Avian Production Management

PRODUCTION INDICES - LAYERS

Egg Production

• Egg laying starts at 21^st week and the rate of laying (percentage production) increases every week to reach a level of 90% and above by 28 weeks of age which is maintained up to 40-42 weeks
• Afterwards, it slumps down slowly to reach 70% or below by 72 weeks of age. When the egg production goes below 65%, it is uneconomical to retain them unless the egg price is exceptionally high
• Egg production may be calculated as percentage on total number of birds available at 21^st week (hen-housed egg production) or on number of birds available on each day (hen day egg production)

Egg Production indices

Hen-day egg production percentage

• HDEP is mostly used for the scientific studies and truly reflects the production capacity of the available birds in the house.
• A farm average of 85% or more per year is desirable.

Hen-housed egg production percentage

 

• It is usually expressed in numbers. HHEP values of 80% or 295 or higher are desirable.
• Although HDEP is an excellent indicator of how well the live birds are laying, it does not consider egg size and egg quality.
• Since these factors help in determining the income from eggs, HDEP is often misleading from a profit standpoint.
• It also fails to account for past mortality. However, it is the best egg production index available and is universally used by the industry.
• From a cost of egg production standpoint, HHEP is good as it measures the effects of both egg production and mortality.
• If there is no mortality during a period, the HDEP and HHEP are equal.

Egg mass

• The use of egg mass rather than egg numbers will lead to better comparisons of flocks or strains of birds.
• To calculate egg mass it is first necessary to determine the average weight of eggs by weighing representative samples of the eggs produced.

Average egg mass = Per cent HDEP X Average egg weight in
grams (Per hen per day in grams)

Feed efficiency (Feed conversion ratio – FCR)

• Feed efficiency per kg egg mass
  • This takes into consideration of the feed intake, egg weight and egg production. It is the ratio between the feed consumed and the egg mass.

FCR = Kg of feed consumed / Kg of egg produced
(per kg egg mass)

• A value of 2.2 or less is advantageous to the farm.
• Feed efficiency per dozen eggs
  • This takes into consideration of the feed intake and egg production. It is the ratio between the feed consumed and the number of eggs produced.

FCR = (Kg of feed consumed x 12) / Total eggs produced
(per dozen eggs)

• A value of 1.5 or less is advantageous to the farm.

Egg feed price ration (EFPR)

• It is used to find out the ratio between the receipts from egg and expenditure on feed.

  EFPR = Total value of egg produced / Total value of feed consumed

• An EFPR ratio of 1.4 and above is desirable.