How to Reduce Broiler Feed Conversion

Managing the birds' environment helps keep feed requirements down.

Broiler chickens are everywhere in the typical American diet. Sold whole, de-boned or in pieces at grocery stores, fast food establishments and delicatessens, broilers are raised for meat. Poultry farmers seek to grow fleshy birds inexpensively, since input costs cut into profits. The largest share of total expense is feed. Growers watch the feed conversion ratio -- the quotient of feed intake divided by weight gain -- to determine the efficiency of their broilers. Reducing the FCR is important to a farmer's bottom line.

Instructions

1. Regulate temperature in the chickens' housing so that it fluctuates minimally over the course of a day. Birds that are overly hot expel heat from their bodies and metabolize feed poorly. Cold broilers eat more feed, but their intake is directed toward raising their body temperatures as opposed to weight gain.

2. Keep fresh, clean water available for the birds. This helps them promote temperature homeostasis and overall satiety, eating more when necessary but less when properly nourished.

3. Police the litter several times a day. The litter is made up of wood shaving or peanut shell bedding, excrement, feed waste and water spillage. Changing the litter, especially when wet, is essential to avian health as it keeps disease from spreading.

4. Incorporate a modified lighting regime in the housing. Consult your local extension agent for the optimal number of hours of light versus dark. Like temperature, consistent levels of illumination are proven to improve broiler performance, yielding greater weight gains without more feed.

5. Feed the flock smaller quantities more frequently. Feed waste is a problem with manual and automatic feeders. Smaller portions result in less spillage on the litter and more feed in the chicken, thereby providing a more accurate numerator for the FCR.

6. Vaccinate chicks for protection against immune diseases. The overall health of the flock is vital to the efficiency of production.

Tips & Warnings

• Any vaccinations or medical treatment should be performed by a licensed veterinarian.

References

• Mississippi State University Extension Service; Successful Broiler Production Depends on a Sound Feeding Program
• University of Kentucky Agricultural Extension; Factors Affecting Broiler Performance
• University of Florida Extension; Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences; The Home Broiler Chicken Flock
• WorldPoultry.net; Reducing FCR in Broilers Requires Timing of Immunity; 4/27/2011

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• U.S. Poultry & Egg Association
• American College of Poultry Veterinarians