Comparative analysis as a management tool for broiler breeder farms: simulated individual farm analysis (IFAS).

The objective of this study was to develop a management information system to evaluate the tactical management of a breeder flock using individual farm analysis with a deterministic simulation model (IFAS). Individual farm analysis is a method that evaluates the performance of individual farms by comparing them with standards. In the first step of IFAS, a farm accounting system is used to compare performance indicators of a flock with the same performance indicators of the average of a group of flocks that produced in the same time period. In the next step, a deterministic simulation model is used to determine the factors causing the traced deviations in performances. Then, relevant deviations are determined based on the economic and statistical importance of each traced deviation. Finally, the deviations are identified by relevance to give farmers an indication of their strong and weak management practices.