Organization of poultry feeding in industrial and farm holdings

Types and forms of compound feed for poultry

Loose complete compound feeds can be used for chickens of any age and purpose, provided that the compound feed formula corresponds to the given group of poultry.

Complete compound feeds in pelletized form are advisable to feed to chicks up to 60 days of age and to laying hens. Pellet size is regulated:

When producing larger pellets, they must be crushed. Crushed pellets (so-called crumbles) are good to feed to laying hens as well: in this case, the risk of excessive feed consumption by the chickens is eliminated, while simultaneously preventing the possibility of them selectively eating individual ingredients of the compound feed.

Concentrated compound feeds are fed to poultry in a specific ratio with a grain mixture. Grain is used either whole or ground. In these same operations, protein-mineral vitamin supplements (PMVS) can be used. By mixing PMVS with ground grain, a complete compound feed is obtained.

Specifics of feeding organization in small-scale operations

On small poultry farms, it is possible to use various local protein and vitamin feeds: dairy production waste, boiled slaughterhouse waste, carrots, silage, etc.

When including moist feeds in the diet, so-called combined feeding is practiced, the essence of which is that along with dry feeds, such as a grain mixture, moist mashes are fed. Mashes are prepared from moist protein and vitamin feeds, which are mixed with compound feed or a flour mixture consisting of ground grain, bran, oilcakes, and other components.

Requirements for mashes:

• feeds must be ground according to the age of the bird;
• feeds must be thoroughly mixed;
• the consistency of the mash must be crumbly.

Combined feeding is labor-intensive, and mechanization of moist feed distribution is difficult.

Feeding replacement pullets. The rationing of feed for replacement pullets is carried out according to age periods, taking into account the specifics of their growth and development. Compound feeds are also formulated in accordance with these periods.

Table 43 shows compound feed formulas for replacement pullets, which can be used both in cage and floor rearing. Compound feeds are enriched with vitamins and trace elements according to standards. A slight deficiency of methionine and cystine is covered by including a methionine preparation (500–1000 g per tonne) in the compound feed.

The feeding schedule, i.e., the frequency of feed distribution during the day, depends to a large extent on the type of feeder. The activation of chain feeders and those similar in design is carried out periodically according to a program, and the feeders are replenished with feed as they are emptied. In battery cages with hopper feeders (KBM-2, etc.), the feeding schedule is similar to the manual feeding schedule (4–5 times a day).

For replacement pullets older than 2 months of age (more often from 70–80 days), restricted feeding is often used. The goal of restricted feeding is to somewhat delay the sexual development of the pullets, which subsequently contributes to better survival of laying hens during the egg-laying period and the production of a larger number of large eggs. Several methods of restricted feeding have been proposed: daily limitation of the daily feed ration; inclusion of ballast in the compound feed, such as ground oat hulls; formulation of compound feeds deficient in lysine, etc. In production conditions, the simplest method is the so-called starvation day. In this case, feed is not distributed to the poultry at all one day a week.

Table 43. Formulas for complete compound feeds for young chickens of egg-laying lines (%)

Age of young poultry (days) Ingredients 4—0 | 9190 91_—150 Corn 171.4 10 10 Millet — — 10 Wheat 35 41 18 Barley 16 18 34 Wheat bran — 8 10 Hydrolyzed yeast 4.5 4 2.9 Meat and bone meal 2.5 3 Dry skim milk 1 — — Fish meal 3.9 4 - Sunflower meal 15 533 | Grass meal 35 5 8 Bone meal — — 1.5 Ground shell 1.2 1.5 1.3 Table salt — 0.2 0.3 Total 100 100 100 100 g of compound feed contains (%):

metabolizable energy, kJ 1192 1138 1059 crude protein 20.3 11.6 13.3 crude fiber 3.0 4.1 6.6 calcium 1 1.2 1.3 phosphorus 0.8 0.9 0.8 sodium 0.3 0.4 0.2 lysine 0.92 0.83 0.67 methionine + cystine 0.70 0.58 0.40 tryptophan 0.24 0.22 0.18 Energy-to-protein ratio 587 647 767

When floor rearing replacement pullets, especially with restricted feeding, it is important to ensure the necessary feeding space — 7–8 cm per head. To determine the total size of the feeding space, the length of the trough feeders is multiplied by two; the feeding space of round hopper feeders is determined by multiplying the circumference of one feeder by their number.

When organizing the rearing of replacement pullets, one is guided by the following approximate feed consumption by periods (kg): n days — 0.5; 31–60 days — 1.6; 61–150 days — 9; 1–150 days —

Feeding of laying hens. Throughout the entire period of use of layers, from which table eggs are obtained, the poultry can be fed with compound feed having the same nutrient content. From the point of view of feeding organization, this method is the simplest. However, it leads to the consumption of an excessive amount of feed, especially protein. A more effective method is the so-called phase feeding, when the nutrient content in the diet of layers is changed according to the age of the bird; in the first months of egg-laying, during the period of most intensive egg production, the compound feed contains more energy and crude protein than in subsequent months, when egg production gradually decreases. Recipes for complete compound feeds calculated for phase feeding are shown in table 44.

