Inventarisatie van risicofactoren voor uitval bij vleeskuikenouderdieren

Abstract

The aim of this field study on Ross 308 parent stock is to point out possible connections between risk factors and mortality. A literature study was executed and in cooperation with field experts a list of risk factors was established. This list was adjusted an made to be applicable as a survey for parent stock farms. Farms which passed the criteria for participating where sorted by mean mortality of the three previous production cycles. Using this sorted list, five farms where selected form the 25% farms with the highest mortality and 25% and labelled as ‘high’. The same method was used to select five farms 25% farms with the highest mortality and 25% and labelled as ‘low’. Two production cycles where included from every farm. Combined the farms had 26 poultry sheds. Looking at two production cycles in 26 sheds means 52 flocks where investigated. The flock is the experimental unit in this research. On these farms information about a hundred risk factors where collected. Information about mortality and production where also collected. The collected data was analysed and 32 of the risk factors where expressed in tables. In these tables the distribution of the labels high and low are shown and the mean mortality for each risk factor is shown. The result of this study is the finding of nineteen risk factors which show some sort of indication of being associated with mortality. These factors should be used for further research on mortality in parent stock.