The Philippines Recommends for Broiler Production 2006 PDF

 OFFICEOFTHEEXECUTIVEDIRECTOR To Our Valued Reader: This fourth edition, The Philippines Recommends for Broiler Production, provides farmers, extension workers, instructors, researchers, and students the latest information on the various aspects of broiler production. It also ta...

 OFFICEOFTHEEXECUTIVEDIRECTOR To Our Valued Reader: This fourth edition, The Philippines Recommends for Broiler Production, provides farmers, extension workers, instructors, researchers, and students the latest information on the various aspects of broiler production. It also tackles the problems and constraints as well as the prospects and opportunities of the broiler industry. We hope you will find this volume a useful reference material. Very truly yours, PATRICIO S. FAYLON Executive Director The Philippines Recommends for Broiler Production PCARRD Philippines Recommends Series No. 10-C Revised PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY AND NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT Department of Science and Technology BUREAU OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH Department of Agriculture Los Baños, Laguna 2006 First Edition 1976, reprinted 1982 Second Edition 1988, reprinted 1991 Third Edition 1997 Fourth Edition 2006 This publication may not be reprinted or reproduced in part or whole without written permission from the publisher. Published with funding support from the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Agricultural Research ISSN 0115-7833 ISBN 971-20-0531-3 Bibliographic Citation: The Broiler Production Committee 2004. The Philippines Recommends for broiler production. Los Baños, Laguna: DOST-PCARRD and DA-BAR, 2006. 74p. – (Philippines Recommends Series No. 10-C). Foreword Poultry is one of the world’s major and fastest growing sources of meat. It contributed about 38% of the country’s total meat supply. The Philippine livestock and poultry industries contributed about one-third of the gross value added (GVA) in agriculture. From 2002 to 2004, the local poultry industry posted an average annual growth rate of 14.27%. The GVA of the poultry sector has increased from P89 billion (B) in 2002 to P116 B in 2004. The Philippine poultry industry continues to have problems that have kept it from fully developing. The year 2003 was a roller coaster ride for the poultry industry when it started off with a shortage of supply and high prices. However, by end of the first quarter, inventory had built up due to avian flu hitting most of Asian countries. In spite of the avian flu scare in early 2004, which decreased the consumption and production, the broiler industry has still created an export opportunity in Japan. The broiler industry was able to export some 1.5 million kg of chicken meat. This volume is the third revision of the Philippines Recommends for Broiler Production that was first printed in 1976 and last revised in 1997. It is hoped that broiler growers, extension workers, instructors, researchers, and students would find this volume a useful reference material. PATRICIO S. FAYLON Executive Director PCARRD iii Acknowledgment The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) acknowledges the cooperation and assistance extended by the following persons, institutions, and agencies for the fourth edition of the Philippines Recommends for Broiler Production: z The technical committee members for drafting this revised edition; z The committee members of the Philippines Recommends for Broiler Production, 1976 (first edition), 1988 (second edition), and 1997 (third edition); z The Department of Agriculture - Bureau of Agricultural Research (DA-BAR), through the leadership of Mr. Nicomedes Eleazar, for supporting the printing of this edition; z Mrs. Belen Chavez of Sustamina Feeds for allowing the use of the photos taken from their contract farms for this publication; z Drs. Arnold Anorico and Donnan Canoy of Sustamina Feeds for the assistance provided during the taking of pictures at the farms of some of their contract growers; z Marciana Farms of Victoria, Tarlac for allowing us to take pictures of their broiler farm for use in this publication; z The staff of the Livestock Research Division (LRD), particularly Mr. Eric E. Perez and Mr. Ricardo A. Mulimbayan, for their assistance in taking some photographs and for typing and preparing the layout of this publication; z The Publication Program staff of the Applied Communication Division (ACD) under the leadership of Mr. Cesar Frias; z To all those who in one way or another helped in the preparation of this volume. Without them, the publication of this fourth edition would not have been possible. iv Contents Foreword iii Acknowledgment iv The Broiler Production Committee 2004 ix Glossary of Terms x The Broiler Industry 1 The Broiler Breeding Operation 5 The Supply Chain Structure 5 Starting a Broiler Project 8 Selection of Stocks 10 Housing and Facilities 12 Basic Design 12 Materials and Structure 12 Brooding 15 Elements of Succesful Brooding 15 Good Quality Chicks 15 Proper Temperature 16 Adequate Space Allowances 17 Proper Ventilation 17 Adequate Lighting Facilities 18 Proper Sanitation 18 Protection from Predators 19 Sources of Heat for Brooding 19 Electricity 19 Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) 19 Brooding Management 19 Preparation of the Brooder House 19 Handling of Broiler Chicks 20 Other Management Practices 22 Prevention and Control of Cannibalism 22 Prevention of Cannibalism 22 Control of Cannibalism 22 Proper Catching and Hauling of Broilers 23 Management during Stress 23 Housing 23 v  Water 23 Feed Management and Nutrition during Warm Weather 23 Other Causes of Stress 24 Feeding Broilers 25 Feed Types and Forms 25 Advantages of Pelleting 32 Disadvantages of Pelleting 32 Nutritional Deficiency 33 Feeding Systems 33 Management Practices to Avoid Feed Losses in Feeders 36 Feed Additives 37 Disease Prevention and Control 38 Vaccination 38 Vaccination Failure 40 Vaccination Tips 40 Medication 41 Sanitation 42 Cleaning and Disinfection 42 Disinfectants for Poultry Farms 43 Health Management Tips 44 Common Diseases of Broiler Chickens 45 NCD (Avian Pest) 45 IBD (Gumboro Disease) 47 Fowl Fox 48 Infectious Bronchitis 48 Infectious Coryza (IC) or Roup/Cold 49 Colibacillosis (E. coli) 50 Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) Infection or Chronic Respiratory Disease 51 Mycotoxicosis 52 Coccidiosis 54 Exudative Diathesis/Encephalomalacia (Crazy Chick Disease)/Muscular Dystrophy 55 Malabsorption Syndrome 56 SDS (Sudden Death Syndrome) or Flip-Over Disease 58 Farm Records 59 Importance 59 Broiler Record 59 vi  Measuring Income from Broiler Enterprise 60 Efficiency Indicators 60 Feed Conversion 60 Feed Cost/Kilogram of Broiler Produced 61 Production Efficiency Factor (PEF) 61 Broiler Marketing 62 Quality 62 Timing 62 Market Outlets 62 Price Fluctuations 63 Broiler Inventory Holding 63 Cost-and-Return Analysis 64 Costs 64 Investment Costs 64 Operating and Maintenance Costs 64 The 10,000-Chicken Module 65 Returns 65 References 68 Appendix 1 Other diseases of broiler 69 2 Broiler Record 73 3 Sample form for computing income 74 List ofFigures 1 Per capita consumption of broiler dressed meat, 1999-2003 2 2 Yearly broiler production from 2002 to 2004 2 3 Broiler supply chain structure 6 4 Locally dressed chickens sold in wet markets 7 5 Good quality day-old broiler chicks produced by a reliable supplier 11 6 A slatted-floor monitor type of housing for better ventilation and waste handling 14 7 An example of good quality chicks 15 8 Evenly distributed chicks inside the brooder 16 9 Burlap curtain used on the walls of brooder house to keep the chicks from draft 18 10 Brooder house with burlap curtain used as "false ceiling" to control temperature 20 vii  11 Pelleting machine 28 12 Two-week old broiler chicks raised in slatted-floor housing with tube feeders placed alternately with automatic waterers 36 13 Proventiculus of broiler chicken with hemorrhagic lesions 46 14 Broiler's abdomen with cloudy airsacs 49 15 Watery feces stained with blood 54 16 The duodenum part of the broiler's intestines that is infected with Eimeria acervulina 55 17 Softening of the brain due to degenerative changes in nervous tissue 56 18 Breast muscle with whitish-gray area 57 List of Tables 1 Chicken inventory by type, 1995-2005 4 2 Nutrient recommendations for broiler-type chicken 26 3 Recommended vitamin and mineral supplementation for broilers 27 4 The estimated feed consumption and average daily weight gain of broilers from day-old up to market age 28 5 Sample formulation of chick booster mash 29 6 Sample formulation of broiler starter diets 30 7 Sample formulation of broiler finisher mash 31 8 Nutritional deficiency for broilers 34 9 Vaccination schedule for broiler chicks 39 10 Cost and return for 10,000-chicken capacity broiler farm 66 viii  The Broiler Production Committee 2004 Chairman Dr. Cecilio R. Arboleda Professor Emeritus Animal and Dairy Sciences Cluster UPLB, College, Laguna Members Dr. Javier P. Mateo Dr. Edwin C. Villar Technical Director Director Agri-Specialist, Inc. Livestock Research Division MMLDC Bldg., Celery Rd., PCARRD, Los Baños, Laguna FTI Complex, Taguig, Metro Manila Mr. Gregorio A. San Diego, Jr. Dr. Synan S. Baguio President Senior Science Research Specialist United Broiler Raisers Association Livestock Research Division (UBRA) and Philippine Egg Board PCARRD, Los Baños, Laguna 101 Col. S. Cruz St., San Rafael, Montalban, Rizal Dr. Edwin S. Luis Ms. Marites M. Ramil Professor Science Research Specialist Animal and Dairy Sciences Cluster Livestock Research Division UPLB, College, Laguna PCARRD, Los Baños, Laguna Dr. Francis Andrew Eugene M. Bernardo Assistant Professor College of Veterinary Medicine UPLB, College, Laguna Mr. Ruel S. Pagcaliwagan Science Research Specialist Applied Communication Division PCARRD, Los Baños, Laguna ix Glossary of Terms Antibiotic - a dilute substance produced by microorganisms that have the power to kill other organisms. Antibody - a substance formed in the body as a result of infection or administration of suitable antigens. Attenuated - a disease organism that has been weakened to reduce its virulence. Bacteria - microscopic organisms that are composed of a single cell. Broiler - a type of chicken raised for meat. Brooding - the process of providing supplemental heat to broiler chicks from hatching up to the time they have grown sufficient