Recipient Organization
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY
820 CHESTNUT ST
JEFFERSON CITY,MO 651023537
Performing Department
Agriculture
Non Technical Summary
This proposal is designed to examine the feasibility of using heritage breeds in profitable and sustainable pasture-based poultry production on small farms.While there is a rapidly growing market for specialty poultry production using alternative genotypes and management systems, a substantial portion of this market is occupied by small- or medium-sized producers. In particular, micro-commercial pastured poultry production, which includes farms keeping below 3,000 laying hens or 20,000 broilers (Elkhoraibiet al 2017). Unfortunately, little published data is availableregarding alternative production systems and the growth and production parameters for alternative genotypes like slow-growing meat strains and heritage breeds.The majority of information regarding alternative production systems comes from individual experiences shared on online forums/blogs and in books/articles written by individual producers (Nicholson et al. 2020). Therefore,a lot of the information circulated by small-flock producers may nothold up to scientific scrutiny. The lack of knowledge among small poultry keepersmaylead to issues with food safety, animal welfare, and disease control.The main objectives of this research are to(1)identify common production practices used and challenges faced by small-flock poultry producers in Missouri,(2)evaluate the suitability ofdual-purpose heritage breed chickens for small-scale, pasture-based egg and meat production,(3)evaluate the use of mobile and day-range pastured poultry models for egg production,and(4)determine consumer acceptance and willingness to purchase heritage breed chicken meat.Together, this information can be used todevelop a model to help small-flock producers make economic and agribusiness management decisions regarding the profitability and sustainability of using heritage breeds in pastured poultry production systems. The experimental and survey data will be collected, analyzed, and presented at local, regional, andnational poultry science meetings, inextension publications/webinars, and other forums as appropriate.This research will also be used to produce guide sheets, conduct demonstrations, and provide training to producers on small farms. Additionally, because heritage breed chicken meat differs from conventional chicken meat in both flavor and texture, LUCER outreach efforts will introduce consumers to heritage breed chicken meat through taste tests and will develop guide sheets with cooking instructions and recipes to highlight heritage chicken breeds. Altogether, this project will provide valuable information about the potential for producers to process and market these birds.
Animal Health Component
50%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Goals:This project is designed to evaluate the suitability and profitability of dual-purpose heritage breed chickens for sustainable pasture-based poultry production on small farms. This project will provide information needed for potential producers to carry out cost-benefit analysis of raising heritage breeds in pasture-based production systems. For egg production, this project will explore breed, housing-type, seasonality, and management factors. For meat production, this project will explore breed, sex, housing, slaughter age/size, seasonality, and management factors. This information will help to develop a model to help small-flock producers make economic and agribusiness management decisions regarding the profitability and sustainability of using heritage breeds in pastured poultry production systems.Meanwhile, this project will identify common practices used and challenges faced by small-flock poultry producers in Missouri. This information will be used to guide the formulation of extension publications and programming, as well as identify future research directions. Finally, this project will evaluate the market for heritage breed chicken meat through consumer surveys and taste panels. Additionally, as heritage breed cockerels are slaughtered, cooked meat will be offered as samples and whole frozen carcasses will be offered for sale through the Lincoln University Farmer's Market and other outlets as available (other farmer's markets, restaurants, etc). This will provide valuable information about the potential market for heritage breed chicken in Missouri and serve as an introduction to the product for consumers.The experimental and survey data will be collected, analyzed, and presented at local, regional, and national poultry science meetings, in extension publications/webinars, and other forums as appropriate. This research will also be used to produce guide sheets, conduct demonstrations, and provide training to producers on small farms. Additionally, because heritage breed chicken meat differs from conventional chicken meat in both flavor and texture, LUCER outreach efforts will introduce consumers to heritage breed chicken meat through taste tests and will develop guide sheets with cooking instructions and recipes to highlight heritage chicken breeds. Altogether, this project will provide valuable information about the potential for small farm producers to raise, process, and market heritage breed chickens.Objectives:This project will use animal husbandry and marketing research to:Identify common production practices used and challenges faced by small-flock poultry producers in MissouriEvaluate the suitability of dual-purpose heritage breed chickens for small-scale, pasture-based:egg production,meat production;Evaluate the use of mobile and day-range pastured poultry models for egg production; andDetermine consumer acceptance and willingness to purchase heritage breed chicken meat
Project Methods
