Determination of the optimum slaughter weight to maximize gross profit in a turkey production system

Abstract

Case, L. A., Miller, S. P. and Wood, B. J. 2010. Determination of the optimum slaughter weight to maximize gross profit in a turkey production system. Can. J. Anim Sci. 90: 349Á356. A deterministic model was used to optimize turkey slaughter weight based on a profit equation that described the commercial grower and processing divisions of an integrated company. The objective was to determine optimum slaughter weights for toms and hens using both a heavy and super heavy strain, to maximize gross margin of the system. Sensitivity of optimum slaughter weight in response to feed cost and breast meat price was also considered. Higher margins could be achieved with toms and super heavy strain birds. This indicated that larger birds, from a heavier weight strain or toms within a strain, could be more efficient and profitable given the assumed production values. Results were based on the assumed market conditions, and changes in the costs or turkey component values (i.e., breast meat) could result in a shift in the optimal turkey strain to use. Increased feed cost results in a lower optimum slaughter weight and decreased margin. Optimum slaughter weight and profit increased with higher breast meat values. Increasing the profit of an integrated company can be accomplished by targeting slaughter to an optimum weight.Key words: Turkey, body weight, production efficiency, breast meat, feed efficiency Case, L. A., Miller, S. P. et Wood, B. J. 2010. De´termination du poids optimal d'abattage pour maximiser le profit brut d'un e´levage de dindons. Can. J. Anim Sci. 90: 349Á356. Les auteurs ont recouru a`un mode`le de´terministe pour optimiser le poids d'abattage des dindons graˆce a`une e´quation de rentabilite´de´crivant les services de production et de transformation d'une entreprise inte´gre´e. L'objectif consistait a`e´tablir le poids ide´al des dindons et des dindes al 'abattage en recourant a`une race lourde et a`une race super lourde, de manie`re a`maximiser la marge de profit brut du syste`me. Les auteurs ont aussi tenu compte de la sensibilite´du poids optimal d'abattage par rapport au couˆt des aliments et au prix de la chair de poitrine. Les dindons et les spe´cimens de la race super lourde accroissent la marge de profit. En d'autres termes, les oiseaux de plus grande taille d'une race lourde ou les dindons d'une race quelconque sont plus rentables et rapportent davantage aux valeurs de production pre´sume´es. Les re´sultats s'appuient sur les conditions hypothe´tiques du marche´, et la fluctuation des couˆts ou de la valeur du dindon (a`savoir, prix de la viande de poitrine) peuvent modifier la race ide´ale a`e´lever. Ainsi une majoration du couˆt des aliments re´duit le poids optimal d'abattage et re´tre´cit la marge be´ne´ficiaire. En revanche, on note une hausse du poids optimal d'abattage et des profits quand la valeur de la chair de poitrine augmente. Une entreprise inte´gre´e pourrait hausser ses be´ne´fices en visant l'abattage des oiseaux a`un poids optimal.

The Effect of Age on Growth Performance and Carcass Quality Parameters in Different Poultry Species

“…Turkeys are heaviest among the four most common poultry species raised for meat. In comparison with other poultry species, turkeys are characterized by the highest carcass dressing percentage and high feed efficiency [4][5][6]. Turkey carcasses have high lean content and relatively low fat content [28].…”

“…As birds grow older, the percentage of lean tissue increases in the breast (to 44%) and decreases insignificantly in the legs (to 32%), relative to the total lean content of the carcass [17]. Turkey carcasses have high lean content [5,6]. The growth rates of muscle tissue vary between carcass parts.…”

“…Selection progress in meat-type poultry (particularly in broiler chickens and turkeys) has contributed to an increase in their body weight, improved carcass composition, a shorter production period, and a substantial rise in carcass dressing percentage, which results from an increase in the content of edible portions in the total body weight of birds, accompanied by a decrease in the content of inedible components treated as slaughter offal [1]. The total percentage content of edible and inedible components in the carcasses of different poultry species is an important economic consideration since the waste load from meat processing plants has to be effectively managed or disposed of [2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

Turkeys

“…They have also sought to optimize turkey feed formulas all along their growth curve (Firmin, 2010;Laudadio, Tufarelli, Dario, D'Emilio, & Vincenti, 2009;Tu, ShuXin, Lie, Xin, & Wood, 2011). But turkey farmers have not been able to reduce the growing time of turkeys to much shorter than about 14 weeks for hen turkeys and 18 for toms (Case et al, 2010b;Din, Gilad, & Zugman, 2011;Fyall, 2009). And unlike the case for immature chickens (Rock Cornish game hens), there is no market for their turkey equivalent.…”

A Mathematical Model to Determine the Optimal Age for Harvesting Pigs While Maximising Profitability

“…Ohmann and Jones [27] developed a mixed integer linear program to model a decision-making problem for pork marketing for optimal profit. Case et al [28] used a deterministic optimisation model to determine the optimal slaughter weights of turkeys for maximum profit in a turkey production system.…”