Starting Your Own Broiler Business
Dr. Raymond de Asis, a respected veterinarian, briefs us on the basics of starting a backyard broiler business.
The deluge of inquiries and phone calls in our office regarding the basics of poultry production and the mechanics of starting up a broiler business has prompted us to devote an article (a cover story, no less) on the topic. We’ve consulted with Dr. Raymond Peter G. de Asis, a veterinarian, and animal science expert who operates his own broiler business to shed light on the ABCs of broiler production.
The 32-year-old broiler expert is a master’s degree holder of animal science major in nutrition and minor in biochemistry from the University of the Philippines in Los Banos. It was also in the same state university where he obtained his doctor of veterinary medicine in 1988. Dr. de Asis is an active member of the United Broilers Association (UBRA). The following are excerpts from our interview:
Before deciding to put up a broiler business, I suggest that you determine how much capital you have or can borrow. The amount of capital you have determines how big your broiler business can be. Understand also that a broiler business could be considered as a high risk business because the farm gate prices of broiler can change at any given day. At present, many are encouraged to put up a broiler business due to the high farm gate prices, but remember that this is not guaranteed to extend to the time when you are ready to market. My dad always told me that when he was just starting to set up his business, it was quite easy to predict when the farm gate price of broiler would be high. That was the time when there were only few broiler raisers, and not too much external factors were then affecting the market.
Just to give you an idea of the amount of capital needed, allow me to give you some figures. A day-old-chick (DOC) today costs between Php20 and Php23 per chick. Feeds could cost from anywhere between Php18 and Php22 a kilo. For the duration of the growout, the broiler chick could take in around 3-3.5kgs of feed per bird. Medication, vaccination, and supplementation would cost us between P1.00 to as high as P7.00 per bird. Add to that-labor, electrical, farm rental (if renting) which is around P10 per bird. For backyard broiler raisers, this would be lower because you can remove labor cost and, to some extent, electrical cost. All in all, each bird would cost its roughly between Php90-Php130 to raise a bird to its ideal market weight. Of course many factors can affect this figure. This is just an estimate.
For your startup business, you have to add equipment and building cost. Equipment would include infrared gas brooders for the chicks, feeders in three (3) sizes (small, medium, large), drinkers and industrial electric fans. This would cost its anywhere between Php40 and Php100 per bird. Building cost would depend on the building material used-weather they’re steel, good lumber or coco lumber. This would cost us from Php40-Php150 per bird.
Once you have the capital needed, you need to look for a site where to place your broiler house. The site should not be located anywhere near an existing broiler, layer, game fowl farm. This minimizes the risk of transferring diseases during outbreaks.
With regards to the building design, if possible, the length of the broiler house should run from east to west. This prevents direct sunlight from penetrating the side walls of the house which could cause heat build-up inside. Ventilation is very important. Allocate at least one (1) square foot of floor space per bird. If constructing an open-sided type of housing, elevate the house about 1.5 meters from the ground. This ensures proper circulation of air helps ease the collection of fecal matter underneath the house after each harvest. The building should be rat proof, bird proof and cat proof. Trees could be planted on the sides of the house to provide shade during hot season and can also serve as protection from storms or weather disturbances. The roofing should be the monitor type and high enough to provide better air circulation inside the broiler house.
Now that you have constructed the house, it’s time to prepare the house for the arrival of the chicks. First, thoroughly clean the house with the use of a high pressure washer to remove dust, fecal matter or any debris left inside it. After that you have to disinfect the house including all the equipment inside it. There are a lot of disinfectants in the market-just take note of the precautions in using it. Safety of our personnel always comes first.
Day-old-chicks (DOCs) can be sourced from a number of companies including the big ones like San Miguel, Robina Farms, Vitarich etc. A number of local cooperatives can also provide DOCs.
Just take note that where you get your chicks. The company or person you got them from should have a good track record.
Keep a good record of your farm operation. Take note of the daily mortality and daily feed intake. List down all vaccinations and medication procedures undertaken. Monitor daily the appearance and performance of the flock. The first two weeks are very critical because this is the stage when the chicks are most vulnerable to diseases and stress factors such as temperature fluctuations. Monitor weekly their weights so that you can be accurate in predicting when our birds are ready for market. Too big a bird (2.0kg above) could be harder to market than an average sized bird (1.6 to 1.9 kg live weight). So before you even purchase our DOCs, take note of the market demands in your area whether they prefer large or averaged-sized birds.
Many diseases can affect the flock. Nowadays, viral disease outbreaks are kept at a minimum due to good vaccination and medication practices. Some of the diseases we vaccinate against include New Castle disease, Infectious Bursal disease, Mycoplasmosis ( in some farms), coccidiosis (again in some farms), Infectious Bronchitis and many others.
