Korte keten vleeskuikenhouderij : openbare samenvatting fase 2 van project ACD-01.003 AKK co-innovatieprogramma Duurzame Agro Foodketens

Between 2002 and 2006, the feasibility of a regional chain for sustainable production of poultry meat is studied. The study is initiated by a company, owned by a family of broiler growers (Kuijpers Kip) and is financed by the Ministry of agriculture, nature management and fisheries and the Ministry of transport, public works and water management. Representatives of the Dutch poultry business, non-governmental organizations and knowledge organizations engineered the study. The goal of this study was to design a concept for a regional and sustainable production chain for poultry meat and meat products, and to judge its feasibility. The study was divided in two phases. During the fist phase, alternative scenarios for poultry meat production are designed, and for all scenarios technical, economical, legal, organizational and commercial feasibility, social acceptation, animal welfare and environmental effects (with attention for transport effects) are explored. Four alternative scenarios for broiler production and three different slaughtering and processing scenarios are designed. In the alternative broiler production scenarios, the last three days of the incubation and the hatching don?t take place at a hatchery but at the broiler plant. After 18 days of incubation, the eggs are placed in litter on the floor or on a battery. In the four different scenarios the time on the battery was 0, 10, 18 or 42 days, respectively. The slaughtering and processing and scenario?s were: slaughtering and processing at the poultry farm; slaughtering at the farm (mobile slaughtering plant) and processing in a traditional processing company, and slaughtering and processing in a traditional poultry processing plant. During the second phase, the scenario `physical short chain? is studied in detail. In this physical short chain, the hatching process, broiling and slaughtering are concentrated at one large poultry plant. After slaughtering the carcasses are transported to a processing company, but the farmer directs the process. Therefore he is responsible for the total process and for the final product. Tests and calculations concerning production of the poultry, costs for slaughter, marketing, and reduction of transport costs indicate that the physical short chain is economical practicable. Reduction of transport for day-old chicks and matured chickens is about 400.000 km/year for this company.