Is the raising of domesticated birds such as chickens, ducks, turkeys and geese, for the purpose of farming meat or eggs for food. Poultry are farmed in great numbers with chickens being the most numerous and branch of animal husbandry concerned with the raising of domestic fowl. Poultry are raised primarily for eggs and meat; down and feathers are secondary products. Of all domestic fowls, chickens are the most important producers; chickens of egg-producing lines are used for the production of eggs sold as food. Chickens of meat breeds and lines, ducks, turkeys, geese, and, less often, guinea fowl and quail are used in the production of poultry meat. World egg production totaled 17.3 million tons in 1965 and 22.3 million tons in 1972; world poultry meat production was 11.6 million tons from 1961 to 1965 (average per year) and 18.9 million tons in 1972. Poultry husbandry originated in India, with the domestication of jungle fowl approximately 3,000 years ago. The domestication of fowl spread to Persia and then to Egypt and other countries. The raising of domestic geese and ducks in Europe and Asia is mentioned in writings dating from several centuries before the Common Era. Turkeys were domesticated in America and were first brought to Europe in the 16th century. With the development of poultry husbandry, breeds of domestic poultry were introduced: for example, Faverolle chickens, Rouen ducks, and Toulouse geese in France; Sussex and Dorking chickens in England; and Iurlovka Loud-voiced chickens and Kholmogory geese in Russia.
Related Journals of Poultry-Farming
Boone Wildlife management Journal, Journal of Animal Ecology, Asian Journal of Poultry Science, Avian Diseases
