Regional Livestock Directorate Basse URR

ALL ABOUT FEED CONVERSION RATIO (FCR), IN BROILER PRODUCTION

The Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) is like a pivotal role in poultry farming that quantifies the efficiency of converting feed into body weight gain. It's calculated by dividing the total amount of feed consumed by a group of birds by the total weight they gain during a specific period. A lower FCR indicates better feed efficiency.

For example,If a group of broilers consumes 2,500 kilograms of feed and gains 1,500 kilograms of body weight, the FCR would be calculated as 2,500 kg ÷ 1,500 kg = 1.6. This means it took 1.6 kilograms of feed to produce 1 kilogram of body weight.

FACTORS AFFECTING FCR:

1. BREED OF BROILER: Fast growing breed of broiler generally have better FCR compared to slow-growing broiler breed. Even if fed with high quality feed, if the broiler breed is poor or slow growing, the result won’t show meaning, they won’t be converting into body weight as it supposed to.
2. FEED QUALITY: The second most significant here is feed quality, high quality feed with the right balance of nutrients helps lower FCR. Poor quality feed will result to poor growth rate/poor converting into body weight.
3. MANAGEMENT: Proper management practices like, bio-security measures, regular health checks, practicing preventive measures against disease outbreaks, litters management and reduced stressing of birds, all this can improve FCR. As poor management can lead to higher FCR as stressed, dirty houses and unhealthy birds don’t efficiently utilize feed.

The joy of every farmer is to archive better results after all the effort been made.
Always weigh your birds to know how they’re converting into body weight.

Regional Livestock Directorate Basse URR

During the Cold Season, boilers prioritise Feed over water, while During the Hot Season, They prioritize Water over Feed. Insufficient heat can significantly impact broiler chicken growth. Broiler chickens require a warm environment to grow and develop properly, especially during the critical first three weeks of life.

1) REDUCED FEED INTAKE: Chicks need warmth to stay comfortable and focus on eating. Cold stress makes them prioritize staying warm overeating, leading to slower growth.

2) METABOLIC SLOWDOWN: Cold temperatures force the chicks to use more energy to maintain body temperature, leaving less for growth and development.

3) INCREASED SUSCEPTIBILITY TO DISEASE: Weakened chicks are more vulnerable to infections.

4) INCREASED MORTALITY: Chicks may die or become weak if the temperature is too low.

The ideal temperature for broiler chickens during the first three weeks is:

- Week 1: 90-100°F (32-38°C)
- Week 2: 85-95°F (29-35°C)
- Week 3: 80-90°F (27-32°C)

Poultry Feed Production at Basse Veterinary Camp, we are producing high-quality feeds of different breed of poultry (Layers to Broiler).

As a region, we are geared towards bringing our services and expertise to your doorsteps by providing good service delivery in attaining food self-sufficiency, thereby contributing to SDGs in poverty alleviation.

𝐓𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧😍

Consult for your Animal production

Newcastle disease is a highly contagious disease of birds caused by a para-myxo virus. Birds affected by this disease are fowls, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl and other wild and captive birds. Newcastle disease outbreaks often occur once or twice a year at regular intervals affirming the endemicity of the virus, however, sub-outbreaks in individual flocks and sporadic cases in individual birds may occur.

As the disease develops, affected birds may show some of the following signs:-

- respiratory distress such as gaping beak, coughing, sneezing, gurgling and rattling.
- nervous signs characterised by tremors, paralysis and twisting of the neck.
- usually watery faeces (diarrhea) that are yellowish-green in colour, and depression.

The Region have trained 120 rural farmers on Poultry production, basic management, Bio security, foundamentals of production and adding value to the birds through dressing, for 9 days it was interactive and educative. Together we will make the Region free from imported chicken

Livestock production is a way forward in providing food security to our Nation and providing quarter in alleviating poverty within our rural setting, Livestock serves as Rural Bank to many rural farmers. We challenge you all to start your farm today in widening Livestock production in the Region

As we are aware of the Ban on importation of poultry and poultry product, due to the highly pathogenic Avian influenza,
In that context we are all urge to be a watch dog for importation of any of this kind, you can report the matter to any nearest Livestock worker, or any relavant authority for quick response
Together we will make Gambia free of this highly pathogenic Avian influenza

Providing clean and fresh water to Livestock, is a way of enhancing production and productivity in livestock sustainability development.
#*BOREHOLE AT SARE MUSA FULLADU EAST* by AVCDP