Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
The stocking rate - number of birds per square metre
floor space - of free-range birds should not exceed
the following criteria: for chickens 13 birds but not
more than 27.5 kg live weight; for ducks, guinea fowl and
turkeys 25 kg live weight; and for geese 15 kg live weight.
The birds are reared in the conventional manner for the
first 2 days, but the temperature of the house is decreased
more quickly so that the environmental temperature is
around 21°C at between 14 and 21 days.
Some birds are housed in one building from day-old
to processing, while others are reared in conventional
sheds and then moved. They have to live in the secondary
accommodation for at least 28 days. The lower temper-
atures promote good feather growth (Fig. 10.2).
The birds, for at least half of their lifetime, must have
continuous daytime access to open-air runs comprising
an area mainly covered by vegetation of not less than
1 m
2
per chicken or guinea fowl, 2 m
2
per duck and 4 m
2
per turkey or goose.
Birds are fed a ration of about 24% protein for the first
few days, but this is soon decreased to 17%. The feed in
the fattening stage must contain at least 70% cereals. For
chickens, the house must be provided with pop holes of a
combined length equal to or greater than that of the
longer side of the house, at the rate of 4 m/100 m
2
avail-
able floor area.
They must not be killed until they are at least 56 days
of age, turkeys 70 days and geese 112 days.
Traditional free-range birds must have access to a
larger area than free range, and there are extra require-
ments as detailed in Commission Regulation (EEC) No.
1538/91.
The production of these types of poultry obviously adds
greatly to the cost, and for free-range birds, this would
be approximately twice that for conventional broilers.
Poussin or Cornish game hens are normal conventional
broilers which are killed between 21 and 33 days of age.
There are, worldwide, around three main breeding
companies producing different strains of broiler. The
companies which produce broiler meat are vertically
integrated. That means they control the production
of the eggs which produce the chick, the growing of
Table 10.1
Slaughterings of poultry meat
Year
Number slaughtered (million)
Broilers
Boiling fowls
Turkeys
2005
827.19
37.1
19.22
2006
813.12
35.72
17.87
2007
805.02
36.9
15.56
2008
791.6
39.16
15.89
2009
799.02
39.86
15.48
2010
862.55
41.15
15.57
2010 was a 53-week year
Source: Courtesy of Defra.
Boiling fowls include spent commercial layer hens, spent layer
breeders and spent broiler breeders.
Figure 10.1
An indoor environmentally enriched broiler house (Courtesy of G Liggett).
