Poultry

Broilers

Research in broilers can be carried out in a small pilot, but also as field-compliant houses. The facilities are suitable for measuring production results, digestion studies and infection studies. Broiler research focuses on the effect of raw materials, feeding strategies and additives on production performance, digestion, feed value, intestinal health, blood parameters, bone quality or bacterial composition in the gut.

Laying hens

Studies in the laying hen house can be conducted from small to large scale. Small-scale surveys are suitable for testing feed compositions and additives. Large-scale studies are suitable for testing feed compositions and feeding strategies under field conditions. In addition, SFR has metabolic stables for digestion studies. In each facility, laying percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake and feed conversion can be accurately determined at group level. Depending on the purpose of the study, various additional observations can also be made.

To meet society’s desire not to cull ‘male chicks’ on day 0, SFR is conducting research on how to feed these cocks most efficiently. Indeed, different production goals can lead to different feeding strategies. Male chicks is a new part of the poultry sector, which is why research is currently being conducted at a fundamental level, for example on feed composition. Standard observations are determined (growth, feed intake and feed conversion) depending on the purpose of the research. To this, observations such as carcass/meat quality or financial evaluation can be added.

Ducks and turkeys

It is possible to conduct a study on ducks or turkeys at SFR.  In which the effect of feed composition and additives on production results can be investigated. In the duck study, growth, feed intake and feed conversion are determined at barn level, of course additional observations can also be made here, such as digestion of nutrients at gut level, bone quality and bacterial composition in the gut.

Parent stock

In the study of parent stock, the effect of feed compositions and additives on the production results of parent animals can be investigated. Laying percentage, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake and feed conversion are determined at loft level. Additional observations such as hatching percentage, chick quality and production results of offspring can be added without any problems.