Spring 2008 Poultry - AAG Shur-Gain Ontario

Spring 2008
Shur-Gain and Nutreco
A division of
A partnership that
offers you
MORE!
Nutreco Canada
Research Overview.
Water Quality For Poultry
CombiAcid... For Better Results
Large Particle Calcium
and Egg Shell Quality
Layer Feeding Program
Why is feed efficiency important?
THE POWER OF RESEARCH WITHIN YOUR REACH
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Editorial
By Jerry Vergeer,
President
Nutreco Canada Inc.
At a Glance,
an outlook on poultry production
elcome to the inaugural poultry issue
of At a Glance. Shur-Gain has a proud
history of serving the Canadian poultry
industry for over 70 years and an equally
long commitment to bringing you the latest
technologies in poultry nutrition, management
and health.
W
As you know, on July 20, 2007, Shur-Gain
merged with Nutreco, a world leader in the
nutrition of poultry, livestock and marine
species. There is a revolution underway in our
industry as we seek to innovate and address
growing demands for food that is not only safe
and nutritious, but also has functional properties
to support better health for consumers.
What better time for us to join forces with
a high-technology organization that is focused
on animal nutrition and health, and is truly
global in both market reach and access
to technology?
Today, our Canadian R&D program is part
of a global network that includes facilities
and teams located in Spain and the Netherlands
as well as nutritionists in more than 20
countries. Our poultry research capacity includes
broiler breeder, layer and broiler facilities in
Spain supported by a state-of-the-art food
research centre that focuses on food safety
and innovations in fresh and cooked chicken.
We are in the process of sharing our best
practices with all of our facilities on a global
scale so that you may take full advantage
of this program. For example, in 2008 Shur-Gain
will start implementing Nutreco’s NuTrace,
a comprehensive program for feed and food
safety based on certified quality, monitoring,
risk management and tracking and tracing.
The Canadian poultry industry has a very
strong commitment to food safety, and we see
NuTrace as an excellent vehicle for bringing
innovation in this critical area to ensure that
our industry stays on the cutting edge.
In addition to global R&D, we have an opportunity
to work very closely with our sister organizations,
Hendrix UTD and Nanta that supply complete
feeds to the Dutch and Spanish poultry industries.
Sada, our Spanish poultry processing business,
has an excellent track record of innovation
in both fresh and further processed poultry
products. From R&D to commercial application,
we look forward to partnering with you to
capitalize on the opportunities that lie before
us as we meet the growing needs of tomorrow’s
consumers. We, at Shur-Gain, thank you for
your support over the years and hope that
you share our excitement and enthusiasm
for the future.
Shur-Gain is proud to present the
PAGE 2
Ontario Poultry Team
From left to right are: Shawn Fenton, Dan Marshall, Harry Jeninga,
Miles Schwindt, Brian Terpstra, Donna Yundt, and Greg Weeden.
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Article
By John Brennan, Ph.D.,
Vice President R & D and Technology Application
Nutreco Canada
Research Overview.
F
Nutreco Canada’s Shur-Gain (Ontario, Quebec
and Atlantic region) and Landmark (Western
Canada) brands have been supported by a
team of scientists at Nutreco Canada Agresearch
for more than 20 years. Now, with renewed
focus and energy, our combined research
teams and resources in both Canada and
Europe will bring further innovation.
Our Poultry research in Canada is managed
by Dr. Greg Page who works closely with
Dr. Andrew Pharazyn, our ingredients specialist,
and Dr. Yanming Han, our multi-species
specialist who brought new innovations
to our feed programs, such as CombiAcid.
The research initiated by our team is conducted
at our facility in Burford, Ontario, which has
research units for poultry, swine and dairy.
The Burford facility has been inspected three
times by the United States Food and Drug
administration (FDA) and once by the Canadian
Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and all inspections
were successful. Our poultry facilities include
a 2-storey commercial broiler barn and a 64-pen
pilot study barn. The first floor of the broiler
barn consists of 96 pens for research studies,
while the second floor is used for commercialscale validation studies. The 64-pen pilot study
barn allows us to evaluate novel feed additives
and run disease-challenge studies in support
of our “raised without antibiotics” program.
The Burford facility houses 12,000 laying
hens and is equipped with an automatic eggcollection/counting system for research studies,
and a 24-pen brooder/grow-finish turkey barn.
