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White Feathered Broiler
Why do white-feathered broilers dominate commercial meat production?
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3 Replies
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Most commercial meat-type birds (e.g., chickens, turkeys, and ducks) are white for processing convenience. After plucking feather from poultry a small pigmentation can be left behind in the skin papilla. If the feathers are white, then any leftover “white” pigment is likely not going to show on a white skinned chicken. Similarly, any small white feathers not eliminated during plucking and singeing are likely not to be visible on a withe skinned chicken. To the contrary, colored feather are very noticeable on a white-skinned chicken. Consumers want chickens with “clean” skin and white-feather chickens can provide a “cleaner” looking skin than darker-feathered birds.
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Especially breeds like Ross 308 , Cobb 500 and arbor acres dominate commercial meat production due to their exceptional characteristics such as
Rapid growth rate
Efficient feed conversion
Disease resistance
Uniformity
Processing advantage
Better nutrient utilization
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White-feathered broilers dominate commercial meat production because they are bred for rapid growth, high feed efficiency, and because white feathers are easier to process and appear cleaner after plucking, leading to a better-looking product
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