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Organic Poultry Production in the U.S.

Organic Poultry Production in the U.S. Anne Fanatico National Center for Appropriate Technology. Organic Broiler Market. Meat/fish/poultry category was fastest-growing organic category at 29% in 2006. OTA’s Manufacturer Survey, 2006 and 2007. Certified Organic Young Chicken

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Organic Poultry Production in the U.S.

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  1. Organic Poultry Productionin the U.S. Anne Fanatico National Center for Appropriate Technology

  2. Organic Broiler Market Meat/fish/poultry category was fastest-growing organic category at 29% in 2006 OTA’s Manufacturer Survey, 2006 and 2007

  3. Certified Organic Young Chicken (price per pound delivered to first receivers) Item Cents/Pound Mostly -------------------------------------------------------------- Whole Broiler/Fryer 196 – 300 201 - 214 Boneless/Skinless Breast 575 – 716 660 - 684 Bone-in Breast 360 - 421 367 - 376 Whole Legs 188 – 219 199 - 209 Thighs 199 - 245 209 - 211 Whole Wings Too Few Too Few -------------------------------------------------------------- Source: USDA/AMS Poultry Programs, Market News Branch, Atlanta, GA 404.562.5850 http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/AJ_PY050.txt June 30, 2008

  4. Organic Chicken Prices, Retail Source: http://www.ams.usda.gov/poultry/pymn.htm

  5. Organic Broiler Production by State 2005 Number of birds per year Source: USDA ERS

  6. Organic Poultry Meat Companies • Petaluma Poultry (CA): Rosie brand; first certified poultry in US • Eberly (PA) • Organic Valley (WI) • MBA Poultry (NE): Smart Chicken brand; uses air-chill process

  7. 2005 Organic Layer Production by State Number of birds per year Source: USDA ERS

  8. Organic Egg Companies • Braswell Foods • Horizon • Organic Valley • Eggland’s Best • Chino Valley Ranchers • Egg Innovations

  9. Organic Processed Egg Companies Braswell Farmer’s Organic Food Chino Valley Ranchers Whites Yolks Whole egg Frozen salted yolks Frozen sugared yolks Dried products

  10. Organic Farming Not just “chemical-free farming”Goals of conventional and organic livestock production differ • Conventional focus • Maximize production • efficiency and profitability • Weight gain • Short growing period • High yield • Good feed efficiency • Organic focus • Animal health • Animal welfare • Environmental practices • Product quality

  11. USDA National Organic Program (NOP) Relatively new program in U.S. Established 2002 Livestock standards “Descriptive” rather than “prescriptive” Accredited certifying agencies certify that producers/processors comply with standards Interpretations are generally uniform, but some differences Note that numbers/quantities used in this presentation are generalizations; check with certifying agency for specifics

  12. Types of Organic Poultry Operations Large-scale, intensive Eggs (pullets are placed at 18 wk in laying house) Meat (broilers raised to 7-8 wk in US) Small-scale, part of diversified farm Eggs or meat, sometimes dual-purpose

  13. Vertically Integrated Companies • Most conventional broilers, layers, and turkeys are raised by • vertically integrated companies or “integrators” in US • One company owns hatcheries, production flocks, • feed mill, processing plant, etc. • Production is usually contracted to contract growers • who own houses (high capital) and provide labor • Vertical integration is common in large-scale organic production • Independent Operations • Small operations are independent

  14. Housing and Living Conditions Environment that accommodates health and natural behavior of animals, shade, shelter, exercise areas, fresh air, direct sunlight No cages Access to outdoors No stocking density limit or restriction on flock size However, certifying agencies usually look for low density (at least 1.5 ft2 per bird)* * Check with certifying agency for specifics

  15. Layers Floor production Aviaries

  16. Wide range of production systems used in U.S. From large poultry houses with few popholes; limited access to outdoors; small yards

  17. To small portable houses • Fresh pasture • Houses moved frequently • Yards rotated • Low stocking density on • small farms

