500 eggs in one cycle! Dream

or reality??

Leon Schouren

28-01-2016

500 eggs in one cycle! Dream or

reality??

Genetic

Crystal-Nick vs Nick-Chick

Managment (rearing and production)

Water and Feed

Market Needs

Low potential for volume growth in Europe and North

America

Significant increase in China, India and Latin America

Focussing on a maximum utilisation of the genetic

potential to provide high quality protein at competitive

prices (taking into account the consumer preferences

and public opinion)

Target of breeding

Continuous increase in

Length of production period

Saleable number of eggs per hen housed

by means of extended laying sequences and long-

lasting good shell quality and continuous

improvement in liveability

Selection for lifetime performances

I II III IV

More persistent rate of lay

More persistent shell quality

More persistent internal egg quality

Layers are able to achieve…

Every day an egg with an intact eggshell

Clutches of 80 to 100 eggs for more than 50 %

of the layers

Just one day off in between two clutches

Balanced behaviour

High adaptability to different environmental

impacts

Performances of pure line layers

more than three quarters of the hens having a laying performance of more than 95 % up to 52 weeks of age!

Up to 44 % of the hens show laying sequences of 63 eggs and more!

3 % of the hens lay a saleable egg every day!

mean std mean std

<95 18 19 11 13 7

95-97 43 31 7 7 2

98-99 37 69 26 4 1

100 3 217 0 1 0

<95 25 15 7 14 6

95-97 31 28 7 7 2

98-99 41 63 28 3 1

100 3 189 0 1 0

Brown Layers (189 production days)

White Layers (217 production days)

laying

performance

(%)

hens

(%)

clutch size number of clutches

Selection for Overall Performance

Index

Laying Performance

Sexual Maturity Peak Peristency

Egg Weight

early late Shape of curve

Egg Quality

Breaking Strength Crack-Detector Shell Colour TMA Inclusions / spots DBS Mottling Pimples Haugh Units Yolk-%, Dry Matter Egg Shape

Feed Conversion

Feed Intake Egg Mass Output Body Weight

Liveability

MD Coli General Liveability (Mortality)

Behaviour

Feather Pecking Cannibalism Plumage colour

PS-Performance

Fertility Hatchability

Index

Selection for better plumage

condition

Family cages (4 birds)

High light intensity

No beak treatment

Agressor and victim in one family

Breeding – Selection for Egg Quality

External egg quality: Shell quality

emphasis on persistency measurement of breaking strength

measurement of Resonant Frequency: Crack Detector

subjective evaluation of shell texture

Shell colour: uniform dark brown and white shells

Internal egg quality: haugh units, albumen height

yolk %

inclusions: low frequency of blood-meat spots

New traits and recording

technologies

Dynamic stiffness and breaking strength

Shape of the beak

Comb size

More genetic progress from genomics

Persistency in lay: +25%

Persistency in shell stability: +15%

Feed efficiency: +20%

Internal egg quality: +5%

Livability: +15%

In addition:

More progress from larger testing/housing capacity

+ 25% for all traits

Increased profitability

Performance-related feed intake

(good intake at start, not excessive at the end)

Flexible nutrient requirements

(no need for special high density diets)

High rate of lay / prolonged production cycle

Strong shells until the end of cycle

Good social behaviour

Future Developments

The longer the laying cycle, the lower production

costs for each egg

Eggshell stability determines the production period

Marketable eggs from each hen housed

Selection and feeding for eggshell stability

complement each other

Should genetic prerequisites be unavailable, feed

can only provide limited assistance

Breeding target

„Vital and docile layers with stable plumage,

strong bones and performance-based feed

consumption laying an egg with a robust

shell EVERY DAY“

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Management of H&N Layers

Strategic trends in poultry breeding

Animal welfare is an important part of the movement

towards more sustainable factors in the society combined

with other positive values

Several EU retailers are using animal welfare in their

advertising campaigns and promotional material to

differentiate themselves from competitors

(Corporate Responsibility Programmes)

Free-range eggs of non-beak

trimmed hens

Our delicious, brown-shelled eggs are always from free to roam hens

raised on happy egg free range farms. We never use antibiotics or

hormones, and we give our girls a vegetarian feed to complement their

pasture-foraged diet. Be sure to pick up a package today at one of our

many locations.

Trends

Breeders have to assess future market needs

- at least 5 years in advance

Housing

Beak treatment

Availability of feed components

Sex determination

…..

Trends for Europe

Within 5 years, no beak treatment, not even with

Novatech!

