'This is an important book. You can't understand the radical cheapening of food, with all its unpleasant effects, for farm animals and our most cherished rural landscapes, until you begin to understand the industrialisation of chicken. Industrial chicken is now displacing many more sustainable farming systems, driving them out of business. This book explains how that happened and why we should all be worried about it and demand change' James Rebanks, author of The Shepherd's Life Plucked! examines everything that has gone wrong in the modern agricultural system: overuse of antibiotics, threats to the environment, violations of animal welfare, destruction of farming communities, disruption of international trade and delivery of over-processed, obesity-promoting, nutritionally hollow food. Drawing on years of research into the 'big chicken' industry, acclaimed science writer Maryn McKenna uncovers the people searching for solutions and seeking to return chicken to a sustainable and honoured place on our plate and asking whether, with reform, chicken can safely feed the world. Rich with characters who together propelled the story of chicken's unintended consequences, Plucked! will reveal how the antibiotic era created modern agriculture. It is an eye-opening exploration of how the world's most popular meat came to define so much more than just chicken nuggets.

"Needless to say, such a book is timely as it provides a valuable account of modern food safety management in poultry processing, coupled with the key elements of sustainable production systems." - Poultry Production To meet growing demand, the FAO has estimated that world poultry production needs to grow by 2-3% per year to 2030. Much of the increase in output already achieved has been as a result of improvements in commercial breeds combined with rearing in more intensive production systems. However, more intensive systems and complex supply chains have increased the risk of rapid transmission of animal diseases and zoonoses. Consumer expectations of sensory and nutritional quality have never been higher. At the same time consumers are more concerned about the environmental impact of poultry production as well as animal welfare. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this book reviews research on safety, quality and sustainability issues in poultry production. Part 1 discusses risks from pathogens, detection and safety management on farms and in slaughterhouse operations. Part 2 looks at ways of enhancing the flavour, colour, texture and nutritional quality of poultry meat. Finally, the book reviews the environmental impact of poultry production. Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat Volume 1: Safety, quality and sustainability will be a standard reference for poultry and food scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in poultry production. It is accompanied by two further volumes which review poultry breeding, nutrition, health and welfare.

Filled with down-to-earth, common-sense advice, this absolute beginner's guide for first-time chicken keepers teaches you everything you want and need to know about raising a backyard flock. Keeping backyard chickens can be fun and simple, even if you have limited backyard space. To get started keeping backyard poultry, you'll learn about: The benefits of a backyard chicken flock Tips on negotiating chicken-keeping regulations How to select a breed to suit your needs The incubation process The art of brooding Setting up coops and runs Proper poultry nutrition How to protect your flock from predators Illness prevention and treatment With this knowledge, you can enjoy a more sustainable lifestyle with fresh eggs, free fertilizer (chicken poop!), and reduced household waste (chickens love table scraps!). Delight in the journey and achieve success with First Time Chicken Keeping. Each book in the First Time series distills how-to guidance and advice from an expert on a specific topic into targeted step-by-step instruction geared toward the absolute beginner.

"This book gives a good overall review of the advances that have recently occurred in the fields of poultry genetics and genomics...one thing that really struck me about this book was the calibre of the editorial team and the international range and expertise of the contributing authors. With over 550 pages this book is well worth its place on the bookshelf of anyone who is interested in poultry breeding and genomics."International Hatchery Practice The poultry breeding sector faces a number of challenges, including the need to produce more resilient breeds in the face of disease, antibiotic resistance, increasing consumer concerns about bird health and welfare and expectations of poultry meat and egg quality. Advances in poultry genetics and genomics provides a comprehensive review of the recent developments in poultry genetics, breeding and genomics, focussing on the improvement of functional traits to build resilience, the use of genomic selection and its application in breeding improved layers and broilers, as well as the sector's emerging trends such as epigenetics and genome editing. With its distinguished editor team and international range of expert contributors, Advances in poultry genetics and genomics will be a standard reference for poultry scientists, companies involved in poultry breeding and government agencies supporting the poultry sector.

This book reviews the biological science and background to breeding meat poultry, specifically broiler, turkey and duck. These commercial birds have been changed by genetic selection to such an extent that they are substantially different from traditional breeds and laying hens. Covering science, management and husbandry systems, this comprehensive text provides the most up to date collection of papers on the topic from a range of international experts.

Is this the right book for me? Raise Happy Chickens is a quickly accessible but authoritative guide, suitable for total beginners, that provides all the information you need to start keeping your own chickens. Telling you which breed of bird lays best and providing useful guidance on housing, equipment and the necessities of day-to-day care, it meets all the needs of anyone who dreams of a garden full of happy, clucking birds. It also goes beyond just chickens to other types of poultry, and gives advice and practical guidelines on housing, with full explanation of key areas like welfare, behaviour and diet.

A captivating, beautifully illustrated memoir of a life in nature, and a testament to the mutual rewards and delights of keeping chickens, by the Sunday Times bestselling author of The Flower Yard 'I am a toddler the first time I meet a chicken, and we are equal in size and height. The hen has tiny eyelashes, a strawberry-jam face and a voice of purring clucks. I sense a happy spirit of inquisitiveness and smile in fascination. From that moment on, I will always love the company of chickens. I have found my tribe' Most of us want a dog, or a cat, or a pony when we are young - for Arthur Parkinson, it was always hens. Growing up in an ex-mining town in Nottinghamshire, the other kids in the playground called him 'Chicken Boy'. But the quiet fulfilment of keeping hens became his sanctuary, a tonic for mental and physical health, a connection with his family and the natural world. From the local allotments and his nan's back garden, to Chatsworth and an unlikely friendship with the late Duchess of Devonshire, a famous hen-keeper, Chicken Boy tells the story of the love and satisfaction to be found in caring for living things. Illustrated with Arthur's own characterful watercolours and photographs of his 'girls', and laden with practical hen-keeping tips, gardening advice and introductions to common, rare and pure breeds, Chicken Boy is a one-of-a-kind memoir of a life in nature.

This collection features five peer-reviewed reviews on managing bacterial diseases of poultry. The first chapter provides a brief overview of Campylobacter in poultry production and the routes of transmission from bird to human. It considers current and future challenges in controlling Campylobacter, as well as the control measures implemented to reduce the occurrence of infection in poultry flocks. The second chapter discusses economically-important enteric diseases and disorders of poultry. The chapter highlights the aetiology of these diseases and explores more sustainable alternatives to promote gastrointestinal health, such as plant-derived extracts, organic acids, prebiotics and probiotics. The third chapter provides an overview of best practices to manage disease outbreaks in poultry. It reviews current disease preventative measures, health monitoring procedures, as well as disease investigation techniques. The fourth chapter reviews the emergence and re-emergence of several infectious pathogens in poultry production and the consequent need to improve current biosecurity measures in poultry flocks to ensure optimal animal health and welfare. The final chapter considers the main alternatives to antibiotics in preventing zoonoses and other major pathogens in poultry. The chapter reviews the sector's use of prebiotics and related compounds, as well as the beneficial effects of their use.

Today, due to the high population of human beings, scientists are increasingly concerned with food shortages and searching for alternative sources of dietary protein, such as algae, insects, and worms. Spirulina represents a superior alternative source, as it has a high nutrient content without toxicity, and can be reared in many countries worldwide. Given the limited amount of studies on the advantages and disadvantages of using Spirulina in birds' diets, this book fills an important research gap. It highlights the nutritional aspects of using Spirulina in poultry diets, and will appeal to animal husbandry and veterinary students, professors, feed formulators, poultry production consultants and farmers.