Independent Poultry Association (IPA) working under the ages of Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana conducted its monthly seminar on 11.07.2022. Mr. Sanjay Sharma, President of the association welcomed 33 Broiler Farmers, University Experts and representatives of M/s Hipra India Pvt. Ltd. Pune. He talked about the rising cost of rearing broilers and shared the problems of broiler farmers who rear broilers under contract in southern states of India particularly margin per bird they receive from integrators. Dr Daljit Kaur, Associate Professor; delivered a talk on Management of Broilers during Monsoon. She elaborated that high humidity coupled with high temperature during the monsoon is stressful to the birds because they don’t possess sweat glands.
Moreover they are confined closely; their sheds are in the fields surrounded by paddy. If Thermal Humidity Index (THI) increases beyond 70, the stress starts. Birds try to sit at cooler place, consume more water; increase panting to evaporate extra heat, if stresses continue there is morbidity / mortality. During monsoon, efforts should be made to cool the shed. She talked about foggers, fans, exhaust fans, wind chill effect and tunnel ventilation. She showed different designs of roofs of poultry sheds like gable, monitor, and semi monitor for air circulation. She highlighted the reduced height in tunnel ventilated broiler houses and speed above 500 ft per second. She laid the importance of shed design particularly its width and length. 2nd lecture of the seminar was delivered by Dr Parminder Singh, Professor and coordinator of the meeting on Physical & Chemical Characteristics of Broiler feed. He informed the farmers regarding BIS specifications for different age group of broilers. He cautioned the farmers regarding the mal practices in broiler feed. He highlighted the importance of colour, smell, touch and sound of the feed and the individual ingredients. He gave different testimonials about the ill effects of high moisture, fiber and toxins in the broiler feed. Farmers should also consider feed prices associated with low feed intake claiming better FCR.
Dr Pramod Damane, Incharge Technical Services of M/s Hipra India Pvt. Ltd. highlighted the importance of Biosecurity and acquainted the farmers regarding the different vaccines of the company against Newcastle and Infectious Bronchitis diseases used via oral, oculonasal and spray methods. Dr Parkash Singh Brar, Director of Extension Education informed the farmers to use the facility of university Feed Analytical Laboratory. He talked about various tests and their applicable charges to verify the quality of broiler feed. He also requested the broiler farmers to participate in Pashu Palan Mela to be organized by the university in September 2022 in physical mode after a gap of two and a half years.