ARAG 205 - Lectures 3, 4, 5.

• Types of poultry include:

  • Ratites (Ostriches, Emus)
  • Chickens
  • Ducks
  • Geese
  • Turkeys
  • Game Birds
  • Pigeons
• Pigeons are also known as "Thoroughbreds of the Sky" and are used in Pigeon Racing, where they use their "homing" instinct to return home to their "lofts"
• Chickens make up the largest sector of the poultry industry, with consumption rising worldwide due to chicken being low in fat, high in protein, and low in cholesterol compared to pork and beef
• There is a strong negative genetic correlation between body weight and egg production in poultry, leading to the development of layers hens for eggs and broilers for meat
• White Leghorns are used for egg production and produce white eggs, while New Hampshire Reds are used for meat and eggs, producing brown eggs
• The difference between brown and white eggs is purely cosmetic, with the color difference due to the breed of the hen
• Broilers are chickens raised for meat, reaching market weight at 5-6 weeks of age and weighing around 1.7 kg
• In broiler production, the genetic selection has focused on growth rate and feed efficiency, resulting in hybrids like Cornish-cross chickens
• Layers are mature female chickens that produce eggs, with most laying around 300 eggs per year
• A capon is a male chicken that has been neutered/castrated, usually weighing about 6 pounds and known for more tender and flavorful meat
• Eggs are expelled from the hen's body and the embryo develops outside the mother's body, with eggs encased in a hard shell and weighing several ounces
• Egg production process begins with the release of the ovum (yolk) from the ovary, with only the left ovary and oviduct being functional in birds
• Incubation of eggs takes about 21 days, with chicks being removed from the incubator, sexed, and separated into groups for further development
• In layer production, hens can lay almost 330 eggs per year, with over 90% of eggs produced by layers in cages
• Most eggs sold are white, and lighting is used in commercial operations to stimulate hormonal activity in hens to increase egg production
• Eggs are graded according to size and checked for cracks and interior spots by candling in the layer industry
• Eggs are coated with a thin coat of mineral oil to prevent carbon dioxide from escaping and are graded according to size and quality
• Eggs are laid naturally when the days are longer than the nights, with most operations allowing 14-16 hours of light per day to stimulate egg production
• As eggs are laid, they roll onto a conveyor belt for cleaning and refrigeration in the layer industry
• The most famous broiler companies in the world are ROSS and COBB, with broilers being raised for meat and reaching market weight at 5-7 weeks of age
• Broilers are raised in large houses designed to provide optimal environmental conditions for their comfort, with lighting used to reduce cannibalism
• The broiler production process begins with the production of eggs that will be hatched into chicks, with parents selected for large and muscular breeds
• Broilers are hybrids derived from mating different breeds, resulting in healthier offspring with higher productivity
• Broilers are mainly white, as colored birds have pigmentation spots in their skin that are undesirable to consumers
• Chicks are vaccinated and beaks trimmed at one day old to prevent cannibalism, then placed in ventilated cardboard boxes for transportation to the broiler house
• Chicks are kept in the broiler house for 5-7 weeks, with those kept for 4-5 weeks weighing about 1.7 kg before being sent to the processing plant
• The bedding from the broiler house, high in nitrogen, can be used as fertilizer or a protein source in cattle rations
• Eggs are stored at 21-26°C until placed in the hatchery, with the embryo developing a circulatory system within 48 hours of incubation beginning
• By the end of the first week of incubation, embryos are recognizable as chickens, with incubation taking about 21 days
• After hatching, chicks are removed from the incubator, dried off, cleaned, and placed in a warm, dry environment for further development
• Chicks are sexed and separated into groups, with sexing important for layers as only females are used for egg production
• In layer production, eggs are laid naturally when the days are longer than the nights, with most operations allowing 14-16 hours of light per day to stimulate egg production
• Eggs are coated with mineral oil to prevent carbon dioxide from escaping and are graded according to size and quality
• Eggs are graded according to size and checked for cracks and interior spots by candling
• Broiler Houses

  • generally lighted 24 hours a day, helps cut down on cannibalism
• Spent hen - a hen that starts molting and

  is no longer laying eggs.
• Cockerel - a male chicken that is less than

  1 year old.
• Capon - a male chicken that has

  been neutered/castrated, usually 5 to 7 months of age and weigh about 6 pounds. By castrating these males when they are 3 weeks old, their meat is more tender and more flavorful when the bird matures.
• Rooster - a mature male chicken

  over 1 year old.
• What is a broiler?

  The term broiler refers to chickens which are about 5-7 weeks of age and are raised for meat