Ross 308 vs Cobb 500

Which Maximizes Your Profits?

Cobb 500 vs Ross 308: The Harsh Truth About
Which Broiler Breed Really Maximizes Your ROI
Introduction---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1
Growth Rate and Market Readiness------------------------------------------------------------- 2
Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)---------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Breast Meat Yield and Carcass Composition------------------------------------------------- 3
Robustness and Health Profile-------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
Management Intensity and Learning Curve--------------------------------------------------- 4
Economic Reality: ROI per Cycle----------------------------------------------------------------- 5

Introduction

Not all broiler breeds are created equal—and no matter what your feed company rep, hatchery
agent, or neighboring farmer says, choosing the wrong breed for your production environment could
quietly be bleeding your profits dry. The debate between Cobb 500 and Ross 308 is more than a
matter of preference—it’s about cold, hard numbers. If you're not choosing based on data and
well-aligned goals, you may be building your poultry business on a shaky foundation.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: many farmers are loyal to a breed for emotional reasons, not
economic ones. But in this business, sentiment doesn’t pay the feed bill.

So, which broiler breed truly delivers the best return on investment—Cobb 500 or Ross 308?

Let’s break it down with no fluff—only practical, research-backed insight from the field and the lab.

You might be running a tight operation—feed costs optimized, ventilation just right, vaccination
protocol on point—but if your breed choice doesn’t align with your operational strengths, you’re
limiting your profitability ceiling.

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Both Cobb 500 and Ross 308 are excellent breeds, genetically engineered for rapid growth, efficient
feed conversion, and high meat yield. But they perform differently depending on a multitude of
factors: climate, feed formulation, slaughter age, processing market, and even the availability of
skilled labor.

To truly maximize your ROI, you need to match breed traits to your production strategy. Here's how.

Let’s begin with performance—the engine room of profitability.

Growth Rate and Market Readiness

●​ Cobb 500 is a breed built for speed. It’s

known to achieve a target live weight of 2.4–2.5 kg in
just 38–42 days with proper management. In
high-performing farms, it can even touch 2.6 kg at
day 42 with an average daily gain (ADG) of around
60 grams per day.​

●​ Ross 308, on the other hand, reaches the

same weight slightly slower—typically 44–46 days for
2.5 kg. Its ADG ranges between 58 and 60
grams/day depending on feeding density and
environmental conditions.​

At face value, Cobb seems to outpace Ross in

speed—but the real question is: how does that speed
translate to profit?

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Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)

Feed is the single largest cost item in broiler production—accounting for 60–70% of total production
costs. A 0.05 difference in FCR across 10,000 birds can mean thousands of dollars saved—or lost.

●​ Cobb 500 reports an FCR of 1.50 to 1.58 under optimal conditions by day 42. It converts
feed more efficiently in the early growth phase—an advantage if you're targeting a 1.8–2.4 kg
slaughter weight.​

●​ Ross 308 averages around 1.55 to 1.62 by day 42, with better feed efficiency sustained into
heavier weights (2.8–3.2 kg), making it ideal for markets requiring large birds.​

Takeaway: If your market prefers small to medium birds with short cycles and tight turnarounds,
Cobb 500 will likely give you a better feed-cost-to-meat-yield ratio. But for heavy bird markets—like
some processors who pay better per kg after 2.8 kg—Ross 308 edges forward.

Breast Meat Yield and Carcass Composition

Processors and retailers often prioritize breast meat—especially in export markets and
quick-service restaurant (QSR) chains.

●​ Cobb 500 tends to have a superior breast meat yield—up to 21% of live weight, depending
on nutrition and slaughter age. But it can suffer from breast quality defects like white striping
and woody breast, especially under fast-growth conditions with high-energy diets.​

●​ Ross 308 offers a more balanced carcass with marginally lower breast yield (~19.5–20.5%)
but often with better meat quality and fewer processing downgrades.​

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If your business depends on primary processing for breast cuts, Cobb may offer more revenue per
bird. But if quality consistency and fewer rejections are key (especially in value-added product
lines), Ross offers a safer bet.