In addition, our poultry nutrition team conducts
a number of field studies to validate research
results under commercial conditions both
in Quebec and Ontario. This team includes
Martine Bourgeois, Sofiane Hakim and Asmae
Gaizi in Quebec, Mark Newcombe and Brian
Terpstra in Ontario, and Vic Pouteax and Les
Nerberg in western Canada, and helps transfer
our research technologies to our commercial
feed programs across Canada in order to help
improve field performance and profitability
for our clients.
Joining Nutreco has expanded our leading
research team in poultry with the support
of the Nutreco Poultry and Rabbit Research
Centre near Madrid in Spain. This facility houses
11,000 broilers, 3,000 breeders, 1,568 laying
hens, 2,560 rearing pullets, in addition to 840
rabbits and 120 does. This state-of-the-art
facility is supported by an experimental feed
plant, as well as the Food Research Centre
which helps develop novel poultry products
for the Spanish market, in addition to conducting
research on meat quality and food safety.
The Power of
Research
We look forward to bringing you new innovations,
products and programs, and hope that you will
enjoy future issues where we will highlight
some of our new research findings, which we
hope, will improve your farm’s results.
Burford Agresearch Farm
PAGE 3
irst, we would like to take this opportunity
to welcome you to the inaugural issue
of our Regional Poultry - At A Glance
magazine. This is an exciting opportunity for
our poultry team to reintroduce ourselves
to our producer and dealer partners, especially
in light of the recent sale of the former
Maple Leaf Animal Nutrition group to Nutreco,
a global leader in animal nutrition.
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Technical Article
By Amy Halls,
Nutritionist
Water Quality For Poultry
W
ater is the most important nutrient
in poultry production. Depending
on age, a bird’s body can contain
between 60% and 85% water. Eggs contain
about 65% water. A bird can survive for weeks
without feed, but only a few days without
water. Water intake of birds is about twice
the weight of feed intake. During periods
of extreme heat stress, water requirements
Table 1
Factors, such as bacteria, pH level, hardness
or total dissolved solids, nitrate levels and
high naturally occurring elements (sodium,
magnesium, etc.) all affect water quality,
and therefore, poultry health and performance.
Water quality guidelines for poultry are hard
to find due to the limited amount of research
done. Thus, many values have been obtained
from human and other livestock guidelines.
The values given in Table 1 should only be used
as a guideline, as many factors can contribute
to water quality.
Suggested water quality guidelines for poultry.
Criteria
Chloride
Calcium
Iron
Magnesium
Nitrate Nitrogen
Nitrites
Sodium
Sulphates
PAGE 4
can easily quadruple. Therefore a safe and
adequate supply of water is essential for
efficient poultry production.
Total dissolved Solids (TDS)
Concentration (ppm)
> 500
600
> 0.3
50 - 125
10
trace
50 - 300
250
> 250 ppm
0 - 1000
1000 - 3000
3000 - 5000
> 5000
Comments
laxative; wet droppings; reduced feed intake; increased water intake
Maximum desirable level
> 600 ppm excessive deposit and scale formation
May encourage bacterial growth; cause odour, bad taste, precipitation
> 125 laxative effect, especially if sulphates > 50 ppm
Maximum desirable level
Trace may indicate organic material contamination (i.e. fecal)
May cause wet dropping if chloride > 14 ppm or sulphates > 50 ppm
Maximum desirable level
laxative effect; especially if Magnesium or sodium > 50 ppm
Good
Satisfactory; may cause wet droppings performance or health unaffected
Poor; laxative effect; increased mortality
Unsatisfactory
Water sources should be checked on an annual
basis for bacterial and mineral content. Wells
can be contaminated by surface or run-off
water, and thus should be tested after a
heavy rainfall and in the spring of each year.
Interpretation of your water analysis should
be conducted by an experienced person in
order for the correct treatment to be applied.
Shur-Gain producers can send their water
samples to the St. Marys Laboratory for
analysis. Your Territory Manager can assist
you in determining the correct action to take
if there is a quality issue.
of the water system and drinkers. Excessive
hardness can interfere with water-administered
medications, disinfectants and cleaning agents.
pH
The acidity or alkalinity of water is measured
by pH. A pH of 7 is neutral, acidity is indicated
by a pH lower than 7 and alkalinity is indicated
by a pH higher than 7. Highly alkaline water
may cause digestive upsets, diarrhea, poor
feed conversion and reduced water/feed
intake. Ideally, water pH should be maintained
between 5.5 to 6.5 to improve efficacy
of chlorine, and overall performance results.
