Coccidiosis is a costly parasitic disease to the poultry industry with multiple prevention methods being explored to control its impact. One approach under development is the use of -glucans, which are carbohydrates from cell walls of various plant species. The first study evaluated the feeding effects of algae- derived -glucans on performance and responses of broilers during a coccidiosis challenge. Cobb 500 broilers (n=1280) were fed a control diet, control supplemented with 150 g/MT Algamune (BG), 100 g/MT Algamune ZPC (BGZn), or 0.01% Salinomycin (Sal). On d 15, challenged birds received mixed Eimeria inoculum. Measurements were taken on d 7, 14, 21, and 28, and lesion scores assessed on d 21. The challenge resulted in reduced BW, and higher feed conversion ratio (FCR) was observed in the challenged birds with Sal and BGZn. Escherichia coli (E. coli) is normally commensal to the gastrointestinal tract, but certain serotypes cause disease in domestic poultry. A subsequent study was conducted to evaluate the feeding effects of algae-derived glucan (1,3 -glucan) on performance of broiler chickens during an E. coli challenge. Cobb 500 broilers (n=900) were fed a control diet, control + 25 mg/kg of -glucan, or control + 100 mg/kg of -glucan. On d 0, litter was sprayed with E. coli inoculum. Measurements were taken on d 7, 14, 21, and 28. -glucan supplementation increased BW gain andlowered FCR. The results from these studies offer some insight to the effects of -glucans on poultry and their potential to offset negative effects caused by infectious challenges. / Master of Science

Broiler nutrition can be affected by many different factors, and diets can be made up of a wide variety of components. Feed enzymes, different Ca sources, and various ingredient particle sizes all contribute to broiler nutritional status and need to be investigated to determine their full effects on the bird. The objective of the first study was to evaluate various Ca sources and microbial phytases using an in vitro assay to simulate broiler digestion. The trial measured total Ca and P, soluble Ca and P, and pH. It involved limestone, dicalcium phosphate, highly soluble Ca (HSC), whey, and a control with no added Ca. Each diet was supplemented with 0 or 500 FTU/kg of phytase 1 or phytase 2. Diets were analyzed for total Ca and P and then were subjected to a gastric phase digestion, including the addition of HCl and pepsin, with incubation times of 5, 10, or 20 min. They were also subjected to a gastric phase and a SI phase digestion, including the addition of HCl, pepsin, NaHCO3, and pancreatin with incubation times of 5, 10, 20, or 60 min. The objective of the second study was to evaluate various particle sizes, Ca sources, and source locations using the same in vitro assay. Large, medium, and fine particle sizes, as well as limestone from 4 different locations and HSC were subjected to the same assays and conditions as in the first trial. These studies suggest that HSC is a highly soluble Ca source, phytase improves P solubility in vitro, fine particle size is more soluble than large particle size in vitro, and location from which the Ca source is obtained can affect Ca and P solubility. The in vitro assay utilized in this study is a fast and cost efficient technique for evaluating and comparing parameters of broiler diets to make recommendations for commercial poultry nutrition. / Master of Science

Mammalian and avian species differ in some appetite-related aspects including how and which neurotransmitters and hormones regulate appetite. The objective of this research was to determine how two satiety-inducing neuropeptides regulate feeding behavior in avian models. Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) was intracerebroventricularly (ICV) injected into Japanese quail and decreased food intake at a dose of 32 nmol. NPFF-injected quail had increased expression levels of hypothalamic melanocortin subtype 3 receptor and decreased expression levels of neuropeptide Y receptor subtype 1 mRNAs compared to vehicle-injected controls. In a second study, gastrin was ICV injected into broiler chicks and decreased food intake at a dose of 500 ng (0.12 nmol). There was increased c-Fos immunoreactivity in the lateral hypothalamus (LH), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), arcuate nucleus, nucleus of the solitary tract, and area postrema at 1 h post-injection. Although a variety of genes were measured in those activated nuclei, there were only differences in melanin-concentrating hormone mRNA in the LH and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA in the PVN, suggesting that CRF signaling was involved in the hypothalamic response to gastrin. However, co-injection of gastrin and astressin, a CRF receptor antagonist did not affect gastrin-induced suppression of food intake, implying that the CRF receptors may not be directly associated with gastrin-induced satiety. Identifying the molecular pathways that mediate the effects of anorexigenic neuropeptides in birds will lead to the development of novel treatment options for appetite-related diseases and increased understanding of factors that affect production efficiency in commercial poultry and survival/resource allocation in wild birds. / Master of Science

