Additionally to performance in bird weight, feed conversion, genetic companies are considering some other factors such as skeletal and cardio integrity, immune response as well as quality and yield performance. These selection criteria improvements have allowed to have birds ready for slaughter at a younger age or heavier birds at the same age.

Due to this improvements, it has been necessary to do improvements in the environment (ventilation, equipment, handling) to allow birds to be more efficient to use nutrients. It has been demonstrated, that broilers do not perform as they are expected when they are raised in a not favorable environment.

The success of companies that consistently have good results, is based on excellent management, balanced nutrition and environmental conditions that allow broilers to express their potential.
The purpose of this presentation will be based in reviewing productive parameters that are used to evaluate efficiency or to measure indirectly how birds respond to management such as crop content, first week mortality, bird weight at 7 days of age, slaughter weight, feed conversion, performance index and some environmental factors such as ventilation, temperature and humidity.

We will also look at how especially US market, have changed according to slaughter weight, which have been increasing consistently yearly and is looking now for birds at 4 Kg. slaughter weight, excellent viability, low % condemnations with carcass and breast yield still improving.

José J. Bruzual