CAGE-FREE EGG PRODUCTION & INDIGENOUS CHICKEN GENETIC RESOURCES IN INDIA : CURRENT STATUS & FUTURE OUTLOOK
Backyard poultry production; a simple definition Mandal et al described nicely while giving a definition to backyard poultry production system. According to them it is a low input or no input business and is characterized by indigenous night shelter system, scavenging system, with little supplementary feeding, natural hatching of chicks , poor productivity of birds, local marketing and no health care practice.
Traditional poultry farming is as old as its civilization and it occupies a pivotal position in India due to its huge potential to bring about rapid economic growth with low investment. Presently poultry sector is recognized as an organized and science based industry with tremendous potential to fight poverty, unemployment and malnutrition. The indigenous breeds are well known for their adaptability to local climatic geographical conditions and resistance to tropical diseases and considered as the gold mines of genomes and major genes but popularity of native breeds is decreasing day by day for being low egg producers, slow growers and smaller egg size etc. They are, however, good brooders and efficient foragers. The purity of native breeds has facing the problems of extinction due to large scale introduction of exotic breeds and exotic inheritance based rural poultry varieties and strains under various rural development programmes. However, rearming of indigenous breeds in backyard poultry production system is a conventional activity of a large number of the landless and small farmers. India and the neighboring countries are considered to be the original home of the well-known Red Jungle Fowl (Gallus gallus) from which the present day domestic birds have descended.
Rural Family Poultry (RFP) represent an appropriate system for supplying the fast growing human population with high quality protein and providing additional income to resource-poor small farmers, especially women. Requiring low levels of inputs (i.e. housings, cages, feeds, breeds, vaccines, drugs, equipment and time/attention), FP contributes significantly to food security, poverty alleviation and the ecologically sound management of natural resources. RFP produce, being lower in quantum is almost consumed at the village level itself.
Rural Poultry Sector though contributing nearly 30 per cent of the national egg production is the most neglected one in the state. The fact is that village poultry eggs and meat fetch a much higher price than that of commercial hybrid poultry. However, 70 per cent of the poultry products and eggs are consumed in urban and semi-urban areas and their consumption in rural areas is very low. This low consumption is attributed to limited availability and to some extent poor purchasing power of rural people. In order to overcome this problem, it may be necessary to take up specific rural poultry production programmes with low input technology to meet the requirements of the rural sector, where poultry farming constitutes a source of subsidiary occupation, generating subsistence, income to boost the nutritional standards and health of rural masses. The rural family poultry (backyard poultry) units require very little hand feeding and provide handsome returns with minimum investment. Thus, rural poultry farming not only increases income levels, employment opportunities to small farmers including women but also bring about desired socio-economic change in rural areas which are vital for rural development and rural prosperity.
Backyard poultry production and its importance
In the last 2-3 decades, the poultry industry in India has seen quantum jump with respect to poultry production. During this period, egg production has increased up to 100 billion from few millions and the broiler production has increased to 7.8 million tonne from nowhere . Growth in India’s poultry sector stems mainly from growth of a limited number of large commercial producers, which have been expanding rapidly in Southern India, where climatic conditions are mild, and at a slower pace in the Western and Eastern States . However, the recent trend in poultry population indicates that the number of backyard poultry birds in India has increased by a staggering 46 per cent between 2012 – 2019. Though, the contribution of backyard poultry in India’s total poultry population is still less than 40 per cent of the total population and majority of the birds still come from commercial farms, the sharp growth in its population reflects an interesting development. Backyard poultry production is an enterprise with low initial investment but higher economic returns and can easily be managed by women, children and elderly persons of the households. Villagers who cannot afford to maintain other livestock can presumably maintain few backyard chickens . Rural poultry farming is often considered to serve as a starter capital to move out of poverty. These provide high value food and income . Rural poultry production is being recognized as important component of socio economic improvement among the weaker sections of society; especially landless labour, small and marginal farm women’s households. Rural poultry rearing generates self-employment, provides supplementary income with protein rich food at relatively low cost . A large proportion of these households in the rural areas rear desi non-descript birds with low production potential and usually women and children are involved in taking care of these birds. The rural households do not have much knowledge on different aspects of poultry management. India’s poultry industry is one of the few examples of success in the country’s rural sector. It contributes almost Rs. 4.30 lakh crore directly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) . The industry supports over 45 million farmers and employs over twenty five million directly and indirectly in allied fields – poultry production, trading, feed manufacturing, agriculture crops, logistics, poultrybased products vitamins, minerals and pharmaceuticals, exports, etc. In 2018-19, India ranked third in egg production (103.93 billion) after China (566 billion) and the United States (US) (109 billion) from a mere 1.83 billion eggs in 1950-51, 10.06 billion in 1980-81 to 36.63 billion in 2000-01, It represents a huge jump . Rapid urbanization and economic growth has resulted in fast expansion of commercial poultry production units. Opportunities have also expanded for small scale poultry enterprises due to improved market access infrastructure and a preference structure that might still favour free range desi birds and eggs. As a result, market oriented backyard poultry enterprise is being recognized as a stepping stone for the poor households enabling them to take the first step towards breaking out of the vicious circle of poverty and deprivation.
