A question that repeatedly arises among my partners: is it worth giving supplements through water to the poultry flock?
Skeptics say it makes no sense, as current optimized diets already contain the best vitamins, toxin binders, and trace elements that an animal needs. According to them, their stock is developing normally, approaching technology. They say that “I used something in the past, but I didn’t notice any difference,” and so on. There is no doubt that current precision feeding already takes into account versatile studies and considerations. They provide the conditions for the development of healthy animals under optimal conditions and appetite. Due to cost optimization, it contains the necessary ingredients for a given age under good housing conditions.
However, there are periods in our animal husbandry when our animals are under pressure. These affect individuals in different ways. During periods of stress (relocation, drafts, frontal effects, feed changes, vaccinations, etc.), increased supplementation of antioxidants is needed. In case of reduced feed intake (diseases, stress, etc.) the amount of taken up vitamins is also lower, although in this case the need of the body is increased. External weather changes and fronts can also cause a temporary decrease in appetite. The factors mentioned above, even if they only prevail in our livestock for a few days, can still significantly reduce productivity. On a broiler chicken farm e.g. 3-4 days of reduced feed intake, calculated with a lack of 7 dkg of weight gain per day, can result in a reduction in release weight of up to 10-20 dkg, with the same production costs.
The economic analysis shows that when raising broiler chickens, it is financially advantageous to use the special vitamin and mineral supplements and probiotics via the watering method. The supplement group had lower mortality, higher release weight, and better specific feed utilization. As a result of the more favorable production indicators, the broiler chicken in the experimental group had HUF 41 more cover per bird than in the control group. The cost-benefit ratio of the use of vitamin and mineral supplements was 10.9 (ie HUF 10.9 revenue, ie a net profit of HUF 9.9 per HUF invested), so the cost of the supplements was 989% recovered, which means much higher returns than current financial investment opportunities. In line with the scientific study described above, we can report a significant result in the roast duck population based on our own observations.
Jenő Molnár keeps roast ducks in Nagybánhegyes, 22,000 per turn. He just gave Vitapol liquid, Versal liquid, and Ecobiol for the first time. Vitapol liquid is a feed supplement with a high content of humic acid and fulvic acid, Versal liquid is an acidifier containing complex organic acids, and Ecobiol is a state-of-the-art probiotic.
In the first week, he drank Ecobiol and Gastroferm M + C, Ecobiol at a dose of 5-6 dkg / m3. In the second week, Vitapol liquid in 1 liter / m3 dosage, then gave them the Versal liquid acidifier in 4 weeks at an acidification rate of 4 dl / m3 in drinking water.
Nothing else changed, Gastroferm M + C was always used, only the use of the three products was new in this turn compared to the usual ones. The vitality of the stock was basically good, no significant dropout occurred.
However, after 6 weeks of using the supplements, he had not yet delivered such a good slaughter animal. The release weight is usually 2.51-2.55 kg / pc. Now the average body weight of the herd was 2.70. This is on average 17 dkg more than the average slaughter weight. In HUF, this means an extra profit of HUF 50 per individual. 22,000 ducks x HUF 50 = HUF 1,100,000 plus income on this turn. The purchase value of the products did not reach HUF 120,000. Thus, the cost of water-soluble feed supplements was practically nine times higher.
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