1. Working With POULTRY

2. World Egg Consumers Netherlands 43 lbs Japan 42 lbs. Malta 37 lbs
Elina 35 lbs.
Mexico 34
(US = 32lbs.)
World average consumption = 18 pounds per person

3. US Poultry Inventory Specie #/year kg Broiler 8 billion 18.5 billion
Turkey
273 million
3.2 billion
Layers
269 million
72 billion eggs
Ducks
20 million
~ 64 million
per USDA 1999

4. The Egg 65% water, 12 % protein (10% RDA) 11% fat, 70 cal.
Natures “most perfect food”

5. ` 250eggs annual per capita!
How are eggs used?
` 250eggs annual per capita!

6. Top Egg States ~ 50 % of US production
1. Iowa – 50, Ohio – 29, Indiana – 24, Pennsylvania – 21, California – 18, Texas – 14, Nebraska – 11, Florida – 10, Minnesota – 10, Georgia – 9,785
~ 50 % of US production

7. What makes a good egg? Size Internal Quality External Quality
Size or Weight Class
Minimum Weight (Ounces per Dozen)
Jumbo 30
Extra Large 27
Large 24
Medium 21
Small 18
Peewee 15

8. “candling an egg”

9. Internal Quality Inclusions Blood Double yolk Chalaza (?) Checks
Air Cell Size!!

10. Examples: Grade A and B

11. External Quality
Leakers
Stains
Shape

12. LAYER LIFE CYCLE Layer chicks are processed similarly to broilers.
Grower unit until weeks old; transferred laying barn
Layers start laying at 18 weeks of age
Chickens are nesting birds and they prefer the closeness of a nesting cage

13. Layers cont.
90% laying eggs at least once a day before 30 weeks- peak production
slows to once every 26 hours.
When at 50% production producers might induce molt by manipulating the photoperiod.
corn, soybean, calcium diets

14. The “Molt” Natural processes in birds
Shorter days = loss of feathers and stop laying
Producers limit feed, gradually reduce light to induce molt.
This process restarts the egg laying cycle

15. Physical Signs of the Layer
The hen in production:
pubic bones separate to facilitate lay.
Space can be two fingers width or more at peak
Loses color pigment in her body
When out of production, regains color in order:
1) vent, 2) eye ring, 3) earlobe, 4) beak and 5) feet and shanks.
Comb becomes small, shriveled, scaly.

16. Incredible Egg-Making Machine

17. World Meat Consumers Antigua 124 lbs. Bahamas 112 lbs. USA 105
Israel 105
St. Lucia 95
World average consumption = 24 pounds per person

18. US Poultry Inventory Specie #/year kg Broiler 8 billion 18.5 billion
Turkey
273 million
3.2 billion
Layers
269 million
72 billion eggs
Ducks
20 million
~ 64 million
per USDA 1999

20. The Broiler Industry The most explosive meat industry
The first 6 months ALONE of 2005 broiler exports were up 25% and turkey exports were up 56% than the whole of 2004 even though a stiff rise in prices.
In 2003 the U. S. Consumed poultry about once a day and beef a little more than once every other day.
Why such growth?

21. Chickens = Efficiency

22. Where do you find poultry?
Broilers
Georgia
Arkansas
Alabama
Turkey
North Carolina
Minnesota
Arkansas

23. Highly Integrated Industry

25. BROILER LIFE CYCLE
It takes 21 days for a fertile egg to hatch a chick -- Incubation
After hatching, baby birds are processed by vaccinating, debeaking, comb clipping, and wing banding

26. Incubation Period Chicken 21 days Turkey 28 days Duck 28 days
Goose – days

27. Critical Issues of Incubation
Temperature (99.5 to 100o F)
Lower in Hatery Unit (3 days before hatch)
Humidity (60 to 65%)
Position/Turning of eggs
Air cell up/ 5 or > times per day
Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide Content
Sanitation between sets

28. Hatchery
90 % or better hatch is expected

29. Broilers Harvested at 7-9 weeks Market Weight = 3-5 pounds
Females take a little longer than Males to finish
Market Weight = 3-5 pounds
Specialty meats
Harvesting at 5 weeks makes a Cornish Game Hen
Harvesting at 12 weeks makes a large Roaster
Males can be caponized at 3-4 weeks and finishing to 18 weeks to Capon.

30. Broilers
housed in confinement for protection, disease control, efficiency of labor, land.
Most lit dimly to reduce cannibalism and encourage growth
raised on Litter Floor: Brooder units to full barn
fed a corn and soybean ration to finish weight.
Broiler houses are created to be the optimum environment for the birds

31. The typical farm . . . 160 acres 3 to 4 houses
64 to 70, 000 birds per barn (1 sq. ft per bird)
6.5 per year turnover per house
Total production per annum = 400,000 to 450, 000 birds

32. Breeds Not so commercially significant (composites are used:
Classified by class, breed and variety
Four major classes:
American, Asiatic, English and Mediterranean
Note ear lobe, comb type, feather type and color, production purpose

33. Plymouth Rock Varieties

34. Ear Lobe,Body Type
Cornish versus Leghorn

35. Comb Type
The basics

36. Vocab
Value Added – the extra labor or processing to increase the value or price of the item
Vertically Integrated- a person or company that owns the whole life cycle of the industry (e.g. Tyson owns the birds that breed boiler, the boiler houses, and the harvest facilities)
Hen- mature female chicken
Cock- mature intact male chicken
Cockerel- immature intact male
Pullet- immature female
Capon- castrated male
Bantam- miniature breed
Molt- the process of losing feathers

37. Parts Don’t forget: chicken parts Note gender distinctions

38. TURKEY
Turkeys are the only meat animal to be domesticated in America (N or Central)
Turkeys are grown in confinements or on ranges
They are fed high protein ration until hens are weeks old (up to about 20 pounds) and toms are weeks old (up to around 30 pounds).

39. TURKEY Breeds
White is derived from native wild turkey species. Most common for meat production
Bronze is also from the native species. Becoming less common

40. Biosecurity Bird Flu has been on the news recently
Keep facilities clean and separate
Don’t let the outside world inside