Where to look when there is drop in Egg production
1) *WATER CONSUMPTION*
-Is watering system working properly – Are birds drinking water? -What is the water consumption? – Is there biofilm in the pipeline – Do you know the quality of water on your farm?.Some drugs are poorly soluble in hard water and also deduces the efficacy of your vaccines. – Always provide clean and fresh cool water to your flock. – Sanitized and clean your waterlines.
2) *FEED CONSUMPTION*
– Get quality raw materials and proper feed formulation according to the age of the birds. – Drop of 3 or more in feed intake indicates problem. Send feed for analysis. – Is feed available to all birds?. Check for leakage or wastage of feed due to bad or wrong feeders,also check for rodents and wild birds infestation. -Avoid too much feed in feeders. – Always stirred the feed in feeders. –
3) *FAULTY CAGE DESIGN*
– Improper slope of cage floor, this results in egg breakage/egg eating by birds . -Space between feeder and egg tray,will allow egg to roll out and enables birds to extent the neck and to peck/ break the egg.
4) *VACCINATION*
– Proper vaccination schedule followed? -Is the right vaccine done at right time? -Whether any reaction to vaccination? -Whether vaccination programme adequate?
5) *MORTALITY* –
Is mortality pattern higher than normal? -If higher, when increased and what is the pattern of mortality?
6) *EGG SHELL QUALITY*
– Has shell strength dropped recently ? -Has number of misshapen eggs increased? -Has the egg size changed noticeably?.
7) *EXTENT OF PROBLEM*
-Is the problem localised in one part of house or is it throughout the house? -Is the problem spreading from house of house or localised in one house? -Whether the neighboring farms,if any have had a similar problems?
8) *PAST PERFORMANCE* -Whether there was similar problem in past? -What was the cause then? -Which conditions presently are similar like in past?age of the flock?time of year?weather conditions?
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9) *FLOCK HISTORY* -Whether same flock previously had same or other problems? -Whether weight at housing was correct? -Did the birds peak ad expected? Why? -How much has been the feed consumption in the past? – Debeaking was done at right time and is properly done?
10) *POULTRY HEALTH* -Whether all in all out system followed or not? -How are biosecurity measure at your farm?
11) *PARASITES* – Worms, what is your deworming programme?. We recommend you deworm monthly if the birds are on deep litter and every 3-4 months if the birds are in cage.
12) *MANAGEMENTAL/MECHANICAL PROBLEM* – Is your manager or supervisor qualified for the poultry operation? – Do you train your staff? – What is the level of team work among your poultry workers?
13) *PILFERING* – Is pilferage probable source of egg loss? – Check your security lapses on the farm. – Keep sound record – Be involved in all farm operations. There is nothing like MD ,farm manager or supervisor in farm operations. All have to be involved just like ordinary staff on the farm.
Credit: Dr James Baba Wageti
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