Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare production and economic performances of broilers raised under naturally ven-tilated open house (OH) and tunnel ventilated-closed house (CH) conditions in Sri Lanka. The analysis used production and economic parameters of 130 OH (130 farms) and 88 CH (5 farms) production cycles. Open house farms were select-ed using proportionate random sampling technique while closed houses were purposively selected. The sum of the Per-centages of mortalities and disable birds was significantly higher under OH system compared to that under CH system. The most vulnerable periods for the losses due to mortalities were the first week and from day 29-35 of the growing cycle. The mean length of the growing cycle under OH (38.4 days) was significantly higher than that of CH (34.6 days). OH operators reported a significantly lower number of growing cycles/year (4.4) with a longer clean-out period (44 days) compared to CH (6.9 cycles/year and 18 days, respectively). Production performance indicators such as mortality (3.3%), final live weight (1974 g), feed conversion ratio (1.56), performance efficiency factor (356) of broilers under CH were significantly better than those under OH system (4.5%, 1922 g, 1.94 and 254, respectively). Cost of feeds and day-old-chicks accounted for 74.7 and 23, and 66.6 and 24% of the total variable costs of OH and CH, respectively. Raising of broilers under CH conditions recorded significantly lower total cost (Rs 440), higher net profit (Rs 85.6 bird-1 and unit profitability (Rs 46.8 m-2 day-1) than under OH (Rs 453 and Rs 58.9, Rs 13.2 m-2 day-1, respectively). Production and economic performance indicators and resource utilization efficiencies (temporal and spatial) of broiler production were concluded to be significantly better under CH than OH system. Though production performance parameters of the broiler production, particularly under CH systems were comparable with those of countries having well-developed poultry industries; feed and day-old-chick costs were higher in Sri Lanka.
Highlights
Reporting 8 kg of annual per capita consumption, poultry meat is the most popular livestock product, across all ethnic and religious communities in Sri Lanka (National Livestock Statistics Bulletin, 2016)
Despite the popularity of CH, during the last two decades, according to industry information, broilers reared under OH systems accounted for 78% of the production (Hatchery Industry Information; as of May 2018)
2) Gross profit/bird = Total income by selling bird-Total variable cost Following cost items were considered in gross profit analysis. m2 Feed cost (Rs/kg), Medication cost/bird, Day old chick (Rs/chick), Litter material cost (Rs/ bird), Electricity cost (Rs/bird), Labour cost (Rs/bird), Catching cost (Rs/bird), Loan interest (Rs/bird)
Summary
Reporting 8 kg of annual per capita consumption, poultry meat is the most popular livestock product, across all ethnic and religious communities in Sri Lanka (National Livestock Statistics Bulletin, 2016). Demand for poultry meat has been predicted to increase at a higher rate than that for other meat types (Henchion et al, 2014). In these circumstances, Sri Lankan poultry industry firstly has to meet the growing demand for poultry products at an affordable price while respecting social values and concerns.Secondly, the industry has Naturally ventilated open-house (OH) and tunnel ventilated closed-house (CH) systems. ATAPATTU NSBM ET AL: PERFORMANCE OF BROILES UNDER CLOSED AND OPEN HOUSE SYSTEMS are the most popular broiler production systems in Sri Lanka. Despite the popularity of CH, during the last two decades, according to industry information, broilers reared under OH systems accounted for 78% of the production (Hatchery Industry Information; as of May 2018)
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