Growers unhappy with slow growing breeds

Farmers in Northern Ireland are frustrated by a loss of profitability from their broiler flocks after the introduction of slower growing breeds to meet demand for higher welfare birds.

Almost 70 producers attended a meeting of the Ulster Farmers Union in Ballymoney, County Atrim this week to express their frustration with an apparent lack of consistency in bird performance for months which has caused a drop in profitability.

UFU President John Thompson said the producers, who supply birds to O’Kane Poultry, cited a lack of communication from O’Kane over their concerns.

“Growers want to work with O’Kane management to find a solution to current problems although to date this has not been successful. Growers are struggling to cover costs and this has to be addressed,” Mr Thompson said.

But O’Kane management said the longer growth periods were related to the use of a slower growing, higher welfare breed and they had contacted producers concerning an increase to contract prices.

“We acknowledge that our poultry producers are experiencing some difficulties in relation to bird performance, this issue is linked to a certain strain of higher welfare bird bred specifically to grow slowly,” O’Kane Poultry managing director Tony O’Neill said.

“This is in direct response to consumer demand for higher welfare poultry products.

“We have written directly to our producers offering them an increase to their contract price in recognition of the difficulties they currently face.”

The UFU will be holding a second meeting for O’Kane producers on 20 May in Ballymena where Mr Thompson said he hopes there will be a consensus on developing a profitable way forward.