Feed Efficiency of
Pastured Poultry Systems
Michael Seipel, Joy Chisholm, Catherine Zivnuska,
(Truman State University, Kirksville, Missouri)
And David Trott
(University of Wisconsin-Madison)
What is Pastured Poultry?
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Pastured poultry: used to describe a variety of
production systems in which the birds
(chickens, turkeys, etc.) have access to forage
Salatin pen: an open-bottomed pen, moved
daily to fresh pasture
Day-range system: semi-permanent shelter
with a large yard enclosed with electric
netting, inside which the chickens forage
Other systems: yarding, modified free-range,
chicken tractor
Growing Interest in Pastured Poultry
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Interest from both farmers and consumers in
alternative production and marketing systems
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Reduced feed costs due to foraging (?)
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Low-input approach to poultry production
Offers ecological, agronomic (fertilizer), and health
benefits
Poultry producer Joel Salatin: broilers raised on pasture
consume 30% less feed than broilers raised on free choice
feed alone
Yet, there has been little interest from poultry
scientists in researching pasture production systems
There is a need for both on-farm and universitysponsored research to provide information to
improve pasture production operations
Research Question
How does the feed
conversion rate and
total weight gain of
broilers differ in
alternative pastured
poultry systems and
confinement
systems?
Methods and Procedure
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Research began in Spring 2001, due to student interest, with subsequent trials conducted
in the Spring & Fall of 2002 & 2003
Cornish x White Rock broilers at 3 weeks of age were ranked and assigned by weight to
one of these groups (approx. 50 birds per group):
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•
•
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Inside: Raised in indoor pen with straw bedding on a dirt floor (Spring 2001-Fall 2002)
“Salatin”: Raised in a 10’x12’ “Salatin-style” pen, moved daily to fresh pasture (all trials)
Day-Range: Allowed to forage within a yard daily and confined to a house at night; House
moved weekly to a new location (Fall 2002 & Fall 2003)
Individual weights measured at the beginning, midpoint, and end of feeding trial
Group feed consumption record maintained throughout the trial
Study evaluated weight gain and feed conversion or efficiency for each group
Feed conversion (efficiency): pounds of feed concentrate consumed for every pound of
weight gained
Methods and Procedure
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Each group was fed, ad
libitum, an 18% protein ration
of cracked corn and poultry
crumbles. (15% used in pre-Fall 2003 trials)
Other data collected included:
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•
•
Temperature data
Mortality rates
Spring 2002: Fecal analysis for
internal parasites
Results: Weight Gain Fall 2002
6
Gain per Bird (lb)
5
Inside A (n=22)
Inside B (n=24)
Salatin (n=55)
Day-Range (n=55)
5.17
4.49
4.16
4
3.67
3.26
2.82 2.93
3
2
1.34
1.56 1.5
1.39
1
0
Day 0-13
Day 14-33
Weight Gain Interval
Total
4.64
Results: Feed Efficiency Fall 2002
Feed Efficiency (lb feed/lb gain)
4
3.5
3
Inside A (n=22)
Inside B (n=24)
Salatin (n=55)
Day-Range (n=55)
3.63
2.76
2.71
2.53
2.5
4.09
2.67
2.57
2.41
2.13
2.51
2.27
2.22
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Days 0-13
Days 14-33
Weight Gain Interval
Total
Results: Significance (Fall 2002)
One-Way ANOVA with Tukey’s HSD Post-Hoc
Feed Efficiency
Days 0-13
Days 14-29
Total
F-Statistic
7.202, p<0.000
63.940, p<0.000
46.829, p<0.000
Indoor A
2.713a
4.091a
3.633a
Indoor B
2.532a
2.763b
2.666b
Salatin pen
2.406a,b
2.566b,c
2.506b,c
Day-range
2.134b
2.270c
2.217c
Weight Gain
Days 0-13
Days 14-29
Total
F-Statistic
3.660, p<0.014
19.497, p<0.000 11.530, p<0.000
Indoor A
1.341a
2.816a
4.157a
Indoor B
1.561b
2.926a,b
4.487a
Salatin pen
1.501a,b
3.665c
5.166b
Day-range
1.385a,b
3.256b
4.641a
Results: Weight Gain, Spring 2003
5
4.58
Gain per Bird (lbs)
4.5
4
4.79
Day Range
Salatin
3.5
3
2.5
2.19
2.24
