There are five main attributes that can result from using genetics for slower growing broiler chickens, according to Claude Toudic, technical manager for Hubbard France.
Toudic addressed these 5 attributes during the Chicken Marketing Summit, held July 10-12 in Hilton Head, South Carolina:
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1. Carcass and meat quality
Toudic notes that research showed that broiler meat coming from the slow-growing Label Rouge breeding stock, commonly marketed in France, showed a higher filet dry matter and higher protein content when compared to conventional broilers
2. Antibiotic-free
According to a study done in the Netherlands, slow-growing broilers require six times less antibiotic-treatment than do traditional broiler breeds
3. Animal welfare
Toudic pointed to a study conducted by the Research Institute for Animal Husbandry, which revealed that slow growing breeders were five times less likely to develop heart and vascular diseases. The same organization’s research also showed that slow-growing breeds also experienced three times less trouble walking
4. Sustainability
According to Toudic, there are sustainability benefits from slow-growing broiler production that encompass environmental issues, economics and social issues.
5. Image and product differentiation
Consumers in today’s society are increasingly concerned about how food animals are raised. It is determined that because of animal welfare and sustainability initiatives, as well as those related to animal antibiotic use, that chicken meat from slower-growing birds better meets consumers’ image-related demands than does meat from the faster-growing chicken breeds, according to Toudic’s presentation.
The 2017 Chicken Marketing Summit has been scheduled for July 16-18. It will be held in Asheville, North Carolina.