1. Identify common practices used and challenges faced by small-flock poultry producers in MissouriThe survey will be distributed through multiple channels in an effort to reach as many individuals as possible. These channels will include the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Missouri Poultry Yearbook which includes the names, phone numbers, and addresses of NPIP-certified poultry farms in Missouri. Other channels may include Missouri 4-H and FFA clubs, local Facebook groups, chicken forums, and farmer's markets. The survey will include questions related to demographics, socioeconomic status, farm size, bird type, years of experience, feeding regimens, housing used, biosecurity practices, feed sources,chicksources,equipment sources,and marketing.Survey questions may includemultiple choice questions, short answer, andopen endedformats.Survey responses will be anonymized and compiled to determine producer demographics, average duration of poultry experience, typical flock size, typical farm size, and other quantitative measures. Responses to open-ended survey questions will be analyzedusing a qualitative approachto identify commonpractices andchallenges (expected examples:predation, sourcing chickens, marketing product,etc)faced by small-flock poultry producers in Missouri. These open-ended responses are expected to provide the greatest insight into opportunities for relevant research and extension programming because the challenges identified by respondents may differ from expected challenges (predation, processing, weather, and disease).?The goal of the survey is todeterminethe knowledge and practices of small flock poultry producers in Missouri.The results will be used to guide future research and develop extension programming.2. Evaluate the suitability of dual-purpose heritage breed chickens for small-scale, pasture-based productionWhile heritage chicken breeds are not viable alternatives to fast-growing broiler genetics for large-scale commercial production, these breeds may be used by small-scale producersto produce specialtyeggs and/or meat for niche markets. Breeds for this project will be selected from popular dual-purpose heritage breedsor heritage breed crossesthat are readily available from most mail-order hatcheries from March through September. All feed, supplies, and equipment used will be commercially available orwill be constructed usingcommon tools and materials. In the case of DIY construction projects, supply lists and directions will be made available through extension publications.Day-old chicks will be purchased in either spring or late summer.Chicks will be reared separately by sex with pullets being used for egg production and cockerels being used for meat production. All chicks will be brooded with supplemental heat indoors. Once the chicks are fully feathered, they will be moved to outdoor enclosures on pasturewhere they will be provided with feed, water, and shelter. They will be exposed to seasonal temperature changes and natural weather events, but they will have sufficient shelter and steps will be taken to provide protection from predators using electric fencing.Pullets will be evaluated for growth through point of lay and egg production after point of lay. Data collection will include body weight, feed intake, body condition, egg production parameters, labor needs, morbidity, and mortality. This data will be used to calculate growth rate, feed conversion, hen-day egg production, average egg mass per day per hen, and production costs.Cockerels will be evaluated for growth through 20 weeks of age with representative cockerels being slaughtered on farm at multiple time points to evaluate carcass and part yields at different ages and live weights.Data collection will include weekly feed intake, weekly body weight, and carcass and part weights. This data will be used to calculate growth rate, feed conversion ratio, dressing percentage, carcass/part yields, labor needs, and cost of production.Data will be summarized, and results will be analyzed usingGLMprocedures in SAS to identify significant differencesamongbreeds anddescribe growth rates over time.3. Evaluate the use of mobile and day-range pastured poultry models for egg productionWhile large-scale commercial poultry housing looks very similar across the United States, there is no one-size-fits-all housing for small-scale pasture-based egg production. There are two primary categories of pasture-based housing: 1) mobile pens, and 2) fixed housing with a day-range. This project will evaluate the performance of dual-purpose heritage breed chickens in each of these settings.Data collected during this trial will include feed intake, body weight, body condition score, egg production, egg quality, mortality, and labor requirements. Feed conversion ratio, HDEP, average egg mass per hen per day, and cost of production will be calculated. Additional data will be collected to evaluate the impact on the soil and pasture.Data will be summarized, and results will be analyzed using GLM procedures in SAS to identify significant differences between housing methods.4.Determine consumer acceptance and willingness to purchase heritage breed chicken meatThis project will survey consumers in Missouri and the surrounding region to determine their theoretical willingness to buyheritage breed chicken meat.Survey participants will be recruited through Farmer's Markets, grocery stores, and local restaurants in Missouri. Surveyquestionswillbe designed to determinefactors that may influence consumer demand such as income, level of education, ethnicity, religious affiliation, and family size.Questions will be kept short and simple (using multiple choice answers,likertscales,etc) to encourage completion.The results of this analysis will assist in identifying the role of major factors in shaping households' behavior toward the consumption of heritage breed chicken meat. This, in turn, will be used to formulate marketing strategies to determine realistic product pricing and promote consumption of heritage breed chickens.Meat from the cockerelsused in the meat production portion of this projectwill be used to evaluate the effect of different cooking methods on heritage breed chicken meat. This meat will also be used to conduct sensory panels to evaluate consumer acceptance of heritage breed chicken meat flavor and texture. Sensory panels will be comprised of untrained consumers with the goal of determining the average individual's perception and preferences.Participants will be recruited through farmer's markets, restaurants,grocery stores, and university classes. Three comparisons will be considered: 1) meat from different breeds of chickens, 2) meat from different ages of the same breed of chicken, and 3) different cooking methods for meat from the same breed and age of chicken. Sensory evaluation will includequestions related to sight, smell, taste, and texture/mouthfeel. Additionally, participants will be asked to rate the product acceptability, rank product by preference, and rate likelihood of purchase on a Likert-type scale. The goal of these cooking tests andsensorypanels will be to optimize preparation methodsand develop recipesto highlightheritage breed chicken meat.Finally,heritage breed chicken meat and eggs will be sold throughfarmer's markets such as theLincoln University Farmer's Market.Finally, sales of the heritage breed chicken meat from each batch of cockerels will be tracked to evaluate actualconsumerwillingness to pay in Missouri.Short follow-up surveys of buyers will be conducted to determinewhetherthey would make a repeat purchase, and what factors would influence their decision(ex: cost, availability, perceived value).Together, this information will be used toproduce extension publications tohelp small-flockpoultryproducers price their products and locate the best markets for them.