Within 5 – 10 years, sex determination in the egg (< 10

days)

Constantly high feed prices

GMO-free and protein sourced from Europe

Comparison

Nick Chick and Crystal Nick

Egg Production (eggs) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

60 weeks 252 – 257 255 – 260

80 weeks 365 – 375 375 – 380

95 weeks 445.2 449.4

Egg Weight (g/egg) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

60 weeks 63.4 62.2

80 weeks 64.2 62.6

95 weeks 64.2 62.7

Comparison

Nick Chick and Crystal Nick

Cumulative Egg Mass (kg) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

60 weeks 15.30 15.14

80 weeks 22.75 22.51

95 weeks 27.36 27.07

Body Weight (kg) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

60 weeks 1.630 1.616

80 weeks 1.650 1.640

95 weeks 1.670 1.660

Cumulative Egg Mass (kg) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

60 weeks 15.23 15.14

80 weeks 22.58 22.51

90 weeks 25.80 26.36

Body Weight (kg) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

60 weeks 1.630 1.616

80 weeks 1.650 1.656

90 weeks 1.660 1.670

Comparison

Nick Chick and Crystal Nick

Feed Consumption (g / bird / day) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

19 - 60 weeks 102 - 107 100 - 105

19 - 80 weeks 103 - 108 103 - 107

19 - 95 weeks 103 - 108 103 - 107

Feed Conversion (kg feed / kg eggs)) Nick Chick Crystal Nick

19 - 60 weeks 1.78 1.77

19 - 80 weeks 1.95 1.95

19 - 95 weeks 2.38 2.39

Rearing and Production managment

Cleanness

Rest

Regularity

Development of the Chicks

Development of the Chicks

2

2

4

4 2

4

2

4

Intermittent Lighting

Program DOC’s:

Arrival

The birds (and not only ours!) has one big genetic

failure: They can‘t read! No managementguide

No lighting program

..

Therefore, it is the pulletgrower who has to

determine if everything is „on track“: Take bodyweights from 1st week onwards, once a week

Not necessary to take individual BW, only if necessary.

Development of the chicks

Development of the chicks

Preparing (Layerfarm) New poultryfarmers -> Practical training

Discuss before the birds will be placed,

settings of: Lights

Feed

Water

Functions & settings from computer & clocks

Determine the strategic road with: Advisors from hatchery, feedsuppliers, Veterinarian

and/ or other involved parties

Preparing

Preparing

Visit the pullets during the rearing period

Placement of the birds at the right time!

Important: Bodyweight & uniformity of the birds

Light intensity and day length

Preparing

Feed and water have to be available in the

system before the birds arrive.

High feedlevel in the through the first days.

Use only Pre-lay Feed when the pullets

are ready……….

Start production

Start of daylight period

Day length extending

Morning and evening

Only when the flock is ready for stimulation.

Depends on local situation & circumstances

Quality of water

Every day fresh water

Vaccinating or other additives

by the water system

Test the drinking water on a regularly base

Quality of water

The optimal water temperature is about 18 - 22˚C!

Water Temperatures of ca. 20 - 25˚C is recommended for day- old chicks in first days.

Birds drink more water at high ambient temperature.(> 25˚C)

The water to feed ratio at comfort temperature is around 1.6– 2: 1

This relation increases up to 5:1 or even higher at high ambient temperatures. (> 30˚C)

Birds refuse to drink, if the water temperature is too high!

Birds do not EAT, if they do not DRINK!

Quality of water

Feed Structure of the feed: Rearing – Laying phase

Feeding times

Once a day feedthrough empty – „fresh feed“

Make sure, that the feeding system

never runs empty during a feeding-time.

Speed of the feeder system

Good structure

Too coarse

Crumb feed

Pelleted Feed – Fast Food – Time

for Feather Pecking

Feed quality

Fine:

When it is homogeneous there are the

best results concerning feder pecking.

Course:

More waste of feed, and more problems to

empty the feeders.

Do I like the Feed Structure?

… Me Like a Chicken …

Feed

Feed

Feed

Feed

Feed

58

Feed

Extra Calcium – from +/- 40 weeks onwards

Depending on the egg quality

In stead of moving to an other phase

On the demand of the birds

Increasing step by step, when required

Preventive, not curative

Several technical solutions possible….

Feed - Calcium

Feed- Calsium

Feed

65

Feed

Feed

Feed

Climate

Prevent unwanted disturbing airflow

Close openings which are causing draught.

Climate

Further..

Take (& store) feed samples on a regularly

base And if necessary, investigate them.

Blood samples At arrival of the birds, and if necessary (IB – pressure

for example), on a regularly base

Store them in an ordered manner and investigate them

when requested

Bodyweight development – increasing

1000

1050

1100

1150

1200

1250

1300

1350

1400

1450

1500

1550

1600

1650

1700

1750

1800

1850

1900

1950

Further.. Bodyweights

73

Further.. Bodyweights

Red-Mite control

Risks of mites: E-coli

Salmonella

Post-peak production droppings

Increase mortality

Egg quality problems

That’s why you have to beat the (red-)mites!

Red-Mite control

Red-Mite control

Concluding… An excellend manager will still be able

to perform with acceptable results although

the circumstances are not perfect

But…

A manager with poor skills will be able

in a situation with the best circumstances,

to spoil the birds (& the results)!!!

Breeding for success....together

Questions???

Thank you for your attention!