Backyard poultry production system
Backyard poultry production system should have indigenous night shelter system, scavenging system with little supplementary feeding, natural hatching of chicks etc. The productivity of birds is poor, problems with local marketing and health care practices not followed . It is a low input or no input business. It has been estimated that almost 80% of rural households are involved in poultry production through backyard rearing of poultry. This is a primary occupation in rural households linked with crop production system . Under this system, naturally produced fertile eggs are hatched to provide replacements, birds feed by scavenging or are provided with household scraps and crop by-products . Backyard poultry is advantageous as it provides supplementary income in shortest possible time with minimum capital investment, simple in operation and ensures availability of egg and meat even in remote rural areas. The indigenous birds used are better adapted to scavenging system characterized by continuous exposure to disease incidence, inadequate quantity and quality of feed, poor housing and health care . Unemployed youth and women earn income through poultry farming . Besides income generation, rural backyard poultry provides the demand of nutrition supplementation in the form of valuable animal protein through meat and eggs to the rural families. In India backyard poultry production is characterized by small flock size consisting of 5-10 predominantly mostly non-descript birds maintained in extensive system under zero or low input venture . Housing in these systems is rudimentary and mostly built with locally available materials such as wood, mud bricks, sugarcane stems, bamboo and cereal stovers. Non-descript or local birds are mainly reared, although there are improved indigenous breeds in some areas The production performance of these birds is relatively poor, with 35-40 eggs and about 1-1.5 kg meat at the end of the production cycle . These breeds represent a rich source of disease resistant germplasm. The native chicken varieties adopted in free- range backyard conditions for centuries contributed about 30% of national egg production in India . In most of the cases, eggs produced are for own consumption or for marketing within the village. A few indigenous birds such as Naked Neck, Red jungle fowl, Nicobari fowl and frizzle fowl are found which maintain their genetic identity due to their natural habitat in the isolated Islands. The variety of birds found seem to be the crosses of the following breeds like Australorp, Sussex, Rhode Island Red, New Hampshire, Plymouth Rock, White Leghorn, Aseel, Naked Neck, Nicobari, Frizzle and many other non-descript desi birds .
Backyard poultry linked with inclusive rural development
Backyard poultry is a potent tool for upliftment of poor because it requires hardly any infrastructure set-up. Besides off- farm employment and income generation, rural backyard poultry can provide nutrition in the form of valuable animal protein as well as source for religious sacrifices. More than 90% of rural families keep one or more species of poultry birds . In recent years there has been growing recognition among the developed community with respect to the role of backyard poultry production in accelerating the pace of poverty reduction and reaching out to the poor. There is also growing evidence to demonstrate the role of backyard poultry production in enhancing the food and nutrition security of the poor households and also in the promotion of gender equality. The economic survey of India 2010-2011 shows that out of 1342.5 million population of the country, about 939.7 millions live in rural areas (almost 70%) . Rural poultry farming is a means for securing livelihood for rural families. It has a strong potential for generating immediate income by the sale of eggs or chicken. Literature on backyard poultry farming indicates its positive impact on the economy of rural families. Rural poultry has a remarkable contribution in the development of the rural families and overall development of the poultry sector . Rural families having different grades of income and occupation are involved in poultry rearing. Estimates of the contribution of family to overall household income varies widely.
