cobb brooding guide

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BroodingFundamentals

Guide

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COBB Brooding Fundamentals Guide

INTRODUCTION

The brooding period, generally considered as the period o time rom placement through 14days, is perhaps the most important time in a birds li e. urvival o the newly hatched chick isargely dependant on how quickly and efficiently the transition is made from the Hatcher to thefarm environment. At no other time during the flocks life is a service persons and producers

ob more important. Mistakes made during this critical time may be irreversible and negativelyimpact performance for the entire life of the flock.

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Immune system

An understanding o the physiological changes that occur in the chick during the irst 2 weeksof life makes it easier to fully appreciate the importance of this developmental phase. Thesechanges include development of the:

assive immunity is occurring as a result o the trans er o antibodies rom thebreeder hen through yolk absorption to the developing chick ~2-3 weeksActive immunity is developing rom in-ovo day old vaccinations, ield vaccinationsand exposure to field pathogens.

Digestive system

Rapid internal organ growth required for digestion (liver, intestines, pancreas, spleenand bursa).

eed conversion & growth rate are more efficient during this time than at any othertime in the ir s life.

Skeletal system

apid growth and thickening of long bones required for leg strength and mineralmeta olism later in life.

Thermoregulation

Chicks do not have the ability to regulate body temperature for the first 5 days andthermo regulation is not ully developed until 2 weeks o age. hick survival is highlydependant on the grower to provide the proper environmental temperature.

Feather Developement

Improper brooding practices can result in poor livability, poor flock uniformity and overall poor

performance in the pullet and hen house leading to a higher chick cost. btaining a bodyweight at 7 days is an excellent indictor of how successful brooding management has been.This weight can be used as a tool to help illustrate the difference between well managedand poorly managed arms. The target body weight at 7 days is approximately 4 times theday old chick weight. I this level o per ormance is not achieved, pre-placement and broodingmanagement techniques should be critically evaluated.

The effects of early stress may not be seen until much later in life and may negatively affectthe subsequent reproductive performance of the flock. The main reason for insufficient weightgain is low feed consumption. Feed presentation in the form of a good quality, small crumbleis necessary to obtain adequate feed intake during the first week. An insufficient feed amountand or insu icient eeder space will negatively a ect eed intake, weight gain and lockuniformity. Research has shown that early protein intake has an effect on 4 week weight, flockuni ormity and ultimately egg production.

The 6 Brooding Fundamentals to maximizing per ormance and minimizing cost include:

Pre-Placement Preparation

ee anagement

g t anagement

Water Management

Temperature Management

Air uality & Ventilation


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The key to successful rearing lies in an effective management program starting well beforechicks arrive at the arm. Rearing acilities should be clean, disease ree and biosecurebe ore placing the lock. Detailed cleaning and hygiene procedures are described in the obbBreeder Management uide. Biosecurity regulations should be en orced year round evenwhen the farm is empty between placements.

The entire floor should be covered with 3-4 7.5- 10.0 cm. of a good quality litter material toprevent heat loss. Litter should be spread as evenly as possible throughout the house to helpensure an even floor temperature. Uneven floor temperatures can cause chicks to huddle inpoc ets or un er equ pment. n a t on to t s, uneven tter can mpe e c c mo ty anrestrict access to eed and water due to the uneven height o eed and water lines.

Water lines should be cleaned, sanitized and thoroughly lushed prior to lock placement.

Water line pressure should be read usted rom the previous lock to a pressure suitable orthe baby chick.

tocking density should take into consideration environmental/ local climatic conditions andthe type of equipment being used. Males should be given proportionately more floor spacethan emales to help ensure they achieve target body weight goals.

The Pre-Placement period is the ideal time to prepare the hick om ort Zone; the areasurrounding the edge o the brooder where the baby chick does not have to make a choicebetween eed, water or heat. Equipment placement is critical to accomplish this ob ective.

PRE-PLACEMENT PREPARATION

Females

1 .

1.0

.

2.0

20-30

1.

0.6

1 -1

80-100

1 .

1.0

.

3.0

20-30

1.

