Poor uniformity definitely affects the overall flock performance among the chicken subspecies. When the egg laying birds reach a certain level of sexual maturity, it is the bird’s individual weight at that point of time that determines the start of the production. If the birds are underweight, they have a delayed onset of egg production and the birds that are overweight start early! This is bound to cause disruption in the performance.
Keeping this in mind, how do you measure uniformity?
Measuring Uniformity
In the industry, there are two standard ways to measure uniformity.
- Coefficient of variation (CV%)
This measures the spread of body weight within the flock. CV% is the standard deviation divided by the mean body weight of the flock. Thus, greater the CV value, larger is the variation and vice versa.
- Uniformity
This indicates the % of the flock which fall under a certain range of the average flock body weight (which is the mean value). The range is usually ±10% of the mean.
Role of Technology
With the increase in consumer demands, it is important for the end product to be of very high quality. This will require improved performance of poultry farms and with the key focus on addressing performance issues like bad uniformity. The advancements in the technology has somehow helped poultry farm owners to detect and take necessary measures to avoid disruptions in uniformity.
Data
Collecting real time data has had one of the most positive impact on the performance of poultry farms. Real time data benchmarks flock performance and uniformity withing certain cycles and compares the results, providing great opportunities for improvement.
Sensors
Even a slight variation of 2° in temperature can have effect on the bird performances. With various sensors and alerts in place, analyzing the environment, keeping track of the feed and other factors that could affect the uniformity, becomes easier. With custom alerts, disruptions can be avoided before they cause major damage to the flock.
Technology plays a major role in helping farm owners to keep a check on various factors that could affect the overall performance of the farm. A comprehensive poultry software, designed to meet all the needs of a farm is the optimal solution to maintain uniformity and improve production.
Conclusion
Flock uniformity is one of the most important drivers for farm owners and processors alike. With a no definitive way to measure or benchmark uniformity values, staying one step ahead and establishing various methods to check, analyze and monitor them becomes equally important. A poultry software like Livine offers a comprehensive product suit to cover all your areas and help maintain your poultry farm seamlessly. The poultry software’s unique features allows you to keep a tab on all the sections of your farm and ensure that everything runs smoothly.
