Cooking Schools: Guide to Poultry Science
According to the USDA, the retail value of broilers, the most common type of chicken produced by industrial farms, was $45 billion in 2010, representing almost 37 billion pounds of poultry. Such vast quantities of food would not be possible if not for a well-institutionalized set of common practices represented by the field of poultry science. The eggs most often found at the supermarket, for example, are the result of intensive farming that uses controlled environments in order to increase the laying of eggs far beyond a chicken’s natural rate, antibiotics to control the frequency of disease from crowded conditions, and debeaking to prevent cannibalism. While organic and free range chicken, turkey, quail, duck, and goose products are becoming more and more popular, their production still requires specialized training in order to be commercially viable.
Gathered on this page is a survey of academic, commercial, non-profit, and government resources about the poultry industry. The websites are intended for researchers looking for information on industry standards, government regulations, health issues, and farming techniques, and for students who may be considering poultry science as a major. Although most of the chicken and turkey eaten in the U.S. is produced by industrial processes, the resources in the first section also provide information about setting up and maintaining a personal chicken coop. Otherwise, the focus of this page is on the more widespread practice.
Poultry Science Practices and Education
Poultry science as a major is normally a part of agricultural schools and prepares undergraduate students for careers in farming and processing, which not only require a detailed knowledge of scientific breeding practices, but an understanding of business as well. The scope of a concentration, of which there are are four at Auburn University, for example, determines whether or not students limit their studies to agriculture or focus on poultry processing and culinary arts as well. Otherwise, poultry science may be preliminary program for students hoping to become veterinarians. General education courses emphasize biology, biochemistry, food safety, and hands-on internships.
Once graduated, farmers have a choice between four main categories of chicken farming practices: A) free-range, in which chickens are allowed to roam outside for at least part of their lifetimes (the time spent outside depends on government regulations); B) organic, which is similar to free-range except that chickens are allowed to mature more slowly and given more space; C) yarding, in which chickens are not kept segregated from other animals and are allowed to roam freely on a farm; and D) intensive farming, in which chickens are not typically given any freedom of movement due to the use of battery cages or crowded yards, and are raised as quickly as possible in order to maximize production.
Although the average lifespan of a chicken is six years, according to Compassion in World Farming, organic chickens typically live for 12 weeks, free-range chickens for 8 weeks, and industrially-raised chickens for six. Besides lifespan, other controversial practices in industrial chicken farms, such as debeaking, the use of growth hormones, unsanitary conditions, and the inability of chickens to behave according their natural behaviors (such as roaming and roosting), have made products from alternative farming techniques preferable for many retailers and the farmers who supply them.
- Auburn University Department of Poultry Science describes some of the standard options available for agricultural students interested in poultry science, but also offers a unique “Processing and Products” concentration that combines farming with the culinary arts. The website also connects to external educational resources, such as the Virtual Chicken.
- Chicken Crossing is a wiki for independent chicken breeders, providing information on coops, a step-by-step guide, a message board for the exchange of information, and profiles of different kinds of chickens. Links to hatcheries and organizations are also available.
- The Intestinal Health Center for Poultry is a comprehensive source of news, disease profiles, research findings, and products about the welfare of poultry animals. Some of the diseases described include reovirus, cellulitis, and salmonella, and each description leads to relevant articles about the topic.
- The Poultry Guide maintains sections on diseases (avian influenza, fowl pox, etc.), housing (coops, henhouses, nesting boxes, etc.), breeds (Brahmas, Light Sussex, etc.), and more. Separate articles about caring for chickens and turkeys, which cover feeding practices, pests, reproduction, and other topics, are offered as well.
- The Poultry Hub seeks to provide information for a range of visitors, including researchers, students, industry professionals, and independent hobbyists. The website includes tabs to detailed encyclopedia articles, resources for education and training, links to research initiatives in five different countries and various organizations, and news.
Poultry Companies
The following are some the larger farmers, processors, and distributors of poultry products. While the labels of these companies do always appear on products with which shoppers are familiar, many are suppliers of large fast food chains, such as KFC, or subsidiaries. According to the USDA, most of the broiler chicken products made in the United States come from the South, with Georgia, Arkansas (home to Tyson, Inc.), and Alabama containing nearly 40 percent of the market. Minnesota leads the nation in the production of turkeys while Iowa dominates the egg industry at over 14 billion in 2010.
