From sheep to broilers

Denis Bastianelli (1) , Ibrahim Daoud (2) , Philippe Lescoat (3, 4) , Véronique Alary (4, 1) , Jean-François Tourrand (5)

1 UMR SELMET - Systèmes d'élevage méditerranéens et tropicaux
2 Department of Technical Agricultural Education
3 SADAPT - Sciences pour l'Action et le Développement : Activités, Produits, Territoires
4 URA - Unité de Recherches Avicoles
5 UPR GREEN - Gestion des ressources renouvelables et environnement

Following a drought period (1995-2010) in the Matruh region in Egypt and an increase in feed prices, traditional Bedouin sheep production systems based on transhumance on rangelands have incurred a reduction in flocks by 50 to 80%. Recently, a strong development of broiler production was observed. It is based on intensive medium-scale production, with a constant technical model of 5000 broilers in 600m² poultry sheds of local conception. In 10 years the production around MM raised from almost zero to more than 20 million birds / year (illustrated in Figure 1). It already represents more than 2% of the total Egyptian poultry production. Feed factories have been built, while day-old chicks still come from Alexandria or Cairo. Short-term profitability of poultry production is high, thanks to limited investment (15,000 USD/building) well controlled production costs and low manpower costs. Under good conditions, the return on investment is obtained in less than a year. However, the economic model is highly sensitive to uncontrolled factors such as high feed prices, low broiler selling prices, or even to technical accidents such as high mortality rates in summer. This example shows how modern poultry farming is a small scale family activity which is a way to adapt to the drought conditions of the last 15 years in a context where animal production was previously more extensive and traditional. It is however difficult to estimate its sustainability in this type of environment.

Mots clés: élevage; considération générale; économie de la production

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]

Denis Bastianelli, Ibrahim Daoud, Philippe Lescoat, Véronique Alary, Jean-François Tourrand. From sheep to broilers: Development of poultry production around Marsa Matruh, Egypt. International congress on advancment in poulrty production in the Middle East and African States, Oct 2013, Antalya, Turkey. ⟨hal-01544630⟩