feathers to control their own body temperature. Cannibalism - a nasty behavior manifested by pecking on others' toes, tails, and feathers. Carrier - a chicken that shows no evidence of a disease, yet harbors the organism, and is capable of transmitting the disease to others. Contract growing - a scheme whereby a grower enters into a contract with an integrator to grow broilers up to a marketable age of about 36–42 days. Disease - an impairment of the normal function of any body organ or part of the bird. Disinfectant - a substance that kills pathogenic organisms but not necessarily spores and is usually applied to inanimate objects. Immune - when a bird has some degree of resistance to a particular disease. Infection - the invasion of a pathogen into susceptible tissue resulting in disease. Infectious disease - a disease produced by the invasion of living microscopic organisms. Isolation - keeping poultry in areas separate from other poultry. Metabolizable energy - the energy of the food eaten less the energy of the excrement derived from it, both fecal and urinary. Morbidity - a sickness in a bird or flock caused by the disease. Mortality - death of birds in the flock. x Parasite - an organism that lives in or on another organism, from which it derives its nourishment. Pathogen - an organism capable of causing disease. Serotype - a particular strain of a microorganism. Stress - anything which affects the bird’s well-being and lowers its resistance to disease. Titer - a value placed on the potency of a biological agent, when applied to the agglutination test, it is the weakest dilution at which clumping of the antigen occurs. Vaccine - a preparation of microorganism (killed, living attenuated, or living totally virulent) which when placed in the body of the bird produces or increases immunity to a certain disease. Vector - an animal which carries and transmits parasites to poultry, such as earthworm, which carries the chicken tapeworm eggs. Virus - an organism, ultramicroscopic in size that multiplies only in living cells. Some viruses are capable of causing disease. xi The Broiler Industry Characterized by widely diverse production and marketing systems, the Philippine broiler industry consists of a few but very large integrated livestock enterprises on one end, and a very large number of smallhold farmers keeping few head of poultry on the other end. In the middle are the medium-scale producers who depend largely on the integrated livestock enterprises for supply of breeding stocks and feedstuffs (NAST, 2005). Both the large commercial and small- and medium-scale operators depend largely on imported stocks, feedstuffs, and other inputs. Recently, however, a significant volume of the feed ingredients (particularly corn) used by the industry is being sourced locally. The implementation of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT-WTO) in 1994 opened the country for the entry of cheaper imported chicken products (i.e., leg quarters). Since then, the volume of chicken meat importation has increased consistently. Although the cost of freight, insurance, and tariffs imposed on the imports are high, the landed costs of the imports are still considerably lower than the farmgate price of local produce. This current trade scenario prompted many independent commercial broiler farmers to stop operations. The entry of cheaper chicken meat into the country also obliged large integrated commercial broiler producers to scale down their volume of production. Some commercial broiler integrators have engaged in the importation of frozen broiler meat for distribution in local markets, in addition to their locally produced chicken meat. Despite the level of sophistication it has achieved, the local broiler industry is still faced with problems that deter its further development. Among the more recent problems encountered by the broiler industry are unstable supply of broiler meat that leads to unpredictable prices of the commodity, and the apparent reduction in chicken meat consumption that is brought about by avian flu virus infection of chickens in some Asian countries. These events caused the exceedingly high prices of broiler meat and a build up in inventory starting the end of the first quarter of 2004 (LDC, 2004). PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 1  Despite the avian flu scare in early 2004 that brought down chicken consumption (Fig. 1) and accordingly reduced production and prices, the local broiler industry has successfully exported 1.5 million (M) kg of broiler meat to Japan. Towards the end of 2004, the local broiler industry has recovered sufficiently to post a positive growth in output of about 4% more than 2003 production. Local broiler production increased from 452, 000.84 t in 2002 to 493, 000.72 t in 2004 (Fig. 2) with an annual growth rate of 4.42%. Fig. 1. Per capita consumption of broiler meat, 1999– 2003. Fig. 2. Yearly broiler production from 2002 to 2004. 2 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  Although some broiler integrators are exporting increasing volumes of broiler meat, a significant quantity of cut-up broiler meat is also being imported into the country. The continuing importation of leg quarters at dumped prices poses a major problem to local broiler production. The unreasonably low-priced imported leg quarters are causing significant price distortion of broiler meat in the country that is seriously hurting local producers. In addition, the wide disparity between farmgate and retail prices of broiler also causes problems, particularly to local individual broiler producers. In general, the poultry population of the Philippines consists primarily of chickens and a significantly smaller population of other poultry species. The chicken inventory, which is presented by type (Table 1), shows that broiler population increased from about 28 M in 1995 to about 40 M in 2005 at an average annual growth rate of 3.63%. The broiler population is distributed throughout the country; however, highest concentration (31%) is observed in the Central Luzon region where most commercial broiler farms are also located. High broiler concentration is also found in Southern Tagalog, and in the Southern and Northern Mindanao regions. The country’s broiler population is kept in farms that are classified either by size or by type of operation. Broiler farm classification according to size, is as follows: z Large commercial farms - farms that produce 100,000 or more broilers per harvest. z Medium commercial farms - farms that produce 21,000–99,000 broilers per harvest. z Small commercial farms - farms that produce 1,000–20,000 broilers per harvest. z Smallhold/backyard farms - farms that produce not more than 1,000 broilers per harvest. In terms of type of operation, broiler farms are classified as follows: Integrated grower farms - farms that breed, hatch, grow, and market their own products at their own expense. Contract grower farms - farms that grow chickens for the integrator. Contract growing is a scheme whereby a grower enters into a contract with an integrator to grow broilers up to a marketable age of PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 3 Table 1. Chicken inventory by type, 1995-2005 (‘000). Native/ Year Broiler Layer Improved Total 1995 27,885 9,364 58,966 96,215 1996 39,312 10,796 65,675 115,783 1997 46,558 11,466 76,939 134,963 1998 46,365 13,170 78,965 138,500 1999 32,720 13,366 67,703 113,789 2000 29,024 14,913 71,250 115,187 2001 28,959 14,866 71,782 115,607 2002 33,150 16,775 75,805 125,730 2003 38,148 17,706 72,340 128,194 2004 38,373 19,551 72,688 130,612 2005* 40,380 21,677 73,943 136,000 * Preliminary estimates Source: Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, 2005. about 36–42 days. The grower is assured of at least 5 batches (crops) a year. In this case, the integrator provides the grower a minimum of 10,000 meat-type chicks, about 35,000 kg feeds, vaccines, diagnostic laboratory services, and farm planning, particularly to a new applicant at no cost. The grower in turn, provides housing, labor, land, feeding and watering equipment, brooders, water, fuel, lighting, and litter materials for the chickens up to harvestable age under the supervision of the integrator’s extension service personnel. However, terms and conditions stipulated in the contract may vary among broiler companies or integrators. Contract-to-buy grower farms - farms that have tie-ups with integrators or cooperatives, whereby the latter sell to growers a minimum of 10,000 broiler-type chicks and/or feeds at an agreed price. At harvest, the farm sells the broilers produced to integrators and/or cooperative at a previously agreed price. Independent commercial grower farms - farms that buy broiler chicks at current market prices and mix their own feeds. They raise and market their own birds by themselves. Contract breeding farms - farms that produce hatching eggs for companies that supply the Parent Stocks (PS) and feed and buy back the hatching eggs at pre-arranged price. 4 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  Independent or Commercial breeder farms - farms that buy PS and sell hatching eggs and/or day-old chicks to commercial growers. The Broiler Breeding Operation A breeder farm operation is a vital component of the local broiler industry. The success of a broiler breeding operation is dependent on the quality of genetic materials used and the flock’s production performance. One important objective that a broiler breeder farm must achieve and maintain is uniformity of the birds it produces in terms of physical characteristics (e.g., plumage color, body conformation, and relative proportions of body parts) and production performance (body weights, growth rates, and feed conversion efficiency). Flock uniformity may be achieved by grading the sizes of birds that will be entered into the breeding flock. Size of females is best graded at ages 23–28 days old, while sizes of males are best graded after 35 days of age. The Supply Chain Structure The supply chain of the Philippine broiler industry (Fig. 3) is largely characterized by an integrated operation of companies that dominate the output and has significant control of the local industry. These companies, which are members of the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators (PABI), are composed of San Miguel Foods, Inc., Swift Foods, Inc., Universal Robina Corp., Vitarich Corporation, and Tyson Agro-Ventures, Corp. These integrators grow day-old chicks (DOCs) in contract grower farms to avoid labor and capital issues. They provide production inputs such as feeds, vaccines, laboratory services, farm planning, and technical services, in addition to DOCs. Smaller and non-integrated companies focus on providing contract services for breeding, hatchery, growing, and dressing. On the other hand, some firms grow chickens independently by securing critical inputs like DOCs and feeds from big corporations. The viajeros, who are the traders in the supply chain, buy live broiler chickens from integrators and independent commercial growers. The viajeros then sell the live birds to dressing plant operators or have the birds dressed in toll dressing plants before these are sold to wet markets. Dressed chickens are sold primarily in wet markets (Fig. 4). Roughly 65–70% of locally produced dressed chickens are sold in wet markets. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 5 The rest of the supply is sold to institutional buyers (e.g., restaurants and fast food chain outlets, supermarkets, and other retail outlets). IMPORT z Feedwheat z Soya/Soya Meal z Fish Meal z Corn z Others z Rice bran (bone meal, z Coco oil vitamin z Copra meal FEEDMILL GP Doc INDEPENDENT Logistics BREEDER PURCHASED COMMERCIAL CONTRACT INTEGRATOR Logistics Logistics CONTRACT VIAJERO CONTRACT Logistics Logistics MARKET LIVE DOC Logistics CONTRACT Logistics VIAJERO Logistics Logistics CONTRACT LIVE Logistics MARKET Fig. 3. Broiler supply chain structure. 6 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION Fig. 4. Locally dressed chickens sold in wet markets. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 7 Starting a Broiler Project Before engaging in a broiler production enterprise, it is worthwhile to consider the following issues: 1. Personal qualifications and capabilities - A prospective grower should have keen interest and sufficient technical know-how on broiler production. As broiler farming is a highly competitive business, a prospective grower should establish the farm in a zoning–approved area. He should also have the financial support to start an economic-sized operation. It is suggested that a beginner start with a few thousand broiler chicks to get the feel of the operation and gradually expand the volume until an economic-sized operation is achieved. However, entrepreneurs with sufficient capital may directly engage into large-scale broiler production with the help of qualified poultry consultants. 2. A regular supply of quality broiler chicks from reliable DOC suppliers - This is necessary to plan the schedules of loading, rearing, and marketing of broilers. 3. Sustained supply of feeds and other farm inputs - The availability of quality feeds, feed supplements, medicaments, vaccines, water, electricity, and other farm inputs is an important factor to consider before putting up a broiler project. The prospective grower should be prepared to invest on improved facilities and equipment to ensure high production efficiency. 4. Market assurance - Broilers should be marketed as soon as they reach the marketable age (36–42 days old) and weight (1.6–2.0 kg liveweight). Delayed marketing will reduce the profit or even result to losses. As broilers become older, they consume more feed per unit weight gain and have a lower market value than those marketed on time. Furthermore, delay in marketing will disrupt the farm production schedule. 8 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 5. Proximity to market and source of raw materials - Broiler farms should be accessible for easy delivery of raw materials to the farm and broilers for slaughter to the market. 6. Community environmental policies and regulations - The farm should be located in a designated livestock production zone and/or at a reasonable distance from other farms and from human settlement area. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 9 Selection of Stocks Different broiler genetic stocks respond according to different environments. Therefore, selection of stock needs careful consideration. Currently, numerous commercial broiler strains are available in the local market. In general, however, not one of these strains can be best under Philippine conditions because performance record varies under different sets of conditions. Some farmers frequently change the strains of broiler they raise, in an attempt to find the particular strain that will perform better in their particular condition. The following are some parameters used in selecting a strain of broiler to be raised: 1. Performance - The performance of broilers is determined by their genetic make-up as well as the environmental conditions provided to them. The primary consideration in the broiler business is the consistent production of more meat at the least cost possible given the available inputs. 2. Adaptability and availability of stocks – A broiler strain that is adapted to local conditions performs efficiently. For beginners, choose the strain that is popularly raised in the community as it more or less indicates that the strain is satisfactorily performing under existing farm conditions. The choice for better strains can be fine- tuned as one gains experience. 3. Reliability of suppliers - Purchase day-old broiler chicks from a reputable and dependable supplier or chick dealer. An example of good quality day-old broiler chicks from a reliable supplier is presented in Fig. 5. The delivery of quality chicks during the cooler part of the day (e.g., early morning or evening) is crucial to achieving success in broiler production. 10 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  Fig. 5. Good quality day-old broiler chicks produced by a reliable supplier. The following is a list of major sources of commercial broiler day-old-chicks as of August 2005: Strain Suppliers 1. Ross San Miguel Foods, Inc. Tyson Agro-Ventures Inc. 2. Cobb Cobb Vantress Phils. Phil-Malay San Miguel Foods, Inc. 3. Hybro Swift Foods, Inc. Tyson Agro-Ventures Corp. 4. Avian Swift Foods, Inc. 5. Hubbard Universal Robina Corp. Mat Agro 6. Starbro Universal Robina Corp. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 11 Housing and Facilities Basic Design There is no single best design that can be prescribed for broiler housing because of the innumerable variations in local climatic conditions, topography, costs, and availability of building materials and other factors that are likely to influence the microclimatic conditions inside a poultry house. However, the following basic requirements could serve as guide in building a broiler house: 1. Provide the essential requirements for comfort, biosecurity, and protection of the chickens against the elements of nature. 2. Provide convenience and ease of work for the caretakers. 3. Provide strength and durability to allow maximization of investments. 4. Use locally available and cheap construction materials without sacrificing durability and comfort. Materials and Structure Local broiler raisers still use the conventional type of housing, which is made of durable but relatively cheap materials. Coconut lumber is the most commonly used material for the main frame, but good lumber, when available and affordable, is ideal. Galvanized iron (GI) sheets, asbestos, and aluminum are used as roofing materials. Among the roofing materials mentioned, GI sheets are the most popular. This is especially true in Luzon where the need for a heavy-duty material is vital due to the possibility of the area being hit by a few strong typhoons within a year. In the Visayas and Mindanao areas, where occurrences of typhoons is less frequent, lighter roofing materials (e.g., nipa and cogon) are commonly used because these materials are relatively cheaper and provide cooler in-house environment for the birds. Generally, housing for broiler chickens are classified into two types. These are the slatted-floor type and the litter-floor type of housing. Local broiler raisers commonly use slatted floor-type of housing because of the better ventilation and the more convenient waste handling it offers 12 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION (Fig. 6). Bamboo, wood, or rattan slats are the most common flooring materials used in local broiler houses. The space in between slats should be 2.5–3.8 cm (1–1.5 in). It is important to have slats with at least 2.5 cm width. Previously, welded wire was commonly laid on top of the bamboo or wood slats, however, because of its downgrading effect on the carcass of broilers, its use has been reduced considerably. Today, most broiler raisers use plastic nets or fishnets with 2.5 cm holes as over- lays to slatted floors. The use of nets has reduced the incidence of lameness and breast blisters on broilers. In slatted houses, the floor is elevated to provide ample ventilation that reduces incidence of coccidiosis and ammonia-induced respiratory diseases. The posts should be made of concrete with at least 20.3 cm (8 in) diameter. For walls and dividers, plastic net, fishnet, or bamboo is recommended. In litter-floor type of housing, locally available litter materials such as rice hull and rice straw are commonly used. This type of housing is a good option if provided with tunnel ventilation, which is thought to minimize the risk of coccidiosis. Tunnel ventilation allows a certain degree of control of the in-house environment, thus, limiting stress factors that would predispose the birds to disease. Houses for broiler chickens are generally long but narrow in width and constructed in east-west orientation to minimize exposure to direct sunlight. Under Philippine conditions, the recommended width of broiler chicken houses is between 7.3–9.0 m (24–30 ft). The space in between houses should be at least 13.7 m (45 ft). Floor height in slatted-floor type of housing should be at least 1.8 m (5.9 ft) to minimize ammonia build up. Height from the floor to ceiling should be at least 2.4 m (8 ft) to allow optimum ventilation. Concrete posts with a diameter of not less than 20.3 cm is commonly used in local slatted-floor type broiler houses. The primary concern for broiler housing design in the Philippines is to provide optimum ventilation and the lowest in-house temperature possible. In addition to elevated flooring, cooling devices such as sprinklers, foggers, and ventilating fans are commonly installed in strategic areas inside broiler houses. Moreover, reflector paints are also used to deflect heat from the roof. Like in