Constraints in development of backyard poultry farming
Traditional poultry farming plays a major role in the rural economy which accounts for about 80% of the world’s poultry production. Despite the growing demand, backyard chicken faces several challenges. First, low production because of problems like diseases, predators, theft, harsh environment, lack of and/or inadequate production skills, poor nutritive value, high feed costs, flock size and marketing . Second, due to difficulty in adoption of various management interventions like providing adequate feed supplements, vaccination, brooding, housing and labour . For example, under free range production system, which is commonly practiced in Kitui County, chicken are rarely vaccinated or treated against diseases and parasites . Since, different poultry species are kept together there is failure to take into consideration the bird’s specific nutrition requirement, resulting in low production performance. Under free range system, chicken are left to scavenge and hence may be easily prone to infection and also may spread the disease to the rest of the flock . Third, limited institutional support to farmers like access to: extension services, veterinary services, credit facilities, trainings, access to markets and market information and group memberships . Many minor services like vaccination of day-old chicks and timely protection against poultry diseases are inaccessible to the poor groups (especially in marginal farmers). Fourth, lack of knowledge among chicken farmers on common poultry diseases especially potential zoonotic diseases . Since chicken diseases are a constraint to production in terms of cost and time, it is important to understand how farmers respond to these problems. Poultry farmers under free range production system respond differently during disease occurrence; they may choose to; do nothing, use ethno veterinary medicine, use modern (conventional) medicine and/or human medicine . Failure by farmers to respond to disease incidences was attributed to inadequate cash for purchase of veterinary drugs and shortage of veterinary extension services. The traditional medicines are often used and preferred due to their low cost, ease of application and local availability. The type of medication used is important since conventional medicine have been tested and evaluated for efficacy and side effects while traditional medicine are centered on activating the body’s own natural healing ability but have not been tested or evaluated . This threatens the quality of chicken meat and eggs, thus a health hazard. A study conducted in Kenya by FAO , had recommended that public education and training on safe poultry production, good bio-security and management practices were critical for producers in rural areas.
Some of these issues have raised concerns about the sustainability of backyard poultry/small scale poultry production systems due to:
(i) intensified competition from large-scale producers who can exercise significant control over the poultry value chain (including concentrated holding of genetic stock of industrial poultry by a few transnational corporations); and (ii) the public perception that small production units may be dangerous reservoirs of diseases, especially in the wake of recent outbreaks of HPAI. Governments are already beginning to emphasize the possible publichealth risks associated with small scale (especially household) poultry production.
Measures for improving backyard poultry production
- Scientific and technical intervention strategies: Suitable technologies and innovations in backyard poultry farming should be used to improve the production and profitability of their backyard chicken enterprises. This includes proper housing, feed supplementation, vaccination; brooding and predator control . These technologies influence the level of output, product quality, employment, trade and benefits , thereby increasing the income generating capacities of the farmers.
- Institutional support: Effective delivery of extension and veterinary services, credit facilities, training, access to market, market information and group membership should be ensured. Membership to farmer groups facilitate easier access to inputs like feed supplements, improved chicks, drugs and vaccines, technical advice, credit, training, transportation and marketing of chicken products .
• Awareness on Common Chicken Diseases: Farmers should be aware of normal chicken ehavior, daily rhythm, natural incubation and hatching, management of young chicks, housing, hygiene, feeding, watering and healthcare . Farmers should also be aware of common chicken diseases as they cause death, unthriftness and lowered production. This allows production to be kept at optimum levels in line with proper management practices . • Capacity-building: Organization with support services and input supply is a critical element of any model that attempts to link smallholders with output markets. This requires support from people with strong organizational skills. Thus, appropriate capacity-building measures must become an integral part of interventions that design and implement livelihood-support options such as backyard poultry.
- Linking with microcredit: Microfinance organizations and self-help groups may help with credit to finance important expenditures. Establishment of strong linkages with microcredit organizations must, therefore, be seen as an integral component of all livelihood support interventions, including household poultry. Besides facilitating access to credit, credible microcredit organizations and self-help groups can also help rationalize interest rates.
