Course

Syllabus

Practical Syllabus

Commercial layer production

Identification of egg-type breeds and commercial layer strains (White Leghorn, BV-300, Hy-Line, Lohmann, Babcock, Gramapriya, Gramalakshmi), study of external body parts of poultry, handling and restraining of birds, judging and selection of layer birds, culling of spent hens, maintenance of farm records, visit to an instructional/commercial layer farm. Preparation of the poultry house, deep litter, battery cage and free-range systems, litter management, chick management, grower management, transfer of pullets from grower to layer house, summer and winter management of layers, lighting programmes for growers and layers including step-up lighting, moulting, debeaking and other routine procedures followed in a layer farm. Water requirement of layers, water quality analysis, types of feed (chick, grower, pre-layer and layer mash), feed ingredients and their quality assessment, feed additives and supplements, immunity boosters, storage of feed, nutrient requirements at different phases of growth and production, preparation of compound feed, restricted and phase feeding. Identification of common diseases of layers, their control and prevention, medication and routes of drug administration, maintenance of the cold chain for vaccines, vaccination schedule, deworming, microbiological testing of water for contamination, sanitation and disinfection of sheds, pest and rodent management, manure and waste management, biosecurity measures. Egg collection and reduction of breakage, candling of eggs, preparation of value-added egg products, marketing channels for table eggs, integrated farming systems combining layer production with fodder and crop cultivation, preparation of a project report for a layer farm unit for a bank loan.

Commercial broiler production

Identification of commercial strains of broilers (Cobb, Ross, Hubbard, Vencobb), selection and grading of day-old broiler chicks, culling, visit to an instructional/commercial broiler unit. Layout of a commercial broiler farm, space requirements at different ages, deep litter system and cage system, litter management and control of caking and ammonia, preparation of the brooder house, chick management, grower management, summer management of broilers, winter management of broilers, lighting programmes for broilers, ventilation and environmental control, common procedures followed in a broiler farm, all-in all-out management. Water requirement of broilers, quality analysis of drinking water, types of feed (pre-starter, starter and finisher), feed ingredients, feed additives including enzymes, probiotics, coccidiostats and antioxidants, storage of feed, nutrient requirements, preparation of compound feed, computation of feed conversion ratio. Control and prevention of common diseases of broilers, vaccination schedule, litter disposal, cleaning, disinfection and fumigation of sheds, pest and rodent control, biosecurity measures. Record maintenance, computation of cost of production per kilogram of live weight, marketing channels in broiler farming, contract and integrated broiler farming, economics of broiler farming, preparation of a project report for a broiler farm unit for a bank loan, visit to a commercial broiler farm and a feed plant.

Course Objectives

1. To impart hands-on skills in the day-to-day management of commercial layer and broiler flocks, from the receipt of day-old chicks to the marketing of eggs and broilers.

2. To develop practical skills in poultry housing, brooding, environmental control, litter and cage management under Indian agro-climatic conditions.

3. To train learners in the formulation of balanced and least-cost rations and in the preparation of compound feed for layers and broilers at different stages of production.

4. To build working skills in flock health management, vaccination, deworming, water quality assessment, record keeping, and biosecurity implementation on a poultry farm.

5. To develop entrepreneurial and industry-readiness skills through value addition, project report preparation and visits to poultry farms, feed plants and processing plants, enabling learners to establish and manage a small-scale commercial poultry enterprise.

Course Outcome

Any student who has undergone the course shall be able to:

Suggested Readings

• Singh, R. A. 2018. Poultry Production. 4th Edn. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

• ICAR. 2022. Handbook of Animal Husbandry. 4th Edn. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi.

• Jadhav, N. V., & Siddiqui, M. F. 2011. Handbook of Poultry Production and Management. 2nd Edn. Jaypee Brothers Medical Publishers, New Delhi.

• Prasad, J. 2016. Poultry Production and Management. 7th Edn. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.

• Bell, D. D., & Weaver, W. D. 2002. Commercial Chicken Meat and Egg Production. 5th Edn. Springer, New York.