any other tropical country, summer heat in the Philippines, which lasts for 4–6 months each year (usually June to September), is accompanied by very high relative humidity. This climatic condition has been observed to cause significant reduction in the survival rate and overall growth performance of broiler chickens. To protect the birds from the ill effects of high environmental temperature and humidity, PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 13 some commercial broiler farms, particularly the large ones, install cool cell or tunnel ventilation to effectively control the temperature in broiler houses. Although the effectiveness of tunnel ventilation in creating comfortable microclimatic condition for birds in local farms still needs further investigation, many farms have indicated reduction in stress- related problems and general improvement in broiler production performance. However, with the rising fuel oil and power costs, the economic feasibility of using tunnel ventilation will surely be an important issue to resolve. Local broiler raisers commonly brood and grow broiler chickens in the same house. This practice eliminates possible stress associated with the transfer of chicks during the growing period. However, a recent study shows that stress brought about by transferring chicks can be effectively managed to avoid adverse effects on growth performance. Keeping the birds in the same house from brooding to finish limits the utilization of the housing facility. When brooding and growing of broiler chicks is done in separate housing facilities, production can be increased from 5 batches to 8 batches per year. Fig. 6. A slatted-floor monitor type of housing for better ventilation and waste handling. 14 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION Brooding Brooding is the process of providing supplemental heat to keep the brooder temperature at 31.1–33.3oC for 24 hours from hatching up to the time that the chicks have grown sufficient feathers to control their own body temperature. During the brooding period, optimum heat should be provided to the chicks to prevent them from chilling, which may predispose them to disease and eventually, death. In the Philippines, this period takes about 2–3 weeks, depending on the season. The first 24 hours of the chick’s life is the most important. Hence, optimum brooder temperature together with a warm, dry, clean space, and plenty of clean, fresh water must be provided to the chicks upon delivery to the farm. Elements of Successful Brooding Good Quality Chicks Quality chicks look active and have dry and fluffy feathers, bright eyes, and well-healed navels (Fig. 7). The size of DOCs, as long as they Fig. 7. An example of good quality chicks. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 15 come from the same flock, has no bearing on their subsequent performance. However, chicks of similar sizes are always preferred. Proper Temperature Maintain proper temperature inside the brooding house to make chicks feel comfortable. The range of temperatures ideal at various ages of broiler chicks is as follows: Age of Chicks Temperature (days) ( oC) 1–7 32.2–35.0 8–14 29.4–32.2 14–21 26.7–29.4 Beyond 21 days Provide heat only when necessary A thermometer could be used to measure actual temperature inside the brooder compartment. However, the behavior of the broiler chicks in the brooder can be used as a practical guide in determining adequate brooder temperature. When chicks are uniformly distributed (Fig. 8) inside the brooder and doing varied activities such as feeding, drinking, sleeping, and playing, then brooding temperature could be presumed adequate. Fig. 8. Evenly distributed chicks inside the brooder. 16 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  If the temperature inside the brooder is lower than what is required by the chicks, they huddle to each other or stay together near the source of heat and produce an unusual chirping sound. If the brooder temperature is critically low, chicks tend to huddle and pile on top of one another causing high incidence of mortality due to suffocation. If the temperature, on the other hand, is higher than what the chicks need, they tend to move away from the source of heat. Chicks spread their wings, pant, and drink a lot of water. Extremely high temperature inside the brooder may cause death to the chicks due to heat stroke. The presence of draft inside the brooder is evident if the chicks form a wedge-like pattern. Adequate Space Allowances Adequate floor, feeding, and drinking space allowances should be provided to the broilers during the brooding period. Broilers should be provided with wider floor space allocation by widening the area enclosed by the brooder guard. Sheets of old, but clean newspapers or similar materials may be used as floor matting during the first few days to serve as temporary feeders and help conserve the heat inside the brooder compartment. More units of regular feeder and drinker should be provided, as the broiler chicks grow bigger. During the brooding stage, the recommended floor space allowance is 1 m2 (10.8 ft2) per 75–150 chicks under the heat source and at least 1 m2 per 25–50 chicks within the chick guard. For the feeding space, each chick should be given 5–8 cm (2–3.1 in) linear space. Depending on the weather, growing broiler chickens should be provided with 0.07–0.11 m2 (0.8–1.2 ft2) of floor space per bird. Linear space allowances for feeders and waterers should be 10.16 cm (4 in) and 2.03 cm (0.8 in) per bird, respectively. In large flocks, automatic watering system is usually installed. In a float-controlled drinking trough, 2 cm (0.8 in) linear space per bird is considered sufficient. One hanging fountain would be enough for 80– 100 birds, while a smaller cup can accommodate 50 birds, and one nipple would be adequate for 10–12 birds. Proper Ventilation A good air movement without draft is necessary inside the brooder house. The chicks need a fresh supply of oxygen, while carbon dioxide, PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 17 ammonia, and excess moisture that have accumulated inside the brooder compartment have to be removed. The effect of draft can be avoided by providing burlap curtains along the walls of the brooder house (Fig. 9). The curtain can be made of empty feedbags, jute cloth, or similar materials. Fig. 9. Burlap curtain used on the walls of brooder house to keep the chicks from draft. Adequate Lighting Facilities Adequate lighting facilities have to be provided within the brooder compartment. Proper lighting in brooder pens encourages the chicks to keep close to the sources of heat and help them locate the feed and water. If the source of heat is an incandescent bulb, then lighting of the brooder pen is accomplished at the same time. However, if other sources of heat are used, light from a 5- to 10-watt bulb would be needed to enable the broiler chicks to locate the feed and water. If natural light is sufficient during daytime, artificial light may only be provided at night. Proper Sanitation Hygiene and sanitation is one of the critical factors that determine successful brooding of broiler chicks. Brooding pens need to be kept clean and dry at all times to minimize if not prevent contamination and growth of parasites and other disease-causing organisms. 18 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION Protection from Predators The brooder must be constructed to provide sufficient protection from rats, dogs, cats, snakes, and other animals that could unduly disturb or kill young chicks. Enclose the brooder house with materials that are sturdy enough to prevent the entry of these predators. Sources of Heat for Brooding Any cheap source of heat that could adequately provide the required brooding temperature may be used. While the mother hen’s body provides the best brooding temperature, this is not practical for commercial broiler production. Electricity, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or fuels such as charcoal and rice hulls maybe used depending on their costs, availability, and convenience. Electricity Electricity is a popular source of heat, particularly for backyard operations. Incandescent bulb, infrared lamp, and hover-type heaters with resistant coils are examples of electric heat sources. In some cases, thermostats are provided to automatically regulate the temperature inside the brooder compartment. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) LPG-fueled heaters are popularly used in large-scale poultry farms. These are found to effectively and efficiently provide heat for larger number of chicks at a relatively lower cost. This type of heat source is commonly used in areas where electricity is either not available or expensive. A 50-kg LPG cylinder is adequate to provide sufficient heat for 1,000 broiler chicks for 18 days. Brooding Management Preparation of the Brooder House The brooding house must be ready and properly cleaned, repaired, and disinfected prior to the arrival of broiler chicks. The heater should be turned on 4 hours before the arrival of the chicks. Heating units with PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 19 hover must be adjusted such that the edge of the hover is 15 cm above the back of newly arrived chicks. As the broiler chicks grow bigger, the height of the heater must be adjusted. For chicks older than 4 days, the hover may be set at 15–30 cm above the back of the broilers provided optimum brooding temperature is maintained. Brooder guards are used to confine the broiler chicks near the source of heat. These should be circular to eliminate corners that can possibly trap the chicks and make them liable to trampling, particularly when they are agitated or scared of predators or other unusual figures in the brooding area. Aluminum sheets, lawanits, plywoods, hard cardboards, or similar materials could be used as brooder guards. The area enclosed by the brooder guard can be expanded as deemed necessary until it is removed at the end of the brooding period. Some poultry farms, particularly the smaller ones, use cages with incandescent bulb as source of heat in brooding broiler chicks. Some farms install ‘false ceiling’ (Fig. 10), which is made of burlap curtain to better control the temperature inside the brooder house. Fig. 10. Brooder house with burlap curtain used as “false ceiling” to control temperature. Handling of Broiler Chicks Handling of newly arrived broiler chicks is one of the critical factors that influence survival rate and growth performance during the brooding period. The following are some suggested steps in handling broiler chicks. 