Structure and dynamics of australia's commercial poultry and ratite industries

Executive Summary

This report was commissioned by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) to compile information on the structure, husbandry and movement patterns associated with the Australian commercial poultry industry, including ratites.

This report looks at the basic structure of each poultry industry and the various physical, market and regulatory aspects that affect the dynamics of that industry. Horizontal contacts (which include such things as cartage contractors, vaccination crews and manure disposal) are also examined for each industry in order to determine how each could potentially impact on the spread of disease.

The chicken, duck and turkey industries use global genetics by importing livestock from international breeding companies. These imported birds enter Australia as great grandparent hatching eggs either through Torrens Island quarantine facility or industry owned quarantine facilities. Imports at regular intervals of six months to two years allow these industries to obtain genetically improved livestock and to correct any disease or negative production traits.

The chicken meat and egg layer industries established themselves either around capital cities or major provincial centres that were close to cereal grain cropping areas. Urban expansion has resulted in some conflict between local communities and existing poultry farms. Rural residential living has also increased land values significantly and resulted in councils and community members being less supportive of poultry farm developments. Environmental impact statements, community objections and council reluctance to approve new poultry facilities are making investment in the poultry industries more difficult. Access to regional land for further development has also proved difficult because of the limited availability of services such as water and power. The shortage of qualified trades people and labour has also impeded development in regional areas.

The livestock and product movements for the chicken industries are extensive with large numbers of live birds and eggs moving large distances all over Australia on a daily basis.

In the chicken industries, there are a growing number of free-range producers of various sizes that constitute a significant number of properties.

For turkeys, the number of producers remains stable but, in general, farm sizes are increasing.

For the other poultry industries, production is in the hands of relatively small producers who operate in varied locations but usually close to grain growing areas.

Most poultry enterprises farm only one species of poultry. The game bird, quail and speciality poultry operators are the most likely sectors to farm a variety of poultry species.

The chicken, turkey and duck industries all manage and house their breeding stock under biosecure conditions which reflects the value of the stock. All meat chicken and around 85% of turkey grow-out farms are single age. The duck industry, while generally having multi-age farm sites, is now recognising the health advantages of having single-age grow out farms.

The egg layer industry still has a large number of multi-age farms. Typically these layer farms rear pullets on site and have a birds of different ages in production to enable them to achieve a uniform supply of eggs to the market. These sites may also have a grading floor and a small mash feed mill.

With the emergence of several large integrators in the egg industry, there has been a progressive move to single-age farms with off-site rearing. The high incidence of Marek’s disease in the early 1990s was one of the factors that influenced this change away from multi-age farms. Other poultry sectors operate multi-age farms and in some cases multi-age sheds.

The chicken meat, turkey and duck industries predominantly use processed pelleted feed, while the layer industry uses almost entirely unprocessed mash feed. The independent commercial feed mills usually have certified quality assurance programs which include a biosecurity policy.

There is no particular geographical pattern to poultry livestock and product movements within Australia. While records are kept by the chicken meat, layer and turkey industries on their livestock movements which readily allow traceability, such information for the niche industries is less readily available. The exception is the ostrich industry which keeps detailed records as this is an export requirement of the European Union.

Most live bird cartage in the chicken meat or egg layer industries is either undertaken by the integrator or by contractors who are closely aligned with a particular company, and generally well versed in the principles of biosecurity. There are some contractors that cart different types of chickens such as layer pullets, spent layers hens and spent breeder hens but they usually do not carry other poultry species.

The chicken meat industry and the egg layer industry are the only two poultry sectors that have significant vaccination programs. The chicken meat industry more commonly uses in-house vaccination crews while the more fragmented nature of the layer industry means that there are various vaccination crews that undertake vaccination on some independent layer farms.

Suppliers of fresh litter are numerous but as shortages of litter occur it is expected that the variety of materials used will increase, as will the diversity of the suppliers.

Manure and used-litter disposal is undertaken by numerous contractors, and different companies service different species. The destination of this material includes market gardens, cropping land and pastures, mushroom growers and various domestic uses.

Dead bird disposal is becoming more controlled because of Environmental Protection Authority and local council requirements. Burial on site is less common now in urban fringe areas, with most dead birds being removed by contractors and disposed of in landfill. In more rural areas, burial still remains the main means of disposal.

The adequate supply of potable water is an emerging problem for the poultry industry. In regional areas, particularly, there is greater dependence on surface water or bore water. While the technology is available to ensure surface water is effectively sanitised, the level of compliance with effective treatment varies, particularly among the smaller egg producers and other poultry industries.

The chicken meat and layer industries have significant industry representative bodies that liaise with industry members and government. The Australian turkey industry has its own federation, and both emus and ostriches also have representative industry organisations. The specialist market areas involving free range and organic poultry have codes of practice.