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of various alternatives to antibiotics in broilers grown on used litter on performance, intestinal lesion scores, body composition, and cecal volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations. The first experiment used a corn-soybean meal based basal diet to generate a negative control (NC) diet (without treatment), a Bacillus licheniformis probiotic containing diet (NC + 0.10% DFM1), and four diets that contained various concentrations of a Bacillus subtilis probiotic (NC + 0.05% DFM2, NC + 0.10% DFM2, NC + 0.20% DFM2, and NC + 0.40% DFM2). Experimental diets were fed to broilers over a 42-day period. Body weight gain (BWG) was depressed from d 0-28 and d 0-42 with supplementation of 0.10% DFM1 and 0.05% DFM2 compared to NC fed birds (P ≤ 0.05), with no differences among the remaining treatments and the NC fed birds (P > 0.05). Feed intake (FI) and mortality corrected feed efficiency (FEm) were not different over the 0-42 day period. No differences in oocyst shedding, lesion scores, body composition or cecal VFA production were observed (P > 0.05). Consistently low lesion scores were indicative of a mild coccidial challenge. The second experiment utilized a corn-soybean meal basal diet to generate experimental treatment diets. The basal diet without additional supplements was fed to two groups of control birds, one on clean pine shaving litter (PC) and a second on used litter (NC). Treatment groups were fed the same diet, supplemented with butyrate for the first 14 days (NC + But 0-14), botanicals from d 15-43 (NC + Bot 15-43), butyrate from d 0-14 and botanicals from d 15-43 (NC + But 1-14/Bot 15-43), and butyrate from d 0-43 (NC + But 1-43). Butyrate supplementation reduced BWG from d 0-14 (P ≤ 0.05), but there were no differences in BWG from 0-43 d (P > 0.05). Feed intake was reduced for the NC + But 0-14 group from d 0-43 in comparison to both PC and NC. Lesion scores in the jejunum were reduced with supplementation of butyrate alone, fed for either d 0-14 or d 0-43 (P ≤ 0.05) and is an indication of a mild coccidial infection due to the used litter. Although there were no significant differences among treatments, overall performance was above industry expectations, likely due to the mild fall weather. These two experiments indicate that there are numerous factors involved in the efficacy of antibiotic alternatives, at least partially explaining the inconsistent results observed in the published literature. / Master of Science / Recently, increased regulations and customer demand have restricted and reduced the use of antibiotics in the poultry industry. Historically, antibiotics were used in poultry feed at sub-therapeutic levels to improve performance and prevent the incidence of clinical and subclinical disease. Since the reduction of antibiotic use, many producers have experienced reduced performance resulting in reduced profits. The limited use of antibiotics can also present an animal welfare issue associated with increased sub-clinical and clinical disease. Many researchers are investigating alternative feed additives that will both improve performance and prevent disease, including probiotics, organic acids, and botanical products. Previous research has demonstrated the ability of these alternative to positively, if inconsistently, influence the performance and health of broiler chickens. Therefore, the objective of this thesis is to investigate the effects of two probiotic bacteria fed at various concentrations and the effects of butyric acid and botanicals, fed alone, or in combination, on the performance, intestinal lesion scores, body composition, and cecal volatile fatty acid concentrations of broiler chickens raised on used litter. In these experiments, the used litter is representative of a mild disease challenge that would likely be present in a commercial poultry setting. Overall, there were few differences with the treatment of broilers with probiotic bacteria, but the lowest inclusions slightly reduced body weight gain compared to the control fed broilers. Butyric acid supplementation reduced body weight gain over the first 14 days, but these differences were no longer observed over the 0 to 42 day period. Although performance was not improved, butyrate did result in reduced intestinal lesion scores from the middle section of the small intestine, indicating potential health benefits with butyrate treatment. Overall, the data presented in this thesis suggest that there are a variety of factors that can alter the effectiveness of these alternatives in broiler production and care should be used in selection of antibiotic replacement tools.