  18. Small European systems

  19. Outdoor Access Temporary confinement is allowed For inclement weather, stage of production, conditions under which health or safety are jeopardized, or risk to soil or water quality NOP does not specify length of time birds require outdoor access NOP does not specify type of surface in outdoor area

  20. Birds must be able to • express natural behaviors • Dust baths • Perches (6 in. per hen)* • Nestboxes • Individual (up to 5 hens per box)* • Communal (about 11 hens/ft2)* *Check with certifying agency for specifics

  21. Ventilation is often natural due to open bird doorways • Lighting • Limits on the use of artificial lighting • NOP has no specific requirements for dark period • Most certifiers look for 8 h of dark* • Light intensity • Many certifiers require a relatively high level of light • High welfare standards require at least 2 footcandles* • (Humane Farm Animal Care, 2004) • Natural light *Check with certifying agency for specifics

  22. Litter does not have to be organic, • unless birds eat it • Waste must not contribute to • environmental contamination • Poultry manure • Composting poultry litter: • Must meet NOP compost requirements to be applied to • organic crops • If allowing poultry to forage in crops, orchards, restrictions apply • Raw manure cannot be applied to crops • Within 90 days of harvest • Within 120 days if edible part of crop not in contact with soil

  23. Poultry Health • Use proactive practices • Reduce stress and maintain immune system • Provide adequate housing and space, ventilation, and • good nutrition • Vaccines are allowed to prevent disease • Prevent the introduction of disease • Biosecurity • Sanitation • All-in, all-out with 2-week downtime • Treatment used as a last resort • Alternatives

  24. Attention to animal welfare practices; • many organic broiler companies also participate in welfare • assurance programs • Mortality often higher in organic broiler production in US than • conventional; necrotic enteritis can be a problem

  25. Vaccination Programs Broilers (meat birds) Marek’s Newcastle Infectious bronchitis Infectious bursal disease Coccidiosis Administered at hatch and/or 10-14 days of age Make sure eggs or chicks are not injected with antibiotics Broiler Breeders and Layers Combination of modified live vaccines Followed by injectable inactivated vaccines

  26. Coccidiosis Management focus Sanitation, separate older/ younger birds, expose young birds gradually Pasture should be clean Rotate pasture with fencing or by moving house Anti-coccidial drugs not permitted; coccidial vaccines used Necropsy dead or sick poultry for information

  27. Biosecurity • Special considerations with birds with outdoor • access, especially concerning avian influenza (AI) • Key: Reduce contact with wild waterfowl • Birds with outdoor access should not share areas with wild • ducks, geese, or shorebirds • Being close to wetlands or flyways is a risk factor • Make sure free-range areas do not have attractions for wild • waterfowl (i.e. pond). Use feeders that do not attract wild • waterfowl • Consider covering feed area with netting or keeping • feeders/waterers inside • In extreme situations, be prepared to cover entire yard with • netting or to enclose birds under roofed cover

  28. Farm Sanitation • Materials permitted for disinfection and • sanitation of farm premises and equipment • Chlorine materials • Iodine • Hydrogen peroxide • Peracetic acid • Waterlines • Flushed with organic acids • Sanitized with iodine or hydrogen peroxide • Small flocks often use open waterers; may get dirty

  29. Rodent Control • Habitat reduction • Physical exclusion from facilities and feed • Trapping • Predators • Limited rodenticides • Cholecalciferol • Sulfur dioxide as underground • smoke bomb

  30. External Parasite Control Preventative measures Provide dustbathing substrates: dirt, wood ashes, diatomaceous earth Apply natural oils (i.e. linseed oil) to roosts Treat with natural insecticides Pyrethrum and components pyrethrins are botanical extracts

  31. Enteric diseases • Replacing antibiotic growth promotants (AGP) • Probiotics • Beneficial microbes that use competitive exclusion • to outcompete pathogens Salmonella and E. coli • Prebiotics • Nondigestible feed ingredients for beneficial microbes • (lactose) • Prevent pathogens from adhering to enterocytes (manno- • oligosaccharides or MOS) • Organic acids

