Specialty Breeds
for Natural and Organic Poultry Production
Natural poultry producers raise poultry in alternative production
Extensive, outdoor systems
“Pastured poultry”
Niche Market Sales
Natural
Free range
Organic
Ethnic/live
Natural/Organic Producers Use Conventional Poultry Breeds
7 weeks indoors
8 weeks on pasture
What is “Cornish Cross?”
Cornish x White Rock
Cornish male line provides breast weight, conformation
Rock female line provides good reproduction
Breeding Companies
Broilers
Parents
Grandparents
Great Grandparents
Pedigree
Selected pedigree
Non-selected pedigree Great Grandparents
A male
B female
C male
D female
AB male
CD female
ABCD broiler
PS
GP
GGP
Four-Way Cross
Source: Emmert, Jason. University of Arkansas
Crossing
Crossing produces hybrid vigor
Breeding companies only sell products with crossed lines for security reasons
Using Fast-Growing Broilers
Poultry companies buy parent stock, contract growers raise
parents (broiler breeders), and hatch commercial chicks
Breeding companies offer manuals on how to raise and feed
parents
Sell in large numbers
Commercial chicks are readily available from small independent
hatcheries
Sold as fast-growing meat birds or roasters
Used in pastured production
Sample strains:
Fast-Growth Issues
Pros:
High efficiency and yield; capacity to eat
Carcass conformation
Cons:
Metabolic
Ascites
Body grows faster than organs
Mortality
Leg pathology
Lameness, tibia dyscondroplasia
Behavior
Animal welfare issues
Slowing Down Fast Broilers
Restrict feed
Under-formulate feed
Lighting programs
Raise on pasture
Raise only females
Raise slower strains such as roaster lines
Pastured Poultry Comment about Fast Broilers:
“My experience is the larger Cornish Cross are poor pasture chickens.
They barely stand up, walk very little and mostly sit near the feeder.
They eat very little grass, don't dig or scratch. They are not a
pleasure to watch. They do get BIG, however, but I have found they
do not have great taste, since they don't range much. They also have
health problems and die in hot weather or when they reach about 12
weeks old. I have had them several times, but always wished I had
not. They will reach up to 10 pounds dressed, if feed properly and
kept alive for 12 or more weeks.”
(Anon. 2003. Re: Broilers vs. cornish cross. E-mail posting to
PasturePoultry listserver. June 19).
Alternative Broilers
Slow-Growing Broilers
5 lbs. live weight in 12 weeks
Used in Label Rouge and organic production in Europe
Label Rouge
Organic production
Used internationally
International breeding companies
SASSO
Hubbard-ISA
Kabir
Domestic
Typical SASSO
Label Rouge
Black, naked neck
JA 57
ISA P6 N
Shaver Redbro
Isacolor
Hubbard-ISA Females
Colored & Gourmet Package
Www.hubbard-isa.com
Fast-growing males: I77, I99, I22, I89, Colorpac
Medium-growing males: Redbro, Mastergris, � Gris Barre
Slow-growing males:
I66 (red feathers, white underfeathers, white shank)
S77 (red feathers, yellow shank)
S86 (black feathers, white shank)
Add N for naked neck
Hubbard-ISA Males
Typical Hubbard-ISA �Gourmet Parents
Male
Female
S757N Offspring
Specialty Broilers
Geographically protected genetics
Poulet de Bresse
“Poultry of kings”
AOC
Specialty production
Milk finished
Blue shanks
Poulet de Bresse preparation
U.S. slow-growing broiler:
Rainbow Breeder Company
Medium-Growing Broilers
9-10 weeks to reach 5 lbs liveweight
International
SASSO
Hubbard-ISA
Domestic
Hubbard-ISA
U.S. Medium-growing broilers:
Silver Cross (Kosher king): Henry Noll
Buff Silvers vs Barred Silvers: Reich
Cebe Red or Cebe Black: Joe Cebe
Hall Brothers Hatchery
Redbro
Canadian hatchery
www.freedomrangers.com
Importation
Quarantine for live birds (except Canada)
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)
import permit
Certificate from a government vet
Quarantine is 30 days at USDA centers in Los Angeles,
New York, and Miami (or private)
