Latest trends in US poultry production - World Nutrition Forum (Biomin)

 

By Nick DALE 

 

 

US poultry production has increased in an almost linear fashion since the end of World War II.

 

This development can be attributed to a number of factors, including intensive production of grain and oil seeds, dramatic improvements in both genetics and nutrition of poultry, the public perception of poultry as a "healthy" meat, and at least initially the underdeveloped economic status of regions in the South which were in need of a dynamic new industry.

 

At present the consumption of chicken meat in the United States is approximately 40kg with a total production of approximately 16 million tonnes annually.

 

Of this, 15 percent is exported.

 

While the poultry industry in the United States has been extremely successful during the past half century, a number of challenges are appearing which will require increasing attention.

 

As these challenges facing the United States poultry industry may be shared by poultry producers in other countries, these issues will receive primary emphasis in this presentation.

 

The relatively high levels of metabolizable energy traditionally used in poultry feeds in the United States has been based on an abundance of attractively priced grains and fats.

 

However, the future abundance of these feed ingredients can no longer be assured. The value of a commodity will be dictated by relative values if more than one possible use is apparent. For many centuries the energy in grains has been employed to support animal agriculture.

 

Specifically, the energy in starch and other components of grain has been harnessed to convert plant protein into meat and eggs. Due to the world wide abundance of grain this conversion could be accomplished at a cost low enough to permit a dramatic increase in the human consumption of animal proteins.

 

Unfortunately, this is being threatened on a massive scale by the simple laws of competitive economics. The dramatic increase in the price of petroleum has encouraged the conversion of traditional sources of energy for animal agriculture into motor fuels.

 

Policies in the United States have strongly encouraged the conversion of corn into ethanol, posing a challenge for not only the poultry industry but most of the meat industries as well.

 

The article further highlights other future challenges such as competition from foreign countries, most notably Brazil. Other challenges include the highest costs inherent in production systems in the US.

 

The PR battle that poultry producers have to wage against negative perceptions of chickens grown from hormones is also another hurdle US chicken producers have to overcome. Still, the fact that the poultry industry has made great strides in improving hygiene and its immunity from poultry diseases so far has kept the industry humming.  

 

For more of the article, please click here.

 

Article made possible through the contribution of World Nutrition Forum (Biomin).