The most common diseases of poultry though, affect the respiratory and digestive systems of the broiler. Signs/symptoms often observed include rales, sneezing, unformed or foul smelling fecal matter. Many of these diseases have overlapping signs and symptoms so it is very important that if changes are observed in the behavior, appearance, or growth characteristics, the matter should be reported to a qualified veterinary practioner so that an appropriate course of action be taken.
Some important performance indicators worth looking into include FCR, mortality rate, harvest recovery rate, average body weight.
To get the feed conversion ratio (FCR), just divide the number of kilogram of feeds by the total body weight of the whole flock (class A birds only) after harvest. This is a good indicator of the efficiency of your operation. This is interpreted as the number of kilograms of feed needed to be consumed by the bird for it to gain one (1) kilogram of body weight. The lower this ratio, the better.
Mortality rate is just the percent of birds that died throughout the duration of the growth cycle. Aim for a mortality rate of not greater than 5% of the total population including the extra birds.
Harvest recovery rate is the percentage of birds that we were able to market. This should not be lower than 90%. A good target is in the range of 93%-96%.
To get the average body weight, simply divide the total number of kilos that were marketed by the total number of birds that were sold. A good average would be around 1.6 to 2.0kg.
Good luck on your broiler business venture!
Popularity: 46%
Popularity: 46%
February 16th, 2009 at 8:04 am
April 4th, 2009 at 7:52 am
April 6th, 2009 at 12:01 am
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April 6th, 2009 at 12:07 am
April 6th, 2009 at 12:12 am
Kindly share the information on how to produce Antibiotic Free Chicken.We have seen the potential of Livestock Plus Probiotics. Help people not to risk their money in a traditional yet damaging technology of Antibiotics in raising Chickens and even Hogs. Wake up dear doctors of veterinary medicine. Thank you so much.
April 9th, 2009 at 6:18 am
I’m interested.
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May 1st, 2009 at 3:11 am
can you provide me more info about your products, pls. send it to: lito_melendrez@yahoo.com or jude.melendrez@gmail.com, i’ve heard of ATOVI feed mix which results in a harvest of 1.6 kg in only 28 days. JUDE MELENDREZ
May 1st, 2009 at 11:26 pm
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May 2nd, 2009 at 10:11 am
please e-mail me your protocol for broilers and hogs with product info and prices.
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thank you and hope to hear something from you.
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May 4th, 2009 at 2:14 am
What i would like to request from your group is to help me teach this farmers the technology of broiler production, can you help me put up a small training seminar like this? also at this seminar you could have the chance to let us know about the advantage of your product…
June 5th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
i am a veterinarian from egypt i am suffering alot from the effect of mycotoxins on my broilers…………..
please if any one could help me send information to my e.mail a_abdellatif 2000@yahoo.com
June 29th, 2009 at 2:33 am
July 16th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:13 am
mahal naman ng 33.5kgs per bird. if may 1000 bird about 603,000 ang cost!!!!
thanks for your site i got some idea about my project. pero yung feeds cost per bird parang expensive masyado..
September 3rd, 2009 at 8:45 pm
September 3rd, 2009 at 9:40 pm
have already corrected the cost per bird…
September 18th, 2009 at 9:59 am
September 18th, 2009 at 10:01 am
October 12th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
October 13th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
October 13th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I just recently raised broilers (500 heads) and am on my 18th day. SIrs, just would like to know how to monitor the weight of birds? DO we do this on a weekly basis? Do you have a guide on the average weight of birds based on age?
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS.
December 10th, 2009 at 6:04 am
January 15th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
We are interested in distributorship of your products in East Africa we would like to buy or we are interested in Eggs hatching for broilers and layers, concentrated feeds(that we can mix with maize available in big quantity in Tanzania), all medicals, minerals, supplements products for all animals.
We just purchase 70 acres of land building a modern poultry farm any advice ?
for Moustapha Diagne
January 17th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
January 31st, 2010 at 4:00 am
February 6th, 2010 at 8:02 pm
I badly need your idea on this. I dont have any much information, but im researching.
February 9th, 2010 at 10:09 pm
March 10th, 2010 at 10:36 pm
March 18th, 2010 at 10:48 pm
May 23rd, 2010 at 9:47 pm
May 31st, 2010 at 6:39 am
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May 31st, 2010 at 6:40 am
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June 1st, 2010 at 3:03 am
My question is whether there are available books in the local market on this subject, because most are only available abroad and are very expensive. Any recommended local authors also. Tyvm
June 7th, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Sounds awesome and it is something needed desperately! Can you also mail me your info on broilers pls to danie.cillie@gmail.com
Regards
June 22nd, 2010 at 9:27 am
June 28th, 2010 at 3:11 am
The Ultimate Fungi Food. This product is soluble and comprises around 75% humic
acid and 12% potassium. These humates can be readily dissolved without the
dust factor associated with humate powders. The rapid solubility of these granules
facilitates a successful fusion with soluble fertilizers which is particularly important
for reducing the lock-up rate of soluble phosphate sources, stabilizing urea, chelating
and complexing elements and buffering high sodium and heavy metals. Humic acid is
a powerful fungi promotant. Beneficial fungi are the missing link in many soils.