Water with pH below 4.0 can be unpalatable,
may be corrosive to equipment, and affect
poultry performance. Combiacid, a proprietary
Shur-Gain product, is an excellent acidifier
for poultry operations.
Total Dissolved Solids
Total dissolved solids (TDS) are a measure
of the inorganic salts dissolved in water.
Calcium, magnesium and sodium salts are
the primary components of TDS. High TDS
levels are most commonly responsible for
causing harmful effects in poultry production.
Hardness
Hardness refers to the amount of dissolved
minerals in the water. Hard water generally
does not affect poultry health and performance,
but it can cause mineral deposit build-ups
and the formation of scale, leading to clogging
Bacteria
The presence of bacteria is usually the result
of surface contamination by organic materials,
which can result in poor performance. E. coli
presence in the water is generally indicative
of a fecal contamination due to runoff into
surface or ground water. Ideally, bacterial content
should not be present in drinking water,
and the measurable levels should be zero.
Mineral Contaminants
Nitrates are byproducts of the biological decay
of animal and plant matter, chemical fertilizers
or animal wastes. Their presence often indicates
bacterial contamination, since it is often due
to the seepage of surface water from
surrounding fertilized fields. Nitrates are not
toxic on their own, but become toxic when
they are converted into nitrite by intestinal
microorganisms. This conversion does not
generally occur in poultry and thus is not an
issue in poultry.
Moderate levels of sulphates can cause wet
litter and dirty eggs due to loose droppings,
but levels must be extremely high before they
can cause adverse effects on growth and egg
production. Proper barn ventilation to keep
the litter and manure dry will offset sulphate
drinking water problems. High levels may also
interfere with absorption of other minerals, such
as copper.
High magnesium levels are only an issue
if sulphate levels are also high, since the two
combine to form Epson salt. High magnesium
and calcium levels can contribute to the
formation of scale in water lines, resulting
in restricted water flow.
Excessive sodium levels increase water
consumption, which results in wet litter.
Sodium reduction in the feed can address high
sodium levels in the water. However, caution
should always be used when making dietary
changes and any changes should be performed
by a qualified nutritionist. Poultry are sensitive
to overdoses of sodium, as well as deficiencies
of sodium and chloride.
High levels of iron encourage bacterial growth,
which can lead to diarrhea. When iron is
exposed to air it is converted to ferric hydroxide,
which is commonly known as rusty water.
Ferric hydroxide can clog water systems.
Water Treatments
Various methods are available that can reduce
or eliminate impurities in poultry watering
systems. Shur-Gain highly recommends the
following product for improving water quality:
Proxy-CleanTM… For Cleaner Drinking Systems
Shur-Gain is the exclusive supplier of Proxy-CleanTM, our number one water line cleaner. It uses
50% hydrogen peroxide enriched with a special silver complex, which work together to clean
drinking systems. The longer it is allowed to sit within the water system, the better it works
at removing the biofilm layer. Using Proxy-CleanTM in your water system has several advantages:
it is non-corrosive and biodegradable, it removes and prevents organic deposits and biofilm,
and it creates an undesirable environment for bacterial growth. It is more effective than chlorine
at reducing bacterial levels and removing the biofilm in your water lines (Figure 1). Proxy-CleanTM
can be used between flocks to thoroughly clean drinking systems and during flocks
to condition the drinking system. It can also be used in combination with other products, such
as CombiAcid.
Cross section of a water line and the treatment effects of Chlorine versus Proxy-CleanTM.
Treated with Chlorine
Treated with Proxy-CleanTM
Biofilm
Bacteria which
are still present
Chlorine eliminates
only these bacteria
Air bubbles brush away
bacteria and biofilm
PAGE 5
Figure 1
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Technical Article
By Jocelyn Pilon
& Pierre Douaire
Translated by:
Greg Page, Ph.D.,
Technical Sales Representatives
Poirier & Bérard Ltd.,
Quebec
Poultry Nutrition Research Manager
CombiAcid…
For Better Results
CombiAcid is a product that has been developed
by the Nutreco Canada R&D team. It is an
acidifier that improves water quality, a critically
important nutrient in poultry production.
Broiler chickens consume about twice as
much water as feed. Therefore, good quality
water is one of the first factors that should
be considered in production management.
Speaking of water quality, CombiAcid is very
effective in reducing water pH thanks to a good
combination of organic and inorganic acids.
If water pH is carefully maintained between
5.5 and 6.5, we can prevent the formation
of biofilm in water lines and ensure their
cleanliness. Without biofilms, water pathogens,
such as E. coli, Campylobacter, Clostridium,
Salmonella, etc., do not have a favourable
environment for growth.