A cDNA clone encoding a turkey intestinal peptide transporter, tPepT1, was isolated from a turkey small intestinal cDNA library by screening with our chicken PepT1 (cPepT1) cDNA probe. The tPepT1 cDNA is 2,921-bp long and encodes a 79.4 kDa protein of 714 amino acids (AA) with 12 predicted transmembrane domains. The isoelectric point (pI) of tPepT1 is 5.9, which is much lower than that of PepT1 cloned from chicken (pI = 7.5) and other species. The AA sequence of tPepT1 is 94.3% identical to cPepT1 and ~ 60% identical to PepT1 from rat, sheep, rabbit, and human. Using a two-electrode voltage-clamp technique in Xenopus oocytes expressing tPepT1, Gly-Sar transport was pH dependent, but independent of Na+ and K+. For the dipeptides Gly-Sar and Met-Met, the evoked inward currents indicated that the transporter was saturable and had a high affinity for these substrates. However, transport of the tetrapeptide, Met-Gly-Met-Met, exhibited a possible substrate inhibition. To study developmental regulation of PepT1 in broiler and turkey embryos, 12 Nicholas turkey or Cobb x Cobb broiler embryos (six males and six females) were sampled daily from 5 d before hatch to the day of hatch (d 0). The abundance of PepT1 mRNA in the small intestine was quantified densitometrically from northern blots after hybridization with full-length cPepT1 and tPepT1 cDNA as probes. There was a quadratic increase (P < 0.001) in PepT1 mRNA abundance with age in turkey and broiler embryos. The relative increase in abundance of PepT1 mRNA in intestinal tissue from 5 d before hatch to d 0 was much less in the turkey than in the broiler (3.2-fold vs 14-fold). The dramatic increase in PepT1 mRNA abundance indicates a developmental regulation of the PepT1 gene and that there may be a crucial role for PepT1 in the neonatal chick and poult. / Master of Science

Two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of high dietary calcium (Ca) on broiler chicks fed low phosphorus (P) diets from either nonphytate (nPP) or phytate P (PP) with or without phytase. The response criteria that were analyzed was bird performance, tibia ash, Ca and P digestibility and duodenal P transporter mRNA abundance. Newly hatched broiler chicks were housed in raised-wire starter batteries (65.8 in2) for 16 d. Each experiment had 12 treatments were replicated 6 times using 8 chicks per cage that resulted in a total of 576 Cobb 500 chicks. Experiment 1 had a 3x2x2 factorial arrangement included 3 P treatments (0.225%nPP, 0.225 + 0.1%P from nPP and 0.225 + 0.1%PP), 2 concentrations of Ca (0.9 vs.1.7%Ca) and either (0 or 1,000 FTU of phytase). Experiment 2 also had a 3x2x2 factorial arrangement but set closer to commercial standards (0.325% nPP, 0.325 + 0.1% P from nPP and 0.325 + 0.1% P from PP), 2 concentrations of Ca (0.9 vs.1.4% Ca) with and without phytase (0 or 1,000 FTU of phytase). Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake, feed conversion and mortality were calculated over the 16d period. On 16d, all remaining chicks were euthanized, and the right tibia was analyzed for tibia ash weight (TAW) in mg/tibia and expressed as a percentage (TAP). All data were analyzed as a 3x2x2 factorial using ANOVA in JMP 14 (P ≤ 0.05). In Experiment 1, the phytase interactions were driving FI, which increased BWG (P ≤ 0.05). However, the phytase interactions did not influence bone mineralization (P ≤ 0.05). So, the diet is potentially more appetizing with phytase supplementation. Calcium x phosphorus interaction was driving bone mineralization, but not influencing BWG or FI (P ≤ 0.05). Additionally, bone mineralization was impacted when additional P was put into high Ca diets (P ≤ 0.05). Phytase upregulated P transporter mRNA abundance in normal Ca diets, but the results were muted in high Ca diets (P ≤ 0.05). Experiment 2 used more practical P and Ca conditions to validate the responses from Experiment 1 with the understanding that the potential responses would be blunted. The addition of phytase improved tibia ash when Ca and P were unbalanced (P ≤ 0.05). High concentrations of Ca lowered BWG and FI, but again the addition of phytase to the diet had a more beneficial effect (P ≤ 0.05). Diets with reduced P had an improved P and Ca digestibility and upregulation of P transporter mRNA abundance (P ≤ 0.05). Also, the addition of phytase improved both P and Ca digestibility and downregulated P transporter mRNA abundance (P ≤ 0.05). Overall, both experiments exhibited that source of P did not influence performance but did influence tibia ash. High