Specialty Breeds for Natural and Organic Poultry Production

Natural poultry producers raise poultry in alternative production

Extensive, outdoor systems“Pastured poultry”

Niche Market Sales

NaturalFree rangeOrganicEthnic/live

Natural/Organic Producers Use Conventional Poultry Breeds

• Fast-growing Cornish Cross• Developed for intensive, indoor production• Market weight of 5.5 lbs.

7 weeks indoors8 weeks on pasture

What is “Cornish Cross?”

Cornish x White Rock

Cornish male line provides breast weight, conformationRock female line provides good reproduction

Breeding Companies

• Cobb-Vantress (acquired Avian)• Aviagen (acquired Ross, Arbor Acres, Indian River)• Hubbard-ISA (acquired Shaver)• Perdue• Peterson

Broilers

Parents

Grandparents

Great Grandparents

Pedigree

Selected pedigreeNon-selected pedigree Great Grandparents

A male B female C male D female

AB maleCD female

ABCD broiler

PS

GP

GGP

Four-Way Cross

Source: Emmert, Jason. University of Arkansas

Crossing

Crossing produces hybrid vigor

Breeding companies only sell products with crossed lines for security reasons• When Grandparents breed, pure lines are crossed to

produce Parents• Pure lines cannot be reproduced from Parents• Intellectual property protection

Using Fast-Growing Broilers

Poultry companies buy parent stock, contract growers raise parents (broiler breeders), and hatch commercial chicksBreeding companies offer manuals on how to raise and feed parentsSell in large numbers

Commercial chicks are readily available from small independent hatcheries

Sold as fast-growing meat birds or roastersUsed in pastured production

Sample strains:• Hubbard White Mountain• Hubbard Hi-Y• Perdue roaster

Fast-Growth Issues

Pros:High efficiency and yield; capacity to eatCarcass conformation

Cons:Metabolic Ascites Body grows faster than organsMortalityLeg pathology Lameness, tibia dyscondroplasiaBehaviorAnimal welfare issues

Slowing Down Fast Broilers

Restrict feedUnder-formulate feedLighting programsRaise on pastureRaise only femalesRaise slower strains such as roaster lines

Pastured Poultry Comment about Fast Broilers:

“My experience is the larger Cornish Cross are poor pasture chickens. They barely stand up, walk very little and mostly sit near the feeder.They eat very little grass, don't dig or scratch. They are not a pleasure to watch. They do get BIG, however, but I have found they do not have great taste, since they don't range much. They also have health problems and die in hot weather or when they reach about 12 weeks old. I have had them several times, but always wished I had not. They will reach up to 10 pounds dressed, if feed properly and kept alive for 12 or more weeks.”

(Anon. 2003. Re: Broilers vs. cornish cross. E-mail posting to PasturePoultry listserver. June 19).

Alternative Broilers

• Slow-growing broilers adapted for more traditional production

• Gourmet

Slow-Growing Broilers

5 lbs. live weight in 12 weeks

Used in Label Rouge and organic production in Europe Label Rouge Organic production

Used internationally

International breeding companies SASSO Hubbard-ISA Kabir

Domestic

Www.sasso.fr

Typical SASSOLabel Rouge

Black, naked neck

JA 57 ISA P6 N Shaver Redbro

Isacolor

Hubbard-ISA FemalesHubbard-ISA Females

Colored & Gourmet PackageColored & Gourmet Package

Www.hubbard-isa.com

Fast-growing males: I77, I99, I22, I89, Colorpac

Medium-growing males: Redbro, Mastergris, Gris Barre

Slow-growing males: I66 (red feathers, white underfeathers, white shank) S77 (red feathers, yellow shank) S86 (black feathers, white shank)

Add N for naked neck

Hubbard-ISA MalesHubbard-ISA Males

Typical Hubbard-ISA

Gourmet Parents

Male

Female

S757N Offspring

Specialty Broilers

Geographically protected genetics

Poulet de Bresse “Poultry of kings”AOC

Specialty production Milk finished

Blue shanks

Poulet de Bresse preparation

U.S. slow-growing broiler: Rainbow Breeder Company

Medium-Growing Broilers

9-10 weeks to reach 5 lbs liveweight

International SASSO Hubbard-ISA

Domestic

Hubbard-ISA• Redbro• Master Gris

U.S. Medium-growing broilers:

Silver Cross (Kosher king): Henry Noll

Buff Silvers vs Barred Silvers: Reich

Cebe Red or Cebe Black: Joe Cebe

Hall Brothers Hatchery Redbro

Canadian hatcherywww.freedomrangers.com

Importation

Quarantine for live birds (except Canada)USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

import permitCertificate from a government vet

Quarantine is 30 days at USDA centers in Los Angeles, New York, and Miami (or private)

Quarantine usually required on hatching eggs Quarantine the hatched chicks for 30 days

www.aphis.usda.gov

Very Slow-Growing Broilers (Heritage Breeds)

See types on Internet (www.feathersite.com)

Heritage breeds not selected for commercial meat production anymore

Conservation:American Livestock Breeds Conservancy

Turkeys: An American advantage

Native to the AmericasSlow-growingNaturally mating; AI not requiredHeritage

Geographical tiesNaragansett—MABourbon Red—Kentucky

Some lines selected for meat production

Slow-growing Turkeys

Bourbon Red Royal PalmNarrangansett Eastern WildWhite Holland Broad-breastedBlack Spanish Blue Slate

Walters Hatcherywww.waltershatchery.com

Layers

No commercial layers for floor production or in large flocksAggressive behavior (pecking, cannibalism)

Laying habits

DuckGeeseGuineafowl

Behavior of Slow-Growing Breeds

Slow-growing breeds when fed a low spec ration are “moderately active” Fast-growing breeds are “inactive”

Active breeds are needed to make good use of forage• Lying 53%• Standing idle 11%• Sleeping 4%• Lie preening 5%• Eating 11%• Standing ground pecking 5%• Walking 5% (Gordon, 2002)

Mortality

In Europe, mortality of slow broilers is low

Welfare issues related to breed

Fast growth health problems

Fast-growing broilers can suffer in natural ventilation

Restrict feeding

Meat Quality

Selection for fast-growth and high yield has likely affected sensoryand functional qualities (Le Bihan-Duval, 2003)

More research has been done with hogs (PSE)

Future Selection Programs

Commercial traits (fast efficient growth and breast yield)

Consumer concerns

• Welfare issues Reduce mortality, reduce skeletal and metabolic disorders minimize pecking behavior, improve disease resistance• Environmental Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution• Quality traits Meat quality and texture, taste and leanness

Future natural/organic broiler can perform with:

An all-vegetable diet (no animal by-products)Diets that do not include synthetic amino acidsNon-optimized dietsMore open housing, uncontrolled environmentNo coccidiostatsSlower growthStronger immunity Disease-resistant birds will not need drugs or vaccines Antibiotic-free chickensFast feathering Good feathering provides insulation, protection from nicksFeather sexingMeat quality traitsGenetics adapted to particular regions

Using Slow-Growing Broilers

Feed less protein and less energy

No need to restrict feed

Maintain health statusDifferent vaccinations than fast broilersBoosters

Fast vs. Slow Broilers

Fast-grower: Superior efficiency and yield, body conformationNot active forager, metabolic problems, welfare issues

Slow-grower:Addresses consumer issues, adapted for outdoor productionGood forager, more flavor and textureMore expensive to raiseColor of pinfeathers

Obtaining Stock

Hatcheries Regional Using the postal service is a disadvantage Air shipping issues

Product Known genetics

Report what the parents are Most hatcheries buy hatching eggs on open market from brokers A few hatcheries raise parent stock Very few have own breeding program

Specialty breeds

Pastured breeders: www.shadylanepoultry.com

Straight run or sexed birds

Straight run May be cheaper Variety of sizes to sell

Sexual dimorphism Differences in performance and meat qualityMales gain faster; more problems with leg disorders and mortalityFemales have higher breast yieldMales are more aggressive; need sufficient feeder space

Hatchery Health Status:

National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) Program for hatcheries to be certified free of hatchery-disseminated diseases such as pullorum, or bacillary white diarrhea, and fowl typhoid

Active control programs• Salmonella pullorum• Salmonella gallinarum• Salmonella enteritidis (SE)• Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG)• Mycoplasma synoviae (MS)• Mycoplasma meleagridis

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/npip/

General sanitation

Other Hatchery Issues

Service (promptness in shipping, refunds)Price

Listing of hatcheries in U.S. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/npip/ http://www.poultryconnection.com/hatchery.html.

Listing of specialty hatcheriesSee “Poultry Genetics for Pastured Production”

ATTRA 1-800-346-9140