Economic feasibility of mobile processing units for small-scale pasture poultry farmers. Issue 5 (10th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Angioloni, Simone; Kostandini, Genti; Alali, Walid Q.; O'Bryan, Corliss A.
• Is Part Of: Renewable agriculture and food systems. Volume 31:Issue 5(2016)
• Page Start: 387
• Page End: 401
• Publication Date: 2015-09-10
• Subjects: mobile processing unit, -- pasture poultry, -- economic feasibility, -- small-scale farmers; Organic farming -- Periodicals; Agricultural conservation -- Periodicals; Agricultural systems -- Periodicals; 338.162
• DOI: 10.1017/S1742170515000319
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1742-1705

Abstract

Abstract: The use of mobile processing units (MPUs) for pasture poultry is growing rapidly. This study compared the economic feasibility of MPUs to two processing alternatives, traditional stationary processing on-farm plants and off-farm processing facilities. Our study combined a survey of pasture poultry farmers in Georgia, Louisiana, and Arkansas with the published research. Our findings suggest that MPUs and traditional on-farm processing alternatives have a lower processing cost, but that they require a higher initial investment than the off-farm option. In addition, off-farm processing at the United States Department of Agriculture-inspected facility allows selling products for a higher price. We therefore expect, on average, a higher per-bird profit than with the other two options. However, the excess processing capacity of the MPU can make this option the most profitable.