calcium had a negative effect on performance and digestibility. However, phytase was able to ameliorate negative impacts of high calcium diets. The multiple interactions of Ca, P and phytase indicate a complex relationship among the three factors that require balancing when looking for optimal conditions commercially, especially to maximize performance and skeletal health while balancing cost and environmental considerations. / M.S. / Phosphorus and calcium have many important functions within the body including energy metabolism, cell signaling, bone development and mineralization. When deficiencies of these minerals are seen in broiler chickens a decrease in skeletal health will be one of the first visual signs, where commercially will show up as leg issues. However, meeting the dietary requirements for P and Ca is not a simple task. A considerable amount of P in poultry diets is in the form of phytate P, which is an organic form of P that is hard to digest by the bird. In most cases inorganic P must be fed to meet the broiler requirements for P because its easily absorbed by the animal. Another way to increase the utilization of these minerals is with the supplementation of phytase into the diet. Supplementing phytase allows for a decrease in the amount of inorganic P being added to the diet. The decrease of inorganic P put in the diet saves industries money and is more beneficial for the environment. The addition of phytase also increases the utilization of Ca from the diet, which is brought into consideration during the formulation of the diet. However, there is still a potential for over supplementation of Ca commercially if there are feed mixing errors or high concentrations of Ca from new feed additives. Over supplementation of Ca can lead to many issues which include reduced nutrient digestibility, reduced performance, and an influence on the effectiveness of phytase. Therefore, the effects of feeding high dietary Ca on broiler chicks fed phosphorus from either nonphytate P or phytate P sources with or without phytase were determined with a focus on bird performance, tibia ash, Ca and P digestibility and duodenal P transporter mRNA abundance. Across both experiments source of P did not influence performance but did influence tibia ash. High calcium had a negative effect on performance and digestibility. However, phytase was able to ameliorate negative impacts of high calcium diets. The multiple interactions of Ca, P and phytase indicate a complex relationship among the three factors that require balancing when looking for optimal conditions commercially, especially to maximize performance and skeletal health while balancing cost and environmental considerations.

The Hydrodyne process was used to tenderize early de-boned broiler (EB) breasts. The first objective was to determine effects of explosive and distance of the explosive to the meat surface. EB breasts were removed immediately after initial chill (45 min post-mortem), stored for 24 hours, and subjected to one of four treatment combinations. Hydrodyne treatment of 350 g at 20 cm produced the greatest increase in Warner-Bratzler shear (1.9-cm wide strips) tenderness (28.3%), and was the only treatment to increase tenderness (peak force 4.3 kg) to a level equivalent (P>0.05) to aged controls (CA; peak force 3.1 kg). The second objective was to determine quality (tenderness, purge loss, cooking loss, and color) and sensory characteristics of Hydrodyne treated (HYD) broiler breasts. Initial pH values for CA (5.86) and EB (5.71) breasts were different (P<0.05). Warner-Bratzler and Lee-Kramer shear values (1.0-cm wide and thick strips) for CA (1.56 kg; 6.0 kg*mm/g, respectively) were different from HYD (3.7 kg; 11.0 kg*mm/g, respectively) and EB breasts (4.7 kg; 12.1 kg*mm/g, respectively). CA resulted in more tender, flavorful, and juicer breasts than HYD and EB. HYD was lower in initial moisture release than EB. EB breasts with significant tenderness problems can be tenderized by the Hydrodyne process based on instrumental shear results. However, higher levels of explosive may be required to optimize tenderness improvement of breasts that vary significantly in initial tenderness. Incorporation of this technology, once optimized, on an industry production level would benefit poultry processors in reducing or eliminating broiler breast aging. / Master of Science

