C2o—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, November 29,1980 nri , lests NEWARK, Del - Today’s broiler chicken ain’t what it used to be. Rising feed costs and consumer demand for leaner meat have both spurred the broiler industry to make changes in the kind of bird that’s grown these days. As a result, poultrymen are after a more feed ef ficient product with less fat. Both feed efficiency and leanness are traits which are influenced by genetics. So are some of the other factors which affect bird per formance and meat quality. The industry goal, of course, is higher yield of saleable meat. The success of breeders working toward this goal is measured, ultimately, by the price you pay for cliicken at the grocery store. Breeders and producers have an idea how well their own broiler crosses do in the field. But it’s impossible for them to gather detailed comparative data on all the available breeds. Unless these crosses are evaluated under research conditions, no one knows how well they actually perform. Every few years, poultry scientist George W. Malone and extension poultry specialist George W. Chaloupka run a senes of trials at the University of Delaware’s Georgetown Substation on promising new breeds of broiler chicken. The tnals provide the in dustry with information on the comparative per formance of a number of crosses under identical growing conditions Results of the latest tnals have now been released They show that it takes four days less to raise a 4.5 pound bird than it did in similar trials four years ago. Looking at five of the best of today’s crosses, Malone found the 1980 broilers averaged 4.45 pounds live weight in 52 days and had a feed conversion rate of 1.94 (down from 2 01 in 1976 for a show which birds go to market fastest similar size bird). This means that it took less than two pounds of feed to produce one pound of chicken. On a per 1000 bird basis, this represents a savings of 82.9 pounds of feed per year over the past four years. The test included the following crosses- Hubbard x Hubbard, Vantress x Hubbard, Arbor Acre x Arbor Acre, Ross x Arbor Acre, and Indian River x Indian River Crosses were selected on the basis of a Delmarva industry survey and represent some of the most popular breeds currently in international production. Placement dates were 9/17/79,12/7/79, and 4/11/80 Broilers were hatched from eggs of breeder flocks ap proximately 46 weeks old and were reared in a shed type poultry house under management practices simulating those used commercially There were 5250 birds in each trial. According to Chaloupka, the University of Delaware Substation is one of the few public research facilities in the world conducting this kind of performance test. The trials are possible at Georgetown, he says, because of the closeness to a USDA poultry research laboratory and local in dustry processing plants. These provide important information when birds are processed. Results of the 1980 tnals are presented in two Delaware Experiment Station reports which are available on request. By taking this information and comparing it with notes from their own observations, broiler companies can decide which type of bird will be most profitable for their own particular operations “Just because a breed has a certain disadvantage doesn’t mean you shouldn’t grow it,” says Malone, noting that one cross had lower egg hatchabihty but more breast meat “You have to look at the end result, and that’s yield at the processing plant.” Speaking of the im provements they’ve seen in broiler performance since the 1976 trials, the scientist predicts even more im pressive weight gains in broiler crosses over the next five years. Inf act, by 1985 the industry projects a four pound broiler in 42 days with ZOOK MOLASSES CO. ONE STOP FOR ANIMAL FEEDING MOLASSES HONEY BROOK LIQUID & DRIED MOLASSES Honey Brook Liquid Feeding Cane Molasses ZOOK MOLASSES CO. /OBSr WEST MAIN ST., HONEY BROOK, PA 19344 SSjft » ALONG RT. 322 PH: 215-273-3776 DEALER INQUIRIES INVITED a 1.85 feed conversion, probably activated on a lower energy diet. This is good news fui poultrymen and consumers alike. The reports on the 1980 broiler evaluation cross test have already received global distribution. THE COMPLETE, CONVENIENT, BALANCED DIET SUPPLEMENT OFFERS MAXIMUM NUTRITION FOR HORSES AND PONIES. ENERfiI CUBES are an excellent coat conditioner for stow and performance horses. SOLID FEED SUPPLEMENT BLOCK For Dairy And Beef Remember - ENERGI BLOCK contains no salt and is not affected by the weather. For a free copy of the report, call or write: G.W. Malone, University o. Delaware Agricultural Experiment Station, Sub station Division, R.D. 2, Box 47, Georgetown, DE 19947 302/856-5254. Ask for the “1980 Broiler Cross Evaluation Reports.” Bring your own 5 gal bucket or drum containers or we have either one in stock for sale
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