Story of the Chicken-The Producer

7/31/2019 Story of the Chicken-The Producer

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Producer

Who produces meatchickens?During the past many families owned

their own flock of hens to supply them withmeat and eggs.

Today, in Australia, most chicken meatproduction is carried out as an intensivelivestock enterprise by commercialproducers. The Australian chicken meat

and egg industries are separate industriesthat use different chicken breeds, housingand production systems. The two industriesare owned and managed by separategroups of people.

Chicken producers

There are currently more than800 commercial meat chicken growers

in Australia. Most grow chickens undercontract to meat processing companies andare known as contract chicken growers.These producers grow 80 per cent ofAustralias meat chickens.

Growers usually own their farms andprovide the management, shedding,equipment, labour, bedding and othersupplies needed to produce meat chickens.

Contract growers are paid a growing feeper bird by the chicken meat processingcompany they supply. The processingcompany provides and owns the chickensand supplies the feed, medication andtechnical advice to the contract growers.

The Producer

Ruralphotos.com

Processors work closely with contract growers

QlandChickenGrowersAsso

c.Inc.

Contract chicken growers produce most of Australias meat chickens

AustralianChickenMeatFederationInc.

Today most meat chicken production is intensive

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A typical family-ownedmodern meat chicken farm

requires an investment of $45 millionand produces more than one million meatchickens each year, in several batches.

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Chicken meat processors

Australian chicken meat is supplied todomestic consumers by three large chicken

processing companies, 10 medium-sizedcompanies and a wide range of smallerprocessors.

Commonly recognised processor brandsinclude: Inghams, Steggles, Baiada,Cordina, Red Lea, Golden Cockerel,Hazeldenes, La Ionica, Adelaide Poultry,Gourmet Poultry and Sunnybrand.

The three largest processing companies

supply almost 80% of the chicken meatconsumed in Australia.

Larger chicken meat processors owntheir own breeder farms, hatcheriesand feed mills and some have their ownlaboratories to test for common poultrydiseases and pathogens.

These companies also carry out researchinto developing new chicken meat productsfor consumers.

Some processing companies have theirown rearing farms on which they growsome or all of the meat chickens theyprocess. But most processors employcontract chicken growers who have theirown rearing farms. A single processingcompany will get their meat chickens froma number of different contract growers.

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DISTRIBUTOR

CONSUMER

BREEDER FARMS

MEAT CHICKEN REARING FARMS

HATCHERYFEED MILL

QUARANTINE FACILITY

PROCESSING PLANTFURTHER PROCESSING

RETAIL OUTLET FOOD SERVICE

Day-old meatchickens

Nine-week-oldbreeder chickens

Surplusbreeders

Wholeor cut-updressedchicken

Whole orcut-up dressedchicken

Furtherprocessed/cookedproducts

Market-agemeat chickens

Meatchickenfeed

Breederfeed

Day-oldbreeder chicks

Fertileeggs

Importedfertile eggs

Hatched chickensfrom imported eggs

The flow of chicken from the producer to the consumer

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All processing companies inAustralia that supply chicken

meat to Australian consumers areAustralian-owned.

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Where are meatchickens grown?

Most commercial chicken meatproduction is carried out close to citiesor large towns, where large numbers ofconsumers live. This reduces the cost oftransporting chickens to meat processingplants and chicken meat from processingplants to consumers.

History of commercial production

Australias commercial chicken meat

industry was first developed on the outskirtsof Sydney, New South Wales. Otherareas of production soon followed aroundother major population areas.

During the 1950s, the size of theindustry increased almost seven-fold.

The industry expanded further during the1960s as businesses that owned breedingand hatching operations, feed mills and

chicken processing plants developed.These businesses contracted out thegrowing of meat chickens to specialistchicken growers.

Chicken meat production by state in Australia

NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS

Number of chickens produced* = 460 millionPercentage per state** (%) 34.3 27.9 18.3 9.1 9.0 1.4

Chicken meat produced* = 816,000 tonnes

Percentage per state** (%) 34.9 28.8 17.0 9.3 8.7 1.3

Source: * Australian Bureau of Statistics 2007**Australian Chicken Meat Federation estimates of 2007 production.


