Poultry farming

Poultry farming is the practice of raising poultry, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks geese, as a subcategory of animal husbandry, for the purpose of farming meat or eggs for food. The vast majority of poultry ar farmed victimization mill farming techniques, according to the Worldwatch Institute, 74 % of the world's poultry meat, and 68 % of eggs ar made this means.

The contrasting technique of poultry farming is free vary, and friction between these two main ways has light-emitting diode to long term problems with moral consumerism. Opponents of factory farming argue that it harms the atmosphere and creates health risks, as well as abusing the animals themselves. In 2002, the United Kingdom also investigated the state of its own poultry farming ways with aims to analyze "animal welfare standards." The Vegetarian Economy and inexperienced Agriculture (VEGA) analysis cluster conjointly states that mill farming of poultry in South-East Asia is a key reason for vertebrate respiratory disease. However the same has conjointly been aforesaid of unconfined farming.

In return, proponents of factory farming highlight its accumulated productivity, stating that the animals ar looked once in progressive confinement facilities and are happy, that it is needed to feed the growing world human population, and that it protects the environment.

Techniques

Free range 

Free Range Chickens being fed outdoors. Free range poultry farming consists of poultry allowable to roll freely instead of being contained in any manner. The principle is to allow the animals the maximum amount freedom as potential, to live out their instinctual behaviors during a reasonably natural manner, regardless of whether or not they're eventually killed for meat. In the UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says that a free range chicken should have daytime access to out-of-door runs throughout at least 1/2 their life. Unlike in the us, this definition also applies to eggs. The European Union regulates marketing standards for egg farming that specifies a minimum condition without charge vary Eggs states that "hens have continuous daytime access to out-of-door runs, except in the case of temporary restrictions imposed by veterinary authorities".

Yarding Ducks and other poultry

While typically confused with free vary farming, yarding is actually a separate technique by that a hutch and enclosed off space outside area unit combined once farming poultry. The distinction is that free-range poultry area unit either completely unenclosed, or the fence is so distant that it has very little influence on their freedom of movement. This is common technique employed by small farms within the Northeastern portion of the United States. Daily releases out of hutches or coops allows for instinctuial nature for the chickens with protections from predators. The hens usually lay eggs either on the ground of the coop or in baskets if provided by the farmer. This technique may be complicated if used with roosters tho', mostly as a result of of problem obtaining them into the coop and to scrub the coop whereas it's within. This territorial nature is apparent while outside within which they need a brood of hens and typically even informal land claims. This can endanger folks unaware of the existence of the territories UN agency area unit attacked by the larger birds.

Factory farming 

Warehouses in which chickens square measure confined in an exceedingly "concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO). In factory (also known  as battery) poultry farming, particularly for eggs, birds are unbroken in rows of cages, and their environment, ventilation, heating and lighting are set mechanically. Extra lighting will be side on the far side traditional daylight to facilitate a lot of egg production, and extra hormones and growth stimulants square measure side to the feed to encourage egg production or weight gain reckoning on whether or not the birds square measure being farmed for eggs or meat.

Advantages and disadvantages

Free range

Advantages
Free range poultry farming has the advantage of sanctioning the poultry to move around, foraging for their natural diet and living in cleaner conditions than in battery farming. In some farms, the manure from free range poultry will be wont to profit crops.

Disadvantages
The practical construction of a free vary poultry farm will gift additional issues than the battery various. Finding suitable land with adequate emptying to minimise worms and coocidial oocysts, suitable protection from prevailing winds, good ventilation, access and protection from predators can be troublesome. Excess heat, cold or damp can have a harmful impact on the animals and their productivity. Unlike battery farms, free range farmers have very little management over the food their animals return across which might result in unreliable productivity.

Factory farming

Advantages
The small cages prohibit movement, and allow for a lot of birds per unit space, and this allows for bigger productivity and lower area and food prices, with more efforts place into egg giving birth. Battery farming is quicker, more economical and sensible, and growth and output can be specifically controlled. The poultry are at less risk from predators and outside components such as cold, heat, wind or damp, all of which will have vital impact on yield and health of the animals.

Disadvantages
The small environments scale back stimulation of the poultry, which usually ends up in pecking one another or themselves whereas within the outdoors they might produce other stimulation. A study by the Agricultural and Food Research Council in 1992 conjointly found that five hundredth of battery farmed poultry had bone disorders like pathology or breakages. Battery farms are conjointly at bigger risk of fireside, due to the number of electrical equipment and also the probability of rodents manduction through the wiring.

Battery farming is also the topic of abundant criticism and also the product square measure usually less well-liked than unenclosed alternatives, and the mislabling of 1 because the other has diode to outrage in some shopper teams.