Handbook Of Poultry Production

Description

Poultry are kept for the production of eggs and meat. Poultry are kept in most areas of the world and provide an acceptable form of animal protein to most people throughout the world. During the last decade, many developing countries have adopted intensive poultry production in order to meet the demand for this form of animal protein. Intensively kept poultry is seen as a way of rapidly increasing animal protein supplies for rapidly increasing urban populations: poultry are able to adapt to most areas of the world, are relatively low priced, reproduce rapidly, and have a high rate of productivity. Poultry can be kept by enthusiastic individuals in a back garden or on an allotment, or intensive farming production systems with a large acreage and high turn-over. However, the knowledge needed for looking after the birds in any number is generally the same, whether they are housed or free-range. While many intensive operations concentrate on just one or two breeds of bird, for the enthusiast there are a wide number of broiler (birds raised for meat) and egg-laying breeds available including rare breeds such as the Welsummer and the Plymouth Rock. For every student, teacher and researcher in the subject it offers a solid basis for an in-depth understanding of the entire subject area.