Just 1% in continuous improvements in egg laying, feed conversion or meat yields can result in big gains and improve return on investment (ROI) for the poultry industry, Mike Donohue, vice president for Agristats, shared during the Amlan-sponsored TECHTalk, “The Importance of 1%” at the 2023 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) in Atlanta, Georgia.
“Whether I’m across from a plant manager or an egg manager or a facilities manager, we start talking about the value of change of 1% in the industry for that situation,” he explained.
For example, a 1% improvement in feed conversion efficiency for the poultry industry would be about $3.7 million annually.
Significant improvements seen over past 50 years
Investment in new emerging technologies since the 1950s has led towards more efficient poultry and egg production and processing.
According to Donohue, the broiler industry saw a big output in 2021, including:
- 95 million pullet chicks placed
- 89 million hens housed
- 12 billion hatching eggs
- 10 billion chicks hatched
- Nine billion chicks hatched
- Nine million broilers
“Through changes in genetics, changes in feeding technologies and changes in medications, we have allowed the industry to grow a bigger chicken,” he said.
“That’s got all kinds of ramifications for the profitability of the business. That’s what you’re shooting for – targets that get better year after year. There really is little evidence that we’ve seen arise so far that things can’t continue to get better in the business.”
Continuous improvements to improve sustainability
These small changes also ultimately improve the sustainability of the poultry industry, something that the modern consumer consistently rates as an important factor in purchasing decisions.
“We as an industry should feel very product of the effect our industry has hand in terms of feed and water consumption, etc,” Donohue added. “We have improved efficiency and continued to generate high quality protein, not just in the U.S., but around the world.”
