Production Efficiency Programme
Supporting the animal to achieve the highest possible level of performance and feed efficiency while maintaining the appropriate health status.
Improving growth and uniformity
Modern broilers need only a few weeks to grow from chick to slaughter weight. This rapid growth in broiler flocks can result in a lack of uniformity, leading to large variation in body weight at slaughter. Variation in the weight of the same flock starts from their brooding and thereby gender differences play a key role (males grow faster than females). Best uniformity in broiler flocks can be achieved with good brooding conditions and sound management practices.
How to recognise
Significant standard deviations in final body weight are signs of a lack of uniformity in the flock.
The impact on the farmer
Producing a uniform flock of broilers at the lowest possible cost ensures the best income for the farmer. For example: if 15% of the flock is 300 g lighter than the other 85%, the result is a loss of 45 kg live weight per 1,000 birds.