Table 44. Recipes of complete compound feeds for egg-laying hens (%)

Age of hens (months) Ingredients up to 10 10—14 14 and older Millet 9 9 14.17 Wheat 27 30 35 Barley 30 30 32 Hydrolyzed yeast 4 3 3 Fish meal 4.7 4 4.3 Sunflower meal 10 8.5 — Grass meal 4 5 4.3 Technical fat 3.7 3.2 — Bone meal 0.8 1.2 0.9 Ground shell 6.4 5.8 5.4 Table salt 0.4 0.3 0.4 Total 100 100 100 100 g of compound feed contains (%): metabolizable energy, kJ 1139 1130. 1067 crude protein 17.0 16.0 14.0 crude fiber 6.0 6.1 5.5 calcium 7.31 2.9 phosphorus 0.8 0.8 0.8 sodium 0.4 0.4 0.4 lysine 0.80 0.73 0.66 methionine + cystine 0.60 0.56 0.48 tryptophan 0.22 0.21 0.17 Energy-protein ratio (kJ : % crude protein) 670 706 762 in 1 kg of compound feed

Compound feeds are enriched with vitamins and trace elements. These compound feeds are formulated for three periods or phases. Some poultry farms use two recipes of compound feeds. For example, at the Borovskaya poultry farm in the Tyumen region, compound feed recipes are designed for layers aged up to 12 months and for older poultry; the first compound feed contains 17% crude protein, the second — 15%. The introduction of phase feeding, compared to the continuous use of compound feed with 17% protein, allowed this poultry farm to save 172 tons of protein per year, which corresponds to approximately 350 tons of fish meal.

Great attention is paid to the content of a sufficient amount of mineral feed in the compound feed, which is a source of calcium, since its deficiency causes the quality of the eggshell to deteriorate, and the egg production of hens decreases. Periodically, layers are given fine gravel (5—8 mm in size), which is necessary for better assimilation of the nutrients in the diet. When hens are kept on the floor, shells and gravel are poured into special feeders for ad libitum consumption. With cage keeping, the estimated distribution rate of gravel is 1 kg per 100 heads per week.

Feeding regime of layers largely depends on the type of equipment used. With hopper feeders, feed is usually distributed 2 times a day. Feeders of other types are turned on several times a day and operate for quite a long time until a certain layer of feed is formed in the trough. On farms practicing combined feeding, feed is distributed 4 times a day: in the morning — dry compound feed, then 2 times — wet mash and in the evening — dry or sprouted grain.

The feeding regime must be strictly observed, as hens get used to a certain daily routine, and violating it causes anxiety in the bird, and as a consequence — a decrease in productivity.

The daily feed consumption by hens is largely determined by the level of egg production and averages from 100 to 120 g. The higher the annual egg production of hens, the more feed is required per layer, but the feed consumption per 10 eggs is lower the higher the productivity of the bird. For example, with an egg production of 200 eggs per average layer per year, the feed consumption per head can be 36.5 kg, and with an egg production of 250 eggs — 42 kg. For a dozen eggs in the first case, there will be an average of 1.82 kg of feed, and in the second case — 1.68 kg, or 7% less.

Organization of egg collection, sorting, and packaging

Timely egg collection and careful handling during sorting and packaging are of great importance for maintaining their quality. Eggs with damaged shells (cracks, checks) cannot be sold as standard products and do not enter retail sale.

Such eggs are considered food waste and are sold at reduced prices to culinary and baking industries, etc.

The eggshell can be damaged at the following stages:

• during laying, when the egg hits the floor grid of the cage;
• when eggs roll out of the cage or nest, when eggs hit each other or the edge of the egg collector;
• during the movement of eggs on the egg collection conveyor;
• when they are collected manually;
• when washing eggs with a dirty shell;
• during their sorting, packaging, and transportation.

These circumstances must be taken into account both when designing equipment for poultry keeping and egg processing, and when handling eggs from the moment they are laid until sale.

Collection regimes and process automation

Eggs are collected several times a day, as their accumulation in egg collectors, nests, or on conveyors can increase shell damage. Furthermore, it is necessary to transport eggs as quickly as possible to the egg storage area, where a lower temperature is maintained than in the poultry house, which is essential for preserving egg quality.

The operating manuals for mechanized equipment for cage or floor keeping of chickens specify the procedure for egg collection. For example, for KBN batteries, it is recommended to follow the schedule below:

When collecting eggs by hand, special containers should be used, or it is best to collect eggs directly into plastic or cardboard filler flats designed for 30 eggs.

When removing eggs from the egg-collecting trays of battery cages KBN or collecting them from accumulation tables where they arrive via belt conveyors, a primary sorting is carried out, separating eggs with damaged and soiled shells. Eggs are placed in special egg boxes consisting of two compartments, each holding six flats. Thus, the total capacity of the box is 360 eggs.

Mechanization of egg collection and transport

Packing eggs into containers is labor-intensive work that consumes a lot of the staff's time. The mechanization of transporting eggs from individual poultry houses to the processing facility (egg storage area) is highly promising.

With this system, all poultry houses located in a single row are connected by a main egg conveyor that runs along a special corridor between them. Eggs from all batteries are fed onto this conveyor. This provides for the automatic counting of the number of eggs arriving from individual batteries and poultry houses, as well as the possibility of temporarily stopping the flow of eggs from specific poultry houses or batteries in the event of conveyor overload. Such centralized egg collection has become widespread on poultry farms in the USA and is organized at some poultry plants in our country.

Technological process of commercial egg processing

In the egg processing facility or egg storage area, they are sorted by weight into categories. Preliminary preparation of products includes the following stages:

• Eggs with soiled shells are pre-washed in egg-washing machines.
• Washed eggs are dried using fans.
• Sorting of eggs by weight is carried out automatically on egg-grading machines.

The minimum weight of eggs in each category must comply with the requirements of the standard or technical specifications. Small eggs that do not meet the minimum requirements are sold to catering establishments or for culinary production.