CONTENT
Poultry Judging: Production Judging, Layer Evaluation, and Culling
Poultry judging is the systematic evaluation of birds based on their physical characteristics, breed standards, health, body conformation, and production performance. It is used to identify superior birds for breeding, exhibition, and commercial production. In commercial layer operations, judging also helps assess laying performance and identify birds suitable for culling.
This post covers the principles of poultry judging, production and standard judging, evaluation of commercial layers, and the major external characteristics used to assess a bird.
Poultry judging refers to the selection of birds based on their physical appearance, presence or absence of appropriate breed characteristics, production performance, and related traits. Judging of birds is basically of two types, namely Production Judging (judging for production performance) and Standard Judging (judging for breed characteristics).
Objectives of Judging
- To develop healthy competition among breeders and encourage them to develop superior-quality birds.
- To exchange views and become aware of the birds available and breeding programs carried out elsewhere.
- To develop superior/new breeds and exhibit commercial varieties/strains based on present-day needs.
Qualities of a Good Judge
- Good knowledge of the various breeds of poultry, their distinguishing features, and standard weights.
- Knowledge of the standards for each class, breed, and variety.
- Knowledge of the names of the various body parts and related terminology.
Production Judging
The Government of India, through the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the Animal Husbandry Department, conducts periodic livestock and poultry shows in various parts of the country. Judging contests are carried out mostly for breeders, animal enthusiasts, and students. A scorecard is provided to grade the birds based on either production characteristics or breed characteristics. The birds meant for judging are kept in individual cages, and participants are asked to assign scores under various subheadings to ultimately rank the birds. Both broilers and layers can be physically evaluated for their performance.
Judging and Culling of Layers in Commercial Farms
Periodic judging or culling in commercial farms is aimed at improving the efficiency of egg production, as it eliminates poor layers, which consume more feed and produce fewer eggs or no eggs at all. It is a continuous process that becomes more intensive during the later part of the laying cycle. Normally, the culling rate should not exceed 3–5%. Judging of a good layer is based on certain external characteristics and related measurements that are expected to indicate an actively laying bird. Accordingly, layers can be graded based on the following scorecard.
Scorecard
| Phenotypic Appearance | Points |
|---|---|
| Health and vigor of bird | 25 |
| Body conformation and abdominal capacity | 25 |
| Molting and plumage | 15 |
| Pigmentation | 10 |
| Condition of head, comb, wattle, vent, and other features | 25 |
| Total | 100 |
Health and Vigor
Birds should be active, alert, and healthy and should respond immediately to external stimuli without showing any signs of disease. The eyes should be round, bright, and prominent. A poor layer without these characteristics will have pale skin and shrunken eyes.
Body Conformation and Abdominal Capacity
Body conformation in a good layer is characterized by a broad back, spacious body with less abdominal fat, and an abdomen that is large, full, soft, and pliable. The abdomen will be shrunken or fatty in a poor producer. Abdominal capacity is measured by the distance between the pubic bones; this should be more than two finger-widths, and the distance between the pelvic bones and keel bone should be a minimum of four finger-widths. The skin should be thin and velvety; thick and coarse skin indicates poor laying performance.
Molting and Plumage
Molting is an annual physiological phenomenon involving the shedding of old feathers and their replacement with new feathers. A good layer commences molting late in the laying cycle and completes the molt early, whereas the reverse is true in poor layers. There is a definite pattern of molting; it starts from the head, progresses to the neck, back, and tail, and then to the primary and secondary feathers. Molting is also governed by environmental conditions such as season, light, and feed. A good layer will have dirty, worn-out feathers, whereas a poor layer will have bright, velvety feathers. A good layer converts feed into eggs, whereas a poor layer diverts feed toward feather production and maintenance.
Pigmentation
Pigmentation is a good indication of the reproductive status of a layer, but it can be relied upon only in birds with yellow skin, and the feed should also contain adequate carotenoid pigments. Pigmentation is full and intense at the start of lay throughout the skin, shanks, beak, earlobes, and eye rings. As the bird starts laying, bleaching appears in the following order: Vent (0–7 days), Eye ring (7–14 days), Earlobe (2–3 weeks), Beak (4–6 weeks), and Bottom of feet (2 months).
As the bird stops laying, pigments reappear in the reverse order. The vent is the last area to become pigmented. A poor layer will have intense pigmentation of the above parts relative to its production level. Depending on the level of pigmentation, the bird can be described as well bleached, fairly well bleached, or poorly bleached.
Condition of Head, Comb, and Wattle
The head of the bird can be described as a refined head, crow head (more tapering), beefy head (meat-type), masculine head, etc.
Comb and Wattle
A good layer will have bright, well-developed, warm, soft, and velvety combs and wattles without any discoloration or scale formation. A poor layer will have a dull, shrunken, cold, dry, rough comb and wattles with scales and discoloration.
Vent
The vent will be large, oval, moist, and warm to the touch in a good layer. It will be small, round, dry, and puckered in a poor layer.
Temperament
A good layer is active, calm, and easy to handle. A poor layer is fearful of handlers, struggles during handling, makes considerable noise, and may cause injuries.
