Commercial Layer Management

ISO 9001:2008

By:
V K Saxena
Principal Scientist, ICAR- CARI, Izatnagar
 Poultry: Contributions in Production and R&D
• Poultry stands 2nd in the world meat production.
• Indian Poultry Sector: 8-15 % /annum..... Agric. sector 1.5 to 2% /annum
– 6-7% per annum for egg; 15-20% for meat.
– IPS contribution:~0.77% to national GDP; 17% of GDP from livestock.
– (Meat sector ~ 66.7 % ; Egg Prod and 33.3%)
• India ranks 3th in egg and 5th in broiler production in world.
• Fundamental genetic principles like linkage, epistasis etc.
• Attenuation method for live vaccines (Louis Pasteur, 1880).
• First evidence for viral induced tumor (Rous, 1911, Nobel Prize, 1966).
• Reverse transcriptase- Isolated from ALV (Tamin & Baltimore, 1963; Nobel
Prize, 1975).
• Oncogenes in virus are from host cells (Bishop & Harold Varmus; Nobel
Prize 1989).
• Major two arms of immune response, the T and B cells were first
discovered in chicken.
 National Scenario
Indicators 1970-71 2011-12 %change
Egg Prod. 5.3 b 66.5 b 1154.7 Chicke
n
Broiler Prod. 0.12 MMT 2.48 MMT 1966.7
Turkey Duck
Broiler Traits
• Body wt 1.5kg at 10 wk 1.7 Kg at 5 wk Indian
• FCR 2.5 1.7 Poultry
32%
909.1 Guinea
PCA Meat 0.22 kg 2.22 kg fowl
Emu

Layer traits
Quail
• Egg Nos. 270 340 26%
• FCR 2.65 2.01 32%
• Egg wt 47.5 53 11.5%
PCA Egg 10 p.a. 55 p.a. 450.0
Poultry pop 138.5 million 729.21 million 426.5
(Annual Growth Rates : 1996-97 to 2011-12)
• Human Population : 1.58% ; Poultry Population : 4.86%;
• Eggs Production : 3.64%; Poultry Meat Production : 8.45%
• Egg consumption : 1.43%; Poultry meat consumption : 1.67%;
 Current Status of Poultry Production in Uttar Pradesh
Indian Poultry Population : 729.21 Million
2.5%
Present poultry population : 18.66 Million
Total Livestock in UP : 68.71 Million 27.2%

Population and Production Trends in UP

2007 2012 % Increase
Livestock 60.27 m 68.71 m 14
Poultry 8.17 18.66 114 Popularity of poultry
• Egg production (2012): 908.3 m (121 % of target set for UP); constitute only
2.4% of the national egg production.
• PCA of egg increased from 5 to 8 (2007 to 2012) ; National average: 58
• The number of broilers and poultry meat production has declined in 2012-13
compared to 2007-08.
These situations indicate the potential of poultry rearing in the UP but
warrants a proactive approach and policies to support poultry production
 Development of Commercial Layer
The chickens developed and
reared for egg production are
termed as layer.

worldwide, layers are bred for higher

Nos. of eggs/ kg of feed with sound
shell strength, uniform shell colour
without blood and meat spots and a
reasonably upright egg white.

Selection strategies to improve egg production include

part-time egg production records,

persistency of lay, clutch length,

FCR / Residual feed consumption (RFC)

Skeletal problems (majorly osteomalacia and
osteoporosis)
Commercial Layers developed at public/Govt Sector