Stabilizes nitrogen and improves nitrogen efficiency (ideal as an additive with urea).
Complexes phosphate to reduce lock-ups (ideal as an additive with DAP/MAP, etc)
.Natural chelating and complexing agent to help magnify nutrient absorption. Increase
s the permeability of cells to increase nutrient uptake.
at can enhance cell division and elongation. Can buffer the effects of excessive
elements (particularly sodium), toxic chemicals and heavy
metals. pH buffering capacity to help neutralize the problems associated with pH
extremes. Features a CEC of 450 which aids in moisture and nutrient retention.
Promotes seed germination in a shorter time. Has a nature which assists in soil
wetting. Promotes soil structure improvement by promoting fungi to create a crumb
structure for better water and oxygen intake and improved root penetration.
Microbe-friendly.
Areas of Benefit
IIncrease nutrient retention in sandy soils; Improve long-term aeration in clayey soils
.
Reduced applications over time, progressively stabilizing the organic carbon part of
soil content. Means healthier root zones, stems and leaves. Improve protein &
vitamin levels with improved shelf life. More extensive plant root systems.
Reduced water costs; less leaching.Isolates plants against excessive acidity and
alkalinity. Increased buffering capacity.
Greatly improved soil structure, nutrient reserves and uptake.
Slow release from chelated fertilizer mix and soil microbial bank.
Allows good absorption of cations so longer resident life against leach-out; better
plant utilization of added nutrients.
Natural locking-up and release of nutrients & improved balance against pests.
Leads to a reduction of the need for pesticides.
Results in darker, greener foliage rich in chlorophyll, improving ‘Brix’ levels.
Less possibly harmful effects on health
Increased cation exchange capacity More efficient water use and retention Increased
microbial activity Improved iron absorption High humus content (approx 40%)
Increased buffering against excessive acidity, alkalinity and soil excesses Nitrogen
stabilized, slow release from chelated fertilizer mix and soil microbial bank Improved
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title
Humic substances determine the structure and the fertility of the soil. They are an effective measure in solving ecological problems, such as pollution of soil and subsoil waters by chemicals used in agriculture.
The fertility of the soil was always related to its humus content. It was determined that humic substances participate in the regulation of most important characteristics. First of all, they are accountable for the coloring and, therefore, thermal conditions. It is particularly important for cold clay soil which under the effect of humates becomes warmer. Secondly, long-term humate treatment is conducive to the improvement of soil structure. When humates enter the soil, they form potassium and magnesium humates that bond mechanical element of the soil and act as organo-mineral bridges between aggregates. Thirdly, one of the important qualities of humates is their ion-exchange activity. It ensures humates’ ability to regulate the process of transformation of mineral nutrients in soil-plant system. Fourthly, humate treatment increases water saturation of soil. It is particularly important for sandy soils. Its water saturation ability increases by more than ten times after humate treatment. The same principal applies when preparations are used for melioration. Fifthly, the most important challenge of our times is restoration of the fertility of the soil in suburban zones of the industrially developed regions. Modern ecological overload makes the soil’s natural self-rectification with micro-organisms insufficient. Traditionally, organic fertilizers (manure, compost) were used to increase biological activity of the soil and to improve its self-rectification. However, in spite of high nutritious value of these products, their bond with organic mass is too close, and it decreases their assimilation. That is why these products are used in large quantities (up to 60-80 ton/hectare). Introduction of humic substances solves the problem very effectively.
humates and Chemical fertilizers
Intensive agricultural systems demand the use of large quantities of mineral fertilizers in order to supply the plants with basic micro-elements, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. In doing so, we often forget that mineral fertilizer is for plants what illegal drugs are for sportsmen – you can immediately see high results but tend to ignore the future consequences. The higher the amount of mineral fertilizer used, the more intensive is the erosion of the soil, the poorer the soil’s humus content, and the environment is more polluted. The problem of effective mineral fertilizer assimilation is central in plant-growing. The difficulty of its solution lies in the fact that water soluble potassium and nitrogen fertilizers are easily washed out of the soil, while phosphorus fertilizers, on the contrary, bond with ions of Ca, Mg, Al, and Fe that are present in soil and form inert compounds, which are inaccessible to plants. The presence of humic substances, however, substantially increases effective assimilation of all mineral nutrition elements. It was shown in the tests of barley that humate treatment (with NPK) improved its growth, development, and the crop capacity while decreasing the use of mineral fertilizer. (V. Kovalenko, M. Sonko, 1973.) The tests on wheat showed that one-way use of nitrogen fertilizers on winter wheat crops did not have a high positive effect on the crop capacity, while its use along with humates and super phosphate achieved an expected positive effect. (L. Fot, 1973.) Interestingly, the mechanism of interaction between humates and micro-elements of mineral nutrition is specific for each of them. The positive process of Nitrogen assimilation occurs due to an intensification of the ion-exchange processes, while the negative processes of “nitrate” formulation decelerates. Potassium assimilation accelerates due to a selective increase in the penetrability of cell membranes. As for phosphorus, humates bond ions of Ca, Mg, and Al first, which prevents the formation of insoluble phosphates. That is why the increase of humate content leads to an increase of the plant’s phosphorus consumption. (Lee & Bartlett, 1973.)
