Poultry CDE FFA

National FFA Poultry Evaluation CDE Written Examination Study Guide

Overview

• The National FFA Organization conducts examinations for various agricultural areas, including poultry evaluation. This guide covers questions and answers regarding poultry management, biology, and industry practices.

Section 1: Biological Senses and Muscles of Poultry

• Sense Development
    - The two most highly developed senses in fowl are:
      - Sight and Hearing (C25)

• Muscle Composition
      - Pectoral muscles account for ____ to ______ % of a bird’s total weight, specifically:
        - 15 to 20% (C17)

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Section 2: Egg Development and Management

• Oviduct Sections
    - The section of a hen’s oviduct where a developing egg spends the greatest amount of time is:
      - Uterus (C24)

• Embryonic Development
    - The membrane found inside the egg that functions to remove calcium from the shell for the developing embryo is:
      - Chorioallantoic Membrane (C30)

Section 3: Disease Control in Poultry

• High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI)
    - To control the spread of HPAI in the poultry industry, the program utilized is:
      - Eradication of Affected Flocks (C47)

• Coccidiosis Disease Impact
    - Coccidiosis primarily affects which body system?
      - Digestive System (C48)

Section 4: Waste Management and Environmental Considerations

• Application Rates for Poultry Litter
    - Application rates of poultry litter as fertilizer are typically based on the crop’s:
      - Nitrogen Requirement (C65)

• Poultry Waste Management Responsibilities
    - Poultry industry meat and egg producers are responsible for:
      - Complying with environmental protection laws and regulations
      - Being good stewards of the environment
      - Maintaining biosecurity of the flocks
      - All of these (C57)

Section 5: Incubation and Hatching Process

• Optimal Incubation Temperature
    - The optimum temperature for a multi-stage hatchery for both hatchability and chick quality is approximately:
      - 99.5 degrees F (Hatchery Management pg. 5/10)

• Causes of Brittle Egg Shells
    - Egg shells become more brittle near the transfer time from setters to hatchers (day 18 or 19) due to:
      - Embryos withdrawing shell calcium for skeletal development (Hatchery Management pg. 13)

• Malpositions at Hatch
    - Possible causes of malpositions at hatch include:
      - Eggs set upside down (Hatchery Management pg. 34)

Section 6: Broiler Management and Processing

• Ventilation Needs
    - Minimum ventilation in broiler houses must be adjusted to ensure:
      - Workers remain comfortable in the bird's environment
      - Oxygen supply and waste removal for birds (Cobb 26)

• Feed Withdrawal Before Processing
    - The recommended time off feed before broiler processing is a window of:
      - 8 to 12 hours (Cobb 52)

• Ammonia Concentration Standards
    - Maximum air quality standard for market turkeys in grow-out facilities is:
      - 12 ppm ammonia concentration (Aviagen 16)

Section 7: Poultry Diet and Nutrition

• Litter Selection for Turkey Brooder Houses
    - Best selection for litter should be:
      - Dry, softwood shavings (Aviagen 8)

• High Energy Diets for Turkey Poults
    - To aid in a strong start, diets should include:
      - 4-5% Good quality fat (Aviagen pg. 14)

Section 8: Poultry Production Statistics

• Leading Producers
    - The largest producer of commercial eggs (table eggs) is:
      - China (C104)

• Top Market for U.S. Table Eggs
    - The top market for U.S. produced table eggs is:
      - Hong Kong (C106)

• Photo-Stimulation for Egg Production
    - Producers begin to photo-stimulate pullets around:
      - 18 weeks of age (C119)

• Lighting Guidelines
    - True statement regarding lighting for egg-type pullets and hens:
      - Never increase light duration during the growing phase (C129)

• Laying Time in Relation to Light
    - Most eggs are laid within:
      - 5 hours of first light in the morning (C131)

Section 9: Poultry Health Regulations

• National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)
    - This plan was originally established to eliminate:
      - Pullorum Disease (C141)

• Chickens Classifications
    - Chickens characterized by laying white shelled eggs belong to the:
      - Mediterranean Class (C139)

• Feathered Shanks in Chickens
    - Chickens notable for having feathered shanks are classified as:
      - Asiatic (C139)

• Game Birds in the U.S.
    - The most commonly raised game bird in the U.S. is:
      - Bobwhite quail (C151)

Section 10: Calculations in Poultry Production

• Feed Conversion Rate Calculation
    - A broiler producer marketing 25,000 broilers weighing 6.25 pounds on average consumed 132.8 tons of feed:
      - Average feed conversion rate:
        - $ext{Feed Conversion} = rac{132.8 ext{ tons}}{25000 imes 6.25 ext{ lbs}}$
        - Result: 2.00 pounds of feed per pound of gain

• Hatch Rate of Fertile Eggs Calculation
    - A local hatchery with a hatch rate of 86.4% and fertility of 96% yields:
      - Percent hatch of fertile:
        - $ext{Hatch Rate of Fertile} = ext{Hatch Rate} imes rac{ ext{Fertility}}{100}$
        - Results in 90% hatch of fertile

• Hen-Day Egg Production Calculation
    - For a flock of 25,000 hens producing 23,000 eggs per day:
      - $ext{Hen-Day Egg Production} = rac{23000}{25000} imes 100$
        - This results in 92%

• Litter Application Calculation for Nitrogen
    - Turkey litter analysis shows 2.5% nitrogen:
      - To provide 30 pounds of nitrogen per acre:
        - Total litter needed:
        - $ext{Pounds of Litter} = rac{30 ext{ lbs}}{0.025} = 1200 ext{ pounds}$

• Mortality Rate Calculation
    - A producer started with 23,000 poults and sold 21,390:
      - Mortality Rate:
        - $ext{Mortality Rate} = rac{23000 - 21390}{23000} imes 100$
        - Resulting in a 7% mortality rate.