Chapter 20 - Reproductive management of poultry

Abstract

Based on data from the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization, about 120 million metric tons of poultry meat were produced globally in 2016. In addition, about 82 million metric tons of eggs were produced. One of the bases for this production is the reproductive efficiency of today's poultry. This, in turn, is due to their inherent reproductive physiology, intensive genetic selection and advances in husbandry/management. The system of reproduction in males in largely similar to that in mammals except that there is no descent of testes. In females, there are marked differences with there being a single ovary and oviduct; the latter being the name of the differentiated entire Müllerian duct. Moreover, females produce eggs with a yolky oocyte surrounded by albumen, membranes and shell. Among the most successful reproductive management techniques are optimizing photoperiod, light intensity and nutrition. Widespread employment of these has allowed maximizing production. Laying hens can be re-cycled toward the end egg production. Other aspects of reproductive management in poultry include the following: artificial insemination (almost exclusively employed in turkeys) and approaches to reduce broodiness together with cage free (colony), conventional, enriched and free-range systems.