0.6

1

80

Floor

Feeder

Water

Litter (birds/ m)

Litter (ft./ bird )

Chain (cm./ bird

Chain (in./ bird)an Feeder (birds/ pan)

u e Feeder (birds/ tube)

rough (cm./ bird)

Trough (in./ bird)

Nipples (birds/ nipple)

Bell Drinker (birds/ bell)

Males

Sex Separate Brooding Space Requirements (0-4 weeks)


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The use of supplemental feeder trays at placement is recommended to help chicks getoff to the best start possible. Trays should be provided at the rate of 1 per 100 chicks andshould be placed between the main eed and drinker lines and ad acent to the brooders.

upplemental eeders should be provided or the irst 7- 10 days.

Never place supplemental feed or water directly beneath the brooder where excessive heatmay drive chicks away from feed and water. Ensure that supplementary feed never runs emptyand remains resh at all times, never allowing it to become stale or moldy.

Top dressing trays with a small quantity o eed several times throughout the day stimulatesfeed consumption and is a better management practice than having too much feed out atany given time. After the first 2-3 days, feeder trays should gradually be moved closer to theautomated feeding system, followed by trays being removed from the house over a 3 dayperiod beginning around 7 days of age. It is a good management practice to gently walk chicks2-3 times per day to help stimulate eed and water consumption the irst several days postplacement. Flocks that fail to make a quick transition to feed and water can potentially sufferrom higher early mortality.

The crops o chicks should be checked the morning a ter placement hick heck to ensurethey have found feed and water. At this time, a minimum of 95% of the crops should feel soft

and pliable indicating chicks have successfully located feed and water. Hard crops indicatechicks have not found adequate water and water availability should be checked immediately.

wollen and distended crops indicate chicks have located water but insufficient feed and in thiscase the availability and consistency o the eed should be immediately evaluated.

FEED MANAGEMENT


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tarter feed should be fed during this period in either a mash or fine crumb form. Males andfemales should be fed ad libitum for a minimum of the first 7 days. Thereafter, the feed quantitygiven should be measured to ensure the target weight at 4 weeks is not exceeded. Achievinga uniform body weight and frame size at 4 weeks of age is an essential component to gettingthe lock o to the best possible start during this start-up period. Males need to achieve thebody weight standard each week or the irst 4 weeks o age. A longer ad libitum eedingperiod is recommended or males i they ail to achieve the desired body weight at 28 days.

ales should be grown separately rom emales or at least the irst 6 weeks o age, howevercomplete sex-separate rearing to housing between 140-147 days is recommended for bestresults.

Provide adequate feeder space for males and females at all times taking into consideration theflock age. Ideally, pullets should be reared with a minimum of 4.5 11.50 cm. of feeder spaceand males with a minimum of 6.0 (15.0 cm.) from 4 weeks of age up to housing.

The eed time should be consistent rom day to day and eed should be distributed evenly to allbirds throughout the house in less than 3 minutes rom the time the eeder starts. Ad ust eedhopper gates or feeder run times so that feed makes it around the house, or as far as possible,to provide the most feeder space per bird. The feed trough or pan height should be adjustedso that they rest on the litter the first 14 days to ensure all birds can easily access feed withoutaving to climb into the feeder. Thereafter, feeders should be raised incrementally throughout

the growing period so that the lip of the trough or pan is level with the birds back at all times.Weekly feed increases should be based on body weight targets.

ontinuous lighting should be provided or the irst 48-72 hours post placement. Provide anintensity of 20-60 lux (~2.0- 6.0 ft. candles) for the first 7 days to help chicks find feed andwater more easily. It is highly recommended that all rearing houses be light tight with all flocksgrown under blackout conditions.

LIGHTING MANAGEMENT

0-3

-

8-14

14-28

23

16

12

8

2.0-6.0

2.0

1.0

0.

20-60

20

10

Age Light IntensityFC LuxHoursof Light

Blackout RearingLighting Program (0-4 weeks)

*Males may remain on 12 hrs. of light from 14- 28days to ensure their weekly weight goals are met.