• Need for a common platform: There is a need to organize a series of meetings and workshops to sensitize decisionmakers, politicians, bureaucrats, technocrats, policy-makers and planners to implement pro-poor farmers programmes. Data with respect to their requirement should be available. It is also necessary to involve people who write poverty reduction strategy papers, human development reports, policy documents, etc. International organizations such as Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) with a mandate to promote global exchange of information, collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of data, and national and international technological, social and economic research, can play a significant role in this context.
- Data and analytics: Finally, the database pertaining to poultry production is scarce and seriously hampers the analytical work necessary to support decision-making. There are significant discrepancies even in the basic production and price data brought out by the government, private agencies, and international organizations. Generation of accurate data is critical for chalking out policy decisions.
Conventional and improved varieties of backyard poultry birds
In rural poultry farming, birds are raised under a traditional extensive unscientific scavenging system without special management practices of feeding or housing and the flock size ranges from 5 to 50 birds. In rural areas, chicken reared in backyard are generally Desi type which are low producing with respect to egg and meat. The desi chicken breeds adopted in free- range backyard conditions for centuries contribute about 11% of total egg production in India33. Their contribution to the total egg output was stagnant for the last few decades due to their low productivity i.e. annual egg production: 50-60 nos. Usually non-descript desi birds are reared but in some areas, local breeds and crossbreds derived from them are also reared. Specific improved varieties of birds are now available for rearing for meat or eggs and few varieties for both (dual purpose). Rural poultry farming should involve rearing of improved chicken varieties under free range, semi intensive or intensive conditions . Understanding the importance of backyard rural poultry farming in India, several research organizations have developed different backyard chicken varieties which have successfully been reared by farmers from many parts of the country. These improved varieties include Gramapriya, CARI-nirbhic, CARI-Shyama, Vanaraja, Gramalaxmi and Nicobari. Out of these the first four are of dual purpose whereas rest are egg type .
Chicken Genetic Resources
There are 19 registered breeds of chicken distributed in different parts of the country. The indigenous birds have certain characteristics in common such as small compact body and body weight of about 1-1.5 kg. They vary greatly in their plumage pattern, comb type and body confirmation. The breast bone is low and well covered with feathers which lie close to the body. They generally lay brown shelled small eggs. The hens are broody. The birds are reared in free range backyard system. Scavenging with supplementation of kitchen waste is the most common feeding system. List of registered breeds and their details are given in Table 1. The indigenous breeds contribute to only 6.5% of total fowl population (807.85 m) of the country. As Breed Survey Report of 2019, the total populations of different breeds varied from 26615 (Nicobari) to Aseel (33680583). However, population of Miri, Daothigir, Kadaknath, Punjab Brown, Ankaleswar, Chittagong and Busra breeds was also above 10 lakhs. Three breeds namely Hansli, Kalasthi and Nicobari had population size less than 1 lakh.
| Varieties Developed |
| Commercial White Egg Laying Chicken | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CARI PRIYA |
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| Breeders of egg type chicken are primarily concerned with the development of quality layers in terms of high egg production, feed efficiency, livability and low chick cost. CARl Priya, earlier known as ILI-80, is one such commercial white egg layer. CARl Priya was developed by crossing superior male and female strains of White Leghorn. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Special Features
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FOR DETAILS OF DEVELOPED BREEDS OF COUNTRY CHICKEN BY CARI ,PLEASE VISIT:
https://cari.icar.gov.in/varieties_deve.php
Indigenous Poultry and Rural Empowerment
Backyard production system has over the years contributed to a great extent to the agrarian economy of the country. For rural poultry production Indigenous breeds are well suited as these are well known for their tropical adaptability and disease resistance. In India two types of production system of poultry production exists:
Rural/Backyard poultry production system
- Commercial poultry production Eggs and chicken meat are produced under this system at low cost by scavenging birds in the backyard and without feed supplementation with commercial rations. It provides livelihood security to the underprivileged family in addition to securing the availability of protein rich food at cheaper cost. It is an old age practice in rural India and available in three forms (Singh, 2007).
- Traditional scavenging system (b) Semi-scavenging system (c) Small-scale intensive system The choice of system is largely determined by the availability of resources and inputs, which depends on the keeper’s socio-economic circumstances. Requirements of the different systems are quite different from each other including the type of germplasm to be used (Singh, 2007).
