County Extension agents and Extension poultry specialists frequently receive requests for information on how to get into contract broiler production. It is the objective of this publication to answer some of the most often asked questions regarding this business. The U.S. poultry industry has enjoyed a remarkable period of growth and expansion because health-conscious Americans are eating more chicken and because poultry meat is economical relative to competing food items. Per capita consumption of chicken meat is currently more than 75 pounds and has steadily increased since the 1950s. Today's broiler industry is a rapidly changing and highly technical agricultural industry.
Integrators generally own breeder flocks, hatcheries, feed mills, and processing plants.
The integrators provide the chicks, feed, medication, part of the fuel for brooding, and technical advisers to supervise farm production. These representatives will visit the farms once a week normally and more frequently when problems arise. Integration reduces costs by coordinating each stage of production. All stages of production are controlled to utilize resources and facilities with maximum efficiencies. Integration practices not only improve cost efficiency but also permit the production of more uniform birds.