Characteristics of the four family poultry production systems

Criteria Small extensive scavenging Extensive scavenging Semi-intensive Small-scale intensive

Mixed, poultry and crops,
Production/farming system Mixed, livestock and crops Usually poultry only Poultry only
often landless,
Other livestock raised Rarely Usually Sometimes No
> 200 broilers
Flock size (adult birds) 1–5 5–50 50–200
> 100 layers
Commercial or crossbred or
Poultry breeds Local Local or crossbred Commercial
local
Commercial day-old chicks or Commercial day-old chicks or
Source of new chicks Natural incubation Natural incubation
natural incubation pullets
Scavenging; almost no Scavenging; occasional Scavenging; regular
Feed source Commercial balanced ration
supplementation supplementation supplementation
Seldom; usually made from
Sometimes; usually made from Yes; conventional materials; Yes; conventional materials;
Poultry housing local materials or kept in the
local materials houses of variable quality good-quality houses
house
Access to veterinary services and
Rarely Sometimes Yes Yes
veterinary pharmaceuticals
Medium to high
Mortality Very high >70% Very high >70% Low to medium <20%
20% to >50%
Access to reliable electricity supply No No Yes Yes
Existence of conventional cold
No Rarely Yes Yes
chain
Access to urban markets Rarely Rarely or indirect Yes Yes
Products Live birds, meat Live birds, meat, eggs Live birds, meat, eggs Live birds, meat, eggs
Time devoted each day to poultry
< 30 minutes < 1 hour > 1 hour > 1 hour
management

Source: FAO, 2014.