1. The Poultry Industry Animal Agriculture

2. Key Terms #1 (www.m-w.com)  bantam  broiler (2, esp.)  drake  gaggle  gander  gosling  pullet  spent  strain (2a)

3. What are the major poultry birds?  Poultry is the group name for all domesticated birds used for meat, eggs, or feathers.  A. The main group of poultry is chickens. Chickens are the largest segment of the industry. These birds are raised for meat and eggs. Many types and breeds of chickens exist. Many chickens are raised in commercial settings.

4. What are the major poultry birds?  B. Turkeys are the second largest division of the poultry industry. Turkeys are raised for meat products. The meat from turkeys is consumed widely in the United States.  C. The third sector of the poultry industry is ducks. Meat, eggs, down, and feathers are the main products. Down is a soft, feathery covering that is under feathers. In the United States, ducks and duck products are not used or consumed as much as chickens and turkeys.

5. What are the major poultry birds?  D. Geese are raised for several reasons. Meat, eggs, feathers, and down are the main products from geese. Geese provide specialized meat/food products for special occasions.  E. Some other birds are classified as poultry but are not produced in numbers as large as the birds mentioned previously. These include peafowl, swans and guinea fowl.

6. What are the proper poultry terms?  To discuss poultry, familiarity with common terms is important.  A. Chickens are classified as layers or broilers. Layers are chickens used to produce large quantities of eggs. Some eggs are used for food, and other eggs are used to produce chicks.

7. What are the proper poultry terms? Spent hens are hens that are no longer laying. These hens will go to the meat market and will be used for processed foods. Soups and baked chicken commonly use meat from spent hens. Broilers are six- to seven-week-old chickens weighing about 4 pounds that are used for meat because they are tender.

8. What are the proper poultry terms?  B. Chickens are grouped by sex and age. A baby chicken of either sex is a chick. A young male chicken is a cockerel. A castrated (neutered) male chicken is a capon. A mature male chicken is a rooster. A young female chicken is a pullet. A mature female chicken is a hen, as is a mature female duck, turkey, or pheasant. A miniature chicken is a bantam. A group of chickens is a flock.

9. What are the proper poultry terms?  C. Turkeys are grouped by sex and age. An adult male turkey is a tom or a gobbler. A mature female is a hen. A young turkey of either sex is a poult. Commonly, a young turkey is called a tom poult or a hen poult. A group of turkeys is a flock.

10. What are the proper poultry terms?  D. Ducks have down that grows under the feathers. A drake is a mature male duck. A hen is a mature female duck. A duckling is a young duck of either sex.  E. A young goose is a gosling. A male goose at maturity is a gander. A female goose at maturity is a goose or a hen. When not flying, a group of geese is a gaggle.

11. What are the external parts of poultry?  Externally, most birds are very similar. Features on the head and neck help identify them. Breeds have different colored shanks, and pigments are different if the hen has been laying eggs. Male birds typically have larger head features, such as the knob in geese, the comb in chickens, and the beard in turkeys.

14. What are classes, breeds, and varieties of chickens?  There are more than 300 breeds and varieties of chickens.  A breed is a group of animals of the same origin with similar characteristics that differentiate them from other breeds within the same species.  A variety is a subdivision of a breed. With poultry, a variety may have a distinguishing color, a particular comb size or type, or a beard.

15. What are classes, breeds, and varieties of chickens?  A strain is a population within a variety that possesses common traits. Commercial poultry producers use strains for specific purposes in production.  A group of birds developed in the same geographic area is categorized as a particular class.

16. What are the advantages of poultry?  1. Capital investment is usually low compared to other livestock operations. In controlled environment operations, because of the birds’ size, little land or building space is required.  2. Caged birds decrease labor for the producer.  3. Current genetics have improved over the years, allowing for better production.  4. The opportunity exists to contract with a large company.

17. What are the advantages of poultry?  5. Producers provide wholesome poultry products to the consumer.  6. Jobs are provided throughout the industry.  7. Small flocks are still present, just not as many as 50 years ago. These operations serve as hobby farms. They have opportunities in niche markets for free-range birds.  8. Poultry provides opportunities for FFA and 4-H projects.

18. What are disadvantages of poultry?  1. Because of vertical integration, large operations have taken control of production in many segments of the poultry industry.  2. Large operations require increased capital investment.  3. Disease outbreaks can destroy an entire flock.  4. Nutritional diseases and deficiencies are common in poultry.  5. A small operation’s labor is higher than in other livestock ventures because of the cost of gathering eggs.

19. Who leads in poultry production, based on sales?  A. The leading states, based on poultry/egg cash receipts, are following:  (1) Georgia  (2) Arkansas  (3) Alabama  (4) North Carolina  (5) Mississippi  (6) Texas  (7) Delaware  (8) Missouri  (9) South Carolina  (10) Virginia

20. Who leads in poultry production, based on eggs?  (1) Iowa  (2) Ohio  (3) Indiana  (4) Pennsylvania  (5) California  (6) Texas  (7) Florida  (8) Nebraska  (9) Minnesota  (10) Georgia

21. Who leads in poultry production, based on meat?  Meat Chickens:  (1) Georgia  (2) Arkansas  (3) Alabama  (4) North Carolina  (5) Mississippi  (6) Texas  (7) Delaware  (8) Missouri  (9) South Carolina  (10) Virginia Meat Turkeys: (1) Minnesota (2) North Carolina (3) Arkansas (4) Virginia (5) Missouri (6) California (7) Indiana (8) Pennsylvania (9) South Carolina (10)Iowa

22. Who leads in poultry production, in the World? Chicken Meat Nations: (1) United States (2) Brazil (3) Mexico (4) India (5) United Kingdom (6) Spain (7) Indonesia (8) Japan (9) France (10) Russia Chicken Egg Nations: 1.China 2.United States 3.India 4.Japan 5.Russia 6.Mexico 7.Brazil 8.France 9.Indonesia 10.Turkey

23. How does the industry affect the economy?  Vertical integration has allowed the poultry industry to increase large-sized farms and to produce more poultry products by reducing labor and by improving overall efficiency.  The poultry industry has gained acceptance from health-conscious people who eat more chicken because of its leanness and nutritional value.

24. How does the industry affect the economy?  A. Approximately 99 percent of all broilers are produced under contract. Company-owned farms have allowed producers to reduce costs and improve efficiency through scientific advancements, improved technology, and greater management/health control. All stages are controlled to utilize resources and facilities with maximum efficiency in the production of more uniform birds. Controlled environmental buildings have allowed improved feed conversions and better livability.

25. How does the industry affect the economy?  B. Avian influenza has had a huge impact on the poultry industry and will continue to do so. Poultry industry groups educate the public and media to ensure the safety and quality of U.S. poultry products. Poultry imports to the United States are minimal, with Canada being our main supplier. The United States continues to be a huge exporter of quality, healthy poultry products.

26. How does the industry affect the economy?  C. Poultry niche markets are becoming popular in urban areas. The demand for free-range, antibiotic-free, and/or organic birds/eggs is increasing. Organic consumers want more poultry products. Specialized farms are growing in numbers to meet the demand.

27. How does the industry affect the economy? As the poultry industry continues to provide high- quality meat and egg products, demands for poultry will remain strong, and exports will rise. Poultry industry groups, such as the National Chicken Council and the American Egg Board, will have to meet the challenges of continuing education for consumers and producers.

28. Review  True/False Review Exercise Due __________ at __________ of class Work time: ________________________ If true, write “True” If false, re-write as a true statement.  Use an complete sentence.