CHSE Odisha Vocational Poultry Farming flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Broiler FCR target

Feed conversion ratio equals total feed consumed divided by total live weight gained. Well-managed broilers reach 1.5 to 1.7 by six weeks, and lower values mean better feed efficiency.

Egg production percentage

Number of eggs collected divided by number of hens, multiplied by 100. Hen-day rate uses hens alive today; hen-housed rate uses hens placed and accounts for mortality.

Kadaknath breed

Indigenous Indian breed from Madhya Pradesh with black plumage, black meat and dark eggs. It is marketed as a premium niche product and is hardy under backyard conditions.

Cornish breed role

Heavy, broad-breasted English breed used as the male line in broiler crosses. Its poor leg soundness and low reproductive fitness make it unsuitable as a stand-alone farm bird.

Heterosis in poultry

Hybrid vigour, the performance gain when crossing genetically distinct lines. Commercial broiler and layer stocks are hybrids, so their offspring do not breed true to type.

Trap nesting purpose

A nest that records which hen laid each egg. It gives individual egg records used for selection on egg number, egg weight and persistence of lay.

Deep litter system

Birds housed on 5 to 8 cm of dry absorbent material such as paddy husk or sawdust. Litter must stay dry; moisture above 30 percent causes caking and ammonia build-up.

Brooder guard function

A circular barrier placed around the brooder to keep chicks near heat and prevent crowding or chilling. Diameter expands as chicks grow, usually removed by two to three weeks.

Methionine first limiting

The amino acid most deficient in typical maize-soybean poultry diets. Diets are balanced by adding synthetic methionine, followed by lysine, to match bird requirements.

Layer calcium requirement

Laying hens need 3.5 to 4.0 percent calcium from limestone or oyster shell for shell formation. Excess calcium in chick feed causes kidney damage and poor growth.

Chicken incubation period

Chicken eggs hatch in 21 days, ducks and turkeys in 28 days, and quail in 17 to 18 days. Incubator temperature is held near 37.5 to 37.8 Celsius.

Candling purpose

Shining light through an egg to view the embryo. Done at day 7 to remove infertile eggs and at day 18 to remove dead embryos before transfer to the hatcher.

Brooding temperature schedule

Start at 33 to 35 Celsius in week one and reduce 2 to 3 Celsius weekly to about 24 Celsius by week five. Chick distribution and behaviour indicate whether heat is correct.

Pullet uniformity

Percentage of pullets within plus or minus 10 percent of flock mean body weight. Above 80 percent uniformity predicts good lay persistence and easier lighting control.

Broiler heat stress

High temperature with humidity reduces feed intake, weight gain and shell quality and raises mortality. Control with fans, foggers, cool water and feeding during cooler hours.

Drug withdrawal period

The interval between the last dose of a medicine and slaughter or egg sale, so residues fall below permitted limits. Always follow the product label, typically five to seven days.

Newcastle disease signs

Gasping, greenish diarrhoea, twisted neck, paralysis and a sharp drop in egg production with high mortality. It is viral, so control relies on vaccination and biosecurity.

Coccidiosis control

Intestinal disease caused by Eimeria species, controlled by coccidiostat feed additives or live vaccines. Wet litter and overcrowding increase oocyst exposure and outbreak risk.

Haugh unit

A measure of albumen height relative to egg weight, used to grade internal egg quality. Higher values indicate fresher, thicker albumen; values decline with storage age.

Scalding temperature

Water temperature used to loosen feathers before plucking, about 55 to 60 Celsius for chicken. Too hot damages skin; too cool leaves feathers attached.

Break-even analysis

The output or price at which total revenue equals total cost. It tells the farmer the minimum egg or live-weight price needed before a batch becomes profitable.

Gross margin poultry

Gross income from eggs, birds and manure minus variable costs such as chicks, feed, medicine and litter. Fixed costs like shed and equipment are excluded from this figure.

Avian influenza zoonosis

A viral disease of birds that can infect humans through close contact with infected poultry or contaminated surfaces. PPE and hand hygiene reduce transmission risk to workers.

Poultry litter composting

Stacking litter with carbon material and turning it to reach high temperature, killing pathogens and weed seeds. The finished compost is sold as organic fertiliser.

Vent sexing method

Examining the chick's cloaca to identify sex, used for most breeds at day-old. Feather sexing works only in crosses where female and male feather growth rates differ.

Selection differential

The difference between the average performance of selected parents and the flock mean. Response to selection equals heritability multiplied by this differential.

Ammonia threshold

Ammonia above about 25 parts per million in poultry houses irritates eyes and respiratory tracts and reduces performance. It signals wet litter or inadequate ventilation.

Pelleting advantage

Compressing feed into pellets improves intake, reduces sorting and wastage, and shortens feeding time. Crumbles suit chicks, pellets suit growing and finishing broilers.

Hatchability norm

Percentage of fertile eggs that hatch, normally 80 to 85 percent under good incubation. Fertility of 90 to 95 percent and chick yield of 65 to 68 percent of egg weight are targets.

Layer lighting programme

Growing pullets receive decreasing day length to delay sexual maturity; layers receive 14 to 16 hours of light. Never increase light hours during the laying period.

All-in all-out

A biosecurity practice where one batch of birds fills a house and leaves together. The house is cleaned and disinfected before the next batch, breaking disease cycles.

Cold chain for poultry meat

Chilled poultry is held at 0 to 4 Celsius and frozen product below minus 18 Celsius. Temperature abuse allows pathogen growth and rapid spoilage of meat.