Dr. Chaveerach et al. concluded in a 20041
study that acidified drinking water may play
a crucial role in preventing the development
of Campylobacter in poultry production. In
agreement, Dr. Byrd et al. (20012) also concluded,
as a result of their studies, that the incorporation
of lactic acid in drinking water could prevent
contamination of poultry meat and carcasses
with Salmonella and Campylobacter.
improved digestion is obtained through
a slower passage of the feed in the intestinal
tract, leading to a better absorption of the
necessary nutrients and less diarrhea.” These
authors also concluded that the: “Use of a good
water sanitizer-acidifier (...) reduces mortality
levels as well as the use of medication. It
produces healthier birds, a better metabolism
in the bird, better quality carcasses, stronger
eggshells, better feed conversions and last,
but not least, better overall results and
more profits.”
Giesen, in a (20054) study said, “Organic acids
can increase the release of secretin, a hormone
which assists in the initiation of the release
of both pancreatic enzymes and bile. This
greater presence of digestive enzymes can
produce improved digestibility and promote
the proliferation of gut tissues. The ultimate
benefit is better overall performance as
measured by weight gain, feed conversion
and monetary return.”
According to Mr. Yvan Poirier of Farm L’Étendard,
“Combiacid was successful in reducing and
better controlling water pH on the farm. Water
lines are cleaner, and bacteria don’t have
the right environment to multiply. In addition,
with a better water quality, the vitamins
and/or other products we add in the water
or in the feed have a possibility of achieving
their full potential in terms of weight gain
and litter quality. We are fully satisfied and
very happy that we were introduced to this
stunning product. Evidently, we recommend
this product to all poultry producers.”
In the field... it works too!
Mario Lafortune attests that, “We are always
progressing on the farm. After having compared
different acidifiers, we opted for CombiAcid
because results spoke for themselves (heavier
birds, better conversion).” (See Table 1)
Conclusion:
If we consider the cost of CombiAcid at about
1¢ per bird relative to all of the technical
and economic advantages that it can bring
to our broiler producers, we can definitely
say that it’s a winning formula.
3
Van der Sluis, in a 2002 study, wrote,
“Sanitized and acidified drinking water
does not only reduce the level of pathogens
in the water but also improves the digestion
of the feed and production results. This
Table 1
Lot
A-74
PAGE 6
A-73
Comparison of cockerel performance on vegetable-grain based diets.
Acidifier
A
B
C
D
A
B
C
D
References:
For his part, Bernard Pelland notes that
“With CombiAcid, water pH is adjusted and is
maintained more easily throughout the cycle;
which equals drier litter”.
CombiAcid
CombiAcid
None
Acetic acid
CombiAcid
CombiAcid
None
Acetic acid
Mean Age
# birds
Mort.
Total Condemns
Weight
(days)
(000)
%
%
Kg
37
37
38
38
37
38
37
38
18.0
16.2
17.0
17.0
18.0
16.2
16.2
16.2
1.28
1.24
1.40
0.00
1.10
0.93
1.23
0.33
2.36
1.44
1.74
3.55
1.50
1.70
1.48
1.73
2.43
2.34
2.34
2.36
2.52
2.59
2.46
2.38
1. 2004 Poultry Science 83: 330-334
2. 2001 Poultry Science 80: 278-283
Conversion
3. World Poultry – Elsevier Volume 18, No°5. 2002, 26-29
4. World Poultry – Elsevier Volume 21, No°12. 2005, 15-17
1.68
1.69
1.74
1.75
1.69
1.73
1.71
1.73
Adjust. Conv.
ADG
2 kg
(g/day)
1.48
1.53
1.59
1.59
1.47
1.48
1.51
1.56
65.6
63.2
61.7
62.0
67.6
68.1
66.5
62.6
EPEF index
168
163
153
153
173
170
169
158
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Technical Article
By Mark Newcombe, Ph.D.,
Ontario Nutrition Manager,
Shur-Gain, Nutreco Canada Inc.
Large Particle Calcium
and Egg Shell Quality
An average eggshell contains about 1.7 g
of calcium, which is either supplied from
the diet or calcium stores in the medullary
bone of the bird. In practice both occur, as
much of the eggshell deposition occurs
at night when the bird typically has no
access to feed. Therefore, daily replenishment
of skeletal calcium reserves from the feed
is required in order to avoid calcium depletion
of the bone and, ultimately, cage layer fatigue
and death.
