Production performance of broiler chickens under commercial farming conditions in the Banja Luka region
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63356/agrores.2026.021Keywords:
broiler chickens, production performance, feed conversion, mortality, EPEFAbstract
This study aimed to evaluate production performance on three commercial broiler farms of similar capacity (18.000 broilers per production cycle) in the Banja Luka region (Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) during the period 2022–2025. A total of 60 production cycles were analyzed, comprising five cycles per farm per year. Production parameters included fattening period, final body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR), first-week mortality, total mortality, and the European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson correlation analysis. The average fattening period was 40.2 days, while the average feed conversion ratio was 1.69, and both parameters were significantly affected only by farm (P < 0.05). The average final body weight was 2.30 kg and was influenced only by production year (P < 0.05), suggesting the presence of annual variability related to environmental or organizational factors. First-week mortality and total mortality averaged 1.71% and 3.92%, respectively, with only total mortality showing a significant farm effect (P < 0.05). The European Production Efficiency Factor averaged 324.79 and was significantly influenced by both farm and production year (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between fattening period and final body weight (r = 0.75), a positive correlation between fattening period and FCR (r = 0.37), and significant correlations of EPEF with final body weight (r = 0.43) and FCR (r = - 0.75) (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that broiler production efficiency is influenced by farm-specific management and annual variation. These findings provide practical insights for optimizing broiler production and emphasize the importance of targeted management strategies to enhance production efficiency.
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