Breeder booklet – Cobb500 parent stock
Management leaflet for Cobb500 parent stock, based on our experience in the Cobb Germany sales area.
Notes on parent stock rearing
Excerpt from the breeder management leaflet.
Important is that both males and females experience a regular feed increase of a minimum of 2 grams but preferably minimum 3 grams in rearing per week. This is to compensate for the increase feed demand for maintenance, which goes up approximately 3 grams with each 100 grams of body weight each week. At the end of the rearing the feed amounts especially for the females will increase more as the birds need to prepare the reproductive tracts and form the follicles, so that a timely start to the onset of production is achieved.
To be able increase feed by 3 grams each week it is important to not be too high in the feed allocation at the start of the breeder chick’s life. This prevents birds from getting overweight early on.
It is therefore critical to see the feed amounts and body weights in the first 4-5 weeks as a maximum, and not as a minimum weight.
It is therefore crucial to start feed restriction as early as possible, preferably already in or directly after the first week. Do not feed ad libitum, but control the daily feed amounts from day one.
Getting all the birds as quickly as possible to feed and water remains our goal, but don’t overfeed them but feed in line with the feed amounts in the Cobb Germany leaflet.
The feed amounts are the now the main objective. Body weights are followed but do not overreact on body weight changes.
Only if the body weights deteriorate too much from our target, then a correction to the feed amounts are made, but only in very small steps. Increasing the feed with minimum 2 but preferably 3 grams or more per week remains our principal target.
Try to avoid non-feed days to improve uniformity but focus on feed distribution time and feeding space instead. We strongly recommend daily feeding of feeds of nutritional value in line with our suggestions for each period of the bird’s life.
Do the first size grading as early as possible, preferably before 4 weeks of age. This gives the birds the opportunity to correct their body weight and frame size. After grading, try to adjust the feed amounts as little as possible.
We wish you success with your Cobb 500 Breeders and our team are at your disposal if you require further explanations after you’ve studied the new Cobb Germany Cobb500 2022 breeder leaflet.