  32. Alternative Treatments Immune enhancement Antioxidants Botanicals Oregano Rosemary Garlic

  33. Physical Alterations • Allowed if essential to welfare • Make sure layers do not have bare patches that indicate pecking • Beak Trimming • If necessary: • Welfare programs require beak trimming be done before 10 days • of age, using humane methods: • Hot blade method • New methods: microwave (beak exposed to short burst of high • intensity light)

  34. Prevent Feather Pecking Pullets that feather peck during rearing will continue as layers Raise pullets on litter (not in cages or slats) Provide perches Scatter grain as pecking incentive Roughage, hung or in baskets Use low stocking density, including first weeks of life Flocks that feather pecked were at a density of 3.2 chick/ft2 (flocks that did not were at only 2 chicks/ft2) Outdoor access should be provided as soon as possible (Bestman and Wagenaar, 2006)

  35. Molt • Molt extends productive lives of layers; fewer layers needed • Molt can be forced with molt diet and dark • NOP has no specific standards on forced molting; generally • certifiers do not permit • Natural molt is not as efficient as forced molt but maintains • high welfare • Ideally, layers should be kept for 2-3 years (Thear, 1997)

  36. Broilers Birds should be able to walk Gait score (0 to 5): 4s and 5s culled Incidence of metabolic problems should be low Mortality should not be over 5-10% in broilers

  37. Animal Welfare • Cornerstone of organic philosophy • Independent programs • Certified Humane (Humane Farm Animal Care) • American Humane Certified (American Humane Association) • Animal Welfare Approved (Animal Welfare Institute) • Industry programs also

  38. Stock Origin of poultry There are no organic hatcheries in U.S. Chicks must be raised under organic management from day 2 Breeds Breeds should be chosen for resistance to disease and appropriateness to site However, conventional genetics usually used in U.S. Birds grow to market weight in less than 8 wk High breast yield High-yielding meat birds may be subject to metabolic and leg problems

  39. In EU organic, slow-growing meat birds are used Minimum age at slaughter: Chicken: 81 days Turkey: 140 days

  40. Sample of expected performance of slow-growing birds Hubbard

  41. Layers Commercial layers were developed for caged production Need for genetics for floor production or in large flocks Reduce aggressive behavior (pecking, cannibalism) Commercial hybrid layers lay over 300 eggs per year Osteoporosis can be a problem; bone fractures, breaks See pullet houses as well as laying houses, unless raised by pullet specialist

  42. Standard Breeds Used by small producers Ex. Barred Rock Cornish

  43. University of Arkansas Trial Fast-growing were more efficient meat producers with higher weight gains, better feed efficiency, higher carcass and breast yield Slow-growing had better livability with lower mortality, better leg health, more active Meat had more vitamins; more flavor Fanatico et al. (2007; 2008)

  44. Feed • Feed rations must provide levels of protein, • energy, minerals and vitamins appropriate • to type of bird and age/stage of development; • Important in monogastrics to prevent • nutritional deficiencies • In US, usually corn/soy based • Only 100% organic feeds allowed • No antibiotics, animal slaughter by-products, or genetically-modified organisms are allowed • Feed processing must be in certified organic mill

  45. Feed Additives • Synthetic substances can be used in micro amounts • (i.e., vitamins, minerals) • Feed Supplements • Natural substances used in larger amounts to improve • nutrient balance; examples: • Fishmeal • Oyster shell • Enzymes • Probiotics • Do not have to be organic; • but cannot be GMO or have • prohibited substances • (ethoxyquine)

  46. Forage and Pasture Must be organic Pasture must be free of synthetic materials for at least 3 years Seeded with organic seeds Weeds managed with cultural practices not synthetics Any roughage or sprouted grains must be organic

  47. Feeding Organic Poultry Organic feed is expensive; up to triple the cost of conventional Feed is about 2/3 of the production costs 100 hens eat 25 lb feed per day Broiler feed conversion ratio is 2:1

  48. Outdoor feeding Covered, bulk feeders Sometimes whole grains

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