Commercial
Stock Type Name of Institute
ILI 80 White egger CARI, Izatnagar.
ILM 90 White egger KAU, Mannuthy.
ILR 90 White egger ANGRAU, Hyd
HH 260 White egger CPBF, Bangalore
BH 78 White egger CPBF, Bangalore
Kalinga Brown Brown egger CPBF,
Bhubaneshwar
CARI-SOANLI Brown egger CARI, Izatnagar.
CARI-PRIYA White egger CARI, Izatnagar.
 Production Performance of Layer strains developed at
SAUs/Institutes
Peak Peak FE/kg Net EP
Breed First egg 50% EP Liveability Egg Wt
Pro. Age EP egg (72 wk)
17-18 26-28 Gr. (96%)
ILI-80 150 d 92% 2.1 54 g 280 eggs
weeks weeks L (94%)
18-19 27-29 Gr. (96%)
Golden-92 155 d 90% 2.2 54 g 265 eggs
weeks weeks L (94%)
17-18 26-28 Gr. (96%)
Priya 150 d 92% 2.1 57 g 300 eggs
weeks weeks L(94%)
18-19 27-29 Gr. (96%)
Sonali 155 d 90% 2.2 54 g 275 eggs
weeks weeks L (94%)
18-19 27-29 Gr. (97%)
Devendra 155 d 90% 2.5 50 g 200 eggs
weeks weeks L 94%)
 Commercial Layer developed in Pvt sector
Bwt wk Bwt 72 Peak Net EP
Breed First egg Livab. FE Egg Wt
20 wk wk EP (72 wk)
BV-300 17-18 1.3-1.6 Gr. (98%) 330+
1.6 kg 97%+ 124 g/egg 72 g
(White),weeks kg L (94%) eggs
BV 380 25 Gr. (97%) 289+
1.5 Kg 1.85 kg - - -
(Brown) weeks L (92%) eggs
Hyline 17-18 Gr. (97%) 325+
1.24 Kg - 92-94% 110g/egg 60 g
W-36 weeks L(94%) eggs
Hyline 18-19 Gr. (97%) 330+
1.4 kg - 94-96%125 g/egg 62 g
Brown weeks L (94%) eggs
Bovans 18-19 Gr. (97%)
1.17 kg - 95% 127 g/egg 60.5g 330 eggs
White weeks L 94%)
18-19 1.6-1.7 Gr. (98%) 127-133 g
Lohmann 95% 60.5g 305 eggs
weeks kg L 96%) /egg
VRB, Farm Pvt.Ltd Ponni Hatcheries, TN Pioneer Suguna Poultry
• BV-300 (White) • Hyline W-36 Hatcheries, TN Farm, TN
• BV -380 (Brown) • Hyline Brown • Bovans White • Bovans White
 Management of commercial Layers
Housing:
• Access to road service
• Level of the ground should be high
• The place should be dry.
• Future expansion needs
• Drainage
• Exposure of the house
• Wind direction
• Distance between houses
 Basic Principles for Layout Design
• Layout should not allow visitors and outside vehicles to come in contact
with birds.
• Administrative block and feed mill unit should be kept away from sheds
• Younger birds should be kept away from disturbances due to movements.
• The houses of should be necessarily placed on the upwind flow side to
avoid cross-infection from adults to younger through air.
– In our country for major part of year, west is the upwind flow side.
• Feed mill is generally attached to medium and large size poultry farms and
preferably placed near gate.
Ventilation
• Ventilation keeps the atmosphere healthy in house
• Free flowing air in the house; Reduce the temp. inside house in summer
Humidity (Optimum Humidity: 38 – 42 %)
• Higher humidity: Conducive for multiplication of pathogenis;
• Low Humidity: Dusty and dry litter
Layout of the poultry farm

A – Distance between 1st house and

approach road (20 m)
B- Distance between incinerator and last
house (30 m)
D- Distance between two houses (10m)
FM – Feed mill
I – Incinerator
S.O. – Store and Office
 Orientation of Poultry Houses
• In hotter parts of country, the long axis of the house should be east to
west and the sides should face north south to prevent direct sun shine
• The areas where both the condition prevailed, long axis in the direction of
Northeast to Southwest may be helpful
• The wind direction and drainage should be from the houses of young stock
to adult stock to aid in disease prevention.
• The distance between the houses of young and adult stock should be
about 150-300 feet to help in disease prevention.

