Penny Kothe Caroola Farm Feathers and Fowl Penny Kothe Caroola Farm Caroola Farm is a 100acre permaculture, organic and holistically managed farm in the NSW Southern Tablelands. Since 2012 we have farmed a selection of poultry including egg and meat chickens, egg and meat ducks and turkeys seasonally. In addition we have pigs, sheep and cattle for meat along with vegetable and fruit production systems which are all run in an integrated farm enterprise system.

Meat birds on Caroola Farm Caroola Farm raises up to 300 meat birds monthly, plus around 15 layer birds, 15 pekin duck layers and up to 50 meat ducks along with up to 50 turkeys annually. These are all pasture raised, as opposed to conventional free-range, meaning they are actually raised on pasture with supplementary organic feed and minerals. Meat chickens are raised to 12-14 weeks, ducks from 14-18 weeks and turkeys around 12 weeks. All in separate areas: Turkeys – one paddock system Ducks – 4 paddock system - Pekin Chickens – moveable houses 1 hectare plus paddocks – we farm Sommerlad meat birds, which are different to conventional meat birds http://www.sommerladspoultry.com.au/

Products and Behaviours Inputs: Shelter Feed Water Shade Predator protection Companionship Outputs: Meat Eggs Feathers Manure Characteristics Scratching Foraging Whilst the primary output of our poultry is for meat, the reason we started farming poultry was actually for their manure in our integrated organic system. Rather than pay for fertiliser, effectively we pay for feed and animal husbandry with the outputs being paddock fertilisation, meat and eggs. Each animal has their own intrinstic characteristics that differ, even though they are all poultry. All poultry require feed, water, shelter, shade, protection and companionship, and they all provide meat, feathers, manure and sometimes eggs, but each has their own set of behaviour – chickens are scratchers, ducks love the wet and are great fertilisers, eating more grass in the meantime, turkeys are more sociable animals and different again. Suffice to say we do not just raise the animals for meat, but for the other benefits they bring to our farm. Feed – high protein 22%, certified organic

Free Range/Organic Production There are a variety of different terms used in poultry and egg production including: Free-Range, Pastured etc – see handout for more details Humane choice - Chickens will have free access to the outdoors and will not have their beaks trimmed. Stocking densities for layer hens and meat chickens will be 1500 per hectare and not 20,000 for layer hens or 140,000 for meat chickens currently proposed by the intensive industry. PROOF - http://www.proof.net.au/Pastured-Egg-Poultry-Guidelines Organic – Organic Federation of Australia http://www.ofa.org.au/ - SCPA – Organics http://organics.scpa.org.au/ What does organic mean? No antibiotics Organic feed Organic pasture Organic processing Pest and Disease control is the issue Worms Coccidiosis Lice etc Introduced pests – from other animals, humans - biosecurity How do we solve Probiotics Moving – all houses on skids - house construction ACV Supplements – mineral and herb Supplementary Minerals – Pat Coleby Supplementary Herbs Apple cider vinegar and garlic plus oregano for Turkeys Fresh cool water is important and a challenge

Production Processes Purchasing Feed Housing Catching Transportation Processing Storing Selling There are many costs involved in the production process for poultry – see handout for an example. These include: Purchasing day-old birds approx $3-$7 depending on type of bird and breed Feed – between $20 to $35 for 20kg depending on source 125 – 200g per chook per day depending on size – feed storage Housing – brooding from day old to 2-4 weeks, paddock housing – perchs are uneccessary for meat birds, but they must be able to be off the ground and overnight housing is a great way to keep them protected. Catching – blue light Transportation – to and from the abattoir Processing – the abattoir – where will you take them and when? http://www.tablelandspremiermeats.com/ http://www.summerlandpoultry.com/ Storing – Food safety, temperature monitoring, refridgeration Selling – Live, On-Farm, Farmers Market, Wholesale, Retail Our biggest issues Mechanical failure Nutrition Bird Predation Foxes What do we do Lock up Dogs Scarecrows Fox light Electronetting

What are the legal requirements? Registration Animal codes of conduct Biosecurity Food handling and storage Market licences Registration of a poultry meat farm – more than 100 birds http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/meat/poultry-producers-farms Poultry live transport – more than 100 birds http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/meat/live-poultry-transport Meat and poultry processing plants - http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/meat/meat-and-poultry-processing-plants, http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/meat/poultry-and-non-red-meat-abattoirs Poultry Product Transport - http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/industry/meat/poultry-product-transport Meat storage and sale – pre-packagaged - http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/retail/cafes-restaurants-and-retail-outlets Food Safety Supervisor Certificate – http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/rp/fss-food-safety-supervisors NSW and ACT licences - http://www.health.act.gov.au/public-information/businesses/food-safety-regulation

More information or contacts Penny Kothe Caroola Farm www.caroolafarm.com.au penny@caroolafarm.com.au 02 4842 1899 Caroola Farm is a 100acre permaculture, organic and holistically managed farm in the NSW Southern Tablelands. Since 2012 we have farmed a selection of poultry including egg and meat chickens, egg and meat ducks and turkeys seasonally. In addition we have pigs, sheep and cattle for meat along with vegetable and fruit production systems which are all run in an integrated farm enterprise system.