The Poultry

Industry

Spring 2013

U.S. Poultry IndustryBroilers Eggs Turkey

U.S. Poultry IndustryHighly specialized and efficient set of enterprises.Leader in trends of industrialization in agriculture over the last 50 years.Started on family farms in the Midwest – grain production plentiful.Broilers – small flocks; eggs – grocery money.Spread to east coast – Maine & Delmarva CaliforniaSouth – labor plentiful, inexpensive housing, mild climate

Commercial Production Today95% w/20,000 growers 85% of eggs are produced by 2,000 large

companies20,000 growers provide 18% of production

Importance Poultry convert feedstuff to food

efficiently. As indicated below, Boilers have the most favorable PER and FC ratio.

SpeciesSpecies Feed/ GrainFeed/ GrainCattleCattle 6.5 – 7.9 6.5 – 7.9 SheepSheep 6.3 – 7.16.3 – 7.1SwineSwine 3.1 – 3.9 3.1 – 3.9

BroilersBroilers 1.8 – 2.2 1.8 – 2.2 TurkeysTurkeys 2.5 – 3.2 2.5 – 3.2

Importance Poultry industry is dynamic Short period required for growth and

marketing Can adjust rapidly to changing economic

factors feed, availability, cost, number of birds on feed.

Other livestock industries require longer length of time from birth to market (e.g. cattle).

Importance By-product feeds fed to poultry: blood meal, fish

meal, meat and bone, distillers grains. Not used for human consumption

Importance Layers provide a continuous source of food.

Meat animals must be fed for a long period of time before a usable product is obtained.

Layers produce several times its weight in eggs.

Products from meat animals are restricted to final market weight.

Importance Vegetarians consume eggs.

In some countries meat eaters are the minority.

Religion. Egg consumption acceptable.

Importance Poultry products are relatively

inexpensive. Poultry meats are one of the best meat

buys in the supermarket.

ImportancePoultry manure as fertilizer.

Organic farming Premium price? Rich in Nitrogen and organic material. By-product feed for ruminants

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/poulsci/techinfo/4Pst39.htm

Broiler Production

States that States that Produce the Produce the most most BroilersBroilers-Arkansas-Arkansas-Georgia -Georgia -Alabama-Alabama-North -North CarolinaCarolina-Mississippi-Mississippi

The Broiler IndustryToday, almost all of the poultry is raised in large operations

The term broiler refers to chickens which are about 7-8 weeks of age and are raised for meat

The Broiler Industryconcentrated in the South East

leading states are Arkansas, Georgia, and Alabama

majority of broilers raised in this country are raised on contract

Broiler Housesraised in large houses where the birds spend most of their lives

designed to provide the ultimate in environmental conditions for the comfort of the birds.

Broiler Housesgenerally lighted 24 hours a day

helps cut down on cannibalism

Broiler Productionprocess begins with the production of eggs that will be hatched into chicks.

Parents are selected from breeds that are large and muscular

Broiler Productionmost are hybrids derived from mating of different breeds

usually mated through artificial insemination

results in heterosis or hybrid vigor

Hybrid Vigorthe resulting offspring are healthier and out produce the average of their parents.

Broiler Productionmost are whitecolored birds have pigmentation spots in their skin which is undesirable to the consumer

Egg Production

Egg Productionthe shell is formed in the uterus

in 18-20 hours the shell is completed and moves to the vagina and out of the hens body.

Egg Productionhens prefer nesting boxes that are enclosed

gives the chickens a feeling of security

Egg Productionsome facilities collect eggs with the use of a conveyor belt

the egg rolls out of the nest box and onto the belt

Egg Productioneggs must be kept clean and free from contamination

if the egg becomes soiled it will not be used for hatching

Egg Productiondirt may be easily scrubbed off the egg

this process can press dirt into the shell and removes the protective coating on the egg

Layer IndustryPer capita egg consumption in the U.S. has drastically decreased over the past thirty years.

Even with the decrease in demand, the layer industry is quite strong.

Layer IndustryOver 90% of eggs produced are by layers in cages.

The most common grouping is four hens per cage.

Some layers produce brown eggs and some produce white eggs.

Layer IndustryMost eggs sold in the U.S. are white.

In commercial operations, lighting is used to stimulate the hormonal activity of the hens to increase their production of eggs.

Layer IndustryThey produce eggs naturally when the days are longer than the nights.

Most operations allow 14 - 15 hours of light per day.

Layer IndustryAs eggs are laid they roll onto a conveyor belt where they go to a work room where they are cleaned if necessary and refrigerated.

Layer IndustryEggs are coated with a thin coat of mineral oil to prevent carbon dioxide from escaping from within the egg.

Eggs are graded according to size and checked for cracks and interior spots by candling.

Turkey Production

The turkey industryThe sale of turkey is second to chicken in the overall sale of poultry meat.

Between 1980 and 1990 turkey consumption increased 92% in the U.S.

The turkey industryTurkey represents a high quality, low cost, nutritious source of food protein.

One third of all turkey sales occur during the weeks around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The turkey industry

The modern white turkey is a descendant of the wild turkey and is result of a mutation which left the gene out for feather and skin pigmentation.

Heavy muscled, broad breasted birds have been developed.

The turkey industry

These highly developed birds are not efficient breeders.

The physical act of mating is difficult because of the weight of the birds and because of this they are reluctant to breed.

The turkey industryThis problem is solved through artificial insemination.

They heavy breasted birds have another problem.

Their legs can’t support them when they reach a certain size and the weight of their breasts makes them tip over.

The turkey industry

Turkeys are grown in confinement houses and on ranges.

Other poultryIn some parts of the world ducks and geese make up a major portion of the poultry raised and consumed.

This is true in China and Southeast Asia.

Other poultryIn some areas quail and pheasant are grown for the gourmet food and restaurant market and for release in the wild to stock the population for hunters.

Careers In Poultry

Future of the Industry1. Increased biotechnology. 2. Increased mass production- year round availability of products.3. More contract and integrated production. Larger integrators.4. Increased labor- saving device.5. Sustainable agriculture.6. Increased attention to poultry behavior and welfare.7. Increased food safety.8. Increased quality of products.9. Increased consumption.