Chicken production has increased since the 1950s

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Adelaide

Darwin

Melbourne

Sydney

Brisbane

Hobart

Perth

WESTERN

AUSTRALIA

NORTHERN

TERRITORYQUEENSLAND

VICTORIA

TASMANIA

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

NEW SOUTH WALES

17.0%

34.9%

28.8%

1.3%

8.7%

9.3%9.1%

18.3%

34.3%

27.9%

1.4%

9.0%

Total annual chickenproduction in Australia= 460 million

Total annual chicken meatproduction in Australia= 816,000 tonnes

TAS

WA

SA

QLD

VIC

NSW

Chickenspro

duc

ed(%)

States of Australia

0

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Number of chickens produced

TAS

WA

SA

QLD

VIC

NSW

Chickenspro

duc

ed(%)

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5

10

15

20

25

30

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Amount of chicken meat produced

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Chicken meatproduction

Producing chicken meat involves awide range of activities. These activitiesstart at the breeder farms where parenthens are mated with cockerels to producefertile eggs, and finish at the processingplants where chicken meat is processed,packaged and distributed to the market.

From the breeder farms on which theyare laid, fertile eggs are transported to ahatchery, where they are incubated until

the chicks hatch.

From the hatchery, day-old chicks arecarefully transported to meat chickenrearing farms (often called grow-out farms).Here, chicken producers keep the chickensin purpose-built rearing sheds with acontinuous supply of fresh water and food.

Chicken growers maintain thetemperature and air quality of rearing

sheds to ensure the chickens arecomfortable. Growers manage their farmscarefully to ensure the growing chickensremain strong and gain weight quickly.

When the meat chickens reach a sizethat is suitable for processing, they aretransported from the rearing farms to theprocessing plant. After processing, chickenmeat is prepared for sale for consumers.

The

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erRearing farm Rearing farm Processor

Breeder farm

Parent hens are mated withcockerels to produce fertilised eggs

Fertile eggs are sent to a hatchery.

Hatchery Hatchery

Fertile eggs are incubated undercarefully controlled conditions tomaintain a constant temperatureand humidity.

After the chicks hatch, theyare counted, packed andtransported by road or air torearing farms.

ACMFInc.

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ACMFInc.

ACMFInc.

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The stages involved in chicken meat production

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Ruralphotos.com

ACMFInc.

ACMFInc.

Day-old chicks are housed in largewell-ventilated sheds. The chicks runon the floor which is covered with acomfortable bedding material.

Growing chickens remain in therearing sheds until they reachmarket weight and are thenharvested.

When target sizes and weightsare reached, the meat chickensare transported to a processingplant.

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In Australia, more than1.4 million meat chickens are

hatched every day.

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Meat chicken farmsIn Australia, meat chickens are grown

out on rearing farms in large poultry barns

that are usually called sheds.Shed sizes vary, but a typical new shed

could be 150 metres long and 15m wide.A new rearing farm might have eight shedseach holding about 40,000 chickens with the whole farm housing about320,000 chickens per batch. Each farmwill produce between five and six batchesof meat chickens each year.

What is it like inside a shed?

Older-style meat chicken sheds arenaturally ventilated with the sides opento fresh air. The amount of air passingthrough the shed is changed by raising orlowering curtains or shutters on the sideopenings. Stirring fans are fitted insidethe sheds to encourage air flow. Watermisting systems are fitted to cool birds by

evaporative cooling in hot conditions.Most modern meat chicken sheds in

Australia have tunnel ventilation. Air isdrawn at high speed through coolingpads in the walls of one end of the shed,

over the chickens and out through largeextraction fans at the other end of theshed.

Temperature sensors in the sheds monitorconditions and report to the shed computercontroller, which automatically adjusts thefans as often as every three minutes toprovide the best shed temperature andair quality.

Feed lines and feed pans run thelength of the shed. Automatic machinescalled augers transfer feed from storagesilos outside the sheds into the feed linesand pans.

Water lines also run the length of theshed, and drinkers are provided at regularintervals. Drinkers can have either nipplesthat release water when the chickens press

them with their beaks or cups that fill whenthe chickens peck at the bottom of the cup.