Traditional backyard production system:
This is one of the most sustainable production systems with hardly any dependence on external sources (including chicks). This system is cost effective and satisfies consumer preferences for eggs and meat of indigenous/local birds and cultural linkages. Traditional backyard system exists in two forms:
Un-improved backyard system: Includes use of native birds, scavenging, no regular water or feed, little or poor night shelter, no vaccination and medication.
Improved backyard system: Includes use of improved germplasm, scavenging, regular water, supplementary feeding, improved shelter, care of chicks in the early age, vaccination against prevalent diseases and deworming. The birds utilized in the system are although poor in egg and meat production but are hardy, adaptable to tropical climate, have better disease resistance, scavenging for their own feed, can run and fly to escape predators and are capable of reproducing to supply replacement stock for the household flock. Number of birds to be reared in this system usually should not be more than 25.
Semi-scavenging system: This system is used for small flocks under partially controlled management and where the scavenged feed account for a substantial part of the total feed consumed. Birds are kept most of the times under confinement with supplemented diet. They are allowed to scavenge in a day partly and are managed for predator’s protection. Number of birds to be reared under this system varies from 50–200. Small-scale intensive system: This system consists of small to medium sized flocks kept by a family as a means of acquiring assets to defeat poverty. They represent quite a large proportion of the assets and income of their owners, and are often financed from loans, but it is highly risky and dependent on good marketing facilities.
Suitability of Indigenous Chicken for Rural Poultry
The native breeds are good foragers, efficient mothers, require less cost and special care to grow and thus have characteristics essential for raising poultry under village conditions. Indigenous breeds enjoy the advantage of superiority over exotic breeds/strains due to following characteristics: l Preference for coloured bird by the peoples.
Capability of self-defence from predators due to its alertness, light body weight, longer shank length and aggressiveness.
Thrive well under adverse environments like poor housing, management and feeding.
Comparatively disease resistant to protozoon & ecto-parasites and have better immunocompetence.
Possesses characteristics essential of scavenging chicken.
Have better adaptability to extreme climatic conditions prevailing in the country.
Comparatively hardier and require less health care than Exotic birds
Having broodiness or self propagation. Large scale introduction of exotic breeds/strains of poultry under various rural development programmes resulted in extinction of some of breeds and few are facing the danger of extinction. Hence, conservation of native breeds is of prime importance. High yielding germplasm have contributed significantly in the progress of commercial poultry production but most of the high yielding exotic breeds have temperate origin. India being a tropical country having vast hot and humid area around coastal regions is not suitable for full expression of its production potential. In the peak summer and humid months, high yielding stocks suffer from tropical stress manifested as low egg production and reduction in the feed efficiency.
Future Perspectives
Besides, the huge growth, the Indian poultry sector has been chicken dominated which in turns ignoring the potentials of others diversified poultry species. Hence, polices for improving the other poultry species viz. duck, geese, guinea fowl, quails etc. needs intensification.
Conservation is a very costly affair, which needs proper planning, source of regular financing and follow-up the action plan. National institution, state Governments, State Agricultural Universities and commercial entrepreneurs should be included in the conservation work.
Avian Genetic Resource Task Force should be established to plan the conservation strategies and its follow-up for recognised native breeds. Improvement and utilization of the native breeds are the only tools for its sustainability in the traditional production system.
A net work programme having a research centre in each state would be a good proposition as the particular breed has acquired adaptability for the particular environment. These centers would conserve, evaluate, and improve the productivity of indigenous breed and provide improved native parent stocks to poultry farmers, Government poultry unit / private hatchery etc. and thus will helps the sustainability of the breed in their ecologies.
All the States are requested to consider having a breeding policy for indigenous poultry and evolve measures to conserve native breeds.
CAGE-FREE EGG PRODUCTION IN INDIA
What are cage-free eggs?
These are eggs produced in cage-free conditions. Instead of cramming chickens into tiny cages, the birds are made to live in large enclosures where they get enough open space to grow and lay eggs.
