Evaluation of performance indices for broilers raised in conventional versus tunnel-ventilated houses and the cost-effectiveness of the two types of housing in Barbados
Abstract
Retrospective data from 18 tunnel-ventilated and 41 conventional
houses in Barbados were evaluated in order to compare the effects of the
two types of housing using the following indices: feed conversion ratio
at 1500 grammes (FCR1500), European Production Efficiency Factor
(EPEF), and net income per bird (NIPB). The data were obtained from the
records of 200 and 282 grow-outs for tunnel-ventilated and conventional
houses, respectively. The effects of season of placement and month of
placement on the above performance variables were also evaluated. The
analyses revealed that the performance variables NIPB, EPEF, and FCR1500
were superior for tunnel-ventilated housing (P = 0.02, 0.0001, and
0.0001, respectively); were less variable from month to month for
tunnel-ventilated housing; and except for NIPB, were better when birds
were placed during the dry season (P = 0.08, 0.0005, and 0.007,
respectively). Financial analysis also showed that the tunnel-ventilated
house was a more profitable venture than the conventional house. The
benefit:cost ratios were 1.18 for the tunnel-ventilated house and 1.04
for the conventional house. The net profit margin (15.38 vs 3.59 %,) net
profit per kg, (0.51 vs 0.12 BDS $, (BDS $1.00 ~ US $0.50», and net
profit per m2 (94.83 vs 13.13 BDS $) were also higher for the
tunnel-ventilated house.