Construction of Poultry Houses

• Foundation: 6-12” above the floor level for deep litter hosuses
• Floor: moisture proof, free from cracks, easily cleaned, rat proof and durable
• Sides and walls: 8 to 10 feet from floor level; 2/3 fitted with wire mesh; cold
weather, curtains can be lowered from the overhang
• Roofs: draft and moisture proof; Asbestos or cement board roofs more desirable
• Laying cages:
• Ventilation: 50” exhaust fans on side of walls can be fitted for ventilation
• AUTO FEEDING SYSTEM
– Pan system

– Trough system

• Auto-drinking system
 Specifications as per BIS- For housing poultry on floor
Space Requirements Cm2 Feeder space Watering space/ 100 birds
(Cm) / bird
Age Light breed Heavy breed Limear (Cm) Cap. (lit)
0-8 wks 700 900 2.5-4.5 50 9
(chick)
13-20 950 2250 7.5 100 18
(Grower)
> 21 (Adult) 1800 2700 12.5 250 22.5

Typical layer house (Stationary type)

No of Birds L (m) W (m) H(m)
100 6 4.5 2
200 9 6 2
500 18 7.5 2
1000 36 9 2
 Laying Equipments
CAGE SYSTEM
Mostly adopted for layers and broiler breeders
Variable 2003 2003
(existing) (new cages) 2005 2013
Space allowance 450 550 750* 750*
(cm²/hen)
Feeding 10 12 12 12
space/hen (cm)
Cage height (cm) 40 40 45 45

Perch (cm/hen) na na 15 15
Abrasive strip na na present present
Nest box na na present present
Dust bath na na present Present

* includes 600 cm²/hen free space and an additional 150 cm²/hen of nest and
dust bath space na = Not available
Roofs and open type poultry houses
Ventilation system
Plan of EC house
Interior view of EC house
Enriched cages Aviary
Tier Cages
BROODING MANAGEMENT
 Brooding equipment

• Hover
• Heating devices
• Chick guard
• Feeders
• Waters
• Feed storage bins
 Chick guard

Corridor Heat Convector

Hower

Heating Devices

Gas Brooder with automatic control

• Heating Devices: Several type of heating devices viz. electric
bulbs including infra-red bulbs, gas brooder, electric heat
convector, coal burning small sized furnace, saw dust stoves,
oil burning stoves, hot water and hot air devices etc. The
heating devices should be made available:
– to provide a temperature around 35°C in brooding area.
– Temperature in the rest of the pen can be allowed to drop to 20 or 15
°C.
– For small flocks of up to 75 chicks, only a heat lamp may be required.
SPACE HEATER to be operated at low pressure LPG or CNG
More heat

Low heat

Draft wind
Battery
Brooding
 Temperature Guidelines (°F)

House Floor Litter

Day 1 89 88
Day 7 85 83 80
Day 14 81 78
Day 21 78 75
Day 28 75 72
Day 35 70-72 68
Day 42 68-70 66
 Water space (inches)
______________________
Age of chick (wk) Tubular waterer Circular waterer

0-3 ¼ 1/8
3-6 ½ ¼
After 6 ¾ ½

Water space requirement of layers

Items Water spaceinches/bird

Trough 1-1.25
Pan(10 inches dia) One/20-25 birds
Drip valves One/6-8 birds
Feeders
• Feed is usually put in shallow boxes or egg flats on the floor or cage
bottom for 4 to 6 days as well.
• Tubular type of feeders are used.
• On an average 4 tubular feeders (small size) /100
• 3 weeks onwards, larger size feeders (4); Feed should be offered
frequently.

Waterers - Good water is important.