The use of a large particle calcium source,
often oyster shell, has been common practice
for many years both as an aid in the prevention
of, and treatment for, egg shell problems
and cage layer fatigue. Considerable research
supports the use of large particle calcium
sources due to their retention in the digestive
tract, providing calcium during the night when
maximal shell deposition is occurring, thus
reducing depletion of calcium from the skeleton.
In fact, a closer look at the natural pattern
of feed consumption by laying hens reveals
that an increase in feed intake takes place
in the afternoon, as approximately 60% of their
daily feed intake is consumed at this time.
The consistency and appearance of oyster
shells have changed recently and some
producers have become concerned about
the quality of this product and its effectiveness
in the bird. It, therefore, appeared timely
to revisit the discussion regarding the use
of large particle limestone or oyster shell
in laying hen rations.
In 1999, researchers in the U.S. reported
that considerably more calcium is retained
in the gizzard when large particle calcium
sources are fed (see Table 1). Their data
also indicated that large particle calcium
sources improved egg shell specific gravity
and that there was no difference in this
improvement in egg shell specific gravity
between large particle limestone and oyster
shell-containing diets.
Shur-Gain conducted its own research trial
at its research farm in Burford, Ontario in 2000
to compare similar calcium sources in Canada.
No difference in egg specific gravity (1.0816)
or incidence of cracks (averaging around 1.6%
per 4-week period) were found between large
particle limestone and oyster shell in a production
period of approximately 12 months. The flock
produced in excess of 306 eggs per hen
housed with 73% Large and Extra Large. The same
study also compared 0.5% or 2.5% calcium
in the diet as large particle calcium instead of
fine granular limestone. Significant improvements
in egg specific gravity (1.0813 to 1.0819)
as well as a reduction in average cracks
per 4-week period from 1.74 to 1.48% were
noted when a more substantial amount
of large particle calcium was used. Calcium
levels in the diets were kept constant.
Current questions regarding the quality and
consistency of oyster shell combined with
the fact that large particle limestone is priced
very competitively versus oyster shell, would
seem to warrant some serious consideration
for even the die hard oyster shell devotee.
The above data should help allay any fears
that producers might have in switching from
the use of oyster shell to large particle
limestone (known locally in Ontario as
Shellrock #1), as an aid in maintaining
optimum shell quality, and also to encourage
them to use large particle calcium throughout
the laying period. To that end, we do have
a line of our MORE Layer Programme called
LP that contains a portion of the calcium
as large particle limestone. Shur-Gain has
successfully used Shellrock #1 in its layer
programs for over 10 years.
100% granular Limestone
Production (%)
Egg weight (g)
Feed intake (g/d)
Sp. Gravity
Gizzard Calcium retained (g)
Bone ash (g/cm)
*Roland & Bryant, 1999. Feedstuffs, March 15.
82
61.35
91.4 a
1.080 b
0.03 b
0.151
50 : 50 Granular Limestone
Oyster shell
81
61.07
89.5 b
1.081 a
0.60 a
0.152
50 : 50 Granular Limestone
Pullet-size Limestone
83
60.85
90.9 ab
1.081 a
0.83 a
0.161
PAGE 7
Table 1
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Technical Article
By Dan Marshall,
Poultry Feeding Specialist
Why is feed efficiency
important?
Feed efficiency is a standard measurement of
the performance of a flock of birds. A healthy
well cared for flock will always have a better
conversion than a flock with a disease or in a
barn where environmental conditions are less
than optimal. With the benefit of economics,
the information illustrated below shows
the powerful impact that feed efficiency
or feed conversion can have on your bottom
line. Consider the following:
Good Feed Efficiency
Average Feed Efficiency
Feed Cost/kg
Feed Cost/kg
1.75 @ $275/t = $0.481/kg
1.75 @ $320/t = $0.56/kg
1.85 @ $275/t = $0.508/kg
1.85 @ $320/t = $0.592/kg
$7,000
$8,000
Leghorn Chickens (26 doz.)
1325 g/doz @$250/t = $8.61
1425 g/doz @$250/t = $9.65
$6,500
Broiler Chickens
(20,000 units)
$/year
(10,000 hens)
1325 g/doz @$280/t = $9.65
1425 g/doz @$280/t = $10.37
$7,200
Turkeys (toms)
2.35 @ $315/t = $0.74 /kg
2.45 @ $315/t = $0.77/kg
$6,000
(200,000 kg)
2.35 @ $345/t = $0.799/kg
2.45 @ $345/t = $0.833/kg
$7,000
Feed prices are not reflective of current market conditions and feed conversion ratios used in the examples are for illustrative purposes only. Individual performance results will
vary depending on bird size, feed program, flock health status, management & environmental conditions, genetics, and sanitation.
