“Half-full or half-empty? Drop points or gain points?”

As we asserted recently, poultry farming is a numbers game.

But then again…

…so is ANY game.

Yes, there is performance, there is skill, there is art, there is even drama, and there is graft…

…but nothing would would be worth it without the unequivocal, indisputable, unveiling of that quantifiable proof…

…your NUMBERS.

Take the Rugby World Cup Final 2023:

One of the most eventful and gripping finals in the sport’s history.

But for all its dramatical distinction, it’s the numerical perspective that provides the most insight into the storyline.

Here’s a table of analysis depicting the final:

 

Stats.	New Zealand	South Africa
Score	11	12
Tries	1	0
Conversions	0	0
Penalties (attempts)	2(3)	4(4)
Drop goals (attempts)	0(0)	0(4)
Match stats
Territory	53%	47%
Possession	60%	40%
Attacking
Metres made	459	360
Offloads	5	7
Carries crossed gainline	66	37
Kicks from hand	34	38
Passes	221	84
Runs	149	85
Defending
Tackles	92	209
Tackles missed	14	37
Turnovers won	2	7
Rucks won	115	56
Mauls won	3	2
Set pieces
Scrums (won/lost)	(2/0)	(10/1)
Line-outs (won/lost)	(20/2)	(6/4)
Discipline
Yellow cards	1	2
Red cards	1	0
Penalties conceded	5	10

To summarise for the rugby initiated and un-initiated alike:

In 2 sentences:

It was a voraciously and closely fought match-up between arguably the two MOST elite teams on the international world stage today.

A sporting game of chess, where MISTAKES were capitalised on by the victors – who gathered up the fragments of their triumphant rewards, by punishing the minor faults of their opposition, whilst patiently soaking up the pressure to strike decisively.

The points breakdown:

The final finished = 11 points (New Zealand) – 12 points (South Africa).

Unlike football/soccer, in the game of rugby, teams are awarded multiple points per successful attempt.

The most points being 5 are awarded for a ‘try’. A try is where a team successfully carries the ball in hand into the zone on the pitch that lies behind the opposition goal. The try zone is the deepest area within the territory or half occupied by a team.

When the scoring team achieves a try, they are consequently awarded also the chance to convert the 5 points into 7 points by kicking the ball through the goalposts from a position aligned from where the try was scored. The kicker chooses how far out they prefer to kick from. If successful, the conversion kick converts the points awarded from 5 to 7.

If the conversion kick is unsuccessful, then 5 points only for the try are awarded.

Aside from tries and conversions, points are also awarded for converted penalties in rugby. Penalties are consequences of law infringements. When awarded a penalty a team can choose to kick at goal for a chance of being awarded 3 points.

So on reflection, a relatively low-scoring contest with the winners gaining their ‘few’ BUT critical points from clinically-finished penalty opportunities awarded due to rule infringements, rather than outright territory advancements.

Where the game was really won?

Although, the game of rugby is technically won by points scoring…

…where the stakes are highest, it is strategically won by defending those points scored.

At the highest level, you don’t simply strive to outscore the opponent.

But rather, to set a margin point difference and through maintaining good discipline – wearing them out, whilst running down the clock.

And where your opponent hands you opportunities to punish them, never hesitate to take points away.

This epitomizes the recent 2023 Rugby World Cup final where South Africa was awarded 4 penalties and succeeded on each occasion to chance for points (3+3+3+3=12)…clinching maximum rewards (4/4 or 4 out of 4 chances).

And this in the end was enough to outstrip New Zealand’s try (7) plus two penalty kicks from 3 attempts (2/3 or 2 out of 3).

Interestingly enough, it was timing that was most telling within this story:

Half of South Africa’s points being scored very early on and before New Zealand put a single point on the board.

Early advantage put New Zealand under psychological pressure to chase the game, as they say.

Perhaps this burden played a part in the New Zealand captain’s hasty dangerous tackle in the 27th minute leading to his sending off the pitch.

Talking of tackling – it was the defensive performance of South Africa in their gritty determination to defend their mini-margins of advantage that spoke volumes.

South Africa simply tackled 2x as more, 2x as hard (although missing twice as many tackles too in the process – but you’ve got to be in it to win it – as they say…) and took the ball 3x as many times as their opponents, New Zealand on this occasion.

Yet with all that physicality, they were disciplined enough not to give many penalties away in dangerous positions on the pitch.

Not so surprising when you come to realise their head coach is a defensive specialist.

Conclusion

But it just goes to show:

In the most competitive contests, the difference between tears of joy and tears of sorrow can come down to a single point of difference.

So, consistency in seizing advantage (…no matter how small…) is one thing. But also successfully retaining/defending the advantage once you have it is another.

With BOTH strings to your bow, you are most certainly in a strong position to launch your competitive dreams into reality, striking success with a ready arrow of ambition.

Back to poultry…

The analogy rings true.

With all eyes on explosive growth…

…it’s the daily (seemingly insignificant) incremental point scoring and defending each g(r)ain with sound operational consistency that separates the men (finishers) from the boys (starters) in the world of poultry farming.

Minimising your mistakes and retaining margins from converted chances.

This is how you win at poultry as a professional.

Strategy, with a bountiful eye.

It’s like I said, even a single point difference can crown kings.

You’ve got to know and hone YOUR game so well that you have the kind of confidence that says:

I can only drop points here (but then again, it is possible to drop them).

And then, of course, you’ve got to play.

Game on!

Do This:

Map out the route to your poultry farming final victory

These are the daily points of growth or productivity on offer and the underlying factors of influence.

Broken down into:

1. Tries = Optimal results (expected points scored),
2. Penalties = Mistakes in key phases of operations that could lose – silly – points, and;
3. Conversions = (bonus margins gained from keeping a cool head)

Here’s a broiler farming example to get you started, if you’re meat growing:

Broiler Growth Day 7

• Actual weight: 202g / Target weight: 202g
• Actual Cumulative feed intake: 200g / Target Cumulative feed intake: 180g
• Actual Mortality: >2.5% / Target mortality: 2.0%

Round up:

1. Scored a try i.e. achieved target weight per bird,
2. Lost some penalties – due to poor discipline in feed wastage costing us financially, and;
3. Failed in some simple conversions – by losing more chicks within the 1st week than expected.

All in all the score above means we’re underperforming and risk losing out on reaching our target revenue in week 7 broiler profits.

Much room for improvement.

Now, over to you…

Are you currently planning a successful route to your broiler farming finals?

Have you never considered that points are already in hand, until converted or lost?

Either way, I’d be interest to hear from you.

Leave a comment below.

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