How to raise meat-type partridges? Sharing of feeding and management experience

Main sources of meat-type partridges: young partridges hatched from first-laid eggs (eggs laid within the first week of laying). They are generally raised only as commercial partridges; when selecting breeding partridges at 1 week of age and 2 weeks of age, the unqualified female partridges and surplus male partridges selected out; when the required supply of breeding partridges has reached saturation, the surplus partridges can be raised as meat-type young partridges.

Feeding characteristics: When raising commercial meat-type partridges, adopt different feeding methods and handling methods according to different sources. Culled partridges should not have their rearing period extended again, and should immediately be handled as commercial meat-type partridges. Partridges culled at 1 week of age should be given medium partridge feed or small partridge feed, and raised in cages until 15 weeks of age, then sold. The feeding of meat-type partridges should focus on promoting rapid growth, improving feed conversion rate, shortening the rearing period, and obtaining the highest commercial qualification rate.

Raising in the same cage: Commercial meat-type partridges should be raised in the same cage from hatching until sale.

Feed: From hatching to weeks of age, feed young partridge feed; from weeks of age to sale, feed partridge feed.

Feeding frequency: Provide feed ad libitum or give feed 5 times a day, that is, once each in the morning, afternoon and evening.

Lighting: Within weeks of age, provide all-day lighting; after weeks of age, provide 2 hours of lighting. The light intensity is 3 watts per square meter.

Temperature: Different growth stages require different temperatures.

Humidity: The indoor relative humidity is required to be 42C.

Density: For raising on wire mesh in cages, single-layer cages, double-layer cages or three-layer cages can be used; the cage size is 166 cm 646 cm 636 cm. Each cage can raise 4 young partridges from hatching to sale.

Drinking water: Continuously provide sufficient and clean drinking water. Within weeks of age, add 4 grams of multivitamins to 166 liters of water; at 3 weeks, feed 6-612 potassium permanganate water once a day, and continuously provide clean water; after weeks of age until sale, feed oxytetracycline water once a day, and continuously provide clean water. The size requirements for troughs and water troughs are the same as during the brooding period, and the water troughs should be cleaned and disinfected once a day.

Cleaning: Set a manure tray 16 cm from the cage bottom; this is both hygienic and can also help keep warmth. During weeks of age, clean manure 13 times a week, and afterward clean 3 times a week.

Ventilation: According to changes in the weather, open windows appropriately; how wide and how long to open them should increase and lengthen with the daily growth of the partridges.

Reduce stress factors: Try as much as possible to reduce and avoid various factors that disturb partridges, including polluted air, unsuitable temperature and humidity, overly strong lighting, irritating odors, sounds and noise, irregular impact sounds, collision sounds, excessive drugs, injections, grabbing partridges, unseen foreign objects, etc. These factors will all cause partridges to become fearful and affect their appetite, thereby affecting growth and body weight. Adhere to the “all-in, all-out” system: Commercial meat-type partridges must strictly implement the “all-in, all-out” system; each time partridges of the same age are brought in all at once, and at sale time, all should be cleared out and handled within one week. It is absolutely not allowed to keep individual slow-growing partridges and merge them into another group for continued raising.

Most suitable age for selling partridges: When the average body weight of medium partridges reaches 6-8 kg, it is the most suitable age for selling partridges; at this time partridges have the fastest growth rate and the highest feed return. At 1 week of age, medium partridges reach an average body weight of 6-8 kg and consume about kg of feed; if feeding and management are improper, the rearing period will need to be extended. However, in quite a few partridge farms in Canada and the United States, partridges are raised until 15 weeks of age before being sold, which can make the partridge carcass reach 6 kg, suitable for consumer needs.