Broiler Chicken

Meat chickens raised in tightly integrated systems, the most produced meat in many countries.

Overview

Broilers are chickens raised for meat, reaching market weight in a matter of weeks, which makes poultry the fastest responding meat supply. In the United States and Brazil production is dominated by integrators who own the birds, feed mills and processing plants while contract growers raise the flocks. The United States, Brazil, China and the European Union are the largest producers, and Brazil is the largest exporter. Feed is the biggest cost, so corn and soybean meal prices drive margins. There is no active futures contract, and prices come from USDA reports and private assessments. Avian influenza outbreaks regularly trigger import bans and disrupt trade.