- Aviagen Group leads the world in research and development in genetic breeding of chickens and turkeys, for which there are separate sections on the website. Technical documents in multiple languages provide information on Aviagen’s methods and scientific findings.
- Hendrix Poultry, like Aviagen Group, is a breeding company and a major center of corporate research on livestock genetics. The company’s focus is on egg-laying hens, and the website publishes a number of technical bulletins with information about the nutrition, hygiene, management, and breeding techniques used in their hatcheries.
- Tyson, Inc., founded in 1935, has risen to become one of the leading processors of meat products and to represent the standard in large, industrial-level chicken farms. Many major fast food chains and grocery stores, including McDonalds, KFC, Wendy’s, IGA, and Wal-Mart, carry Tyson Products.
Health Concerns
According to the University of Florida’s Electronic Data Information Source (EDIS), chickens, ducks, and other birds are carriers of salmonella, E. Coli, and avian influenza, although the risk of contracting these diseases is minimal with proper sanitation habits. However, the use of antibiotics on chickens does lead to greater incidence of campylobacter, a form of bacteria that resists these drugs, and WHFoods recommends eating organic chicken for that reason. The health benefits of all chicken include high amounts of protein, selenium, and niacin, the latter two of which help prevent cancer. Turkey contains less niacin and selenium than chicken, but also has less fat.
- The Avian Biosciences Center, part of the university of Delaware, focuses its research on poultry health, avian genetics, the environmental impact of poultry productions, and food safety. The website is affiliated with the University of Delaware Poultry Health System.
- MeatPoultryNutrition.org is a website devoted to the importance of protein in a balanced diet and, as such, provides a great deal of nutritional information on meat. Recipes, FAQs, an “Ask the RD” section, and a media center are also available.
- Poultry Health and Nutrition is a compilation of articles about diseases, health management, parasites, pests, and reproduction, as they pertain to poultry. Information about avian medicine and nutrition for animals is also available. The articles are often from a veterinary, and not necessarily agricultural, perspective.
- The USDA Poultry Preparation fact sheet provides information about government inspections, food handling, the chemicals that go into poultry, and the history of breeding practices. The fat sheet is accompanied by a table of recommended cooking times for different portions and types of chicken.
- WHFoods: Chicken is a long article from the World’s Healthiest Foods website that provides information about chicken’s nutritional content, its disease risks, the history of chickens’ domestication, and other facts. A bibliography of references and “In-Depth Nutritional Profile” are available at the bottom of the page.
Miscellaneous
The following are organizations and news sources of interest to anyone with a stake in poultry science. The Poultry Science Association represents the academic side of the topic, while Meat & Poultry represents the industry. The U.K.-based organization, Compassion in World Farming, is a good place to start for anyone interested in criticisms of the humane treatment of poultry animals. Finally, the other resources serve as broad-based portals to almost any issue concerning domestic birds.
- Compassion in World Farming: Chickens, an activist organization, provides information about the mistreatment of chickens and turkeys in the intensive farming industry. Separate pages on specific problems with the well-being of these birds are available, as well as alternative farming techniques and steps that consumers can take to encourage more humane business practices.
- Meat & Poultry is the Wall Street Journal of the livestock industry, providing business news with a global scope about regulations, safety practices, and trends. Corporate profiles, special reports, and an equipment/supplier redbook are available in the “Resources” section.
- The Poultry Science Association maintains the publications, Poultry Science Journal and Journal of Applied Poultry Research, holds annual meetings, and gives out research prizes. An enormous database of companies, organizations, government agencies, and scientific websites is also provided.
- The Poultry Site offers news, articles, and technical information from an international perspective. Large databases of poultry diseases and guides to the care of birds and their eggs are also available, as well as a job board, a recipe section, and a photo gallery.
- World Poultry, like the Poultry Site, is a broad web portal to virtually any subject concerning the poultry industry, although the site specializes in news and blog entries. Articles about egg processing, the humane treatment of birds, poultry diseases, and many other topics are available.
