ANSC 445
Spring 2009
COMMERCIAL POULTRY MANAGEMENT

ENTERPRISE ANALYSIS: SPECIALTY BIRD MARKET

Each student is to select a minor species of poultry or a niche market (e.g., range reared or organic poultry) that contributes limited amount of income to total poultry sales in the United States. Examples of miscellaneous poultry include special breeds of chickens or turkeys (e.g., the French La-Rouge slow growing broilers), ducks, geese, Bobwhite quail, Coturnix quail, pet birds (parrots), chukar partridge, ring-necked pheasants, guinea fowl, ostriches, emus, pigeons, or doves. To avoid duplication, each student will select a different specialty bird market by the second week of class and an outline of proposed enterprise analysis by week 5 of class.

Learning Outcomes

Understand and appreciate:

• the scientific principles of sound management decisions relative to specialty bird housing, disease control, nutrition, breeding, incubation, processing, marketing, and economic planning
• the importance of integration of facility design with management systems that enhance bird welfare;
• the knowledge base of  professionals in the poultry industry who can provide realistic perspectives of current and evolving technologies;
• how classroom and laboratory knowledge can be applied to solving potential problems of specialty bird enterprise; and
• that thinking critically and logically will facilitate enterprise analysis contributing to  short- and long-term solutions.

A written report, including references, should discuss the life cycle of the bird and what is known on the housing, health care, management, nutrition, breeding, incubation, processing (if applicable), and marketing of that particular species. Discussion should include the use of the specialty bird (e.g., for food, sport, hobby, leisure, fashion, vegetation control, protection, etc.) and problems faced by the specialty bird industries and possible solutions (e.g., lack of availability of antibiotics, vaccines, equipment, feeds, etc.). Include an economic analysis of profit potential. Financial analysis should include labor and operating costs (animals, feed, supplies, equipment, etc.) as well as income. Include in the financial plan your loan requirements for starting a specialty bird market and a cash flow analysis projected at least 5 years from initiation of enterprise.

An oral presentation near the end of the semester will consist of a poster display or a Power Point presentation in which each student will have 20 minutes to present the highlights of their written report. An additional 5 minutes are available to answer questions from the audience. Exhibits could include brochures/hand-outs for the audience, equipment used in caring for the birds, samples of the marketable product, etc. A printed original copy of the report is to be presented to the instructor for grading on the day of the presentation.

Suggested References:

Fanatico, A. 2006. Alternative poultry production systems and outdoor access. National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/poultryoverview.pdf.

Parkhurst, Carmen R. and George J. Mountney, 1987. Poultry Meat and Egg Production. 1st edition. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, Inc., New York, NY.

Oberholtzer, L., C. Greene, and E. Lopez, Dec. 2006. Organic poultry and eggs capture high price premiums and growing share of specialty markets. USDA LDP-M-150-01: Outlook report from the Economic Research Service. www.ers.usda.gov. Hard copy available in instructor's office.

Scientific journals, e.g. World's Poultry Science Journal, Poultry Science, British Poultry Science, Journal of Applied Poultry Research.

International Hatchery Practice, a magazine published 8 times per year by Positive Action Publications Limited.

Grading System:

Written reports and oral presentations will be graded using the criteria shown in the next two tables. The enterprise analysis is worth a total of 100 points or 20% of your grade. Four of the 100 points will be rewarded to those students who turn in their written report on time and keep their oral presentation within the time limits specified above.

To ensure that students receive feed back from their enterprise analysis, instructor assessment, including appropriate written comments of project, will be returned to the student before the last day of class. Student assessment of oral presentation will also be provided as additional feed back. Students will use the table titled "Evaluating Student Presentation" as displayed at the end of this report to evaluate each other's presentation.

Tables - Evaluating the Written Report and Student Presentation (pdf)