Feed and water lines are placedthroughout the shed so chickens alwayshave easy access to food and water.


Silos store and supply food to the sheds


Chickens press their beaks to drinkers for water

Photos:AustralianChickenMeatFederationInc.

Food is supplied through feed lines and pans

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Meat chickens are raised in large sheds


Large fans draw fresh air through the shed

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Preparing the shedBefore the day-old chickens arrive at the

rearing farms, growers prepare the sheds

by spreading a thick layer of beddingmaterial such as sawdust, wood shavings orrice hulls, across the shed floor. The shed ispre-heated and the feed and water systemsare checked.

On arrival, the chicks are placed ontothe floor of the shed. To start with they arekept in an area of between one third to ahalf of the total shed area. This is called the

brooding area.The chicks are kept warm with heating

from gas heaters. This is called broodingand the heaters are referred to as brooders.

Extra feed pans and drinkers are providedin the brooding area and the bedding ispartly covered with paper on which extrafeed is placed. This ensures the chicks findfeed quickly while they are learning to eat

from the feeders.For the first two days of the flocks life,

the shed temperature is kept at about 33C,which is the best temperature for baby chickcomfort and health. As the chickens growthey need less heat to keep them warm, sothe temperature of the shed is graduallylowered.

AustralianC

hickenMeatFederationInc.

Fresh, clean bedding is spread on the shed floor

LeonieScarlett,Ruralphotos.com

Chicks are released into a newly prepared shed


Chicks quickly learn to eat from the feed pans


Drinkers provide plenty of water for the chicks

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Are male or female chickens

raised as meat chickens?

Both male and female chicks are rearedas meat chickens. Often the flocks areof mixed sex. Producers tell the sexof chicks from their wing feathers (seebelow). Some producers rear male andfemale chickens separately, either inseparate sections of the same shed orin separate sheds or farms. Male chicksgrow slightly faster than female chicksand segregating them can help manage thefeeding and harvesting programmes.


Meat chickens are neverkept in cages but instead run

freely on the floor of the shed which iscovered with a comfortable beddingmaterial called litter.

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Animal welfareAnimal welfare means different things to

different people, but is mainly concernedwith the treatment of animals to ensure

their health and wellbeing.Consumers of animal products such as

meat, milk and eggs demand that animalsare kept healthy and cared for properly.

Bird welfare is an essential part of thedaily activities of all meat chicken growers.Using the best animal welfare practicesensures growers meet their responsibilitiesto the birds in their care.

A high standard of animal welfare isgood for business, as only healthy,well-cared-for animals grow at their best.

The standards for treatment of animalsduring all stages of meat chicken

production and processing are set downin codes and guidelines supported by thegovernment and the meat chicken industry.These standards have been developed tosafeguard the chickens welfare.

When growing meat chickens it isimportant the birds receive fast andappropriate treatment to prevent diseasesor treat them if this becomes necessary.

It also is important chickens do not sufferany unnecessary pain, distress, fear orphysical injury. Sick or injured birds thatcannot be treated need to be culled in ahumane manner so they do not suffer.

How are chickens killed?

Meat chickens are raised for humanconsumption and have to be killed(slaughtered) so the meat can beharvested. This is done in a humanemanner. All chickens are stunned beforethey are killed. This means they are madeunconscious and unable to feel pain.

LeonieScarlett,Ruralphotos.com

Growers check birds regularly to ensure they are healthy and behaving, eating and drinking normally

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Why is animal welfare important

to the meat chicken industry?

There are three main reasons why animalwelfare is important to the meat chickenindustry:

1. Out of respect for the animalsthemselves, so they do not suffer.

2. So the birds grow as well as possibleand are not damaged in the process.

3. Because the industry recognisesand respects community attitudes

and expectations with regard to thehumane treatment of livestock farmedspecifically for their consumption.


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Chicken meat marketed as free rangecannot come from chickens that have beentreated with antibiotics. Antibiotics can beused under veterinary direction to treat sick

birds but, after treatment, the meat fromthese birds cannot be labelled as free range.

One of the main certifiers of free rangechicken meat in Australia is Free RangeEgg and Poultry Australia Ltd (FREPA).

What are organic chickens?

