B571: Contract Broiler Growing in Maine

The Maine broiler industry had its beginning in the late 1920s and early 1930s with the greatest development occurring after World War II. Live poultry buyers, who later became processors, were the originators of the industry and have played the leading role in its development. Processing and broiler production along with hatching egg production and hatchery operations are vertically integrated to a relatively high degree in Maine. Broiler production in Maine has continued to increase at a more rapid rate than broiler production in the entire United States. By 1957 broiler production in Maine had reached 50 million birds which amounted to 3.5 per cent of total U. S. broiler production, making Maine the 10th ranking broiler state. The findings from this study of contract broiler growing in Maine indicate that carefully planned, vertical integration by processors is a sound method of cost reduction and quality control. Furthermore, contract broiler growers generally are satisfied with their arrangements for growing broilers and prefer the contract system to growing broilers independently.https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/aes_bulletin/1032/thumbnail.jp