PAGE 8
Reducing feed conversion by 10 points for
broilers and turkeys or 100 points on egg
layers provides feed savings of thousands
of dollars annually. This is compounded even
more when feed costs are higher as they
are today due to higher commodity prices.
The economic impact of feed efficiency is very
significant but the solution to bringing about
these improvements is not always crystal
clear. Fortunately, by implementing small
changes, we can help make a significant
difference to your bottom line. The figures
shown in the above table are real and can
be obtained with the same feeding programs
and similar birds. The difference in feed efficiency
is due to barns, equipment, environment and
management. Nutrition and genetics definitely
play a large role in feed efficiencies but
the spread in feed efficiencies between farms
is quite large and can be influenced.
Shur-Gain has access to excellent veterinarians,
equipment specialists, ventilation experts,
and management consultants along with our
knowledgeable nutrition and sales staff. We
hope one of the major benefits of publishing
our “At a Glance” brochure is to try and help
improve your flock profitability. If you would
like to improve feed efficiency at your poultry
farm, please contact your local Shur-Gain
representative. We, at Shur-Gain, will be
pleased to help.
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Producer Profile
Jake and Nettie Thiessen
Broiler Farm
By Greg Weeden,
Poultry Territory Manager,
South Western Ontario
RR#1 Aylmer, Ontario
Chicken Broilers
Jake and his parents moved to Canada from
Mexico in 1972. In 1978 he married Nettie
and purchased a 100-acre farm southeast
of Aylmer, Ontario with money that he earned
working for Imperial Tobacco and on a local pig
farm. The couple
started out as pig
farmers, then changed
to dairy farming
and finally settled
on vegetable and
chicken farming.
program. This program offers many benefits,
such as no elevation fees, free storage and an
end-user premium for all the corn that is used
in their broiler rations.
When Jake was asked what he was most proud
of, he said, “Being able to help support my
children’s education.” Jake and Nettie have two
grown children, Roger and Tracy. Roger has
earned his Masters
degree in Environmental
Science and hopes one
day to come back
to the farm. Tracy is
working on her Bachelor
of Arts in Sociology and
is married to Jeremy.
She too has expressed
the desire to come back
to the farm.
Jake and Nettie were one
of the first growers in the
province to team up with
Shur-Gain and Maple Leaf
to produce chicken Raised
Without Antibiotics (RWA).
Jake and Nettie were
one of the first growers
in the province
to team up with
Shur-Gain and Maple
Leaf to produce
chicken Raised Without
Antibiotics (RWA).
With the benefit of Shur-Gain’s RWA research
and Maple Leaf’s marketing expertise, the
Thiessens are able to raise and market 25,000
chicken broilers on an all vegetable/grain
fed NutriPrime™ diet without the use of in-feed
or water antibiotics. Performance has been
very good, as Jake and Nettie are able to
consistently produce a 2.16 kg mixed flock
in 37 days with a 1.76 average feed conversion.
Jake and Nettie have recently purchased another
farm where they plan to grow corn in order
to take full advantage of Shur-Gain’s grainbank
Jake and Nettie Thiessen
With everything going
on around the Thiessen
farm, it is amazing that
Jake and Nettie have
time to organize weekly activities with their local
church youth group. Community is very important
to the Thiessens, as they are involved in taking
15 to 20-year-old teenagers and young adults
on camping trips, in addition to organizing
volleyball games and other sporting activities.
With little time to spare in their busy lives,
Jake and Nettie have appreciated the support
and expertise that they have received from
Shur-Gain and the success that they have
enjoyed in the poultry industry to date.
PAGE 9
If you are looking for an example of success
from hard work and ambition, you need not look
any further than Jake and Nettie Thiessen.
AT A GLANCE – Spring 2008 – Producer Profile
By Greg Weeden,
Poultry Territory Manager,
South Western Ontario
McComb Family
Layer Farm
Alex, Jean, Grant and Diane McComb
RR# 2 Denfield, Ontario
28,000 Laying Hens
Grant and Diane McComb
The McComb family has been involved in
the egg business for approximately 55 years.
