4 minute read
Five Things to Consider Before Starting a Poultry Operation
While starting your own commercial poultry business is very exciting, sometimes the anticipation of raising that first flock can cause you to overlook important aspects of the industry.
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Not to worry though - we have compiled a list of things that you should consider when building an effective business plan. While there are many aspects that make a successful grower, here are five of the main practices you should become knowledgeable in before starting your journey.
1. Biosecurity: It shouldn’t be surprising that this is at the top of our list. Taking measures to prevent disease exposure is really the first thing you should do to keep your birds healthy. In fact, preventing disease-causing organisms should be considered before any buildings are constructed on your farm. This is due to guidelines around the distance your houses need to be from the road, your shed, and from each other. Other factors include vaccinations, air quality, and traffic control sanitation. Biosecurity will influence the amount of labor and visitors you have on your farm and can even deter you from visiting a friend’s farm without going through safety protocols. A proactive health plan can be the cheapest procedure that you implement with the most significant impacts. It is worth spending a considerable amount of time researching best management practices to ensure the safety of your birds.
2. Litter Management: Litter is a widely discussed topic because of the numerous factors it can influence in your operation, and the information that it can tell you about your flock. Most integrators will want to see a well-practiced litter management plan that follows the correct strategies and standards. Any way you paint it, a poor litter plan will have painful consequences to your operation, including harmful emissions, disease caused by bacteria, and ammonia build up. Your revenue keeps your business afloat, and if your birds are constantly getting sick from their own litter, then your mortality rate will increase and cause you to miss out on flock premiums. Not to mention, selling your litter for fertilizer will be a lot more difficult if it does not retain the nutrients farmers need for their fields. Having a well-thought-out litter management plan for before, during and after birds are placed will keep your integrator happy and put more money in your pocket.
3. Air Quality and Airflow Management: Air quality is important in and out of your houses. Poultry litter contains high levels of ammonia which are toxic and have started influencing government monitoring. With changing regulations, the cost of house upgrades demanded by integrators can be unexpected and very costly. On the inside of the house however, air quality should be measured to keep birds healthy and breathing happy. You should consider chickens to be little heaters inside your poultry house. One may not make a difference, but a few thousand can impact the environment inside a house. In summer months, cooling the house will take a combined effort from cooling pads at one end and large fans at the other. Without this airflow, temperatures could get dangerously high and ammonia levels can build up to toxic levels.
4. Downtime between flocks: Just because your birds went out does not mean the work is done; layout periods are just as important as a full flock being placed in your house. This period will be important for preventing disease transmission and correcting any problems the houses may have. Having a checklist of tasks to complete will lead to an efficient transmission period that covers all needed areas of interest. These should include litter quality, ventilation, drinkers, feeders, humidity probes, and heaters.
5. Water Management: Water is extremely important for your birds (and every other living thing on this earth). Whereas organic contracts will require you to test your water every year, it’s also best practice to test your water for its cleanliness, pH levels, and minerals on an annual basis. Poultry will consume more water than feed throughout their lives, making its quality crucial for a healthy flock. Efficient water practices can also affect the equipment and litter inside your houses. Wet litter can be a huge problem, but litter that is too dry can also suggest your birds are not drinking the amount of water they should be. You may need to test different heights of your drinkers and check for blockages in your water lines. Water that is high in calcium and iron can also do heavy corrosive damage to pumps and cooling pads.
Although there are many other things to consider before starting a poultry operation, these five practices are the most important to growing healthy flocks and running an environmentally friendly farm. Feel free to reach out to a Farm Credit loan officer with any questions or for more resources on starting a poultry operation.
