Courtesy of Joshua Daniel, 2014 POULTRY HISTORY AND INDUSTRY

HISTORY OF POULTRY DOMESTICATION Origin of chicken - Jungle Fowl (Southeast Asia - India) Domestication of chicks in East Asia – 7,500 years ago Earliest record of poultry – 3200 BC in India Reason for initial domestication - rooster fighting (1 st spectator sport)

Ancient Chinese Egg Incubator Egyptians designed egg incubators Incubated eggs about 100˚F Someone would estimate temperature with skin, worked well Used incubator for chicks to provide heat

USE OF CHICKENS IN EARLY AMERICA Small backyard flocks used for eggs, not meat (may kill 1 or 2 for Sunday dinner) Women of house tended the flocks Chickens were a status symbol, breeding was an “in” thing to do

BIRTH OF THE BROILER INDUSTRY Cecile (Wilmer) Steele – pioneer of the poultry industry Ocean View Maryland, 1923 Ordered 50 baby chicks, but they sent her 500 Sold them as fryers when they weighed about 2 lbs By 1926 she had expanded and had approximately 10,000 birds

INFANCY OF THE BROILER INDUSTRY World War II boosted broiler production in the US Delmarva (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia)– but all the poultry produced was to be sent to armed forces GA was 2 nd with 10 million broilers Red meat was rationed – poultry was not Chicken started being a part of everyday diet – not just for Sunday Dinner

ADOLESCENCE OF THE BROILER INDUSTRY After World War II, chicken consumption continued to increase No longer used “dual purpose” birds, genetic selection was for birds for meat or egg production The southern states (esp. Georgia) expanded in broiler production

ADOLESCENCE OF THE BROILER INDUSTRY Vertical integration of the industry made chicken more readily available to consumers Vertical integration is combining two or more stages of an industry under one management and ownership Hatchery Processing Feedmill Growout Breeding

The Poultry Industry Continues to Develop New Value-Added Products Today there are over 3,000 different chicken products on the market Prepared by: Georgia Poultry Federation Source: USDA & National Chicken Council

1. Quick return on money invested Egg Chick Broiler 21 days(3wks) 6-7 wks 21 days(3wks) 6-7 wks sexually mature chicken ( wks(6 mo)) 2. Birds are excellent (efficient) at turning grain into meat 3. Current public perception is that white meat is more healthy (pork uses “the other white meat”) 4. Research/extension Growth of the Poultry Industry:

FEED CONVERSIONS PER POUND Product/AnimalFCR* Broiler Chickens Eggs2.0 Beef 6.5 Pork3.0 *FCR=Feed Conversion Ratio or # of feed required to get 1 lb. of body weight or eggs

PRICE OF CHICKEN - AFFORDABLE Year$/lb – 1.29

Top 5 chicken producing states 1. Georgia 2. Arkansas 3. Alabama 4. Mississippi 5. North Carolina

Industry developed in the south because: Industry developed in the south because: Warm Weather Warm Weather Close to some grain sources Close to some grain sources Cheap housing Cheap housing Abundant labor Abundant labor Much cheaper to cool with fans than to heat with gas Much cheaper to cool with fans than to heat with gas

If Georgia were a country, it would be the fifth largest in Broiler Production United States 16,162 China 10,359 Brazil 9,280 Mexico 2,610 GEORGIA 2,200 India 2,000 United Kingdom 1,359 France 1,233 Argentina 1,210 Japan 1,199 (1,000 metric tons produced in 2006) Prepared by: Georgia Poultry Federation Source: USDA/FAS & FAOSTATS

The Largest Segment of Georgia Agriculture 2006 Farm Cash Receipts -- Percent Total by Commodity Prepared by: Georgia Poultry Federation Source: Georgia Agricultural Statistics Service Georgia’s Gigantic Poultry Industry

Egg production 30% further processed (cake mixes) 30% further processed (cake mixes) 55% retail () 55% retail ( table eggs ) 15% food service (restaurants) 15% food service (restaurants) 0.6% exportation 0.6% exportation The U.S. can produce eggs cheaper than anywhere else in the world Egg Operations: 1975 – 1975 – 10, – 1999 – 750 Big loss of family farms

Franklin Habersham Madison Banks Jackson Hart Hall Carroll Colquitt Gilmer $365,082,273 $303,088,348 $277,095,800 $268,252,032 $256,909,207 $255,622,922 $239,385,960 $222,558,944 $222,120,427 $189,984,359 TOP TEN BROILER PRODUCERS BY COUNTY

Industry Breakdown In Oglethorpe Oglethorpe CoGeorgiaAvg. County Total Farm Gate Value of production, 2011$249,181,793$12,953,313,087$81,467,378 Poultry/eggs value$175,692,430$5,468,931,372$34,395,795

1. Animal Welfare 1. Molting 2. Crowded houses 3. Catching, processing, 4. Anthropomorphism 2. Environmental Pollution 1. Ammonia 2. Phosphorous 3. Antibiotic use Hot issues in poultry production:

More is known about nutrition of poultry than any other species, including humans More is known about nutrition of poultry than any other species, including humans Vitamin, mineral, and amino acids were discovered with the help of chickens Vitamin, mineral, and amino acids were discovered with the help of chickens