In addition to the requirements for freerange meat chickens, certified organicmeat chickens must receive feed that hasmostly come from ingredients that havebeen certified organic (for example,crops grown without the use of artificialherbicides or pesticides).

Some additional requirements have to bemet with regards to the use of chemicalson farm and in processing. There also arerequirements about the age of the chickensat harvest.

Chicken meat that has been certifiedas organic will have a certification logoon the packaging from an organisationapproved by the Australian QuarantineInspection Service (AQIS).

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Free range andorganic production

A relatively small, but important,proportion of meat chickens in Australiais grown using alternative productionsystems, such as free range and organic,to meet consumer demands for chickenmeat products in these ranges.

In Australia, the market for free rangechicken meat represents about 3% of allchicken meat produced. The market fororganic meat is thought to be about 0.5%.

What are free range chickens?

Free range meat chickens are producedusing similar management, housingand feeding practices as those used forconventional meat chickens.

The main differences between thesystems are that free range chickens haveaccess to an outside run for part of theday, have lower numbers of chickensper shed and some health issues aremanaged differently. For example, routinevaccination is not permitted unless requiredby law or where it is not possible to controldiseases with other management practicessuch as biosecurity.

AustralianChickenM

eatFederationInc.

Free range chickens are allowed access to an outside run for part of the day

AustralianChicke

nMeatFederationInc.

Organic chicken

AustralianChicke

nMeatFederationInc.

Free range chicken

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No hormones or steroidsare used in any chicken

meat production systems in Australiaregardless of whether the label on theend product says so.

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ProcessingMeat chickens are killed using the

most advanced technology and humanetechniques available.

The chicken carcases are processed totransform them into meat products. Theseproducts are delivered to wholesalers,retailers and food service outlets.

Of the live chicken, about 70% byweight can be converted to chicken meatproducts for people to eat.

What is processing?

Processing involves converting thelive animal into edible meat products anda range of byproducts.

Plucking

After the chickens have been killed thechicken carcases are defeathered. They

are first passed through hot water toloosen the feathers. Automatic equipmentthen plucks the feathers from the chickens.

StorkFoodSystems,TheNetherlands

During plucking all feathers are removed

Cleaning

The plucked carcases are thoroughlycleaned after automatic equipment has

removed the feet, heads, digestive tractand other internal organs.

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LincoFoodSystems

StorkFoodSystems,

TheNetherlands

Birds are cleaned thoroughly before chilling

Chilling

The cleaned carcases are chilledrapidly in either iced water containing

chlorine (to kill germs) or in chilled air ina room called an air chiller.

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Plucking Cleaning Chilling GradingWholechickens

Cutting and filleting

Pieces

Value adding

Packaging1 2 3 4 5

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PHOTOS:StorkFoodSystems,TheNetherlands

Cleaned carcases are rapidly chilled

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Grading, cutting and filleting

The chicken carcases are graded forsize and inspected for quality. Someare removed for packaging as wholechickens. The remaining carcases are furtherprocessed. Some are cut into pieces such aslegs, wings and thighs. Some carcases can

be filleted, which involves removing meatsuch as breast and thigh fillets from the bone.

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Packaging and value adding

Whole chickens are usually vacuumpacked while chicken pieces and fillets

are packaged onto plastic wrappedsupermarket trays or as bulk lots into tubsor plastic-lined cartons or boxes. Thetrays and cartons of chicken meat productsare then weighed, labelled and their barcodes scanned. The bar codes enablethe products to be traced back to theprocessing plant and date of processing.

Some chicken meat may be sent in bulk tofurther processing plants where they aremade into a range of value-added productssuch as chicken nuggets.

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Chicken is packaged in cartons and labelled

Chilling and storagePacking into

cartons or trays Bulk packing Distribution5 5 65

DistributionPackaged chicken meat is loaded

into refrigerated trucks for distribution tosupermarkets and food outlets.

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Carcases are processed inside the plant room


Carcases can be packaged as whole chickens


Other carcases are cut into legs, wings and thighs

Breast meat can be removed as fillets

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Some chicken is further processed


The largest processing plantin Australia processes about

700,000 meat chickens per week andemploys 720 people.

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KNOW?

Story of the Chicken-The Producer

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