| Publication date | December 18, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Sector | Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries |
| Region name | Kinki (Wakayama Prefecture) |
Because chickens do not have sweat glands and being covered with feathers, they are extremely vulnerable to summer heat. Stress caused by heat has a major impact on productivity, causing a decrease in egg production, a deterioration in quality, and an increase in mortality rates. These are serious issues that significantly impact profitability.
In order to alleviate heat stress in egg-laying hens, the Poultry Research Laboratory, Wakayama Prefectural Livestock Experimental Station has researched a feed mixed with processed ume vinegar, a specialty of Wakayama Prefecture. Ume vinegar is a by-product from the processing of dried plums, and contains citric acid and other active ingredients. A desalinated concentrated plum vinegar (BX70) was developed, and used in feed tests (Fig. 1).
In the case of egg-laying chickens, various effects were observed, including greater egg production, better quality, and resistance to disease and infections.Iin the case of broilers, there was improved feed intake and greater body weight at the time of shipment, improvement of metabolic rate and feed conversion, better water retention in chilled breast meat, and improved taste. Poultry feeding methods for BX70 supplemented feeds have been established, and the resulting poultry and eggs are marketed as "Kishu-Umedori" and "Kishu-Umetamago" respectively (Fig. 2). They are promoted with the slogan "A little better than what you normally eat” contributing to an increase in profitability.
Fig 2 Kishu Umetamago
(Source: Organization for Agriculture and Livestock Industry Promotion, "Recycled Ecofeed Poultry Farming with Regional Agribusinesses")
