News

Study concludes ‘no ideal housing system’ for poultry production

Free range and conventional poultry systems both have their pros and cons according to a study done by the Council on Ag Science and Technology – or CAST.

“There is no ideal housing system for producing eggs or meat, it’s all dependent on the management.”

Co-author Anthony Pescatore with the University of Kentucky says as niche markets move to free range systems, the review was done to determine effects on consumer attitudes toward nutrition, food safety and quality, and animal welfare.

He tells Brownfield the nutritional value of poultry products is more dependent upon what the bird eats, not the type of production system.

“Outdoor access by itself does not alter the nutritional of the product, however content of meat and eggs can be enhanced with access to pastures.”

Regarding food safety, he says there is a high contamination rate for eggs laid outside of a nest. Birds getting sick from pesticides or lead in the soil is also a concern.

“We really encourage the farmers to maintain good ground cover, which is a challenge when you have a lot of birds outside.”

Concerning free-range production, he says birds are safer from predators and natural behavior problems indoors.

“When we give the bird more freedom, we can increase detrimental behaviors such as feather picking, cannibalism as well as piling up.”

Pescatore says regardless of the origin, consumers must treat eggs and poultry products as a perishable food and cook them properly.