Orientador: Ariel Antonio Mendes / Banca: Roberto de Oliveira Roça / Banca: Marcia Regina Boaro Martins / Banca: Hirasilva Borba / Banca: Rodrigo Garófallo Garcia / Resumo: O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar as características de qualidades da carne de matrizes pesadas de descarte. Foram realizados três ensaios para se avaliar a qualidade da carne em final de ciclo produtivo. Todas as aves pertenciam a linhagem comercial Ross, procedentes de Uberlândia (MG) e Campo Verde (MT) com idade e peso médio de 479 dias e 3.971g, respectivamente. No Ensaio 1 foram coletados 120 peitos de matrizes em 6 coletas diferentes e avaliados os seguintes parâmetro: pH, cor, valor R, perda por gotejamento, capacidade de retenção de água e absorção de água, capacidade de emulsificação, perdas por cocção e força de cisalhamento. No Ensaio 2 foi realizado o teste sensorial da carne de peito de matrizes comparado a frangos de corte, sendo coletado 20 peitos de matrizes de descarte e 20 peitos de frangos de corte em abatedouro comercial. No Ensaio 3, foram avaliados a composição química, o teor de colesterol e o perfil de ácidos graxos da carne de matrizes pesadas de descarte. A carne de peito de matrizes apresentou valores médios do parâmetro valor de L* de 50,11. Para a capacidade de retenção, perda de peso por cozimento e força de cisalhamento, os valores médios foram 76,67, 17,92% e 4,94kgf/cm2 respectivamente. Na análise sensorial, a carne de matriz apresentou baixa intensidade de maciez (6,9), menor suculência (3,4) e mais elástica, borrachenta e difícil deglutição. A carne de matrizes apresentou percentagem de gordura, proteína, matéria seca, umidade, cinzas e colesterol de 1,39%, 24,26%, 27,71%, 72,29%, 1,42% e 72,59mg/100g, respectivamente. A carne de matrizes pesadas de descarte apresentou boas características de qualidade tecnológicas que possibilitam sua utilização como matéria-prima para a elaboração de industrializados. Além disso, apresentou composição química semelhante a da carne de frangos de corte, não possuindo altos... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This present aimed to evaluate the meat quality characterists of spent breeder hens. There were realized three trials to evaluate meat trait of spent breeder hens. All birds were Ross stain, from Uberlândia city (MG) and Campo Verde city (MT) with age and weigth average of 479 days and 3.971g, respectively. In trial 1, there were evaluated: pH, color, R value, drip loss, water holding capacity, water absorption capacity, emulsifying capacity, cooking loss and shear force. In trial 2, it was realized the sensory test using breast meat of breeder hens compared to broiler chicken, collecting 20 spent breeder hen breast and 20 broiler chicken breast cropped in commercial processing plant. In trial 3, there were evaluate the chemistry composition, cholesterol value and fatty acid profile of spent breeder hens meat. Breeder hens meat presented L* value means of 50.11. To water retention capacity, cooking loss and shear force, means values were 76.67, 17.92% e 4.94kgf/cm2, respectively. In sensory test, breeder hens meat presented low intensity tenderness (6.9), lower juiciness (3.4) and elasticier, rubber and difficult to swallow. Breeder hens meat presented percent of fatty, protein, dry material, humidity, material mineral and cholesterol of 1.39%, 24.26%, 27.71%, 72.29%, 1.42% e 72.59mg/100g, respectively. Broiler hen meat presented good technology quality characteristics that it can be possible to use as meat for industry elaborated. Besides, this meat present chemistry composition equal of the meat of broiler chicken, do not hold high value of fat and cholesterol, hence these meat can be consider a meat with healthy characteristics. / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:33:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-03-13Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:25:13Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 komiyama_cm_dr_botfmvz.pdf: 2731486 bytes, checksum: f0ccba696b2148389d8d7f96334dc1d5 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar as características de qualidades da carne de matrizes pesadas de descarte. Foram realizados três ensaios para se avaliar a qualidade da carne em final de ciclo produtivo. Todas as aves pertenciam a linhagem comercial Ross, procedentes de Uberlândia (MG) e Campo Verde (MT) com idade e peso médio de 479 dias e 3.971g, respectivamente. No Ensaio 1 foram coletados 120 peitos de matrizes em 6 coletas diferentes e avaliados os seguintes parâmetro: pH, cor, valor R, perda por gotejamento, capacidade de retenção de água e absorção de água, capacidade de emulsificação, perdas por