Pastured Poultry Production in the United States: Strategies to Balance System Sustainability and Environmental Impact

Abstract

Nutrient and pathogen pollution are the leading causes of water quality impairment in lakes, reservoirs, and rivers in the United States. Dissemination of these contaminants can result in eutrophication of freshwater resources and pose a risk to public health through recreational contact and degradation of waters used as drinking water sources. Agricultural production practices, both crop and animal, have been identified as sources of excess nutrients and microbial pathogens contributing to freshwater pollution. In the U.S., commercial meat poultry production has been targeted as a source of both excess nutrients, especially phosphorus, and fecal indicator bacteria (FIB) in regional watersheds. Recently, there has been an increase in pastured poultry operations where chickens have access to fresh pasture on a daily basis. However, few studies have explored the environmental sustainability of these types of poultry production systems. In the case of pastured poultry systems in close proximity to watersheds, there is a need to better understand potential environmental impacts in order to implement sustainable and cost-effective practices. The identification of such environmental and economic benefits would complement the mission and objectives of farmers using pastured poultry production systems and may add more value to their product. This review will focus on potential mitigation strategies to enhance environmental sustainability and provide economic benefit to small scale pastured poultry operations.

Prebiotics and alternative poultry production

“…Organic or natural husbandry in the form of free-range or pasture flock raised broilers has become a more popular source of poultry meat ( Fanatico et al., 2009 , 2013 ; Rothrock Jr. et al., 2019a ). The management of birds raised under these conditions faces many economic and environmental challenges.…”

“…The unrestricted contact between broilers also offers the opportunity for transmission of foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella and Campylobacter from a variety of environmental sources and nonpoultry vectors outside of conventional poultry housing ( Jacob et al., 2008 ; Van Loo et al., 2012 ; Trimble et al., 2013a , 2013b ; Micciche et al., 2018b ; Rothrock Jr. et al., 2019a ). Other foodborne pathogens, such as Listeria , have also been occasionally isolated from pasture flock raised birds and during subsequent processing ( Rothrock Jr. et al., 2017 , 2019b ).…”

“…In addition, despite organic and pasture flock broiler operations being antibiotic-free environments, pathogens can still be isolated with antibiotic resistance ( Melendez et al., 2010 ; Thibodeau et al., 2011 ; Rothrock Jr. et al., 2016 ). Whether higher pathogen prevalence and concentrations in pasture flock birds versus conventionally housed birds occur is unclear as some studies have demonstrated a lower prevalence of pathogens than conventionally raised birds ( Rothrock Jr. et al., 2019a ). Rothrock Jr. et al.…”

An overview of health challenges in alternative poultry production systems

“…Free-range poultry are poultry reared in a system that allows limited access to the outdoors and is regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA ). Whereas pasture-raised, a term not regulated by the USDA, involves birds reared in a system that allows for at least 108 square feet of space outdoors and some sort of shelter ( Rothrock et al., 2019 ).…”

The Benefit of Hedgerow Access on the Health and Growth Rate of Pasture Raised Broiler Chickens

“…Parasite burden too has been negatively correlated with range use and positively correlated with fearfulness behavior on the range (Sherwin et al, 2013), suggesting that factors which increase utilization of available range space and decrease stressful environmental conditions can decrease a flock's parasite burden. On a more global scale, vegetative buffers have been shown to reduce environmental contamination in waterways due to run-off from pastured livestock and poultry litter (Pilon et al, 2017;Rothrock et al, 2019), although research of these effects on pastured poultry operations specifically is lacking.…”