Science of Raising Chickens for Beginners

Author: Niu Shuti
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-07-01
Features: The Chinese people have a long tradition of consuming eggs and chicken, with a history of raising chickens that dates back many years. There is a wealth of experience and a rich variety of breeds. However, the development of modern, large-scale, and intensive poultry farming has been relatively late, only gradually emerging after the reform and opening-up. To date, China has established a modern poultry production system, including a breeding system for high-quality poultry, a system for processing and supplying compound feed, a disease prevention system for poultry, as well as engineering systems such as process design, equipment manufacturing and design, and architectural design and construction. There are also management systems for production and operations and product processing and sales. All of these have laid a solid foundation for the steady and healthy development of China's poultry industry. Currently, the layer industry has basically established a breeding system for high-quality layers, consisting of grandparent, parent, and commercial layer farms. Breeding companies have introduced products tailored to domestic demand, holding a significant position in the market competition. In terms of egg composition, brown-shelled eggs account for about 70%, white-shelled eggs for 15%, and brown-shelled eggs for around 15%. China's egg production has ranked among the world's top producers, and poultry products have become one of the cheapest and most accessible animal-based foods. Not only do chicken products meet domestic demand, but they are also exported to many countries. With China's entry into the WTO, how to utilize advanced science and technology to reduce breeding costs, improve the quality of chicken products, meet international food safety standards, and achieve stable development in market competition has become even more important. During the writing process of this book, the authors have strived to make it "comprehensive, practical, and easy to understand." The main content includes: the history and current state of the poultry industry, development strategies for China's poultry industry after joining the WTO; chicken breeds and breeding techniques; chicken hatching technology; chicken nutrition, feed, and feeding management; chicken disease prevention and control techniques; poultry farm management, economic benefits, and the utilization and disposal of poultry farm waste; the hazards of drug residues and control measures. The contributing authors have made great efforts in the writing process, but due to limitations in expertise and time, there may be inaccuracies and errors in the book. We sincerely welcome readers to point out any shortcomings and mistakes.