ANSC 1001 Lecture 24: Poultry breeding and management
Document Summary
Variety: similar feather color/type of comb (chickens of various varieties can be the same breed) Lack of broodiness (laying hens that hide their eggs and sit on them, making them uncollectable a lot of the time) Broilers with white feathers do not have as much spotting on the skin. Consumers prefer buying chicken with no spotting. Average live weight has increased over time. Feed conversion has decreased (less food needed to get poultry to gain weight, which is more efficient and better for business) Changes in nutrition, changes in feeding, changes in genetics. Age has decreased from about 112 days to 46 days. Contract with breeders that raise broilers just with a certain company - all in one company rather than many. Generations of birds belong to one company. More control over how the birds are being raised. 92% of market share owned by 4 companies.