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It is essential to provide easy access to fresh clean water so that feed intake and growth aremaintained. upplemental drinkers are highly recommended at placement and should beprovided at the rate o per 100 chicks rom day old to 7 days. Pre erably, mini drinkers, easyills or one gallon chick onts should be used rather than open trays. lip-on cups made ornipple drinker lines can be used, however for best results these should be used in combinationwith easy fills or chick fonts for maximum water consumption.

upplemental water should be placed in the Chick Comfort Zone between feeders and closeto brooder stoves or the heat source or the irst 3-5 days and then gradually removed. Thewater temperature should be tepid (~80 F / 26.7 C). Paper placed beneath water lines haseen s own to e p attract c c s to n pp e r n ers resu t ng n c c s us ng n pp es more

quickly a ter placement. In addition to the supplemental water source, chicks should haveaccess to the main drinking system at placement. Provided the proper water pressure hasbeen set, nipple activation should leave a small droplet of water at the tip of the nipple thatfurther stimulates the curiosity of the baby chick. Nipple drinkers should be installed at therate of 10-12 birds per nipple and birds should not have to travel more than 10 3 m to accesswater. They should be ad usted as per the manufactures recommendations for height andoperating pressure. enerally the height o the nipple line should be at eye level or the irst4 -7 hours post placement. Begin raising nipple lines on the 4th day so birds are drinking ata 45 angle.

WATER MANAGEMENT


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From this time on raise lines up gradually so birds are drinking straight up by the 10th day.While drinking, a birds feet should remain flat on the floor at all times.

Litter conditions are an excellent means of assessing the effectiveness of water systemsettings. Damp litter under the water source indicates drinkers are set too low or pressure istoo g . xcess ve y ry tter un er r n ers may n cate water pressure s too ow or t enipple line is too high or easy access. Nipple water line sight tubes should be kept clean at allt mes an pressure a ustments s ou e ma e n sma ncrements.

Monitoring water consumption through the use of water meters can be an excellent meansof gauging feed as there is a high correlation between feed and water consumption. Watermeters should be sized the same as the incoming water supply line to ensure adequate flowrate. Water consumption should be evaluated at the same time each day to best determine

general performance trends and bird well-being. Any substantial change in water usage shouldbe investigated as this may indicate a water leak, health change or feed issue. A drop in waterconsumption is o ten the irst indicator o a lock problem.

Water consumption should equal approximately 1.6- 2.0 times the eed intake by mass on adaily basis at 70 F (21.1C). Intake will vary based on environmental temperature, feed qualityand bird health. Erratic water intake fluctuations should be investigated before restricting wateravailability, which should not be a standard practice.


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TEMPERATURE MANAGEMENT

r or to c c p acement, roo ers an space eaters s ou e c ec e regu ar y to ensurethey are working correctly. House pre-heating should commence 24 to 48 hours prior toplacement depending on climatic conditions. Pre-heating ensures that the oor and littertemperature is ideal or baby chick placement. In addition to this, pre-heating warms the airand water, helps to remove ammonia built-up litter and removes litter moisture.

With whole-house space heating, the ideal floor temperature should be at least 90 F 32 C .With pancake type brooders, the ideal floor temperature directly under the brooder is 105 F40.5 C , approximately the same temperature as the internal temperature of a brooding hen.

The oor temperature at the brooder edge should be in the range o 85- 90 F 32 .

bserve chicks and ad ust or their com ort, making sure not to overheat. hicks that becomeoverheated or chilled will experience problems such as pasting, unabsorbed yolks, stressand dehydration. ood per ormance requires close monitoring and ad ustment o broodertemperatures and house ventilation to prevent these conditions from occurring. An excellent

indicator offloor temperature is the temperature of the chicks feet. If the feet are cold, re-evaluate the heating system and litter temperature. If they are comfortably warm, the chicks

should be actively moving around the brooding area.

The use o a brooder guard is recommended or the rst 5-7 days to con ne chicks to thehick om ort Zone. uards should be 14-18 high and made o 1 mesh wire. Brooder

guards generally run the full length of the house and should be removed after the 7th day.

