Productive behavior of two flocks of backyard hens, using a balanced artisan ration and a commercial one, Cobán, Alta Verapaz

Abstract

As an alternative to feeding backyard chickens (Gallus gallus), an artisanal ration was formulated based on raw materials existing in two communities of Ceiba del Norte and ECA Sauchil de Cobán, Alta Verapaz, to strengthen the feeding of the birds that are found in the communities, since these animals are adapted to the prevailing conditions and are resistant to diseases in general. An artisanal ration was elaborated based on local raw materials, for which it was used: 28 pounds of corn, 17 pounds of beans, 20 pounds of leaves of gandul, 13 pounds of leaves of mother cocoa, 11 pounds of leaves of malanga, 8 pounds of eggshells, 1.5 pounds of common salt and 1.5 pounds of roasted and ground bones, for a total of 100 pounds, in order to determine the effect on the production of backyard hens and the production cost of the ration in study, compared to commercial food. Artisanal food was balanced according to the nutritional characteristics of the commercial food for backyard birds, which is characterized by eleven percent of crude protein (11% of PC). It was found that the use of the artisan ration was effective, a consumption of eighty-five percent of the ration provided and a considerable increase in the weight of the birds was achieved; at the beginning of the experiment the average weight of the flocks was determined, which started the study with an average weight of 1.45 kg (equivalent to 3.2 pounds). At the end of the experiment, the two flocks that consumed the balanced ration with local raw materials increased to 1.68 kg of average weight, while the two flocks of birds fed with the commercial concentrate increased to 1.77 kg, it was proceeded to keep position records for eight weeks, obtaining the following results the two flocks that received commercial feed reported an egg production of thirty-five percent (35%), and in the flocks that received artisanal food production was thirty percent (30%). The investment was counted for each type of feeding provided, 34.09 kg of food was used in the adaptation phase and 136.36 kg of food during the course of the investigation, each of the flocks consumed 170.45 kg of food during the study . Conducting a cost benefit analysis it was determined that an amount of Q656.25 was invested in the purchase of the commercial feed; while the elaboration of the balanced ration had a cost of Q402.56.