Where does the turkey meat on supermarket shelves come from – and how is the production process organised? Modern poultry farming is a complex interplay of many stakeholders and decisions, which go far beyond just housing and feed.
This article examines how integration works and what other models exist. In addition, it takes a closer look at parent stock rearing, which, as the first stage of turkey production, involves specific requirements.
Integration vs. non-integration
What is meant by ‘integration’ in the poultry industry? Is Kartzfehn actually an integrated operation?
Integration is a form of organisation in which various stages of the production chain – from parent stock rearing through hatcheries, fattening farms, veterinary services and feed production right through to slaughter and marketing – are brought under a single management or central control. In Germany, this central control unit is the slaughterhouse. In our neighbouring country, France, however, it is usually the feed mills that are responsible. The aim of integration is the efficient, controlled and cost-effective production of poultry meat or eggs. Under this marketing model, the fattening farm does not have to worry about feed, marketing or veterinary care; however, it also loses the opportunity to potentially secure better prices through free competition by choosing more cost-effective options, such as feed.
“Competition makes us strong and promotes performance at every stage”
Kartzfehn is not an integrated operation, but instead relies on a 4- or 5-pillar model (Fig. 1), consisting of independent hatcheries, fattening farms, feed mills, marketing (slaughterhouse) and veterinarians. Competition at every stage means that market partners are constantly striving to offer the best quality or the best price. This motivation can lead to improved overall competitiveness throughout the chain.
The fattening farms form producer groups in order to have a stronger negotiating position vis-à-vis the marketer. Under this organisational structure, the fattening farms are free to choose which marketer they supply or, for example, where they source their feed from. In this model, the farmer must act as an entrepreneur, but can thus also negotiate the most advantageous options for themselves.
“Only a hen that feels comfortable lays a healthy egg”
Parental care
What does ‘parent stock rearing’ mean?
Breeding stock rearing is the preliminary stage of fattening. Breeding stock therefore lay the eggs from which the fattening animals later hatch, whose meat is then sold in supermarkets. Special genetic lines are mated for this purpose, but selective breeding only takes place in the rearing of grandparent and great-grandparent stock.
How does parent stock rearing work?
The parent stock is supplied as day-old chicks by breeding companies – at Kartzfehn, for example, this is Aviagen – and is then reared for around 30 weeks. After that, the birds reach sexual maturity and lay around 120 eggs per hen over a period of 27 weeks. The cocks are kept in small groups of 12–24 birds, whilst the hens live in groups of up to 2,000 birds.
The stocking density is the same as for broiler turkeys; however, there should be a maximum of five hens per nest. Although the birds roam freely, unlike broiler chickens, there is no natural insemination. The cocks are milked and the hens are subsequently inseminated artificially by hand. One cock is required to inseminate 14 hens. Depending on its size, a farm is home to between 6,000 and 16,000 hens and the corresponding number of cocks.
As in broiler production, the farm veterinarian is responsible for regular herd management, and quality assurance audits are carried out. The flock manager also carries out animal checks several times a day.
The hatching eggs are sorted, cleaned of any straw particles, weighed and transported to the hatcheries in temperature-controlled lorries. Only clean eggs are used for hatching, although washing them is prohibited. The pre-incubation process begins, and between the 10th and 14th day the eggs are candled – that is, shone through – to check whether fertilisation has taken place. From the 25th day onwards, the fertilised eggs are placed in hatching flocks, and on the 28th day of incubation the broiler chicks hatch.
What is the difference compared to standard turkey farming?
Biosecurity is particularly important for the parent stock. Visitors must have been free of poultry for at least 48 hours, preferably 72 hours, and may only enter the facilities after showering and changing their clothes completely. For disease control reasons, staff are not permitted to keep poultry or pigs privately and must adhere to the same hygiene requirements.
Depending on the production cycle, between one worker per farm (rearing and husbandry) and up to 12 workers are required in the laying house.
Can anyone become a parent stock farmer?
Yes, but there must be a market for hatching eggs. Unlike pig farming, a closed system where both parent stock and fattening animals live on the same farm is unusual.
What is the biggest challenge in parent stock farming?
Planning certainty. When flocks have to be culled due to diseases such as AI (avian influenza) or ND (Newcastle disease), this poses particular challenges for operations on parent stock farms. This applies both when parent stock flocks are affected and when fattening birds fall ill, resulting in a restocking ban for the farms. Consequently, the collection schedule also changes, necessitating flexible adaptation.
5*D is also an issue in turkey farming. When birds are imported from abroad, the same animal protection and welfare standards as in Germany cannot be guaranteed.
What particular attention must be paid to in husbandry and flock management?
The birds must be in good health to ensure the desired laying performance. Only a fit and healthy parent flock can produce healthy birds for fattening.
The parent birds remain on the farms for longer than those in the fattening phase: just under 60 weeks compared to around 16 (hens) to 21 (roosters) weeks. They also become significantly heavier: hens around 12 to 14 kg compared to 10 to 11 kg; cocks 30 to 35 kg compared to 20 to 23 kg. Accordingly, the birds are usually removed from the house using lifting platforms or loading conveyors. The vaccination programme is also adapted, with more frequent vaccinations. However, for avian influenza and mycoplasma, testing is carried out only to confirm freedom from the disease, and no vaccination is administered.
To ensure the birds remain healthy throughout the entire period, there is a precise weight curve that governs feeding – in contrast to the usually 6-phase feeding regime in fattening.
What criteria are used for breeding selection?
Only healthy animals are transferred to the laying farms after rearing. To make changes to breeding progress, there is regular communication between the fatteners and the parent stock farms, as well as between the parent stock farms and the (great-)grandparent stock farms. However, breeding changes take time – around two to four years – and are implemented only through the (great-)grandparent lines.