Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
10
Poultry production, slaughter and inspection
Poultry meat production throughout the world has been
increasing both in quantity and in sophistication. The
annual production has increased over the past 20 years:
eggs produced by broiler breeders increased between 1
and 1.5, number of chicks between 0.8 and 1.2 and per-
centage of breast meat by 0.25-0.3%.
In addition, the eviscerated yield has gone up by
0.2-0.25% annually, the feed conversion ratio to 2 kg
has improved by between 0.04 and 0.05%, and the
weight, at 42 days, has increased on average 55-60 g/
year. Those trends are expected to continue, and
broiler selection now involves the criteria of live
weight, liveability, skeletal strength, conformation and
feed conversion (See table 10.1).
following factors: the weight of the bird at killing age,
type of housing, climatic region and time of the year. EU
Directive 239/2010 sets a maximum stocking density of
33 kg/m
2
with the possibility of member states allowing
higher stocking densities if certain requirements are met.
In the United Kingdom, the government has decided
that under certain conditions conventionally reared
chickens may be kept to a maximum of 39 kg/m
2
. The
stocking densities may need to be reduced in summer.
Chicks should be placed in a house with a tempera-
ture of 29-31°C at 1 day old, the temperature being
reduced by 2°C a week to a final temperature of 18-21°C
at 35 days.
A continuous adequate supply of clean water is essen-
tial as dehydration must be avoided at all times. Water
and feed intake are directly related. There is a trend
towards using nipple drinkers, to replace the conventional
hanging bell drinkers.
Commercial chicks are generally given a starter ration
containing 23% protein between 0 and 11 days of age,
grower ration of 21% protein between 12 and 22 days of
age and finisher of 20% protein or less from 23 days of
age onwards. Commercial broilers are killed between 32
and 40 days of age.
Though commercial broilers are produced intensively
in standard poultry sheds, there is a demand for high
welfare broilers.
The growing of improved welfare chicken with
windowed houses, lower stocking, 30 kg/m
2
, and envi-
ronmental enrichment, with straw and/or vegetables is
increasing dramatically. The birds are fed a vegetarian
diet which is of a lower density than that which is fed to
conventional broilers. The actual stocking density is
based on retailer requirements. These birds are killed
at 34-42 days of age (Fig. 10.1).
Production of poultry
The broiler industry in the United Kingdom is concen-
trated in the hands of fewer than 10 large organisations,
most of which have their own parent stock farms and
hatcheries. In these companies, broilers may be grown on
company farms or on specialist contract units. Other
companies do not have breeding farms or hatcheries but
purchase day-old broilers, usually on long-term contract,
from specialist suppliers. Twelve million birds are pro-
duced each week by four companies. Chickens, turkeys,
geese, ducks and end-of-lay hens are processed as well as
pheasant, quail, partridge and guinea fowl.
Broiler chickens should be placed in houses which
have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. The sur-
rounding area and the equipment in the house must be
clean and disinfected (Fig. 10.1).
Adequate floor space for each bird is essential for its
growth, health, quality and general well-being. The amount
of space to allow is determined by a combination of the