20 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 1. Place the boxes containing the broiler chicks on the floor of the brooder. Spread out the boxes to allow adequate air supply and keep the chicks from suffocation. 2. Open the chick boxes and separate the weak chicks from the active ones. Remove and properly dispose dead chicks found in the boxes. Immediately release the chicks into the brooder compartment. Dispose empty boxes properly. 3. Check the condition of the newly arrived chicks more frequently during the first 48 hours. 4. Provide the broiler chicks with 5% sugar solution for drinking within 3 hours of arrival. Thereafter, give them fresh feeds and water. Vitamin-mineral supplements with antibiotics may be added to the drinking water during the first 3–5 days to enhance the chicks’ vigor. 5. Regulate the brooder temperature, as the broiler chicks grow bigger. Brooder temperature can be reduced by 3oC/week until the chicks are 3 weeks old. During warm months, the brooder heater may be provided intermittently during daytime, but it should be provided continuously at night. 6. Provide additional units of larger feeders and waterers as the broilers grow. Waterers should be set about 1 m away from the nearest feeder. Choose proper feeder design and follow proper feeding management to minimize feed wastage. 7. Vaccinate the broilers against common poultry diseases (e.g., New Castle Disease [NCD], Infectious Bronchitis [IB], Infectious Bursal Disease [IBD]). 8. Cull and properly dispose all weak, deformed, and sickly chicks. Immediately burn or bury dead birds. 9. Consult a veterinarian if mortality and morbidity of the flock goes higher than the acceptable level. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 21 Other Management Practices Prevention and Control of Cannibalism Cannibalism is a nasty behavior that may develop in a flock. It is manifested by pecking on others’ toes, tails, and feathers. In broilers, the outbreak of cannibalism could result in stress that could affect their production efficiency and downgrading of their carcass when dressed. Under extreme conditions, cannibalism could result in higher mortality and morbidity. The possible causes of the outbreak of cannibalism in broiler chickens are: a. Overcrowding b. Poor ventilation c. Inadequate feeders and drinkers d. Imbalance or poor diet Prevention of Cannibalism The following are commonly recommended practices to prevent cannibalism: a. Provide adequate floor space. b. Provide proper ventilation. c. Provide sufficient feeding and drinking spaces. d. Give good quality feeds and balanced diet. Control of Cannibalism a. Isolate immediately injured broilers. b. Treat wounds of injured broilers with pine tar or anti-peck solution as soon as possible. c. If cannibalism persists, beak trimming is recommended. 22 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  Proper Catching and Hauling of Broilers As soon as the broiler chickens have achieved the desired age and weight, they should be marketed. The following are some useful tips in catching and hauling of broilers. 1. Catch the broilers at night. Broilers are less active during the night. 2. Remove feeders and waterers from the pens before catching the birds. 3. Divide the broiler flock into small groups by using portable panels or frames. 4. Hold the broilers on the body or on both legs. Place them inside the crate with care. Avoid rough handling of broilers. The skin of broilers, particularly on the breast portion, is easily bruised. 5. Do not overcrowd broilers inside the crate. 6. Handle filled crates with care. Management During Stress Stress is a state whereby the normal physiological condition of an organism is adversely affected. Stress comes in many forms and affects the performance of broilers. Sudden change in weather, fear due to the presence of predators, frequent change in diet, frequent handling, vaccination and so on, can create conditions of stress. However, through proper housing and management stress can be minimized. Housing. A long and narrow house will allow better ventilation than a square house; a width of 10–12 m should be considered maximum. It is important that broiler houses should be maintained in good condition. Water. If nipple drinkers are used, adjust the pressure regulators to supply optimum volume of water to the birds. Hot drinking water causes adverse effects on broiler performance. To prevent heating of the drinking water, tanks should be insulated and/or located in the shade. Also, water pipes and waterers should be kept away from direct sunlight. Broilers perform better if provided with cold drinking water. Feed Management and Nutrition during Warm Weather. During warm weather condition, pellets and crumbles are recommended to improve feed consumption and minimize dusts. If sudden high PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 23 temperatures are anticipated, feed may be restricted. Fats as energy source are also useful because it produces lower metabolic heat than carbohydrates. Full-fat soya is an excellent ingredient as it contains 18% high-quality fat. A good quality and digestible phosphate source is also important during hot weather. Mold inhibitors and antioxidants based on ethoxyquin should be added in fat sources, high fat ingredients, and vitamin premixes to prevent growth of mycotoxin-producing organisms and oxidation of fats. Stabilized forms of vitamin C have been found useful under certain situations. At 200–600 mg/kg, growth can be improved, as well as feed efficiency and livability, particularly of heat-stressed birds. Vitamin E at levels higher than 80 ppm has also been observed to be beneficial, particularly during stressful conditions. During summer months, extra calcium at a rate of 1 g/bird should be provided in the form of oyster shell grit or limestone. Supplementing the diet with 0.5% sodium bicarbonate or 0.3–1% ammonium chloride or sodium zeolite minimizes alkalosis related to heat stress. Other Causes of Stress. Some of the most often ignored causes of stress in broiler chickens include slamming of doors, honking of horns, and children or dogs running around. These forms of unnecessary stress must be avoided. Other causes of stress include the presence of parasites like coccidia, worms, lice, and mites. A regular program to eliminate these pests is therefore necessary. 24 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION Feeding Broilers Proper nutrition plays a vital role in broiler performance. The genetic potential of broiler chickens can be expressed only if proper nutrition and management are provided to them. Feed Types and Forms As practiced, broilers are fed ad libitum from start to market. They should be encouraged to eat as much as possible. Recent observations indicate that high feed consumption in broiler chickens is positively correlated with growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. The three types of feeds commonly offered to broiler chickens are the following: a. Prestarter or chick booster - given to chicks from day- old to 2 weeks. b. Broiler starter - given to chicks from 2 weeks old to 4 weeks old. c. Broiler finisher - given to chicks from 4 weeks old until desired market weight and age are achieved. The recommended nutrient requirements and supplementary vitamin and mineral for broiler chickens are presented in Tables 2 and 3, respectively. Three nutrient densities (low, medium, and high) are presented for each type of feed. The ratio of other nutrients (protein, amino acids, minerals, and vitamins) to the different energy levels is made constant in each feed type. This provides flexibilities in formulating broiler diets, depending on the desired level of feed efficiency, availability and cost of feedstuffs, without sacrificing the efficiency of nutrient utilization. When efficient feed is desired, use the high-nutrient density formulation. Chicks will eat less of this feed per unit gain in body weight compared with those chicks, which are fed low- or medium-nutrient density feeds. The low- or medium-nutrient density requirements are adopted when by-products such as rice bran are to be used in the ration, which results in increased feed consumption per kilogram body weight PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 25  Table 2. Nutrient recommendations for broiler-type chicken. Booster Starter Finisher (0–2 Weeks) (2–4 Weeks) (4–6 Weeks) Nutrient Unit Low Medium High Low Medium High Low Medium High 26 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS ME; Protein Ration 130 130 130 140 140 140 150 150 150 Energy, ME Kcal/kg 2,800 2,900 3,000 2,700 2,800 2,900 2,700 2,800 2,900 FOR Crude Protein % 21.50 22.30 23.00 19.30 20.00 20.70 18.00 18.70 19.30 Calcium % 0.84 0.87 0.90 0.81 0.84 0.87 0.76 0.78 0.81 Phosphorus, Available % 0.45 0.46 0.48 0.41 0.42 0.44 0.38 0.39 0.41 Salt (NaCl) % 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30 0.30 Amino Acid BROILER PRODUCTION Lysine % 1.12 1.16 1.20 0.97 1.01 1.04 0.86 0.90 0.93 Methionine % 0.48 0.49 0.51 0.38 0.39 0.41 0.32 0.33 0.35 Met + Cys % 0.84 0.87 0.90 0.68 0.70 0.72 0.59 0.62 0.64 Threonine % 0.78 0.81 0.84 0.62 0.64 0.67 0.57 0.59 0.61 Tryptophan % 0.22 0.23 0.24 0.19 0.20 0.20 0.16 0.17 0.17 Source: Feed Reference Standards, Philippine Society of Animal Nutritionists (PhilSAN), 2003. Table 3. Recommended vitamin and mineral supplementation for broilers. Type of Feed/Age (weeks) Vitamin/Mineral Unit/kg Booster Starter Finisher Supplement Feed 0–2 2–4 4–Market Vitamins: Vitamin A IU 10,000 10,000 8,000 Vitamin D3 IU 2,500 2,500 2,500 Vitamin E mg 30.0 30.0 25.0 Vitamin K3 mg 3.0 3.0 2.5 Vitamin B1 mg 2.0 2.0 1.0 Vitamin B2 mg 5.0 5.0 4.0 Vitamin B6 mg 3.0 3.0 3.0 Vitamin B12 mcg 12.0 12.0 12.0 Biotin mcg 200.0 200.0 100.0 Folic Acid mg 1.0 1.0 0.5 Niacin mg 30.0 30.0 30.0 Pantothenic Acid mg 12.0 12.0 10.0 Choline mg 500.0 500.0 300.0 Trace Minerals: Copper mg 8.0 8.0 8.0 Iron mg 80.0 80.0 80.0 Iodine mg 0.8 0.8 0.8 Manganese mg 80.0 80.0 80.0 Selenium mg 0.1 0.1 0.1 Zinc mg 40.0 40.0 40.0 Source: Feed Reference Standards, Philippine Society of Animal Nutritionists (PhilSAN), 2003. gain of broilers. Table 4 shows the estimated feed consumption and weight gains of broilers up to market age. Tables 5, 6, and 7 present sample formulations for low-, medium-, and high-nutrient density broiler rations, respectively. The three forms of broiler feeds are: Mash - a mixture of ground and powdered form of feedstuffs Pellets - compressed mash feed. Feeds are compressed through pelleting machine (Fig. 11). Pellets vary in size. Crumbles - coarsely ground pellets Mash feed is recommended for use only during the first 2 weeks as PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 27  Fig. 11. Pelleting machine. Table 4. The estimated feed consumption and average daily weight gain of broilers from day-old up to market age. Ave. Feed Ave. Daily Age Consumption Weight Gain (days) (g/days) (g) Feed Type 1–10 24.60 24.50 BB 11–24 67.10 45.00 BST 25–30 115.00 65.00 BFN-1 31–42 136.25 64.50 BFN-2 an alternative to crumbles. However, under local condition, mash feed is commonly used for the entire growing period. Mash feed is easier to prepare and cheaper than crumbles or pellets. However, when pellets and crumbles are available they are preferred over mash. Broilers may be fed with crumble during the entire growing period. When chicks are 2–3 weeks of age, broilers prefer starter pellets to mash or crumbles. At about 4 weeks of age, broiler finisher pellets, which are larger in particle size, is commonly recommended. Based on total feed consumption, prestarter feed accounts for 15%, while starter and finisher feeds account for 35% and 50%, respectively. 