Feed Efficiency of Pastured Poultry Systems.ppt

Feed Efficiency of Pastured Poultry Systems Michael Seipel, Joy Chisholm, Catherine Zivnuska, (Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri) And David Trott (University of Wisconsin-Madison) What is Pastured Poultry? Pastured poultry: used to describe a variety of production systems in which the birds (chickens, turkeys, etc.) have access to forage Salatin pen: an open-bottomed pen, moved daily to fresh pasture Day-range system: semi-permanent shelter with a large yard enclosed with electric netting, inside which the chickens forage Other systems: yarding, modified free-range, chicken tractor Growing Interest in Pastured Poultry Interest from both farmers and consumers in alternative production and marketing systems Low-input approach to poultry production Offers ecological, agronomic (fertilizer), and health benefits Reduced feed costs due to foraging (?) Poultry producer Joel Salatin: broilers raised on pasture consume 30% less feed than broilers raised on free choice feed alone Yet, there has been little interest from poultry scientists in researching pasture production systems There is a need for both on-farm and university-sponsored research to provide information to improve pasture production operations Research Question How does the feed conversion rate and total weight gain of broilers differ in alternative pastured poultry systems and confinement systems? Methods and Procedure Research began in Spring 2001, due to student interest, with subsequent trials conducted in the Spring Fall of 2002 2003 Cornish x White Rock broilers at 3 weeks of age were ranked and assigned by weight to one of these groups (approx. 50 birds per group): Inside: Raised in indoor pen with straw bedding on a dirt floor (Spring 2001-Fall 2002) “Salatin”: Raised in a 10’x12’ “Salatin-style” pen, moved daily to fresh pasture (all trials) Day-Range: Allowed to forage within a yard daily and confined to a house at night; House moved weekly to a new location (Fall 2002 Fall 2003)