It’s already Oct. 2023, which means many food and hospitality businesses have only a few more years to meet their cage-free egg commitment deadlines, including in India. Leading corporations, including Unilever, Nestle and Marriott, are committed to sourcing only cage-free eggs by 2025, and many have already begun to make the switch. To prepare for this growing demand, producers have begun to produce cage-free eggs. Adopting cage-free production methods involves a significant learning process, and by starting now, producers can optimise their production over time, leading up to 2025. Global Food Partners (GFP) – a Singapore-based consulting firm – and India’s Cage-free and Free-range Poultry Producers Association (CFFRPPA) – have signed an exclusive partnership agreement to support the country’s egg farmers to transition to best practice cage-free production.
Through this partnership, GFP will build capacity through online resources and in-person consultations and workshops in cage-free production and bird health and welfare to CFFRPPA members interested in cage-free farming. The two organisations will also develop a buyer roundtable, to help food and hospitality businesses source cage-free eggs and develop the cage-free market in India.
Jayasimha Nuggehalli, Chief Operating Officer and Co-founder of Global Food Partners, stated, “Our mission at GFP is to create a cage-free ecosystem in Asia, where both egg producers and buyers can achieve sustainable cage-free production and sourcing. We’re thrilled to partner with CFFRPPA to help its members succeed in cage-free production, and to help corporate buyers meet their cage-free commitments in India.”
Ashok Kannan, President of CFFRPPA, stated, “Our membership is increasingly interested in producing cage-free eggs, as more and more consumers and corporate clients in India are requesting them. We are happy Global Food Partners can support CFFRPPA egg farmers to overcome challenges they’ve been facing in cage-free production. Their vast experience in India and abroad will help us stay competitive and meet client demand for a high quality and reliable supply of cage-free eggs.”
Earlier this month, as part of this partnership, CFFRPPA member and farmer and trainer at Happy Hens, Mathavan Damodharan attended Global Food Partners’ week-long training at its Cage-free Welfare and Innovation Hub in Indonesia. The training was led jointly by Global Food Partners, Universitas Gadjah Mada (Indonesia) and Aeres University of Applied Sciences (the Netherlands), and had participants from across Asia, including Singapore, China, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippines. The training had both theoretical and practical sessions, including visits to a local farm, bird assessments and handling, and collaborative learning activities in the classroom and on farm.
Global Food Partners is a Singapore-based consulting company whose mission is to work with food businesses and egg producers to successfully transition to higher welfare cage-free sourcing and production in Asia.
Cage-free and Free-range Poultry Producers Association (CFFRPPA) is a new industry organization dedicated to promoting best practices in cage-free and free-range poultry production in India.
NB- The commission’s recommendations on eggs hatched by cage-free birds have naturally set the regulatory cat among Indian hen coops.
“To curtail the cruel practice of confining birds, it is necessary to have a distinction between produce obtained from healthy farming of hens in a cage-free environment and produce obtained from battery-cage farming,” the draft Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Egg Laying Hens) Rules, 2017, say.
The commission suggests state animal husbandry departments certify free-range farming in order to promote it. The recommendations are for egg-laying hens as well as broilers. The commission has also framed guidelines on rearing and stocking density of birds in poultry farms.
The Law Commission’s recommendations are usually not binding on the government, but the Rs 5-lakh crore poultry industry is aflutter over the penalties proposed in the Act. These include seizure of birds in the case of violation. The draft rules follow a few months after the Centre notified rules for regulating cattle markets, also under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. These banned tying birds by their neck, leg or wing, and carrying them upside down. Implementation of the rules, though, has been put on hold.
Over 90 per cent of Indian poultry farms, including the big organised ones, rear birds in battery cages. The cages are often so small that the birds are unable to stand straight or spread their wings.
“A typical egg farm in our country contains thousands of cages with tens of thousands of birds. This method of stocking hens leads to sore feet, minor and major abrasions, broken bones and other injuries,” the commission said. The commission, which made its recommendations on a reference from the law ministry, also said the weight of birds should be the critical factor in calculating stocking density. The poultry industry claims free-range farming will not only lower yields but will also increase the incidence of disease with birds being exposed to manure and droppings.
