The Poultry Industry

Livestock ProductionMs. Boyt

Today we will…• Define common terms used in the poultry

industry.• Distinguish between breeds of commercial

chickens and turkeys• Categorize poultry according to their uses.• Explain the stages of commercial chicken

production.

Poultry • Domesticated fowl, such as

chickens, turkeys, ducks, or geese, raised for meat and/or eggs

Common Terminology• Chick• Poult• Pullet• Hen• Cockerel• Capon• Rooster• Tom• Layer• Broiler

Chick

• A young chicken of either sex

Poult

• Young poultry

of either sex

Hen

• Mature female chicken

Pullet

• Young female chicken

Cockerel

• Young Male

Chicken

Capon

• Castrated male chicken

Rooster

• Mature male

chicken

Tom

• Mature male

turkey

Layer

• Hen that is kept for egg production

Broiler

• Young chicken of either sex

marketed for meat

Broilers• Raised for their meat in large poultry

houses• Marketed at 6 to 8 weeks of age• Weigh 6 to 8 pounds when marketed

9 billion broilers produced each year

37 billions pounds of chicken marketed

Characteristics of Broiler Breeds

• Grow faster and larger• More disease resistant • Larger breast meet

yield • More efficient feed

conversion

Broiler Breeds• White Cornish

o Very broad and meaty chest

• White Plymouth Rocko Docile and dual purpose

• Cornish Crosso Can grow to 4 to 5 pounds in 6 weeks

Broiler Breeds

White Cornish

Cornish Cross

White Plymouth Rock

Turkey Production• 45 Million turkeys are eaten each

Thanksgiving• 2009- 253 Million turkeys raised• Processed at 10-18 weeks

Broad Breasted White• Most common commercial turkey breed• Shorter breastbone and legs than natural

turkeys• Produce more breast meat• Grow faster • White feathers (pin feathers)

o Less visible on product

The Poultry Industry

There are many segments of the poultry industry. These segments are all

interlinked and often owned by the same company. This type of ownership is

called vertical integration.

Vertical Integration• Allows for maximum

control over products produced.

• Much like a ladder as each step relies on the step below to supply what it needs.

• Allows for products to be produced efficiently and of high quality.

Vertical Integration of the Chicken Industry

Breeder Flock• Develop and reproduce strains of chicken

that meet the requirements of chicken producer/processing companies

• Aim to achieve desirable characteristics such as abundant white meat and efficient feed conversion.

• Breeder chicks with the appropriate mix of desirable characteristics are then sold to integrated chicken firms.

Feed Mill• Convert raw materials into finished feed

according to specific formulas.• Produce about 4-5 formulas to feed all of

the different nutrition stages of chickens

Breeder House• Raise breeder chicks to adult birds• Offspring of breeder parents will be raised

to become broilers for the market

Hatchery• Fertilized eggs are placed in incubators • Carefully monitored to ensure proper

temperature and humidity• Towards end of incubation, eggs are placed

in hatching trays

Broiler Farm• Newly hatched chicks are transported to

farms where farmers raise them to market weight

• Chicks reach market weight in 6-7 weeks and are then transported to the processor

Processing Plant• Harvests birds by humane standards and

are inspected by the USDA• Carcasses are chilled to limit growth of

bacteria• Carcasses are then either distributed whole,

cut up into parts, or further processed (cooked, marinated, etc.)

Distribution• Chicken products are transported from

processing plants to grocery stores, restaurants, and other consumers

Tell me what you know…

• What is a broiler?• What are common breeds used for broiler

production?• What is the most common breed used for turkey

production?• Why have commercial poultry been selected to

have white feathers?• What is vertical integrations and its benefits?• What are the stages of commercial poultry

production?

Today we…• Defined common terms used in the poultry

industry.• Distinguished between breeds of

commercial chickens and turkeys.• Categorized poultry according to their

uses.• Explained the stages of commercial

chicken production.