Antibiotic Free Poultry Is Key Industry Driver
ANALYSIS - The move to antibiotic free production is one of the key drivers in the poultry industry as consumers demand what they perceive as a healthier product, reports Sarah Mikesell, live from the 2016 International Production and Processing Expo (IPPE).
24 February 2016
2 minute read
By: Trevor Houston, Georgia Poultry national sales manager, speaks with ThePoultrySite at IPPE in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Along with antibiotic free production comes animal welfare considerations, including increasing square footage in houses to give birds more room and less competition which helps with health challenges, said Trevor Houston, national sales manager for Georgia Poultry.
"We're seeing equipment being monitored more closely," he said. "Things that can be cleaned and sanitised are very important."
As the demand for chicken and a more healthy product are increasing, farmers are stepping up their game to satisfy consumer demand in the supermarket, he said.
"We're selling more equipment, and we're actually inventing and creating new ways of doing the same old job," Mr Houston said.
"We feed off of the information we get back from our integrator partners too. They know their market and what they need; they come to us to give some solutions out on the farm to accomplish the goals they have. It's a good synergy."