Quarantine usually required on hatching eggs
Quarantine the hatched chicks for 30 days
Very Slow-Growing Broilers (Heritage Breeds)
See types on Internet (www.feathersite.com)
Heritage breeds not selected for commercial meat production
anymore
Conservation:
American Livestock Breeds Conservancy
Turkeys: An American advantage
Native to the Americas
Slow-growing
Naturally mating; AI not required
Heritage
Geographical ties
Naragansett—MA
Bourbon Red—Kentucky
Some lines selected for meat production
Slow-growing Turkeys
Bourbon Red Royal Palm
Narrangansett Eastern Wild
White Holland Broad-breasted
Black Spanish Blue Slate
�
Layers
No commercial layers for floor production or in large flocks
Aggressive behavior (pecking, cannibalism)
Laying habits
Duck
Geese
Guineafowl
Behavior of Slow-Growing Breeds
Slow-growing breeds when fed a low spec ration are “moderately
active”
Fast-growing breeds are “inactive”
Active breeds are needed to make good use of forage
Mortality
In Europe, mortality of slow broilers is low
Welfare issues related to breed
Fast growth health problems
Fast-growing broilers can suffer in natural ventilation
Restrict feeding
Meat Quality
Selection for fast-growth and high yield has likely affected sensory
and functional qualities (Le Bihan-Duval, 2003)
More research has been done with hogs (PSE)
Future Selection Programs
Commercial traits
(fast efficient growth and breast yield)
Consumer concerns
Reduce mortality, reduce skeletal and metabolic disorders
minimize pecking behavior, improve disease resistance
Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution
Meat quality and texture, taste and leanness
Future natural/organic broiler can perform with:
An all-vegetable diet (no animal by-products)
Diets that do not include synthetic amino acids
Non-optimized diets
More open housing, uncontrolled environment
No coccidiostats
Slower growth
Stronger immunity
Disease-resistant birds will not need drugs or vaccines
Antibiotic-free chickens
Fast feathering
Good feathering provides insulation, protection from nicks
Feather sexing
Meat quality traits
Genetics adapted to particular regions
Using Slow-Growing Broilers
Feed less protein and less energy
No need to restrict feed
Maintain health status
Different vaccinations than fast broilers
Boosters
Fast vs. Slow Broilers
Fast-grower:
Superior efficiency and yield, body conformation
Not active forager, metabolic problems, welfare issues
Slow-grower:
Addresses consumer issues, adapted for outdoor production
Good forager, more flavor and texture
More expensive to raise
Color of pinfeathers
Obtaining Stock
Hatcheries
Regional
Using the postal service is a disadvantage
Air shipping issues
Product
Known genetics
Report what the parents are
Most hatcheries buy hatching eggs on open market from
brokers
A few hatcheries raise parent stock
Very few have own breeding program
Specialty breeds
Pastured breeders: www.shadylanepoultry.com
Straight run or sexed birds
Straight run
May be cheaper
Variety of sizes to sell
Sexual dimorphism
Differences in performance and meat quality
Males gain faster; more problems with leg disorders and mortality
Females have higher breast yield
Males are more aggressive; need sufficient feeder space
Hatchery Health Status:
National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP)
Program for hatcheries to be certified free of hatchery-
disseminated diseases such as pullorum,
or bacillary white diarrhea, and fowl typhoid
Active control programs
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/npip/
General sanitation
Other Hatchery Issues
Service (promptness in shipping, refunds)
Price
Listing of hatcheries in U.S.
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/npip/
http://www.poultryconnection.com/hatchery.html.
Listing of specialty hatcheries
See “Poultry Genetics for Pastured Production”
ATTRA 1-800-346-9140