Progressive Farmers |
| Developments
in veterinary science and in other technological areas
over the past 50 years mean that poultry farmers are
now able to rear birds in large, well-maintained hygienic
flocks. |
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| Improvements
in the quality and nutritional value of feed now means
that the birds can be fed balanced rations containing
everything they need. For egg production, a high protein
diet containing sufficient quantities of cereals and
limestone is essential. Chickens reared for meat require
protein feed with a slightly higher fat content than
egg laying birds. |
|
Most
of Britain's egg and poultry meat production
is based on indoor systems. These allow the
farmer to meet the birds' needs for shelter,
heat, light, food and water, while being safely
protected from predators and with optimum hygiene
and disease control.
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| Great
efforts are made to ensure that all birds are given
enough freedom of movement. All poultry producers treat
their flocks with care and attention. |
| For
most poultry medicines, a seven-day "withdrawal
period" is required between the time when the medicine
is last administered and the time when the birds are
slaughtered or the eggs sent for sale to ensure that
traces of medicine are not carried over to the consumer.
Antibiotic growth promoters are never used for egg laying
hens, and chicken producers working under new chicken
assurance scheme have voluntarily agreed to ban their
use in their chicken production. |
| Laying
hens and chickens naturally develop a "pecking
order". This can lead to bullying which may cause
injury. To avoid this, a skilled stockman may remove
the tip of the upper beak, just as we trim our fingernails.
This does not prevent the birds from eating or drinking. |
| Advances
in record-keeping mean that all eggs poultrymeat produced
in the UK can be traced from shop to farm. |