The McComb story starts in 1953 when Alex
and Jean purchased the family’s 400-acre
farm. They started with a few hens and the
eggs they collected were sold to customers
in London. The operation was expanded eleven
years later which made for some lean times,
but the creation of the Egg Marketing Board
made expansion viable. In 1972, son Grant
decided to join the operation followed by
daughter Diane in 1996 after a 15-year career
as a law clerk. The McComb egg operation still
grades and markets a large number of its eggs
to local markets today.
Diane and her husband Len, have three children:
Katie, Jim, and Jillian. Grant and his wife
Vickey have two daughters: Tara and Meghan.
As Diane puts it, “Some family members have
expressed interest in farming, but there are
no firm offers yet.”
PAGE 10
The McComb operation consists of two barns.
One holding 4,000 hens and the other which
holds 24,000. Shur-Gain has been providing
feed for the small barn for some time while
another feed company has been providing
feed for the larger flock. Unfortunately, Grant
and Diane were not
getting very good
egg production peaks
or consistent egg
production from their
larger flock. So, after
meeting with a ShurGain representative,
the McCombs decided
to try the recommended comprehensive
19-week pullet program,
which would ensure
strong body weights
and flock uniformity.
With a coordinated
effort between the
hatchery, the pullet
grower and their
Shur-Gain representative, the McCombs
received a Shaver
pullet that was 50 grams over target with
a uniformity of 85%. The birds are now
39 weeks of age and are laying 97.6%. Grant
and Diane are pleased with the decision
they made. Grant is the crop manager and
for this growing year, he is going to grow
150 acres of corn. Most of this corn will
make its way into Shur-Gain’s Grain-Banking
program. Grant will sell to Shur-Gain his dry
corn for his feed and in turn capture
a premium over the local board price. Grant’s
comments about the
grain bank program
were as follows, “It’s
easy and straight
forward. I send my
corn to Shur-Gain,
I get an inventory
of what I have used
in my feed, what
I have left in my
grain bank, and how
much I was paid for
my corn.”
With a coordinated effort
between the hatchery,
the pullet grower and their
Shur-Gain representative,
the McCombs received
a Shaver pullet that was
50 grams over target
with a uniformity of 85%.
The birds are now 39 weeks
of age and are laying 97.6%.
Diane keeps the
hen house running
smoothly, collecting
and grading eggs.
In her spare time,
she may take her
daughter to a dance
recital or act as an
ambassador for the egg industry doing television
interviews or speaking engagements.
With free time at a premium for the McCombs
they have appreciated the assistance and
support from Shur-Gain in assisting their layer
flocks perform above their expectations.
In February of 2008, RBJ Schlegel Poultry
completed a very significant expansion of its
poultry operations in Ailsa Craig near London,
Ontario. The Schlegel family has been involved
in poultry production for some time, first
starting out in an egg layer production
operation over 40 years ago.
RBJ Schlegel Poultry is operated by Ron
and Barbara Schlegel along with their 3 sons,
Rob, Brad and Jamie.
The family has several business activities
on the go, of which
poultry production is
one. In the mid
1990’s the family
invested significantly
in 3 large farms, a
broiler farm in New
Dundee and two
turkey farms, one
located in Komoka
and the other in Acton
near Milton.
180,000 toms and 24,000 hens per year.
Bob is pleased to have his son Wayne come
and join him to manage the new Ailsa Craig
farm which will raise approximately 150,000
turkeys per year, consisting of turkey broilers,
heavy hens and toms. Target weights are 6 kg
for turkey broilers, 8.5 kg for heavy hens
and 15.5 kg for toms. Bob has over 25 years
of experience raising turkeys, his son Wayne
grew up in the business and Karen has also
been in this business
for approximately
10 years.
“I am very satisfied
with the service I have
received from Shur-Gain’s
St. Marys feed mill, when
I need a load of feed, I can
count on it being there
on time.”
The recent investment
in Ailsa Craig was made following a decision
to consolidate their turkey operations in one
area under the management of Bob McCauley
and his family. This resulted in the closing
of the Acton farm in order to focus on the
production in Komoka and Ailsa Craig, which
are within 30 km of each other.
Bob, with his wife Karen and their son Allen,
reside on the Komoka farm, where they raise
Building at Ailsa Craig
has been exciting
but has required
a lot of hard work
and planning. Two
single story 48’ x 300’
brooder barns were
built with Ziggity cup
drinkers and chore
time H2 plus feeders.
Thevco controllers
- Bob McCauley
manage the middleman radiant tube
heaters with a 12” baffle plus 18”, 24” and 48”
fans. Four 60’x 420’ finishing barns were built,
adding over 100,000 sq. ft. of finishing space.
