We list the relevant points concerning today’s chickens (2022) that are naturally selected from those that
- for the same growth, consume less feed and drink less water;
- for the same consumption, grow more;
- for the same weight, are more conformed and balanced
This selection has initiated natural improvements that have led to a steady increase in biological efficiency and environmental sustainability.
It means, for example, that today a chicken consumes half a kilo less feed to reach a weight of 2.5 kg than it did 15 years ago, which translates into a 37% reduction in the land required for feed production.
From this, as the economic aspect of the farmers is linked to the weight reached by the animal, it follows that for the same number of chickens as 15 years ago, 10% less sheds are needed.
All this is bound to create environmental and economic impacts that are increasingly in favour of the planet and the economy in general if the adoption of so-called conventional animals is maintained, which are then the most “efficient” in terms of conversion, which today (2022) is 1.5 (i.e. the chicken grows 1 kg in weight while eating only 1.5 kg of feed):
Link to sk1 – ENG – Biological efficiency improvements over 15 years
Associations ‘against protected breeding’ have long been pushing for the breeding and marketing of so-called slow-growing breeds: Is slow growth really a benefit? For who?
The editorial staff of M.A.C.
