Potential for poultry slaughterhouse near states with large number of laying hens

Abstract

This thesis addresses the need for a community slaughter facility for poultry. By definition, a slaughterhouse is a place where animals are killed and processed for consumption. The location of the slaughterhouse is located in an area with more than 55% of the Mexican national egg production. This creates an issue regarding disposal of old hens. Old hens create a problem for the industry because their production decreases with age and directly affects the cost and expenses of the operation resulting in a loss of profitability for birds that are not producing at an economic level. In the current situation, hens are discarded, but not in the best ways. Sometimes chickens are killed by asphyxia en masse, or are killed individually by workers. Slaughtered chickens are either buried or burned in big ovens. This current method constitutes a waste product and has negative environmental effects. These issues are corrected via the development of an avian slaughterhouse that will use 100% of hens that are no longer profitable, including the crest, neck, breast, wings, and legs. Products that have been identified for development from “waste” include blood and feather flour; meat flour using the head and intestines; and pasta made from the bones and carcass of the bird. This thesis illustrates the economic feasibility for building the slaughterhouse. In the current environment, value added developments such as this could greatly impact and improve the poultry market in Mexico by increasing competitiveness and benefitting the communities in which such facilities are located.