AVS 101 1st Edition Lecture 20Poultry & Egg ProductionPoultry & Egg Industry US produces 187 million eggs per day Approximately 15 million tons of meat Leading states: CA, IN, PA, & GA Egg laying Avg. 5 eggs/week/bird250 eggs/yr./birdTypes of Operations Commercial à 100,000 – 2 million birds Small commerical à 5,000 – 100,000 birds Farm flock à less than 5,000Egg/Broiler Industry is Big Business Goal is not to produce as many eggs as possible Produce with as little production costs as possibleManagement Raised in closed, environmentally-controlled houses Control light cycle14-16 hrs light, 8-10 hrs dark Cage layer operationTotal mechanization Feed, water, manure, egg collection6-12 birds/cage (8 optimum)US allows more crowding Eggs have lower microbial contamination Pecking order established quickly Mortality rate equal to or lower than floor system Disturbance will not cause suffocationThese notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor’s lecture. GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes, not as a substitute. Flock health more manageable Bone fragility higher Increased respiratory risk Birds produce for one year then sold Forced molting (rest period)Cut down on foodCut down on light 8 hoursLose feathers, grow new onesIncrease light & foodCrowding Cannibalism Social order – pecking orderPrevention Red light Blinders Debeaking – prevent cloacal cannibalismEgg Shell More than one layer Calcium carbonate Membrane – allows passage of gas Air for chick Bigger the air cell, less fresh the egg Brown shells slightly thickerAlbumen (white) AlbumenChalazae• Prevents yolk from sticking to shell• Shock absorber• Fresh egg – yolk sets high• Haugh meter – measures albumen in haugh unitsYolk Prominent, brightly colored Blood spots Meat spots – only in brown eggs, pigment, not meat Eggs are candled for evaluationGrading – USDA recognize AA A = go to processed food (cake mixes, dog food, etc.) B C Dirty – fecal material shell Check – crack in shell but not in shell membrane Leaker – leakage through membraneRaising Poultry Meat Cage Floor Placed in restricted area with food & water Increase area as they grow Feed & water are suspendedPoultry Meat Industry Broilers & fryers are the sameBroiler – 8-9 weeks Roaster is an older broilerRoaster – 10 +
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