These barns are equipped with double-sided
ceiling inlets bringing air in from the attic for
the 1st stage of ventilation. The 2nd stage
includes 5-ft high insulated curtains running
the length of the barn. Also running the length
of the barn are a total of 9 chimneys, all
power ventilated, 4 variable speed fans for
By Brian Terpstra,
Ontario Poultry Business Manager
Son Wayne, shown here with Bob and Karen McCauley
the 1st stage and 5 single speed fans for
the 2nd stage of ventilation plus chore time
feeders and lubing drinkers.
The Schlegel and McCauley families pride
themselves in working hard to improve
performance and produce a high quality
product. Bob commented that he is very
satisfied with the service he has received
from Shur-Gain’s St.Marys feed mill adding that
when he needs a load of feed, he can count
on it being there on time.
At any one time Bob, Karen, Wayne and
their competent staff are raising a total
of 120,000 birds at Komoka and Ailsa Craig.
Jamie Schlegel and Bob are happy with
the decisions they have made and are looking
forward to marketing many high quality flocks
in the years ahead. When they are not raising
turkeys, Bob and Karen like to go fishing up
in Northern Ontario to get away from it all.
PAGE 11
Komoka and Ailsa Craig
Poultry Farms
Layer Feeding Program
70
Obviously, a feed program must satisfy your
laying hens’ nutrient needs. But it should also
maximize your profitability through increased
production, cost savings, or both. The MORE
Layer Feed Program gives you the potential
to boost profitability both ways.
Daily Nutrient Intake is the Key
Hens need specific levels of nutrients for egg
production, body growth, maintenance and
feathering, which must be supplied every day
throughout the laying cycle. Their requirements
depend on certain factors, such as stage of egg
production, egg size, age, hen’s size and breed,
environmental temperature and dietary energy.
This means nutrient requirements can’t be
stated as a fixed concentration in the diet
for the entire production period. The nutrient
concentration of the diet should be adjusted
for different levels of performance.
The Right Concentration at the Right Time
Hens’ requirements for protein decrease as
they age. On the contrary, their requirements
for calcium increase with age. The MORE
program uses an important measurement
– egg size – to provide the right feed,
100
with the right concentration of nutrients,
at the right time.
The MORE Feed Graph is easy to use
and ensures that nutrients are delivered
in the right proportion. The result is a flexible
feed program that maximizes your flock’s
efficient use of feed. The MORE program is not
formulated on the basis of percentage of crude
protein but rather on the available amino acids
in order to increase economic returns.
The MORE program offers you the choice of
several diets over the laying cycle of your
flock. Each one will deliver the appropriate
concentration of nutrients based on your
flock’s specific needs at each stage of the lay
cycle. The MORE Feed Graph makes it easy
to transition from one phase to another while
maintaining strong egg production.
Hens are able to switch from ration to ration
based on egg size. Hens can be fed Peak Layer
starting at 18 weeks of age. During the Peak
production period, there are three transition
feeds available that can be used to transition
your hens smoothly to the next phase, Post Peak.
The transition to Post Peak should be based
on egg size in relation to the flock’s age, egg
size target and production. The MORE transition
feeds are unique in that they allow the birds
to switch seamlessly to the next phase without
adversely affecting egg production. Their use is
flexible – you can use them for one week
per transition or you may use them for longer
periods based your flock’s egg size. The Post
Peak phase will provide more calcium to
improve eggshell quality. As egg size increases
and production drops, hens can be moved
through the Post Peak, Mid and Late feeds
in the same manner as the Peak feeds.
Each phase of the MORE program provides
a balanced calcium/phosphorus ratio for
optimum eggshell quality.
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Get More for Less
Maximize the production potential of your
hens, and spend your feed dollars more
efficiently. Put your flock on the MORE
Layer Feed Program. It’s been specifically
developed to increase your productivity
and profitability.
70
Hen-Day Producti
on
80
65
Egg weight
70
60
Late
60
50
55
Mid
40
50
30
Post Peak
20
10
45
Peak
0
40
18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50 52 54 56 58 60 62 64 66 68 70 72 74 76
Age in weeks
Your comments are always welcome. Please contact Brian Terpstra:
Shur-Gain, 600 James Street South, St. Marys ON N4X 1C7
Phone: 1 800 265-8507 ext. 3121 • Fax: 519 349-3155 • Brian.Terpstra@nutreco.ca
Egg weight (grams)
Percent Hen-Day Production (%)
90