KEEPING up with Australia's escalating demand for chicken meat is a hefty task and the industry is stepping up efforts to prove its animal friendly credentials.
Demand for chicken meat is rising rapidly and the Australian Chicken Meat Federation (ACMF) recently offered rare access to the media to let them judge the state of modern, intensive farming operations.
On average, Australians eat 44 kilograms of chicken meat a year out of 110kg of meat overall, according to ACMF.
The intensive production of chicken meat birds has long been the target of animal liberation groups who claim the birds' rapid growth regime causes debilitating physical problems ranging from heart disease to lameness.
Demand for the meat has seen the country's domestic flock grow to 580 million birds, equating to one billion tonnes of meat, up from 465 million 5 years ago.
ACMF’s tour formed part of an ongoing education drive by the federation aimed at informing the public about how meat chickens are farmed.
A group of ten visited Andrew and Jenny Clarke's farm at Peats Ridge, where 69,000 of Ingham's chickens are raised across five sheds every ten weeks.
The Clarke's RSPCA-approved set-up featured winch-operated perches, play toys for pecking, and an automatic water and feed system.
The tunnel-ventilated shed was controlled by a $60,000 computer which frequently adjusted the conditions inside the shed.
The floor's litter (hardwood sawdust) was turned once a week.
Mr Clarke pointed to the industry average for chicken mortality, which rates at less than four per cent on broiler farms.
ACMF deputy executive director Vivien Kite said the industry has made significant progress in its genetic research over the past decade and has kept pace with consumer and industry demands.
The Clarks' birds gain 90 grams a day for 50 days before processing, a growth rate which is well within the birds' limits.
Dr Kite said in the past growth rate and feed conversion were traits that were selected by top genetics companies, but these days a more robust chook is desired.
"What geneticists select for has completely changed in the past 10 to 15 years," she said.
"The feedback from the industry has been that growth isn't everything, the birds have to be robust."
She said skeletal strength and cardiovascular strength were now favoured traits.