Pancake (jet) Brooders

Infrared (radiant) Brooder

Forced Air Furnaces

Maximum Density- Brooding

400-600 birds/ brooder

750- 1000 birds/ brooder

21 birds/ m (0.5 ft./ bird)


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Ambient Brooding temperature profile for Cobb 500 parent breeders

34.0

32.0

30.0

28.0

26.0

24.0

22.0

20.0

18.0

16.0

93.2

89.6

86.0

82.4

78.8

75.2

71.6

68.0

64.4

60.80

DegreesCelcius

DegreesFahrenheit

AGE (DAYS)

7 14 21 28 35

Temperature Guide

Age(weeks)

Temperature at Brooder Edge(2 above the litter)

Floor Temperatureat Brooder Edge

90F (32C)

85F (29C)

80F (27C)

75F (24C)

95F (35C)

90F (32C)

85F (29C)

80F (27C)

1

2

3

4


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AIR QUALITY AND VENTILATION

In addition to proper temperature regulation, air quality and ventilation needs to be considered.Ventilation distributes heat evenly throughout the house and maintains optimum air qualityin the brooding area. Minimum ventilation should begin with house preheating 24-48 hours

prior to placement to remove waste gases and moisture. Young birds are very susceptibleto drafts and air speeds as slow as 100/ min. (0.5 m/sec.) can create a significant wind-chille ect on day old birds. Minimum ventilation practices should be employed to circumventinadvertent chilling up to 14 days o age. Ammonia levels should be closely monitored inouses w t u t up tter.

Definition of Good Air Quality

xygen > 1 .

Carbon dioxide < 0.3%/3000 ppm

ar on monoxi e < 1 ppm

Ammonia < 10 ppm

Inspirable Dust < 3.4mg/m3

elative Humidity >< 45- 5

> No less than< No more than>< In etween

**Minimum ventilation must eincreased i these parametersare not e ng met.

EFFECTS ON AIR QUALITY WHEN MINIMUM VENTILATION FANS DO NOT RUN

inimum ventilation ans should be programmed to run on cycle timers 5 or 10 minute cycles

with a thermostat override. They should be set to operate a minimum of 20% of the total fanrun time. As fan volume increases or decreases , the inlet volume must react to pressurechanges in the same proportion as the fan capacity. Poor air quality during rearing negativelyaffects pullet/ cockerel health and performance and can also have an adverse effect onoverall ock productivity in terms o egg production, livability, ertility and hatchability.

10 minutes

mmonia 15 PPM 35 PPM 50 PPM 80 PPMCarbon Dioxide 300 PPM 1500 PPM 2600 PPM 3500 PPM

Humidity 68 % 78 % 86 % 97 %

emperature 68 F 75 F 82 F 88 F

15 minutes5 minutes0 minutesFan off time:

Air Quality

Air quality decreases rapidly when ans are o . This can potentially result in damage to therespiratory and immune systems.


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VENTILATION GUIDELINES

Tunnel ventilation should never be used prior to 28 days o age. Birds are never ullyfeathered until after 28 days of age.

Air speed across the birds should be maintained as low as possible (< 40 fpm) forthe irst 14 days. The actual air temperature should be the primary consideration in

eterm n ng t e correct temperature sett ng.

From 15- 21 days of age, air speed should not exceed 100 fpm. A transitionalventilation system can be used and the effective air temperature should be the

rimary consideration in determining the correct temperature setting.

From 22- 28 days o age, air speed should not exceed 200 pm. Again, a transitionalventilation system can be used and the e ective air temperature should be the

rimary consideration in determining the correct temperature setting.

A ter 29 days o age, air speed does not have to be restricted and evaporative coolingcan be used i needed. The e ective temperature the relative humidity should bet e pr mary cons erat on n eterm n ng t e correct temperature sett ng.

hicken houses should never be ventilated to suit the grower.

1.

2.

.

4.

.

.

For more detailed Air uality & Ventilation information, refer to the o Bree er Management Guide.

The first 4 weeks of a baby chicks life is a critical time that contributes to the overall flock

productivity. At placement, baby chicks are entirely dependent on grower management forsurvival. The ob ective of the brooding period is to create the ideal environmental conditionswhere the chick does not have to make a choice. rower attention to detailed managements essent a to accomp s ng t s o ect ve.

SUMMARY


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Cobb-Vantress Inc.P ox 1 , Si oam prings

Ar ansas 7 1,

l: 1 47 4 1

Email: [email protected]

Cobb Europe Ltd

yster ouse, evera s ane, Co c ester

ssex 4 PD,

l: + 1 5 5

Email: [email protected]

Cobb-V ntress Brasil, Ltda.

o ov a ssis C ateau rian , m 1

ep: 1511 - / aixa osta

Guapiau-SP-Brasil

l: + (17)3267 9999

mai : [email protected]

L-1060-01

January 5, 2008

cobb brooding guide

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