WOA

Benchmark Performance Targets

January 2006

Version 1

Season:

The 12 month laying period:
Northern Hemisphere: January to December
Southern Hemisphere: July to June

Egg Production:

Includes all whole eggs laid by hen, including those that are chipped, broken, misshaped or chalky in a 12 month laying season.

Eggs Set:

Eggs laid that are placed in the incubator in a 12 month season. Can be expressed as a percentage of total production.

Egg Fertility:

The number of eggs that are fertile expressed as a percentage of the total number of eggs set in an incubator in a 12 month laying season.

Egg Hatchability:

The number of eggs that are successfully hatched into chicks, with or without assistance, expressed as a percentage of the stated base. i.e. eggs laid, eggs set or eggs fertile. The only meaningful figure is percentage of Eggs Set.

Day Old Chick:

The Total number of chicks that have survived to 1 day of age. Includes all live chicks both defective and non-defective

Yearling:

12 Months of Age

Chick Mortality:

Percentage of chicks that die for any reason in the stated period, including humanely destroyed as a result of defective at hatch.

Liveweight:

Gross weight alive. The benchmark figures are Liveweight immediately prior to slaughter.

Killout Weight:

Killout Weight is the Carcass Weight of the bird.

Carcass Weight/Hanging Carcass Weight/Rail Weight

Hanging Carcass Weight, Rail Weight, Killout Weight and Carcass Weight are all terms that mean the same.

Killout Percentage:

Killout percentage is the Carcass Weight of the bird expressed as a percentage of the Total Live Weight of the bird. Please see “Dressout Percentage” below for the Carcass Weight Standard.

Dressout Percentage:

Dressout percentage is the Boneless Meat Weight of the bird expressed as a percentage of the Total Carcass Weight of the bird using the Standards of Boneless Meat Weight & Carcass Weight.

Carcass Standard:

All fat trimmed off the carcass as reasonably as possible, Neck no longer than 6 inches (15 cm) in length, leg bones sawed no longer than 6 inches (15 cm) below the hock, rib cage, wings and tail left on carcass, breast plate removed.

Hot Carcass

Hot Carcass weight is the weight of the carcass prior to chilling. The benchmark figures assume hot carcass weight.

Cold Carcass

Cold Carcass weight is the weight of the chilled carcass. Carcass can lose approx. 1% of weight of meat per day through drip loss/evaporation.

Boneless Meat/Deboned Meat:

Deboned Meat Weight is the total weight of the Drum Muscle assembly without the leg bone, the Thigh muscle assembly without the Thigh bone and OS1060 muscle.

Boneless Meat Standard:

Silver/Blue skin left on the meat, Major Tendon ends removed. Not included in the weight are: Rib Cage meat, Neck meat, Organ meat or Fat.

Fat Pan:

The Fat Pan is located on the belly of the bird between the legs and towards the rear of the bird.

Fat Pan Thickness Standard:

The thickness of the Fat Pan is measured vertically from a cut cross-section of the Fat Pan nearest the approximate centre of the Fat Pan.

Feed Conversion Ratio:

Feed conversion ratio (FCR) is calculated from the number of kilos of feed that are used to produce one kilo of unit over a given period. Unit can be Liveweight, Dressing Weight, Boneless Meat etc.

1. Key Measurements of Performance:

These measurements are key indicators to profitability

2. Slaughter Bird/Yearling/Hen:

The numbers of live chicks in a season that survive to slaughter or go onto become breeders. Eggs are only of value when fertile and producing healthy chicks able to convert feed efficiently.

3. Meat Production per Hen:

40 slaughter birds/hen producing 50 kilos of boneless meat will produce more boneless meatthan 60 chicks per hen producing 30 kilos of boneless meat.

4. Breeder Feed Cost per Slaughter/Yearling:

Breeder birds consume a fixed amount of feed in a year and this is the major cost.

5. Important Measurements of Performance:

These are important measurements of performance and can highlight an area that may be particularly weak and contributing to failure to meet the Key Measurement targets.

6. Egg Laid Per Hen (number):

The total number of eggs laid per hen. See Number 2 above.

7. Eggs set %:

Eggs are not set for a number of reasons, such as: Broken, Poor Shell Quality, Early or late Season (not viable numbers), Too small etc. The Database should be able to highlight the reasons for not setting

8. Fertile Percentage:

Percentage of Eggs Set that are Fertile

9. Hatched Percentage of Eggs Set:

Percentage of Eggs Set that Hatch

10. Day Old Chicks – Number:

Chicks survived to one day of age

11. Chick Mortality to 21 Days:

Currently the period of highest mortality and directly influenced by quality of chick at hatch.

12. Chick Mortality to 13 Weeks:

The most vulnerable rearing period

13. Chick Mortality from Day old to Slaughter or Yearling:

Total mortality

14. Eggs per slaughter Bird/Yearling:

The average number of eggs laid to produce a slaughter or Yearling.

1. Key Measurements:

These measurements are key indicators to profitability

2. Days to Slaughter:

Number of Days to Slaughter.

3. Feed Conversion Ratio – Liveweight :

Kilos of all feed consumed from Day Old to slaughter to produce 1 kilogram of Liveweight.

4. Feed Conversion – Boneless Meat:

Kilos of all feed consumed from Day Old to Slaughter to produce 1 kilogram of boneless meat.

5. Total Boneless meat:

Total Boneless Meat. Note 2^nd column is same time to slaughter as column 1, but increased boneless meat. 3^rd column is time taken to produce 5yr target meat yields 70 Days earlier.

6. Feed Costs to Slaughter:

Total cost of all feed, including grazed feed (when grazing), including any supplementary vitamins, licks etc.

7. Grade

Grade according to WOA Meat Grading System

8. Important Measurements of Performance:

These are important measurements of performance and can highlight an area that may be particularly weak.

9. Liveweight :

Weight at Slaughter immediately before stunning and bleeding.

10. Killout Weight Kilograms:

Also known as Carcass weight. There are a number of different definitions of carcass. When making comparisons ensure comparing like with like.

11. Killout weight percentage:

Carcass weight expressed as a percentage of Liveweight. As in point 10 – ensure comparing like with like as there are a number of different ways to define a carcass.

12. Fat Pan thickness – cm

The Fat Pan is a key indicator to bird health – too much fat costs the producer unnecessary dollars. Too little also costs the producer dollars in lost meat revenue.

13. Fat Pan Weight

A further measurement

14. Fat Colour

A key indicator to bird health and meat quality.