Therefore, the combination of humates and mineral fertilizer guarantees their effective assimilation by plants.
Humic acids form complexes naturally. For thousands of years, they accumulated vital elements. When applied, humic acids also extract these vital elements from the soil in an accessible way for plants to form. For example, iron and manganese, according to respected professor D. Orlov, are assimilated only in humic complex form. Research by A. Karpukhin showed that the presence of these complexes determine the mobility of most macro- and micro-elements and their supply and travel inside plants’ organs.
Therefore, treating vegetating plants with humates ensures their continuous nutrition with vital macro- and micro-elements.
Comprehensive proof can be obtained through many years of experiments. Naturally, we do not have this data yet. We have mentioned earlier that one of the most important factors in humus composition and accumulation is the effect of micro-organisms. Scientific studies in many countries showed that humates stimulated the development of all soil micro-organisms, such as fungi, bacteria, and ray fungi (actinomycetes). They increased soil’ aeration and were conducive to stimulation of oxidation activity of microbes. In other words, humates stimulate micro-organisms and therefore are conducive to humus restoration.
THE EFFECTS OF HUMATES ON CROPS
Why do humates stimulate growth and plant development? In this chapter I shall try to answer the question: How does this happen? On one level, experience of Humates usage has a 50-year history and during that time a huge amount of practical material has been accumulated, but on another level, the new technology relative to the Humates production, characterizes a new stage of development. Today we have evidence that this new technology allows us to not only decrease production costs, but to produce a new high quality product. Firstly, let us consider the 50-year experience of Humate usage, based on brown coal and peat, then consider and analyze content and quality of humates and the results of their usage.
Long-term experience in the use of humates in Russia has shown that their presence is important during all stages of plants’ development but particularly vital in the early stages. That is why the pre-planting treatment of seeds is very important. Even before germination begins, vital forces are awakened, and the immune system is stimulated. A young sprout develops a strong root system, and its endurance increases. Intensification of the root system growth was studied on barley.
The treatment of seeds is particularly important for potatoes. Soaking the potato tubers in the humate solution prior to planting is practically the only necessary operation in treatment of potatoes, especially since spraying the vegetating potato plants can lead to growth of the over-ground parts of the plant at the expense of the tubers’ development. As you will observe in the following photograph, the treatment of the tubers prior to planting results in an increase of quantity and vigor of the shoots.
Naturally, the strengthening of the root system and stems has a positive effect on crops. As plants develop, however, other factors are involved. A strong, developed root system provides plants with the necessary nutrients of a higher quality. Because they are already a part of a certain organic structure, the humates’ chelate complexes with microelements can penetrate into the cell more easily than ordinary ions. The humates increase the penetrability of a cell membrane and, as a result, are conducive to potassium retention in intra-cell fluid, which leads to the increase of cell division. Due to the additional energy supply, a photosynthesis process in the cells proceeds more intensively, leading to an increased amount of chlorophyll. A determining factor in plants’ growth, nitrogen assimilation proceeds more rapidly, and nitrate formation is averted. All together, it leads to an increase in crop capacity. Throughout a long-term history of humate use at the experimental fields, plots, greenhouses, and gardens a lot of data has been collected and published. In mean form, these results are presented in the following diagram.mportant data in humate use in floriculture was also published. The root and non-root treatment of arboreal plants (such as Crimean pine), shrubs (three types of roses), and lianas by the ammonium humate was tested at the Donetsk botanical gardens. (Science Academy of Ukraine.) The increase in growth of these plants, particularly of roses and lianas, by the end of vegetation reached 1.3-2 times, compared with the control group. In 1990-1992, humates were used for treatment of roses, tulips, hydrangea cuttings, and socotra, as well as for singling of plants. In all cases, the flowering accelerated by 5-10 days, while the amount and size of the buds and their stamina improved. Other research proved the effectiveness of humate use in ornamental gardening.
June 28th, 2010 at 3:12 am
maritessalaba@yahoo.com.ph
June 28th, 2010 at 3:15 am
July 12th, 2010 at 10:59 am
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August 8th, 2010 at 11:54 pm