Poultry Junior study guide.docx

**What is Poultry?** - **Poultry refers to the domestic birds raised for their meat, eggs, or feathers.** - **Common types of poultry include chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese.** **Class, Breed or Variety** - **A class is used to describe the way in which a group of breeds is...

**What is Poultry?** - **Poultry refers to the domestic birds raised for their meat, eggs, or feathers.** - **Common types of poultry include chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese.** **Class, Breed or Variety** - **A class is used to describe the way in which a group of breeds is lumped together.** - **A breed of poultry is a group of birds that have common distinctive characteristics.** - **A variety is a subdivision of a breed. Varieties may have different feather colors, comb types, sizes, beards, muffs and/or feathers on legs.** **Life Cycle of a Chicken** - **Chickens start as eggs laid by hens** - **The eggs are kept warm in a nest, either by a hen sitting on them or in an incubator.** - **After the 21 days, chicks hatch from the eggs.** - **Chicks grow into adult chickens, and the hens lay more eggs to continue the cycle, a cock fertilize eggs to create embryos** **Poultry digestion** - Crop -- an expanded, muscular pouch near the gullet or throat. - Proventriculus -- acts as the true stomach of a bird. - Gizzard -- an organ found in the digestive tract of a chicken. **Health** - Temperature of the living conditions: 50-75°F for adult birds - Temperature of the bird: 105 to 109°F - Heart rate: 220-360 beats per minute - Respiratory rate: 12-37 breaths per minute **Herd Health Management** o Veterinarian-Assisted Planning provides the producer with professional advice concerning vaccinations, cost effectiveness of treatment and other preventative medical practices. o Sanitation or cleanliness: The severity of some diseases is dependent on the number and virulence of microorganisms entering the animal\'s body. o Many organisms live and multiply outside the animal, so the number of microorganisms can be reduced by implementing sanitation practices. o Microorganisms thrive in manure and other organic waste materials, therefore good sanitation practices must be in place. Antiseptics and disinfectants can be effectively utilized in a good sanitation program. Antiseptics are substances, usually applied to animal tissue, that kill or prevent the growth of microorganisms. Disinfectants are products that destroy pathogenic microorganisms. o Proper nutrition: Well-nourished animals receive an adequate daily supply of essential nutrients.  Undernourished animals usually have a weak immune system, thus making them more vulnerable to invading microorganism. o Physical facilities contribute to animal health problems by causing physical injury or stress, or by allowing spreading of pathogens through a group of animals.  They can contribute to the spread of disease by not preventing its transmission (e.g. venereal disease transmission owing to poor or inadequate fences). **Nutrition** **All feeds include six basic nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, lipids,** **minerals, vitamins and water**. **Protein** o Provides essential amino acids. o Are essential in livestock feeding because they are needed throughout life for growth and repair. o Helps to form the greater part of muscles, internal organs, skin, hair, wool, feathers, hoofs and horns. o Contains carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) (in common with fats and carbohydrates) but also contains a fairly constant percentage of nitrogen (N) (about 16 %). **Carbohydrates** are used as energy to enhance movement for body functions, growth, fattening, reproduction, etc. o Represent the largest part of an animal\'s feed supply. o Usually the fibrous part of the diet. o Include sugars, starch and cellulose. o Composed of carbon (C), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H). **Fats are a concentrated source of energy, up to 2.25 times as much energy per unit** of weight, as do carbohydrates. o Form cholesterol, steroids (including some hormones) and other body compounds. o Found in every cell in the body. o When absent from the diet, affects (among others) the condition of the skin and hair. o Composed of carbon (C), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H), but contain much larger proportions of carbon and hydrogen than do carbohydrates. o Other functions:  Energy reserves  Protection for vital organs  Insulate the body **Minerals** are needed in nearly all parts of the body but are found primarily in bones and teeth. o Make up important parts of many organic materials including blood. o Affect heartbeat, which depends upon mineral balance to maintain its regularity. o Involved in nerve transmission. o Divided into two groups based on amounts needed by the body: 1. Macro minerals 2. Micro minerals (or trace minerals) **Vitamins** are required for health, development and metabolic reactions. o Needed only in small amounts but are essential for life and health o Divided into two groups: 1. Fat-soluble 2. Water-soluble **Water** is the most important nutrient. Accounts for 70% or more of the composition of most plants and animals. o Functions of water in the body are:  Controls body temperature.  Enables living plants and animals to hold their shape.  Is involved in the transport of nutrients and waste throughout the body.  Helps in the digestion of feeds.  Is a major (by volume) part of all body fluids. **[Signs of an unhealthy bird]** - - Missing feathers - Cloudy, dull eyes - Sneezing - Panting - Lethargy - Reduced feed intake - Decreased egg production. - Temperature is a very important to prevent heat stress **Nutritive value of an Egg** One whole, large egg contains the following nutrients: o Calories: 78 o Total fat: 5 g o Cholesterol: 187 mg o Total carbohydrate: 0.6 g o Protein: 6 g (with all essential amino acids) o Vitamins: A, D, B6, B12 o Minerals: sodium, potassium, calcium, iron and magnesium **Grading of an egg** o Grading refers to the process of grouping eggs according to similar characteristics such as quality and weight. o Quality assurance is performed by company employees. o USDA has a stringent set of requirements for the grading of fresh shell eggs. o Egg grading is dependent upon examination of internal quality factors (e.g., condition of the egg white and yolk, air cell size).  Internal quality factors are determined by candling.  Candling involves holding the egg to a concentrated light source for visual inspection of internal defects, such as blood spots, double yolks or air cell size. o Egg grading is also dependent upon external quality factors (e.g., shape, texture, cleanliness, and soundness of the shell). o External quality can be determined by candling for illumination and detection of eggshell cracks o An AA grade egg contains the most desirable characteristics while an egg with a B grade contains the least desirable characteristics. The USDA has specifications for eggshell, air cell, egg white and egg yolk characteristics. **Size of Eggs** Sizes are determined by weight. Six different weight categories: peewee, small, medium, large, extra-large and jumbo. Each size category receives a different price on the farm as well as at the retail level. o Minimum average weight for one dozen eggs: 1. Peewee: 15 oz 2.. Small: 18 oz 3. 3\. Medium: 21 oz 4. 4\. Large: 24 oz 5. 5\. Extra Large: 27 oz 6. 6\. Jumbo: 30 oz **[\ ]** **Anatomy of a Chicken**        **[\ ]**