28 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION Table 5. Sample formulation of chick booster mash*. Chick Booster Mash Ingredient Low Medium High Corn, yellow 513.00 463.00 415.00 Soybean HP 341.00 367.00 390.00 Rice bran D1 50.00 50.00 50.00 Copra meal 50.00 50.00 50.00 Limestone, fine 11.50 11.50 12.00 Monodicalcium phosphate 14.50 14.60 15.30 Crude coconut oil 9.00 32.80 56.40 Salt 3.00 3.00 3.00 DL - methionine 1.30 1.40 1.60 Vitamin premix 1.00 1.00 1.00 Mineral premix 1.00 1.00 1.00 Choline, 50% 1.20 1.20 1.20 Toxin binder 1.00 1.00 1.00 Enzyme 0.50 0.50 0.50 Mold inhibitor 0.50 0.50 0.50 Coccidiostat 1.00 1.00 1.00 Antioxidant 0.50 0.50 0.50 Total 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 Calculated nutrient content Crude protein, % 21.50 22.30 23.00 M.E., kcal/kg 2800 2900 3000 Crude fat, % 4.34 6.57 8.77 Crude fiber, % 3.66 3.63 3.60 Calcium, % 0.84 0.87 0.90 Available phosphorus, % 0.45 0.46 0.48 Lysine, % 1.19 1.25 1.30 Methionine, % 0.49 0.50 0.53 Met + Cys, % 0.84 0.87 0.90 Tryptophan, % 0.26 0.27 0.28 Threonine, % 0.81 0.84 0.87 * Formulated based on the nutrient recommended for broilers. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 29 Table 6. Sample formulation of broiler starter diets*. Broiler Starter Mash Ingredient Low Medium High Corn, yellow 519.00 481.00 432.00 Soybean HP 266.50 288.00 312.00 Rice bran D1 100.00 100.00 100.00 Copra meal 80.00 80.00 80.00 Limestone, fine 12.00 12.20 12.50 Monodicalcium phosphate 12.70 13.00 14.00 Crude coconut oil - 16.00 39.50 Salt 3.00 3.00 3.00 DL - methionine 0.50 0.50 0.70 Vitamin premix 1.00 1.00 1.00 Mineral premix 1.00 1.00 1.00 Choline, 50% 0.80 0.80 0.80 Toxin binder 1.00 1.00 1.00 Enzyme 0.50 0.50 0.50 Mold inhibitor 0.50 0.50 0.50 Coccidiostat 1.00 1.00 1.00 Antioxidant 0.50 0.50 0.50 Total 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 Calculated nutrient content Crude protein, % 19.30 20.00 20.70 M.E., kcal/kg 2737 2800 2900 Crude fat, % 4.32 5.80 8.00 Crude fiber, % 3.97 3.95 3.91 Calcium, % 0.81 0.84 0.87 Available phosphorus, % 0.41 0.42 0.44 Lysine, % 1.01 1.07 1.12 Methionine, % 0.38 0.39 0.41 Met + Cys, % 0.71 0.72 0.75 Tryptophan, % 0.23 0.24 0.25 Threonine, % 0.72 0.75 0.78 * Formulated based on the nutrient recommended for broilers. 30 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION Table 7. Sample formulation of broiler finisher mash*. Broiler Finisher Mash Ingredient Low Medium High Corn, yellow 539.00 506.00 461.00 Soybean HP 230.00 251.00 271.50 Rice bran D1 120.00 120.00 120.00 Copra meal 80.00 80.00 80.00 Limestone, fine 11.20 11.40 11.70 Monodicalcium phosphate 11.50 11.70 12.50 Crude coconut oil - 11.50 34.80 Salt 3.00 3.00 3.00 DL - methionine - 0.10 0.20 Vitamin premix 1.00 1.00 1.00 Mineral premix 1.00 1.00 1.00 Choline, 50% 0.80 0.80 0.80 Toxin binder 1.00 1.00 1.00 Enzyme 0.50 0.50 0.50 Mold inhibitor 0.50 0.50 0.50 Antioxidant 0.50 0.50 0.50 Total 1000.00 1000.00 1000.00 Calculated nutrient content Crude protein, % 18.00 18.70 19.30 M.E., kcal/kg 2759 2800 2900 Crude fat, % 4.59 5.65 7.82 Crude fiber, % 3.98 3.98 3.94 Calcium, % 0.76 0.78 0.81 Available phosphorus, % 0.38 0.39 0.41 Lysine, % 0.92 0.97 1.02 Methionine, % 0.32 0.33 0.35 Met + Cys, % 0.63 0.65 0.67 Tryptophan, % 0.21 0.22 0.23 Threonine, % 0.67 0.70 0.72 * Formulated based on the nutrient recommended for broilers. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 31  Pelleting of broiler feeds is expensive. If costs are to be regained, the advantages of pelleting must outweigh the disadvantages. Advantages of Pelleting The following are some advantages of pelleting broiler feeds: a. Less feed loss due to wind b. Reduces feed dustiness c. Keeps all ingredients bound in pellet form during handling d. Destroys bacteria in feeds (e.g., salmonella) e. Increases feed density, allowing chicken to consume more low energy (high-fiber) feeds f. Markedly increases consumption of certain feed ingredients that are otherwise unacceptable to chickens when they are not pelleted g. Less feed wastage from feeders Disadvantages of Pelleting The following are some of the major disadvantages of pelleting: a. Added cost of pelleting b. Wasting of fine particles when pellets break into crumble c. Increased water consumption of broiler chicken that often results to wet droppings d. Increased incidence and severity of cannibalism Considering the aforementioned advantages and disadvantages of pelleted feeds, the choice of the form of feed to adopt largely depends on economic considerations. The following are the observed responses of broilers to pelleting or crumbling broiler feeds. a. Pelleting of high-fiber feeds shows more improvement in feed consumption than pelleting low-fiber feed. b. Pelleting reduces the feeding time of chickens. c. Pelleting per se does not increase the growth rate of broilers. Pelleting increases feed consumption, which is often translated into fast growth rate. d. From day-old to 2 weeks, chicks eat more feeds in mash 32 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  form than crumbles or very small pellets, but thereafter, pellet feeds are preferred. e. When mixture of three-fourth pellets and one-fourth mash is given, some broilers show preference for mash and some for pellets. This practice results in greater average body weight than when pellets alone are fed. f. If pellets are too large, acceptance will be reduced. Broilers under 4 weeks of age should be given pelleted feed with a diameter of 2.3 mm, while broilers over 4 weeks of age should be given pellets of 4.7 mm. Nutritional Deficiency Feed rations, which are balanced and contain adequate nutrients, are important in disease prevention. Deficiencies in any of the nutrients can cause disease or make broilers more susceptible to infectious and non-infectious disease. Deficiency problems related to protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus, among others, are often seen in small flocks. Table 8 presents the symptoms of nutritional deficiencies in broilers. Feeding Systems Unless otherwise recommended by the supplier, feed must be available to the chickens at all times. Birds must be provided with artificial light to enable them to eat at night. When open trough feeders are used, refill the troughs as frequently as possible. Fresh feed must be mixed with the remaining feed in the trough during feeding time. In most commercial broiler farms, tube feeders are commonly used to ensure continuous supply of feeds to the chickens and make feeding convenient to the caretaker. Occasionally check the tube feeders to ensure the flow of feed from the tube to the pan. Hang the tube feeder at a height where the brim of the pan is leveled with the back of the chickens. This will make the chickens eat more conveniently and at the same time reduce feed wastage. To avoid overcrowding during feeding, allow 2.54 cm (1 in) of feeder space for each chick for the first 2 weeks (Fig. 12), 5.08 cm (2 in) up to 4 weeks, and 10.16 cm (4 in) up to slaughter age (6 weeks). For every 100 chicks, use three tube feeders. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 33 Table 8. Nutritional deficiency for broilers. Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms Energy Increased feed intake; as the energy content of the chicks drop below the critical level (600/kg) growth is reduced and the amount of deposited fat in the carcass is decreased; when the energy level is decreased below maintenance requirement, the animal loses weight (using up its own body fat and protein tissues for energy) until this process becomes severe enough to affect a vital function, causing the animal to die. Protein/Essential acid Decreased feed intake, decreased growth in proportion to degree of deficiency, decreased deposition of fat. Essential fatty acid Reduced growth and condition progresses as build (Linoleic acid) up of fat occurs in the liver; susceptibility to respiratory diseases Vitamins Vitamin A Anorexia, growth retardation, drowsiness, incoordination, emaciation, and ruffled feathers Vitamin D Retarded growth, leg weakness, beak and claws become soft and pliable, squatting on their hocks. Poor calcification of tibia and femur. Vitamin E Encephalomalacia, exudative diathesis, and muscular dystrophy Vitamin K Subcutaneous and internal hemorrhages, delayed blood clotting Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Anorexia, polyneuritis, and paralysis Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Slow growth, curled toe paralysis; walk with hocks with the aid of their wings Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Retarded growth, dermatitis, convulsion, and anemia Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) Reduced weight gain and feed intake along with poor feathering and nervous disorder Niacin (Nicotinic acid) Loss of appetite, retarded growth, general weakness and diarrhea, enlargement of the tibiotarsal joint, bowing of the legs, poor feathering, and dermatitis on the head and feet 34 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION Table 8. Nutritional deficiency for broilers (continued). Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms Panthothenic acid Reduced growth and feed consumption, poor feathering, encrustations around beak and eyes, dermatitis of the feet Biotin Crusty dermatitis of foot pod, eyes, and mouth; perosis, poor feathering Folacin (Folic acid) Poor feathering, slow growth, perosis, macrocytic anemia, and reduced white blood cell Choline Poor growth, perosis Minerals Calcium Growth retardation and reduced feed intake, rickets, reduced activity and sensitivity, abnormal posture and gait, increased urine value Phosphorus Rickets and poor growth Sodium Growth retardation, soft bones, corneal keratinization, impaired feed utilization, and decrease in plasma volume Potassium Muscle weakness characterized by weak extremities, poor intestinal tone with intestinal distention, cardiac and respiratory muscle weakness Chlorine Extremely poor growth rate, high mortality, hemoconcentration, dehydration and reduced blood chloride level, nervous reaction reduced by sudden noise or fright Magnesium Retarded growth, lethargic and often pant and gasp, exhibit convulsions and go on to comatose state when disturbed Manganese Perosis characterized by enlargement and malformation of the tibio-metatarsal joint, twisting and bending of the distal end of the tibia and proximal end of the torso- metatarsus, thickening and shortening of the gastrocnemius or Achilles tendon from its condyles Zinc Retarded growth, shortening and thickening of leg bones, enlargement of the hock joints, scaling of the skin, very poor feathering, reduced feed utilization, loss of appetite, and in severe cases, mortality PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 35 Table 8. Nutritional deficiency for broilers (continued). Nutrient Deficiency Symptoms Iron Severe anemia with reduction in packed cell volume, impaired feather pigmentation Copper Anemia, increased fragility of bone, thickened epiphyseal cartilage, reduced vascular penetration of the thick cartilage Selenium Exudative diathesis, muscular dystrophy Iodine Enlarged thyroid Fig. 12. Two-week old broiler chicks raised in slatted-floor housing with tube feeders placed alternately with automatic waterers. Management Practices to Avoid Feed Losses in Feeders The following are some tips to minimize feed wastage: 1. Avoid filling beyond one-third of the capacity of the trough feeders. This will require frequent feeding, but less feed will be wasted through beaking out. Also, the feed will remain fresh and more palatable. 2. Use the right size of feeder for a particular age of chickens. Each feeder should have a guard or lid to avoid the feed from being beaked out. 36 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 3. Keep the brim of feeders level with the back of the chickens to reduce wastage from beaking out feeds and make eating easier for the chickens. 4. Give pelleted or crumbled feed instead of mash feed if the cost is reasonable. These kinds of feed are less likely to be blown out from feeders. These forms of feeds are preferred by broilers. These stimulate them to eat more feeds than the feed in mash form. Feed Additives Feeds for broilers are formulated to contain optimum nutrient concentration to enhance growth and better efficiency of feed utilization at reasonable cost. To ensure that the dietary nutrients are ingested, digested, protected from destruction, absorbed, and transported to the cells of the body, certain feed additives are included in the ration. The following are commonly used feed additives in broiler rations: Antifungal agents. These are used to prevent fungal (mold) growth in stored ingredients and mixed feeds. Molds reduce palatability and may produce mycotoxins. The use of mold inhibitor is strongly recommended when moisture content of grains exceeds 13–14%, relative humidity increases to more than 80–85%, temperature rises above 12.8oC, or the grain is damaged, broken, or insect-infested. Antioxidants. These are preservatives that prevent the oxidation (rancidity) of fats. Unsaturated fatty acids may react with oxygen to produce undesirable products with offensive odors and toxic properties and destroy nutrients (i.e., fat-soluble vitamins). Anticoccidial agents. These are substances used to prevent the incidence of coccidiosis in poultry. Antitoxins. These are substances that bind mycotoxins present in feeds. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 37 Disease Prevention and Control Broiler production has developed into a large-scale industry during the past two decades. However, its further development is deterred by some constraints. One major problem is the prevalence of infectious diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, mycoplasma, and/or parasites. Losses from feed containing mycotoxins and from non-infectious diseases such as sudden death syndrome (SDS), ascites, and leg disorders, which adversely affect fast-growing chickens are among the recent problems confronting the broiler industry. Over the years, biosecurity measures based on disease infection and transmission mechanisms have been developed to protect the health status of the flock. With the use of effective vaccines, anti-microbial agents, extensive health management systems, and continuous research, it is hoped that losses from poultry diseases will eventually be controlled and minimized. Vaccination Vaccination is an effective and economical means of preventing infectious poultry diseases. Vaccines are biological products prepared from the organisms causing the disease. Live vaccines are available against most viral diseases. However, availability of bacterins against bacterial infections is still limited. Live vaccines consist of living attenuated organisms capable of replicating in the chicken to induce immune response or antibody production. There is always a time interval between the administration of a vaccine and the appearance of protective antibodies. This usually takes 10–14 days after initial vaccination with a live vaccine. Vaccinated chickens, therefore, never become immunized immediately upon vaccination, but only after an interval of time. The presence of high levels of egg-transferred antibodies (maternal antibodies) in chicks may seriously interfere with vaccine responses. If present, maternal bodies may destroy or neutralize the viruses in vaccines that may result in a significantly shortened period of protection or failure of the chicken to produce antibodies. Chicks are not 38 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION immunologically competent or capable of fully responding to vaccines until they are 6 weeks of age. It is for these reasons that there is often the need to revaccinate chicks when they are immunized at day-old or during the first week of life. Post-vaccination reaction such as decreased feed consumption and development of mild respiratory symptoms may be observed after vaccination with live vaccines for respiratory diseases (e.g. NCD, IB). Often, this problem is associated with poor environmental conditions, improper management, and rough handling of chickens during vaccination. In this case, post-vaccination reaction may cause concurrent infection such as chronic respiratory disease (CRD) to become more severe. To avoid severe vaccination reactions, only healthy chickens should be vaccinated following proper vaccination procedures. A vaccination program should be developed based on disease history of the area where the poultry farm is located. An example of a typical vaccination program for broilers is shown in Table 9. Table 9. Vaccination schedule for broiler chicks. Age of Route of Chicken Type of Vaccination Administration Remarks 7–10 days NCD (B1 strain) + Intraocular Chicks from IB (live vaccine) (eye drop) unvaccinated Intranasal parents may be (nose drop) vaccinated as early as 1–3 days of age 7–15 days IBD, mild or Via drinking If chicks are intermediate strain water vaccinated before (live vaccine) 7 days old, re-vaccination at 21 days of age may be indicated for optimum protection. 21–28 days NCD (La Sota strain) Via drinking + IB (live vaccine) water PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 39  Vaccination Failure Occasionally, vaccines may fail to immunize or adequately protect chickens from field pathogens due to the following reasons: 1. Administration of vaccines that do not contain the appropriate strain or serotypes of the pathogen causing the disease 2. Decreased vaccine potency due to improper storage and/or handling, or use of expired vaccines 3. Improper method of administering the vaccine or giving of inadequate dosage 4. Presence of high levels of maternal antibody that interferes with the immunization process, particularly in very young chicks 5. Stress, incomplete development of immuno-competence, poor nutrition, mycotoxin, presence of concurrent immunosuppressive infections (e.g., IBD, CRD, coccidiosis) that tend to cause less effective or incomplete immune responsiveness to vaccines Vaccination Tips 1. Purchase recommended strain/type of vaccines from reliable sources. 2. Keep vaccines cool at all times. They are best stored in the refrigerator at 4oC where they are kept cold, but not subjected to freezing and thawing. 3. Put vaccines in an icebox during transport. 4. Take note of the expiry date, which is stamped on each packet of vaccine. Vaccines lose potency slowly even when stored under ideal conditions. Vaccines should be purchased as required, stored properly, and used within the expiry period. 5. Follow strictly vaccination schedule and proper use of vaccines as indicated by the manufacturer. 6. Administer the correct dose. Dosages should not be decreased nor increased unnecessarily. 7. Vaccinate healthy chickens only. Do not vaccinate the flock when there is an outbreak of disease in the farm (e.g., infectious coryza, coccidiosis, CRD, etc). 8. Administer live vaccines within 1 hour after reconstitution. Keep vaccines cool during vaccination time. 9. Avoid unnecessary stress during vaccination. Anti-stress supplement may be given via the drinking water at least 2 days before and 3 days 40 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  after vaccination that requires individual handling of chickens (e.g, intraocular or intranasal route of administration). 10. Destroy unused reconstituted live vaccines. Burn or bury empty vials/bottles and leftover live reconstituted vaccines. 