Relationship of flock size, cost of production and return in broiler breeder stocks

Records maintained during 1998-99 at 55 broiler breeder farms located in Abbottabad and Mansehra, were pakistan utilized in the study. Predicting number of females and males to be maintained in a flock, components of variable cost of production and gross return per broiler breeder was investigated. A quadratic relationship was found between net profit per broiler breeder and number of males and females in a flock. A total of 60307 females 5764.48 males (1:10.39 male to female ratio) were required for getting maximum net profit. Flock size (b = 0.097-1:0.455), number of females (b=0.1635 plus minus 0.563) and males in a flock (b = 0.691 plus minus 1.386) and percent mortality (b = -91.299 plus minus 134.382) were found significantly (P less than 0.01) associated with net profit per broiler breeder. Mean total cost of production, gross return and net profit per broiler breeder was Rs. 739 plus minus 9.86, Rs. 1525 plus minus 61 and Rs.786 plus minus 49.8, respectively. Rate of return over the invested capital was 106 plus minus 7.34 %. Feed cost per bird was Rs. 518 plus minus 8.65 (70 % to the total cost of production). Cost of day-old chick (Rs. 105 plus minus 1.53) was 14.2 % of the total cost. Building rent/depreciation cost (Rs. 45 plus minus 1.17), labour charges (Rs. 32 plus minus 0.82) and medication cost (Rs. 19.0.53) contributed 6.1, 4 and 2.57 %, respectively to total cost of production per bird. Average cost of electricity, bedding, transportation, equipment depreciation, brooding and miscellaneous items was Rs. 6.9 plus minus 0.27, Rs. 4.3 plus minus 0.39, Rs. 2.81 plus minus 0.1, Rs. 2.66 plus minus 0.47, Rs. 12 plus minus 0.23 and Rs. 1.92 plus minus 0.15, respectively. All these cost components contributed less than one percent to total cost of production. gross return per broiler breeder from the sale of hatchable eggs (Rs. 1297 plus minus 0.3), culled birds (Rs. 164 plus minus 0.67), culled eggs (Rs. 56 plus minus 0.56), empty bags (Rs. 4 plus minus 0.39) and manure (Rs. 1297 plus minus 0.3, culled birds (Rs. 164 plus minus 0.67), culled eggs (Rs. 56 plus minus 0.56), empty bags (Rs. 4 plus minus 0.39) and manure (Rs. 3.8 plus minus 0.57) contributed 85.05, 10.8, 0.3 and 0.3 %, respectively to total return. Maintaining a flock size above sixty thousand females along with 10 % males and reduction in mortality were contributing factors for better profitability in broiler breeders.