– Sufficient number of waterers should be provided to ensure adequate
supply of fresh drinking water to all the chicks all the time.
– Non –availability of adequate water is more hazardous for the growth
of the bird and also reduces the feed intake.
– Fountain type waterer (2-3/ 100 chicks) may be provided from 0-2
weeks; afterwards small sized tub with grill may be used for watering.
 Circular Drinker

Bell Shaped
drinker

Automatic
drinker
Fountain Type
Drinker
Nipple Drinker system
Fountain type waterer
• made of plastic or iron sheet.
• consisted of a cylindrical water container and a circular dish.
• The water container can sit loosely inside the circular dish with
about 2.5 cm space remaining on all sides.
• Preferably, the top of water container is made conical so that chicks
can sit over it and spoil water or topple it down.
• A hole is made in water container to push the water by air pressure.
The water container filled with water is inverted over the dish; due
to air pressure water is filled in dish.
• The chicks can easily drink water and accidental deaths due to
drowning are also avoided.
• In large flocks, some form of automatic water system is usually installed.
In a float controlled trough, 2 cm per bird is considered sufficient.
– One hanging fountain per 80 to 100 birds, one smaller cup per 50
birds, one nipple for 10-12 birds, will generally be adequate.
• In Circle brooding the feed and water should be placed at the edge of the
heat reflectors, which is 60 to 70 cm above the floor.
 Automatic
feeder

Chick Feeder
Grower Feeder
• Feed Storage bins: Large size plastic or metallic
drums having capacity of 200 L may be used for feed
storage. The feed should not be stored for a long
period as it may lead to growth of moulds and
fungus. At the most feed for 4-5 days may be store.
Feed should be as fresh as possible.
 Equipment for Grower management:
• The waterer and feeders are of larger size than that used during brooding
stage.
• The round hanging feeders with capacity of 8-10 Kg capacity may also be
used during growing stage.
• The water channels or automatic watering system may be used for
supplying water during growing stage.
• In summers; the cooling devices like water sprinklers, foggers, coolers,
fans etc are also used.
• Besides, on sides of grower houses the trees can be planted to keep the
environment cool.
• High quality Foggers, which are used by poultry farmers during the
summers for bringing down the temperature by 8-10 °Celsius.
 Cooling Devices
Evaporative Cooling Pad System Foggers

Sprinklers
Fogers in poultry house

Sprinklars
 Light regime
Two basic Principles:
1. Never Increase the duration or intensity of light during the
growing period.
2. Never Decrease the duration or intensity of light during the
production period.
• 21-23 hrs of continuous light at one and two days of age and
then reduced to 15 or 16 hrs of light until the 3 weeks of age.
• At 3-weeks of age, reduce the hours of light to about 12 hours or
as dictated by natural day length.
• When target body weights are achieved start your stimulatory
lighting program to increase 13 hours and then add 15-30 min
per week until 16 hrs of light is reached.
• Light stimulation should continue until peak production
• One bulb of 30 watt is sufficient for an area of 100 sq. feet, if
hanged 8’ above floor.
• The sensitivity of the young pullet to an increase in
photoperiod varies with age and is at a maximum between 9
and 12 weeks of age and thus increasing the photoperiod at
or soon after 18 weeks has little effect on age at 50% lay.
• Therefore, the use of step-down - step-up lighting programs
should be timed to bring the birds into lay at the age. With
early lay you will get more, smaller eggs and with late lay you
will get fewer, larger eggs, but the total egg mass at the end of
lay will not be much different.
 Recommendations: A. R & D activities; B. Govt Policies
• Strengthening the efforts for development of poultry Germplasm at
institutes/ SAUs/KVKs
• Least cost feed formulation using locally available ingredients.
• Strengthening the veterinary health services to reduce mortality.
• Training to poultry rearers on processing, trading etc
• Promoting integration of poultry with other farming activities.
• Diversified poultry production may be promoted.

B: Govt policies:
• Financial assistance for poultry farming and allied sectors
• Strengthening infrastructure facilities and market network for expansion
of poultry sector.
• Supplies of inputs and input delivery systems
• Encouraging farmers to grow maize /soybean( MSP and other policies)
• Cold chains/storage and other marketing facilities
• Welfare issues
...Thank You