Robustness and Health Profile

This is where Ross 308 shines. It is the hardier of the two.

●​ Ross 308 is better suited to tropical and sub-optimal conditions where high humidity, heat
stress, or less technical expertise can affect performance. Its leg strength, cardiovascular
resilience, and lower mortality rate under stress conditions make it an asset in open-sided
houses or semi-automated systems.​

●​ Cobb 500, though high-performing, is more sensitive to management mistakes. Under heat
stress or poor brooding, you'll often see higher rates of early mortality, flip-overs (sudden
death), or ascites.

In regions with inconsistent electricity, frequent temperature fluctuations, or variable feed quality,
Ross may be more forgiving—and profitable.

Management Intensity and Learning Curve

This is where practicality trumps potential.

●​ Cobb 500 demands precision—strict brooding temperatures, tighter ventilation control, and
exact feed formulation to unlock its rapid growth.
●​ Ross 308 is more adaptable and ideal for newer or intermediate-level farmers looking for
consistency over aggressive performance.

Let’s put it this way: Cobb is like a race car—it flies, but you need a professional driver and perfect
track. Ross is more like a 4x4 SUV—it handles bumps, heat, and off-road surprises.

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Economic Reality: ROI per Cycle

Let’s run a simplified example with 10,000 birds:

Metric Cobb 500 Ross 308

Market weight 2.4 kg @ 42 days 2.6 kg @ 46 days

FCR 1.55 1.58

Total feed 3.72 kg/bird 4.11 kg/bird

Feed cost/kg $0.45 $0.45

Feed cost/bird $1.67 $1.85

Live price/kg $1.50 $1.48

Revenue/bird $3.60 $3.84

Gross margin/bird $1.93 $1.99

Despite Cobb’s shorter cycle and better FCR, Ross generates slightly higher revenue per bird due
to its heavier final weight, assuming feed and health costs stay within range. But remember—longer
grow-out = fewer cycles/year. So:

●​ Cobb 500: 7 cycles/year

●​ Ross 308: 6.5 cycles/year

Annual profit could even out—or tip in Cobb's favor if time-based production efficiency matters more
than weight-based margin.

Quick tip: Always align breed choice with slaughter schedules. If you run integrated operations with
tight cycle planning, Cobb may give you better calendar-year profits.

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“Efficiency is doing things right. Effectiveness is doing the right things.”​
—Peter Drucker

That quote applies perfectly to breed selection. Many farmers obsess over reducing feed cost but
fail to ask: Is this breed the right fit for my facility, team, and market? Start there.

In the end, the question isn’t which breed is better—it’s which breed is better for you.

If you operate in a hot climate, use open-sided houses, or have less control over precise feed
formulation, the Ross 308 is likely your breed of choice. It’s dependable, resilient, and still delivers
solid economics.

If you're managing a controlled-environment house, with fine-tuned feed programs and aggressive
production timelines, Cobb 500 may offer superior margins—especially if you can sell birds by day
38–40 at a decent liveweight.

Whichever breed you choose, the secret is not just in selection but in execution. Invest in training
your team. Monitor performance weekly. Adjust feeding curves dynamically. And most importantly,
keep your eyes on the final profit per square meter—not just per bird.

In this business, precision wins. But alignment is what maximizes ROI.

And that’s not an opinion—it’s a strategy.

If you found this breakdown useful, consider tracking both breeds on your farm side-by-side for two
cycles and recording FCR, mortality, and revenue per square meter. That’s the best data you’ll ever
get—and the only one that truly matters.

You’re not just raising chickens. You’re running a high-efficiency protein production business. Breed
choice? That’s your first and most important investment decision. Choose wisely.

Article Prepared by;

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Dominic Kuria Ngatho
I Help Poultry Enterprises Achieve Maximum ROI 🐓💲. ASK ME HOW 💡
Open to Mentorships, Jobs, Tasks, and Further Studies.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominicngatho/
Email: dominicngatho@gmail.com or ngatho@dr.com
WhatsApp: https://wa.me/message/BDDSAJLTAJYLL1
Phone: +254741201239

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