# Ross 308 Broiler Management Guide

## About Ross 308
Ross 308 is one of the world's most popular broiler breeds, known for:
- Excellent feed conversion ratio (FCR)
- Fast growth rate
- High meat yield
- Good adaptability to various climates

## Growth Targets (Official Aviagen 2022 Data)

### Key Milestones
| Age (days) | Target Weight (kg) | Target FCR | Cumulative Feed (kg) |
|------------|---------------------|------------|----------------------|
| 7 | 0.213 | 0.780 | 0.024 |
| 14 | 0.556 | 0.981 | 0.083 |
| 21 | 1.025 | 1.185 | 0.197 |
| 28 | 1.576 | 1.357 | 0.386 |
| 35 | 2.178 | 1.565 | 0.664 |
| 42 | 2.818 | 1.780 | 1.044 |
| 49 | 3.459 | 2.023 | 1.541 |
| 56 | 4.090 | 2.276 | 2.160 |

### Understanding FCR
**Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)** = Total Feed (kg) / Total Weight Gain (kg)

- **Lower is better** — less feed needed per kg of weight gain
- Ross 308 FCR at 42 days: ~1.78 (excellent)
- Industry average: 1.8-2.0

## Temperature Management

### Brooder Temperatures
| Age (days) | Target Temperature |
|------------|-------------------|
| 0-3 | 32-34C |
| 4-7 | 30-32C |
| 8-14 | 28-30C |
| 15-21 | 26-28C |
| 22-28 | 24-26C |
| 29+ | 20-24C |

### Signs of Temperature Stress
- **Too hot:** Panting, spread wings, reduced feed intake
- **Too cold:** Huddling, reduced activity, poor growth

## Feed Management

### Feed Types and Transition
1. **Starter (Day 0-10):** High protein (22-24%), small crumble
   - Transition to Grower: **Day 10-13** (user configurable)
2. **Grower (Day 11-24):** Medium protein (20-22%), larger pellets
3. **Finisher (Day 25+):** Lower protein (18-20%), largest pellets

### Daily Feed Consumption (per bird)
| Period | Daily Feed (g) |
|--------|---------------|
| Week 1 | 15-20 |
| Week 2 | 30-40 |
| Week 3 | 50-65 |
| Week 4 | 70-90 |
| Week 5 | 90-110 |
| Week 6 | 110-130 |

## Water Management

### Water Requirements
- **Week 1-2:** ~1.5-2x feed consumption
- **Week 3-4:** ~1.8-2.2x feed consumption
- **Week 5-6:** ~2.0-2.5x feed consumption

### Water Quality
- **pH:** 6.0-7.5 (optimal)
- **Temperature:** Cool (10-15C ideal in hot climates)
- **Cleanliness:** Fresh water daily, clean drinkers

## Vaccination Schedule (Ross 308)

### Day-Old (Hatchery)
- Marek's Disease (subcutaneous injection)
- Newcastle (Hitchner B1) — spray

### Day 7
- Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) — drinking water
- Intermediate or mild-plus strain

### Day 14
- Newcastle (Lasota) — drinking water (booster)

### Day 21
- Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) — drinking water (intermediate booster)

### Day 28
- Newcastle + IB combined booster (if needed)

## Mortality Benchmarks

### Expected Mortality by Age
| Period | Cumulative Mortality |
|--------|---------------------|
| Day 0-7 | 0.5-1.0% |
| Day 8-14 | 1.0-1.5% |
| Day 15-21 | 1.5-2.0% |
| Day 22-28 | 2.0-2.5% |
| Day 29-42 | 2.5-3.5% |

### Investigation Thresholds
- **Investigate if:** Weekly mortality >1% or cumulative >5%
- **Common causes:** Heat stress, water shortage, disease, poor ventilation

## Financial Benchmarks (ZMW)

### Typical Costs per Bird (Zambia context)
| Item | Cost (ZMW) |
|------|-----------|
| Day-old chick | 5-8 |
| Feed (42 days) | 12-18 |
| Vaccination | 1-2 |
| Other costs | 2-3 |
| **Total cost** | **20-31** |

### Revenue
- Target sale weight: 2.5-3.0 kg
- Price per kg: 20-30 ZMW
- Revenue per bird: 50-90 ZMW
- **Profit per bird: 30-60 ZMW**

## Best Practices

1. **Biosecurity:** Limit farm visitors, disinfect footwear
2. **Ventilation:** Ensure adequate airflow, avoid drafts on chicks
3. **Litter Management:** Keep dry, change if wet
4. **Lighting:** 23 hours light / 1 hour dark for first week
5. **Record Keeping:** Log everything daily — the app makes this easy