cocção e força de cisalhamento. No Ensaio 2 foi realizado o teste sensorial da carne de peito de matrizes comparado a frangos de corte, sendo coletado 20 peitos de matrizes de descarte e 20 peitos de frangos de corte em abatedouro comercial. No Ensaio 3, foram avaliados a composição química, o teor de colesterol e o perfil de ácidos graxos da carne de matrizes pesadas de descarte. A carne de peito de matrizes apresentou valores médios do parâmetro valor de L* de 50,11. Para a capacidade de retenção, perda de peso por cozimento e força de cisalhamento, os valores médios foram 76,67, 17,92% e 4,94kgf/cm2 respectivamente. Na análise sensorial, a carne de matriz apresentou baixa intensidade de maciez (6,9), menor suculência (3,4) e mais elástica, borrachenta e difícil deglutição. A carne de matrizes apresentou percentagem de gordura, proteína, matéria seca, umidade, cinzas e colesterol de 1,39%, 24,26%, 27,71%, 72,29%, 1,42% e 72,59mg/100g, respectivamente. A carne de matrizes pesadas de descarte apresentou boas características de qualidade tecnológicas que possibilitam sua utilização como matéria-prima para a elaboração de industrializados. Além disso, apresentou composição química semelhante a da carne de frangos de corte, não possuindo altos... / This present aimed to evaluate the meat quality characterists of spent breeder hens. There were realized three trials to evaluate meat trait of spent breeder hens. All birds were Ross stain, from Uberlândia city (MG) and Campo Verde city (MT) with age and weigth average of 479 days and 3.971g, respectively. In trial 1, there were evaluated: pH, color, R value, drip loss, water holding capacity, water absorption capacity, emulsifying capacity, cooking loss and shear force. In trial 2, it was realized the sensory test using breast meat of breeder hens compared to broiler chicken, collecting 20 spent breeder hen breast and 20 broiler chicken breast cropped in commercial processing plant. In trial 3, there were evaluate the chemistry composition, cholesterol value and fatty acid profile of spent breeder hens meat. Breeder hens meat presented L* value means of 50.11. To water retention capacity, cooking loss and shear force, means values were 76.67, 17.92% e 4.94kgf/cm2, respectively. In sensory test, breeder hens meat presented low intensity tenderness (6.9), lower juiciness (3.4) and elasticier, rubber and difficult to swallow. Breeder hens meat presented percent of fatty, protein, dry material, humidity, material mineral and cholesterol of 1.39%, 24.26%, 27.71%, 72.29%, 1.42% e 72.59mg/100g, respectively. Broiler hen meat presented good technology quality characteristics that it can be possible to use as meat for industry elaborated. Besides, this meat present chemistry composition equal of the meat of broiler chicken, do not hold high value of fat and cholesterol, hence these meat can be consider a meat with healthy characteristics.

Thesis (M.A. (Agricultural Extension)) -- University of Limpopo, 2015 / The aim of the study was to analyse the socio-economic factors affecting the gross margin of small-scale broiler producers in the Vhembe district and thereby determine their profitability and contribution towards the local economic development. The population comprised of small-scale broiler producers who reared between100 and 3200 birds in the Vhembe district. A total of 94 out of 311small-scale broiler producers were selected using a simple random- sampling procedure. Data on different socio-economic parameters was collected through personal interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was computed using FREQ COUNTS procedures to describe the characteristics of small-scale broiler producers. Gross margin analysis was used to calculate the profitability for small-scale broiler producers. The Multiple Linear Regression was used to estimate the influence of socio-economic factors influence on the gross margin of the small-scale broiler producers. Multiple Regression analysis indicated that small-scale broiler producers in the Vhembe district were making profit. Socio-economic variables such as age of the farmer, farming experience, flock size, training received by the farmer, market access and record keeping, educational level, household income and extension services were found to have positive correlation with the small-scale broiler producers‟ gross margin. To effectively address production constraints affecting gross margin of small-scale broiler producers, it is, therefore, fundamental to consider their socio-economic profiles.