Evaluation of the technical and economic impacts of high-density broiler production in an integrated system

This study included 35 farmers contracted by a broiler integrator company. Each farmer owned an average of seven poultry houses, housing six flocks per year per farmer, summing up 4.0 million broilers housed. Live performance was evaluated in flocks housed in three densities (D1<12, 1214 birds/m2), and included the following parameters: market age (MA), average flock weight (AFW), average daily gain (DWG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), livability (LB), production efficiency index (PEI) and carcass yield/m2 (CY). Production costs and gross margin were calculated with birds housed ...