickstart is paramount for good health, wellbeing and performance (The first week corresponds to 23% of the life of the 1.75g broiler)•Ensure the house is nice and warm (not just the air but the floor too as the chicks will quickly get cold if they come in contact with a cold floor)•Transfer the chicks promptly, and minimise stress•Chicks will need to find feed and water as soon as they arrive in the house•Apply chickpaper on the ground and spread feed on top•Apply additional drinkers over the first few days •Once chicks are placed ensure that that light is bright in order to facilitate chicks finding feed and water•Consult breed Management Guides, integrator advisors, Veterinarian

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

Welfare aspects•Always measure Temperature, Humidity, Carbon Dioxide (near bird level)•Make necessary adjustments•CO2 below 2500 ppm•Ammonia below 25ppm•Air velocity 10-20cm/sec

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

The chicks need to be comfortable and spread evenly across the house. If not investigate why (cold draughts, wet litter, lighting)

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

• Good start is paramount for the chick liveability but also future performance• Carry out a crop fill check at 24h. Aim for >95% crop fill• Chicks that fail to “start” will lose weight, get dehydrated and possibly die once the

yolk sac nutrients are depleted• Their crops and gizzards found empty often visceral gout

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

Health aspects•Design correct vaccination programmes (for breeding stock and broiler chicks) based on field pressure. In the UK broilers will receive an IB (Infectious Bronchitis) vaccination at the hatchery•C&D to ensure a clean environment before placement•Provision of clean water•Provision of clean bedding•Other Biosecurity measures•Consider anti-coccidial programme•Monitor and record the mortality on a daily basis. High early mortality could indicate an issue with chick health, the conditions of the house or both.•Consult with your vet as antibiotic therapy may be needed

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

Health aspects•Bacterial infection (yolk sac infection, septicaemia, omphalitis)

What to consider during the cycle Week 1

Health aspects

What to consider during the cycle Week 2

• Further growth the development occurs mainly in skeleton, organs, muscle mass• Lighting programme introduced gradually in the first week in order to comply with

EU requirements at the start of the second week (6h of darkness, min 20lux across house)

• High risk of metabolic problems due to excess growth• Check the chicks’ weight on a weekly basis and compare with breed standards• If deviations consult your field advisors/vet

What to consider during the cycle Week 2

Keep monitoring:•House conditions and bird activity in relation to them (well spread out, “huddling”)•Water/feed consumption•Even growth or evidence of unevenness•Bird behaviour (normal feeding activity, normal walking/gait patterns, signs of disease)•Daily mortality (Consider slowing down growth temporarily with lighting and/or feeding programmes if deemed necessary)•Litter quality (identify normal and abnormal droppings)•Pododermatitis lesions (especially if there issues with high humidity, damp litter)

What to consider during the cycle Week 2

Vaccination timing:Your vet will assist you in determining the right vaccination time (2nd or 3rd week)

What to consider during the cycle Week 2

Vaccination Principles:•Store the vaccine correctly (high or freezing temp will damage the vaccine)•Use a clean surface away from disinfectants to prepare your vaccine solution•Use clean water (remove any sanitisation agents 24-48h in advance)•Add a water stabiliser (blue dye)•Open the vials underneath the water (use correct amount of doses)•Transfer the vaccine to the header tank (or connect solution to dosing pump)•Prime your drinker lines (VERY IMPORTANT)•Provided you have thirsted the birds (approx 30min) bring the water back to the birds. Ensure vaccinated water is used up within 2h•Check for tongue staining signs

What to consider during the cycle Week 3

• The birds are growing fast and their feed intake is rising rapidly• Diet adjusted to their metabolic needs (grower phase containing more protein)• This places a lot of pressure on the gut health• Additional challenges from coccidia, field viruses/bacteria

What to consider during the cycle Week 3

Keep monitoring:•House conditions and bird activity in relation to them•Water/feed consumption•Even growth or evidence of unevenness•Bird behaviour (normal feeding activity, normal walking/gait patterns, signs of disease)•Daily mortality (Consider slowing down growth temporarily with lighting and/or feeding programmes if deemed necessary)•Litter quality (identify normal and abnormal droppings, excess water/drinker managment/pressure, ventilation problems)•Pododermatitis lesions (especially if there are issues with high humidity, damp litter)

What to consider during the cycle Week 3

Pododermatitis lesions•Potentially very painful if deep and extensive•Specific provisions by the EU Broiler Directive- trigger points

What to consider during the cycle Week 3

Emphasis on litter quality:•Due to increase in water consumption and excretion•Important to be able to identify normal from abnormal droppings

•Report any issues to your vet

What to consider during the cycle Week 4

• Rapid growth continues• The birds become better feathered so becoming more difficult to expel heat

Keep monitoring:• House conditions and bird activity in relation to them (well spread out, “huddling”)• Water/feed consumption• Even growth or evidence of unevenness• Bird behaviour (normal feeding activity, normal walking/gait patterns, signs of disease)• Daily mortality (Consider slowing down growth temporarily with lighting and/or feeding programmes

if deemed necessary)• Litter quality (identify normal and abnormal droppings)• Pododermatitis lesions (especially if there are issues with high humidity, damp litter)

What to consider during the cycle Week 4

Keep monitoring:•Sings of stress (especially in warm weather)•Signs of disease (e.g. respiratory)•Signs of increasing lameness (birds unable or reluctant to stand and walk)

What to consider during the cycle Week 5-6

• Rapid growth continues (25% growth expected during the last week)• By the end of the week the house is getting quite full and there is higher risk for heat stress, leg

issues, litter issues

Keep monitoring:• House conditions and bird activity in relation to them (well spread out, “huddling”)• Water/feed consumption• Even growth or evidence of unevenness• Bird behaviour (normal feeding activity, normal walking/gait patterns, signs of disease)• Daily mortality (Consider slowing down growth temporarily with lighting and/or feeding programmes

if deemed necessary)• Litter quality (identify normal and abnormal droppings)• Pododermatitis lesions (especially if there are issues with high humidity, damp litter)

What to consider during the cycle Week 5-6

Consideration of the slaughter process•Increased activity/competition around feeding times could lead to skin tears/scratches and subsequent infection that will lead to factory condemnations•Consider lighting regime, feed withdrawal•Practicalities of catching•Biosecurity

Medication Principles

There is occasions that the introduction of an antibiotic agent will be required followed a veterinary assessment in order to treat bacterial diseases and improve bird health and welfare. In order for this to happen:

•Notify your veterinarian of any abnormal symptoms (health or welfare related)•A post mortem examination will be carried out•Collection of samples from affected tissues•Bacteriological culture carried out to identify associated bacteria•Sensitivity check to identify the most suitable antibiotic•An antibiotic agent will be prescribed•The agent will be accompanied by a script that will describe the application method and dose rate•The respective Medicine Record needs to be filled in