Research Poultry Broilers
Animals and facilities
Schothorst Feed Research has several facilities available for broiler research. Research can be performed on small scale, like 96 floor pens with 20 broilers each, or on large scale, like 32 floor pens with 900 broilers each. Small scale trials are suitable for testing of additives and performance of registration studies. Large scale trials are suitable for the testing of feed composition and feed strategies under practical conditions. Furthermore, Schothorst Feed Research has cages available suitable for digestibility studies as well as infection studies (related to intestinal health). In each facility accurate measurements on growth, feed intake and feed conversion ratio can be done. Besides these standard parameters other measurements, like digestibility of feed stuffs on intestinal level, bone quality and composition of the micro flora, can be performed depending on the aim of the trial.
Type of research
Below the possibilities of research with broilers are described:
- Production trials (small scale)
- Production trials (large scale)
- Digestibility trials
- Infection trials (necrotic enteritis, coccidiosis)
Production trials (small scale)
Objective
Determine the effect of for example:
- Feed composition
- Coccidiostats
- Additives
- Dosage
On among others:
- Production performance
- Efficacy
- Bone ash level
- Intestinal health
Trial set up
Dependent on the expected effect the number of treatments and replicates will be determined. Research can be performed with 48 floor pens of 2×2 m with 60 broilers each. This set up gives the opportunity to test 6 treatments × 8 replicates or 8 treatments × 6 replicates related to optimal feed composition and nutrient requirement. Furthermore, research can be performed with 96 floor pens of 1×2 m with 20 broilers each. This set up gives the opportunity to test 8 treatments × 12 replicates or 12 treatments × 8 replicates. This set up is of interest for testing efficacy of additives, but also for registration studies for European dossier formation.
Standard observations (pen level):
- Body weight at arrival (random sample) and at each feed phase change
- Growth per phase
- Feed intake per phase
- Feed conversion ratio per phase
- Mortality
- Litter quality
We like to consult you on further possibilities like slaughter yield and intestinal health parameters.
Production performance will be reported per phase and cumulative over the whole experimental period.
Production trials (large scale)
Objective
Determine the effect of for example:
- Feed composition
- Coccidiostats
- Additives
On among others:
- Production performance
- Slaughter yield
Trial set up
Broilers are housed under practical conditions with 900 broilers per floor pen of 9.5×5 m. The facility has 32 floor pens in total. This set up gives the opportunity to test 4 treatments × 8 replicates related to optimal feed composition and feed strategies. Furthermore, this facility has the possibility to test additives by the drinking water.
Standard observations (pen level):
- Body weight
- Growth
- Feed intake
- Feed conversion ratio
- Water intake
- Water/feed-ratio
- Mortality
- Litter quality
We like to consult you on further possibilities like slaughter yield.
Production performance will be reported per phase and cumulative over the whole experimental period.
Digestibility trials
Objective
Determine the effect of for example:
- Digestibility of feed stuffs
- Effect of additives on digestibility
On among others:
- Production performance
- Excreta composition
Trial set up
Schothorst Feed Research has about 120 cages available for digestibility trials. All cages are of comparable size. The number of broilers that can be housed in each cage depends on the duration of the experimental period. The number of cages gives the opportunity to test 8 or 12 treatments × 6 replicates. This set up is of interest for testing the effect of feed stuffs and additives on digestibility.
Standard observations (cage level):
- Body weight
- Growth
- Feed intake
- Feed conversion ratio
- Mortality
- Composition of excreta (total nutrient balance) or intestinal content (ileal digestibility of nutrients)
We like to consult you on further possibilities.
Infection trials (necrotic enteritis)
Objective
Determine the effect of for example:.
- Feed composition
- Additives
On among others:
- Necrotic lesions in the small intestine
- Coccidiosis lesions
- Clostridium lesions
- Mortality
- Production performance
Trial set up
There are 72 digestibility cages available for the infection trials. The number of cages makes it possible to test 12 treatments × 6 replicates. The number of broilers per cage depends on the duration of the experimental period. The NE challenge model that will be used is as follows:o Eimeria maxima challenge at 9 days of ageo Clostridium perfringens challenge at 14 days of ageo With this challenge model a NE prevalence of 50-75% with a low mortality is realised
Standard observations (cage level):
- Body weight
- Growth
- Feed intake
- Feed conversion ratio
- Mortality
- Lesion score at 15, 16 and 20 days of age (individual)
We like to consult you on further possibilities like determination of inflammation related proteins in blood.