Cage Free Egg Production Systems Market Share, Trends | 2023-2030 |
“Cage Free Egg Production Systems Market” Research Report 2023 includes detailed market segmentation based on Regions, Applications (Hens, Pullets), and Types (Single-Tier System, Multi-Tier System). The report presents the research and analysis provided within the Cage Free Egg Production Systems Market Research is meant to benefit stakeholders, vendors, and other participants in the industry. This report is of 89 Pages long. The Cage Free Egg Production Systems market is expected to grow annually by magnificent (CAGR 2023 – 2030).
Who is the largest manufacturers of Cage Free Egg Production Systems Market worldwide?
- FACCO
- TEXHA
- Jansen Poultry Equipment
- Valco Companies
- Hotraco Agri
- Big Dutchman
- Vencomatic Group
- Short Description About Cage Free Egg Production Systems Market:
- The Global Cage Free Egg Production Systems market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2023 and 2030. In 2022, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon.
- Highlights
- The global Cage Free Egg Production Systems market is projected to reach USD million by 2028 from an estimated USD million in 2022, at a CAGR of Percent during 2023 and 2028.
- North American market for Cage Free Egg Production Systems is estimated to increase from USD million in 2022 to reach USD million by 2028, at a CAGR of Percent during the forecast period of 2023 through 2028.
- Asia-Pacific market for Cage Free Egg Production Systems is estimated to increase from USD million in 2022 to reach USD million by 2028, at a CAGR of Percent during the forecast period of 2022 through 2028.
- The major global companies of Cage Free Egg Production Systems include FACCO, TEXHA, Jansen Poultry Equipment, Valco Companies, Hotraco Agri, Big Dutchman and Vencomatic Group, etc. In 2021, the world’s top three vendors accounted for approximately Percent of the revenue.
- The global market for Cage Free Egg Production Systems in Hens is estimated to increase from USD million in 2022 to USD million by 2028, at a CAGR of Percent during the forecast period of 2022 through 2028.
- Considering the economic change due to COVID-19 and Russia-Ukraine War Influence, Single-Tier System, which accounted for Percent of the global market of Cage Free Egg Production Systems in 2021, is expected to reach million USD by 2028, growing at a revised CAGR of Percent from 2022 to 2028.
What are the factors driving the growth of the Cage Free Egg Production Systems Market?
Growing demand for below applications around the world has had a direct impact on the growth of the Cage Free Egg Production Systems
- Hens
- Pullets
What are the types of Cage Free Egg Production Systems available in the Market?
Based on Product Types the Market is categorized into Below types that held the largest Cage Free Egg Production Systems market share In 2023.
- Single-Tier System
- Multi-Tier System
Which regions are leading the Cage Free Egg Production Systems Market?
- North America (United States, Canada and Mexico)
- Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Turkey etc.)
- Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam)
- South America (Brazil, Argentina, Columbia etc.)
- Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa)
Things to know before transitioning to cage-free egg production
Asia produces more than a billion eggs daily, making it the region with the most table eggs produced annually. The majority comes from facilities with conventional cages, writes NICOLAS FARRUGIO*.
Nonetheless, the production of cage-free eggs is growing each year due to the increasing demand. In Asia, where no regulations are officially implemented, it is difficult for farmers to set up a cage-free farm and be sustainable and competitive in the long term.
But there has been a significant change in consumer perception in the last few years about animal welfare which is changing the egg production landscape.
Despite the lack of local regulations, consultancy companies and associations for animal welfare have been creating a certification system for cage-free egg production in Asia. It guides local farmers on bird density, access to feed and water, litter areas, and access to nests.
Things to know before transitioning to cage-free egg production
Asia produces more than a billion eggs daily, making it the region with the most table eggs produced annually. The majority comes from facilities with conventional cages, writes NICOLAS FARRUGIO*.
Nonetheless, the production of cage-free eggs is growing each year due to the increasing demand. In Asia, where no regulations are officially implemented, it is difficult for farmers to set up a cage-free farm and be sustainable and competitive in the long term.
But there has been a significant change in consumer perception in the last few years about animal welfare which is changing the egg production landscape.
Despite the lack of local regulations, consultancy companies and associations for animal welfare have been creating a certification system for cage-free egg production in Asia. It guides local farmers on bird density, access to feed and water, litter areas, and access to nests.
Understand the challenges
Farmers must respond to market demand by choosing the right farming system and understanding the challenges of transitioning to cage-free egg production.
