WHOLE FARM PHOSPHORUS BALANCE ON BROILER FARMS IN CENTRAL BOSNIA REGION

Abstract

Whole farm phosphorus balance on farms specializing in broiler meat production depends primarily on the type and amount of phosphorus input to the farm (through purchased birds, animal feed and bedding material) to which are added the amounts of phosphorus from manure and dead birds (if these variables used within the farm boundries) and the amount of output phosphorus through sold birds, manure and dead animals that are recycled off-farm. The research was conducted on five farms in central Bosnia, which based their production on the use of the line hybrid COOB 500. The organization of production on the surveyed farms differed in terms of production capacity, used feed and the practice of removing dead birds. All data related to production parameters referred to a period of one production cycle lasting 35-38 days which were interpreted on an annual basis (multiplied by the number of cycles) because the nutrient balance is determined at the level of one year. The determined phosphorus balances on the investigated farms ranged from 1.05: 1 to 2.25: 1. The reasons for the unfavorable phosphorus balance on some farms are the imbalance of the used concentrate mixture and the practice of removing dead birds from the farm, which is contrary to the principles of Best Agricultural Practice.