2.39
2.56
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Days 0-14
Days 15-28
Total
Weight Gain Interval
Significance (p):
Day Range vs. Salatin
Independent Samples T-Test
Days 0-14
Days 15-28
Total
0.440
0.020
0.060
Results: Feed Efficiency Spring 2003
Feed Efficiency (lb feed/lb gain)
3
2.62
2.44
2.31
2.5
2
2.60
2.24
1.9
1.5
1
0.5
0
Days 0-14
Day Range
Days 15-28
Total
Weight Gain Interval
Salatin
Significance (p): Independent Samples T-Test
Day Range vs. Salatin
Days 0-14
Days 15-28
Total
0.000
0.839
0.000
Feed Efficiency: Comparison Across Trials
Feed Efficiency (lb feed/lb gain)
3
2.65 2.67
2.5
2.49
2.37
2.51 2.44
2.24
Spring 2001
Spring 2002
Fall 2002
Spring 2003
2.22 2.24
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Inside
Salatin
Poultry Production System
Day-Range
Results: Mortality Rates
Group
Spring 2001 Spring 2002
Fall 2002
Inside
Salatin Pen
20.4%
14.3%
7.1%
47.6%
10.9%
0%
Day Range
N/A
N/A
3.6%
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Cold weather during the first half of the Spring trials decreased feed
efficiency & increased mortality
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Frequent heavy rainfall negatively impacted pastured broilers in
Spring 2002
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April may be too early for outdoor production in northern Missouri
New for Fall 2003:
“Rainbow Free Range” Broilers
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Fall 2003 trial was performed with a breed being
developed for range production
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Genetics include White Rock, Delaware, Red Sex-Link
and other breeds
Birds are supposed to be slower growing, more active, and
better foragers than the Cornish-Rock Cross
Developed by Rainbow Breeder Company LLC; Being
distributed by Shady Lane Poultry Farm in Kentucky
Anticipated growout period of 12 to 13 weeks (versus 7
weeks for Cornish-Rock Cross)
However, in our experience, cockerels could have been
processed at 10 weeks of age.
Comparison of Average Daily Gain:
Cornish-Rock vs. Rainbow Free Range
0.18
0.171
0.164
0.157
0.16
0.141
Average Daily Gain (lbs./bird)
0.14
0.12
0.1
0.091
0.083
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
Cornish_F02 (33 days)
Cornish_S03 (28 days)
Rainbow_F03 (42 days)
Breed & Trial Date
Day Range
Salatin
Note: ADG evaluated for the entire period the Cornish were on pasture and
for the comparable 6 week period that the Rainbow were on pasture
Conclusions
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Farmers should not expect large feed savings from
pastured poultry as compared to confinement
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Pastured poultry are more active and have greater energy needs
Fall trial indicated that pastured poultry can gain more
efficiently under favorable weather conditions
Birds forage most during the early morning &
evening hours; feed efficiency might be enhanced
by restricting feed intake during these times
Between the two pasture systems tested...
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Birds gain faster in Salatin pens
Birds consume less grain concentrates per pound of gain
in the Day Range pen
Labor requirements are less in the Day Range pen,
especially for commercial-scale production
Conclusions
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Rainbow Free Range and other broilers bred for
pasture production may eventually provide a
preferable alternative to the Cornish-Rock cross.
Currently...
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Rainbow Free Range are more aggressive foragers and
generally more active in range conditions, but gain more
slowly than Cornish
Mortality rates can have a much larger impact on
profitability than feed conversion
Marketing and processing are more pressing
concerns for most small-scale producers
Environmental benefits and consumer appeal of
pastured poultry offer marketing advantages that
should outweigh any increased feed cost
But marketing is not without its own challenges...
Acknowledgements
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Truman State University, Science Division
Joy Chisholm, David Trott, Jeff Cox, Catherine Zivnuska,
Justin Kelley
Dr. Susan Guffey