Free-range poultry - Katie Thear

This book is a practical guide to the free-range management of poultry, on any scale. It is up to date in its coverage, with an emphasis not only on how traditional practices have been adapted for modern conditions, but also on the role of scientific and veterinary developments in the avoidance and control of problems. It is not a book which looks nostalgically at the past, but gives a realistic appraisal of one of the most important innovations in the poultry industry in recent decades.;Public interest in more natural and unadulterated foodstuffs has combined with a greater concern for humane livestock management systems to produce a consumer demand for free-range eggs and for non-intensively reared table birds. Alternatives to the battery and broiler systems represent only a small proportion of production, but it is a growing area and one which is arguably indicating the path of future developments.;The book should prove useful to all potential and existing free-range producers, large and small, to agricultural students, to those catering for the needs of producers and to anyone with an interest in poultry.