Although cage-free systems allow birds to express their natural behavior, they are challenging for farmers. Indeed, hen mortality is higher in cage-free egg production compared to cages. This is due to a higher risk of cannibalism, bacterial infections, and internal parasites, among others.
Also, by having free-range birds, risks of predation and infections from other animals or wild birds are likely. Moreover, birds rest on wet litter that contains high amounts of ammonia. This can lead to footpad dermatitis.
Mortality being higher, the vaccination cost will be impacted.
The density of layers in a cage-free facility is lower compared to battery cages. We count an average of 1111 sqcm/bird in cage-free systems against 400 sqcm/bird in cages. So, it requires more fixed investment to reach a targeted number of birds in a cage-free environment.
A new statistic to consider when transitioning to cage-free production is system and floor eggs. In a good aviary system, producers can reach a maximum of 1% mislaid eggs, but these numbers are influenced by bird behavior, which plays an important economic role.
Indeed, eggs laid outside the nests are more likely to become contaminated. They are also easily broken or eaten by the birds, translating to losses.
Manual egg collection from the floor entails a cost and is a problem for producers. These eggs can also create cloacal cannibalism, a concern for animal welfare.
Finally, the birds in a cage-free environment will burn more calories from moving around the system, which will create higher feed consumption inside the shed.
Adapted systems
The right farming system must respond to the most suitable and efficient characteristics and potential regulations or market requirements. For these reasons, equipment manufacturers must be able to cater to demand by providing adapted systems.
For instance, in Europe, regulations require cage-free equipment to respect at least 10 cm/bird for linear feeders and 4 cm/bird for circular feeders. Drinking lines must contain one nipple drinker or one cup for every 10 hens, and nests must offer 1sqm of space for a maximum of 120 hens.
Another important aspect is the perches. They must be adequate and without sharp edges, provide at least 15 cm/hen, and cannot be put above litter areas. Also, the horizontal distance between perches must be at least 30cm, and from perches to wall, 20cm.
In terms of density, it is mandatory to not exceed 9 layers/sqm usable area, 18 layers per ground surface. Each system cannot have more than four levels to ensure perfect control of the birds. The litter area must occupy a space equal to 1/3 of the ground surface.
These regulations can be different among countries, and sometimes even nonexistent, which can be difficult for Asian farmers wanting to transition.
Follow the bird’s behavior
The right farming system must follow the birds’ behavior which is complex in cage-free facilities and related to genetic, hormone, and environmental factors.
Birds will naturally look for the best place to lay eggs, and any stressful event or non-adapted equipment will impact laying, hence the risk of eggs being laid on the floor or the system.
Hierarchy plays an important role in laying activity. If the number of nests is limited in the aviary system, then low-ranked birds are forced to seek alternative nesting sites, resulting in more system and floor eggs.
The nest type itself is crucial in the aviary system: it must be comfortable, closed, dark, and warm, and must have a soft mat or artificial grass on the floor. It is also common to use an automatic egg belt for collection.
In general, layers prefer nests with elevated solid floors located in hidden places like corners. The more isolated the nest, the more attractive it is for the layers.
It is a challenge to make nests attractive to birds to eliminate alternative nesting sites. Birds project recurrent behavior, so a bird nesting on the floor will often do so and thus can be identified easily.
Also, it is necessary to choose an aviary system with a logical approach to bird behavior regarding access to feed and water. Feed must be accessible at all levels to ensure each bird gets the necessary amount of energy to produce eggs. Water must be accessible in front of the nests wher e the bird will drink before laying.
Growing period is key
Success in egg production depends on the bird’s growing period.
Indeed, birds reared in battery cages do not have sufficient muscle development to evolve in a cage-free environment so they will have difficulties accessing feed, water perches, and nests on elevated levels.The goal of rearing in a cage-free environment is to bring the birds to a proper and uniform size and weight. They must be prepared to lay, and the system must act like a school for pullets for laying in an aviary system.The main goal is to produce the maximum A-class sellable eggs at a minimum cost and expense.
Compiled & Shared by- This paper is a compilation of groupwork provided by the
Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)
Image-Courtesy-Google
Reference-On Request.
