The effect of dietary commercial enzyme preparations on performance of broilers

International audienc

Comparaison de types génétiques de poules pour une production d'œufs locale : F1 (Fayoumi x Leghorn) et croisement terminal ISA au Maroc

International audienc

Traditional poultry farming in Morocco

The present article describes rural poultry production systems in Morocco and the role of scavenging chicken in the rural household economy. An extensive survey was conducted aiming to characterize rural poultry farming in order to determine the main constraints to its development and suggest practical improvement means. One hundred and six households in 3 villages were surveyed with a total of 768 inhabitants. Each household owned on average 5.8 hectares (from 0 to 11) and had 5 people. Women represented 49% of the population. Rural poultry farming was essentially a women fs business: 73% of the flocks were managed by women and represented their main activity in 58% of the cases. Fifty four percent of the birds in the flocks were hatched on the farms while 46% were purchased. Poultry represented the predominant species raised on the farms with flock size ranging from 0 to 58. Each household owned on average 11chickens and/or 9 turkeys. The sex ratio was 4.6 and 1.7 females to a male for chickens and turkeys flocks respectively. The local birds, called Beldi were characterized by a wide genetic variability. Rudimentary housing was available for poultry in 79% of the households (an increased ratio compared to 64% in 1986 and 71% in 1993). Local materials such as bamboo, wood, plastic screens and others were used. Rural poultry scavenged mainly around homes and some wheat bran, barley, wheat, maize, compound feed, dry bread and kitchen leftovers were distributed at various times. Rudimentary watering devices were available in 94% of the farms with water supply coming from wells (61%) or natural springs (49%). Sexual maturity was reached at about 154 and 168 days for roosters and hens, and around 217 and 231 days for turkey toms and hens respectively. Sixty-nine days were observed on average between laying cycles. Hens sat on eggs 2 to 3 times a year and hatchability reached 78% for chickens and 80% for turkeys. Egg selection for incubation was based on henperformance, body size, egg size and colour and whether males were available in the flocks. The number of laying hens varied from 0 to 5 per farm. Eggs were laid all year around with a peak in spring (39%) and summer (22% of the households). The number of eggs produced per year was 78 per hen and 69 per turkey hen. High mortality was recorded as a result of diseases and predators (mortality rates reached up to 77%). Local consumption (in 48% of the households) and sales (52%) were the main destinations of local poultry products. A rural household consumed on average 16 chickens and /or 11 turkeys per year. Sales of poultry products took place in ruralmarkets every week. This study revealed that archaic production techniques, rudimentary housing, anarchic crosses and diseases were the major constraints to the development of rural poultry production. Several improvement actions were proposed such as the extension of new production techniques, the distribution of rearing equipment, and others specially targeted for women. The current status and future outlook of rural poultry production are discussed. Future areas of interest for research and development are presented

Comparison of Crosses Including a Local Breed or an Experimental Line to a Commercial Control for Egg Production in Morocco

The performance of two crosses each including a line of Egyptian origin (Fayoumi x Leghorn and ISA x Mandarah) and a third utilizing an experimental line selected for low feed consumption during the laying phase (ISA x R-) were compared to those of a brown-egg-type commercial cross (ISA brown). The hens were kept in cages (three per cage) in a laying house equipped with windows and no specific isolation. During two periods, 20 to 35 and 45 to 50 weeks of age, the hens were fed a commercial diet. Only half of each cross were fed that diet from 36 to 44 weeks of age. In all cases, the performance of the two crosses with a local line (Fayoumi x Leghorn and ISA x Mandarah) was lower at all times compared to the other two crosses for egg laying rate, average egg weight and feed efficiency. Differences between the ISA x R- cross and the commercial Isabrown cross for the same variables were rather small, some in favor of the Isabrown (earlier age at point of lay, average egg weight, laying rate during the first weeks), others in favor of the experimental cross (laying rate after 35 weeks, and overall feed efficiency in spite of a higher body weight). The mortality rate measured at early stages or cumulated over time was always lowest for the ISA x R- cross, highest for the Isabrown cross, and intermediate for the other two crosses. In conclusion, the ISA x R- cross was overall the best in the conditions of this trial

Avaliação da Polpa de Citros Peletizada como Material para Cama de Frangos de Corte Evaluation of Citrus Pulp Pellet as a Broiler Litter

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a utilização da polpa de citros peletizada (PCP) como cama de frango, bem como analisar a composição bromatológica desse material. O experimento foi constituído de 1.792 pintos de um dia-machos e dividido em duas fases: 1 a 21 e 35 a 49 dias. Foi utilizado o delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições, em esquema fatorial 2x2x2, sendo os fatores tipo de cama: PCP e maravalha x altura de cama: 7 e 10 cm x densidade: 10 e 14aves/m². Foram avaliados os parâmetros: gsnho de peso(GP), consumo de ração (CR), conversão alimentar (CA),viabilidade (V), incidência de lesões no coxim plantar e de calo de peito, matéria seca (MS) e pH da cama aos 21 e 49 dias. Para verificar as possíveis alterações bromatológicas na cama foram feitas análises de Weende e Van Soest, bem como de energia bruta. Independentemente da altura da cama, as aves criadas em PCP numa densidade de 14 aves/m² apresentaram piores resultados de GP e CR no período de 35 a 49 dias. Em geral, os resultados de GP e CR foram mais influenciados pelas densidades do que pelos materiais utilizados. Não houve diferença significativa entre os tratamentos para ambas as lesões. De uma maneira geral, a MS da cama de PCP foi maior enquanto o pH foi menor quando comparados com a maravalha. Nas análises bromatológicas, observou-se um efeito significativo dos tratamentos para todas as variáveis, com exceção da MM, a qual não apresentou diferença entre as médias (p>0,05). Melhores valores de PB, FDN e FDA foram obtidos com a cama de PCP.<br>The object of this experiment was to evaluate the citrus pulp-pelleted (CPP) as a broiler litter and their chemical composition. The experiment used 1792 one day-old males, and it was divided into two phases: 1 to 21 and 35 to 49 days of age. The experimental design was a factorial 2x2x2 with four replicates. The factors were: type of broiler litter (CPP and wood shaving), broiler litter depth (7 and 10 cm) and stocking densities (10 and 14 broilers/m²). The parameters analyzed were: weight gain (WG), feed consumption(FC), feed conversion, incidence of breast blister and foot pad lesion, survivability, dry matter and pH of the broiler litter (21 and 49 days old). To evaluate the possible alteration in the litter chemical composition Weende and van Soest analyses was performed and gross energy was also determined. Independently of depth of litter, the broilers reared on CPP and in the density of 14 broiler/m² showed worse results to WG and FC of 35 to 49 days of age. The results of WG and FC were more affected by the density than the types of broiler litter. There was no significant difference among the treatments for footpad lesion and for lesions of breast blister. The dry matter was higher in CPP than wood shaving. The pH of the broiler litter of CPP was smaller than wood shaving. The chemical analysis showed significant differences due to treatment (p<0.05) for all variables except to mineral matter (MM), with no significant differences between the means. Best values of CP, NDF, ADF were obtained with the CPP used as material for broiler litter