11. Check or monitor the immune response to NCD or IBD live vaccines by using the hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) test of ELISA, 10–14 days after each NCD or IBD vaccination. These tests are conducted in most diagnostic laboratories. Revaccinate flock if the protection or antibody titer is low. Medication Most viral diseases of poultry can be prevented by vaccination and management procedures. However, there are instances where the use of appropriate chemotherapeutic agents is necessary for the prevention or treatment of some bacterial or parasitic diseases for which no vaccine is available. In poultry, mass medication through the feed or drinking water has been a labor-saving practice. Most chemotherapeutic agents are incorporated in the feed. When chickens are sick, however, medication via the drinking water is preferred over feed medication because sick chickens may not have the appetite to eat but will continue to drink. The amount of chemotherapeutic agent added to the feed or drinking water is a concentration usually expressed as grams per ton or parts per million (ppm). This always refers to the active drug ingredient. The average dose rate can be calculated from the average daily intake, the concentration of the chemotherapeutic agent, and the average body weight of the chickens in the flock. The commonly used therapeutic agents, if administered correctly, are generally free of toxic effects; however, prolonged use of anti- microbial agents at low levels can lead to the development of resistance by microorganisms to those agents. In general, about 5 days of medication is required for the successful treatment of a bacterial disease. Sometimes, however, there may be a need to resume treatment after 2–5 days to prevent the disease from resuming its course upon withdrawal of the drug. Requirements for successful anti-microbial therapy include clinical diagnosis, isolation and identification of the causative pathogen, drug sensitivity testing to provide the basis for selecting the anti-microbial drug, correct dosage and route of administration. PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 41  The continued use of chemotherapeutic agents such as antibiotics in animal feeds also requires adequate attention since drug residues in animal tissues can be a risk to human health if the animal is slaughtered before the recommended withdrawal period. It is therefore, strongly recommended that all medications in the feed or drinking water be withdrawn at least 5 days prior to slaughter. The following are common medications given to broiler chickens. 1. Anti-stress preparations (e.g., antibiotic-vitamin-electrolyte supplements) may be given via the drinking water during the first 3– 5 days of age, and 2 days before and 3 days after each vaccination with live virus vaccine that requires individual handling of the chickens for its administration. 2. Coccidiostat preparations should be given continuously through the feed from the 1st day to 28th day of age. Observe proper withdrawal period. 3. Anti-malarial preparations (e.g., pyrimethamine- sulfamonomethoxine/ sulfadimethoxine plus vitamins) may be given in the feed or drinking water, starting at 10–14 days old for 2 consecutive days each week for 5 weeks if the disease is prevalent. Observe proper withdrawal period. Sanitation Sanitation is very important to the modern intensive system of poultry production where the continuous rearing and high animal density often lead to a disease build-up. Although vaccination helps in the development of the flocks’ resistance to diseases, it is still necessary to keep exposure to disease-causing organisms to a low level as possible. Proper cleaning and disinfecting of poultry houses, premises, and equipment reduce microbial challenge in the environment and allow vaccination to be more effective. Thorough cleaning and disinfecting also provide the only effective way of breaking the cycle of infection in the farm. Cleaning and Disinfection 1. Cleaning must precede disinfection since the potency of most disinfectants may be greatly reduced by organic matter (e.g., dropping, feed dust accumulation). 42 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 2. Cleaning is best accomplished by the use of pressure hose with or without a detergent. 3. Disinfectants do not act instantly, thus time must be allowed for their germicidal effect. 4. Most disinfectants act more effectively when applied in solution, because solutions penetrate a greater depth, thus killing more organisms. 5. A disinfectant intended for decontamination of buildings should work well in the presence of a moderate amount of organic matter. It should be compatible with soap or detergents, safe to building materials, and relatively non-toxic to man and animals. 6. A disinfectant must be readily soluble even in hard water, effective against a wide variety of infectious agents (e.g., viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa), free from objectionable or lingering odor, readily available, and inexpensive. Disinfectants for Poultry Farms 1. Phenolic compounds (e.g., cresol, orthophenyl-phenol, and orthobenzyl-parachlophenol) Indications: ! Foot dips ! Routine disinfection of poultry houses, premises, and equipment before restocking or after outbreak of disease. 2. Organic iodine combinations/iodophores (e.g., povidone-iodine) Indications: ! Final disinfection of poultry houses and equipment. These compounds are most effective on clean surfaces. 3. Quaternary ammonium compounds/quats (e.g., benzalkonium chloride, benzathonium chloride, cetylpyridinium chloride) Indications: ! Final disinfection of feeders, waterers, and other equipment. Effective on clean surfaces. ! Water sanitizer PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 43 4. Hypochlorite (e.g., chlorine) Indications: ! Final disinfection of feeders, waterers, other equipment. Effective on clean surfaces. ! Water sanitizer 5. Combinations of organic acids, organic biocides, and surfactants Indications: ! Final/terminal disinfection of poultry houses and equipment before restocking. 6. Glutaraldehyde-dimethyl ammonium chloride complex Indications: ! Routine disinfection of poultry houses, premises, and equipment before restocking and after a disease outbreak. ! Wheel/foot dips Health Management Tips 1. Raise only healthy and vigorous stocks. 2. Feed chicken with nutritionally balanced rations and provide fresh drinking water at all times. 3. Implement a vaccination program for prevalent diseases. Follow strictly the vaccination schedule. 4. Provide comfortable housing with good ventilation and maintain clean surroundings. 5. Construct poultry houses in such a way that wild birds and rodents, which may serve as carriers of diseases, cannot enter. 6. Avoid overcrowding by providing adequate floor space and enough feeding and watering spaces. 7. Fence the production area to provide ample protection against scavengers and stray animals, which may be vectors of disease. 8. Practice an all-in-all-out method of operation if possible. Clean and disinfect poultry houses after depopulation and allow cleaned and disinfected buildings at least 2 weeks rest period before restocking. 9. Only flockmen should be allowed into the broiler houses. Visitors and other unauthorized persons should stay off the production area. 44 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 10. Control flies and blood-sucking insects by applying suitable insecticide. Provide good drainage and remove piles of trash, unused equipment, and unnecessary junks, which could serve as breeding places for insects and rodents. 11. Provide foot dips at the entrance of poultry houses to keep disease out of any house and to prevent the spread of infections within the farm through the movement of farm personnel. 12. Dispose sick and dead chickens by burning or burying. Sick chickens could contaminate feed, water, and equipment with their excrements. 13. Minimize activities that will cause unnecessary stress to the chickens. 14. Keep honest and accurate health and production records. Health records should include vaccination, medication, and all health problems encountered in the farm. Production records usually include daily feed consumption, weight gains, and mortalities. Daily evaluation of these records is recommended. 15. Consult a veterinarian at the first sign of disease in the flock. A veterinarian is in a better position to make a diagnosis, advise on medication and other biosecurity measures to prevent spread of the infection. Common Diseases of Broiler Chickens NCD (Avian Pest) An acute rapidly spreading respiratory disease characterized by harsh breathing, coughing, sneezing, and often followed by nervous manifestation. Cause: ! Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) - a paramyxovirus Transmission: ! Direct contact with infected broiler ! Contaminated farm equipment, feed, or water ! Farm personnel and visitors with contaminated clothing and footwear ! Free-living birds, (e.g., sparrows) and imported exotic psittacine birds, which are often carriers of NDV PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION 45  Symptoms: ! Drop in feed intake ! Respiratory signs such as gasping, coughing, sneezing, rales, nasal discharge, often followed by neurologic signs (e.g., incoordination, leg and/or wing paralysis, twisting of head and neck) ! Marked variation in morbidity, mortality, signs, and lesions due to the degree of chicken susceptibility and virus pathogenicity. ! Common post-mortem lesion is proventricular hemorrhages (Fig. 13). ! Poultry flock affected with NCD may show high mortality, acute onset with various respiratory and gastrointestinal lesions. Fig. 13. Proventiculus of broiler chicken with hemorrhagic lesions. Prevention: ! Vaccinate healthy flocks with live, attenuated vaccine. ! Thoroughly clean and disinfect farm equipment and premises. 46 PHILIPPINES RECOMMENDS FOR BROILER PRODUCTION  ! Keep backyard chickens, fighting cocks, and exotic birds out of the farm and its premises. ! Bird-proof poultry houses. ! Quarantine farm and isolate sick chickens from the healthy ones as soon as NCD disease outbreak is suspected. ! Mix supportive medication with broad-spectrum antibiotic in drinking water to prevent or reduce severity of secondary bacterial infections. ! Depopulate and thoroughly clean and disinfect premises, especially after a disease outbreak. IBD (Gumboro Disease) A highly contagious disease primarily affecting broiler chickens between 2 weeks and 6 weeks of age, characteriz