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The Evolution of the Poultry Industry on Delmarva

By Georgie CartanzaPoultry Extension Agent

University Of Delaware Cooperative Extension

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Historical Timelines1862- Morrell Act Land Grant Colleges established1887- Hatch Act Ag Experiment Stations1914- Smith-Lever Act Cooperative Extension1830-1870’s Era of the Peach1850’s Railroads1916 Dupont Hwy built1923 Steele Family market first Young Meat Birds1938- First Processing Plant Eagle Poultry in Frankford De.1941 Substation now known as Carvel REC 1948-49 Chicken of Tomorrow Contest1952-68 Delmarva Poultry Exchange1950’s Vertical Integration/ Use of Soybeans in Broiler Rations Broiler Meat now not just a luxury meat of the wealthy

Delmarva Poultry Industry

Del-Mar-Va

3 counties in Delaware8 counties in Maryland

1 county in Virginia

Delmarva produces 605 million birds Annually, or 9.6% of National Production

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252 Million produced in Delaware

+ 31% of the Region’s Production

Sussex County, Delaware is the #1 broiler producer

(per square mile)

Scope

“Meat-type Chickens”40,000,000,000 Worldwide

9,000,000,000 United StatesMost in the broiler belt

Texas across the mid-westAnd across the southeast

825,000,000 Delmarva

252,500,000 DelawareApproximately 80% in Sussex County

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Economic Impact• Value of birds $3.2 Billion

• Annual Feed Bill $1 Billion

• 85.4 Million Bushels of Corn

• 35.5 Million Bushels of Soybeans

• 1736 Growers

• 14500 Poultry Company Employees

• For Every 1 Job in the Poultry Industry it creates 7 Jobs in the

Community

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1. Allen‐ Harim

2. Amick

3. Mountaire

4. Perdue

5. Tyson

6. Coleman Natural Foods

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There are. . .

• 10 Processing Plants

• 13 Hatcheries

• 10 Feed Mills

. . . . . Located on Delmarva

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Industry is vertically Integrated.

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Company/grower ContractCompany Provides:

• Chicks

• Feed

• Propane

• Litter

• Health Supplies

• Tech Service

Grower Provides:

Equipment Housing

Labor

Electric

Overhead

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Shed style housing was predominate withcenter poles for support called pole orshed houses. Notice the feed rail for the trolley cart. New layer boxes.

Open Barn Yards

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A Frame Pole Type Construction

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Triple Decker or Chicken Hotel

Broiler Growout Facilities

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NO Hormones NO Steroids

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• Improvements in Genetics• Improvements in Nutrition• Improvements in Housing• Improvements in Technology

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Thermostats to Environmental Controllers

Technology

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Automatic Pan Feeders

Open Drinking Systems to Nipple Drinkers

“Delmarva Chicken Industry” William H. Williams

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Nipple Waterer (Drinker)

020.MOV

Changes in Heating

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Curtain Sided to Solid Walled Houses

Tunnel Ventilation

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Summer Ventilation

• Dropping curtains and hanging fans in the center of the house to Tunnel Ventilation

Light Bulbs

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Types of Birds• Large Bird/Roasters 8-9 lbs 60 Days

• Tray Pack Broilers 5.5-6.5 lbs 47 Days

• Specialty Broiler 3.5-4.5 lbs. 38 Days

• Cornish 2 lbs. 28 Days

Poultry by the Numbers

1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

# of Birds 517,300,000 623,000,000 598,833,000 571,141,000 559,000,000 586,000,000

# of Pounds 2,421,000,000 3,100,000,000 3,250,913,000 3,331,005,000 3,417,000,000 3,961,000,000

Sqft 97,000,000 117,600,000 127,584,000 133,155,700 126,007,000 123,000,000

# of Houses 6,310 5,729 5,430 4,679 4,840

# of Growers 6,817 2,823 2,492 1,937 1,696 1,600

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

0500,000,000

1,000,000,0001,500,000,0002,000,000,0002,500,000,0003,000,000,0003,500,000,0004,000,000,0004,500,000,000

Chart Title

# of Birds # of Pounds Sqft # of Houses # of Growers

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35 Years of Production

0

500000000

1E+09

1.5E+09

2E+09

2.5E+09

3E+09

3.5E+09

4E+09

4.5E+09

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Birds & Pounds Produced

# Birds Produced pounds produced

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Average American Consumes 83.6 Pounds of Poultry/Year

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20509 Billion People

What Today’s Consumer wants to know about Food

1. Is it humanly produced?

2. Is it safe to eat?

3. Does it harm the Environment?

All within the context of affordability

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Agriculture’s No 1 Challenge

ImageFactory Farming

Animal Abuse

Environmental Irresponsibility

Activist Groups leverage consumer ignorance

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Agriculture’s Image

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Real World Example

• GAP Global Animal Protection

• 6 pounds per square foot vs. 5 pounds per square foot

• Extended periods of dark may increase intestinal issues

• Outdoor access during colder weather

• No Antibiotics for birds that are sick

• Is that humane?

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Delmarva Farm Families

Setting up for chicks

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Enrichments

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Organic Requirements

Outdoor Access

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Environmental Stewardship

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Vegetative Buffers

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Vegetative Buffers 75,000 Trees

56Hybrid Willows /  Green Giant Arborvitae

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Warm Season Grasses 25,000 Planted

Miscanthus

Pollinator Plots

Wildflowers/ Warm Season Grass Mix

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Traditional Composting

Mortality Management

Farm Freezers

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In-Vessel Composting

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Poultry Growers Have Implemented New Technologies…

• Improving Bird Health

• Improving Bird Welfare

• Improving Bird Quality

• Improving Efficiency’s in Weight Gain, Livability, and Feed Conversion

• Improving and Reducing the Impact to the Environment

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What is Sustainability?

• Depends on who you ask

• Democrats would say environmental is the most important pillar of sustainability.

• Republicans more likely to say economics is the most important pillar of sustainability.

• Understand it takes both to be sustainable.

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Sustainability

• Balance between consumer demands

• Balance between environmental regulations

• Balance for economic viability

• Balance to meet food needs of the world

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Perception vs. Reality

• Seek to find the truth

• Be mindful of the agenda behind information shared

• Keep your mind open to the big picture

• As you go out into the world- be the solution to the problem

• Be Creative

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Job Opportunities

• Live Side

• Processing

• Marketing

• Sales

• Research

• Transportation and Logistics

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Attitudes and Behaviors for Success

• Emotionally Mature

• Creative

• Positive Attitude

• Team Player

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Learn more @  http://www.chickencheck.in/