Theory question 107
Poultry Production(a) State (i) four advantages and (ii) four disadvantages of the deep litter system in poultry management.
(b) Mention one disadvantage of using sawdust as litter in a deep-litter house.
(c) The recommended floor space for fowls in a deep litter house is three (3) adult fowls per square metre. Calculate the number of adult fowls that can be kept in a deep-litter house of size 10 metre by 50 metre.
(d) State three other methods of keeping poultry.
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(a)(i) Any four: birds protected from predators and weather; easy feeding, watering and supervision; litter becomes good manure; less labour than free range; more birds per area; birds can exercise
(ii) Any four: disease (e.g. coccidiosis) spreads quickly; cannibalism and egg eating; dirty/floor eggs; litter may become wet and smelly; high feed cost; difficult to identify poor layers
(b) Birds may eat the fine sawdust, blocking the crop/gut; it is dusty and may cause breathing problems
(c) Floor area = 10 × 50 = 500 m²; number of fowls = 500 × 3 = 1500 fowls
(d) Free range (extensive); semi-intensive (fold/run); battery cage system
Show the working for (c).