Roosters' fertility problem hits U.S. chicken supply, lifts prices

[dmcowen674]

7-10-2014

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/09/us-chicken-supply-genetics-exclusive-idUSKBN0FE0C820140709

Roosters' fertility problem hits U.S. chicken supply, lifts prices

The world's largest chicken breeder has discovered that a key breed of rooster has a genetic issue that is reducing its fertility, adding to problems constraining U.S. poultry production and raising prices at a time when beef and pork prices are already at record highs.
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Now you have dolts recommending Americans eat Tofu

https://www.yahoo.com/food/chicken-too-pricey-cook-tofu-91369860276.html

Chicken Too Pricey? Cook Tofu



Nobody panic, but the world’s largest chicken breeder recently came forward with a startling revelation: Up to a quarter of all birds raised for slaughter in the United States are being sired by a breed of rooster plagued by a genetic problem that affects its fertility. Translation: There’s less chicken to go around, and prices are going up as a result.


It’s a troubling development, and not solely because we love a fiery chipotle chili-flecked chicken tinga. Beef and pork prices are on the rise, too, which makes one’s supermarket protein decisions all the more difficult.


One alternative protein to investigate: tofu, the soy milk–based product that in the Western world was once considered strictly the provenance of hippies and health food advocates.

 

[dmcowen674]

First the Oil Thugs got us by the balls now the Food Producers because they are too big to fail.

 

[Bitek]

Truer words were never spoken.

 

[Zebo]

Interruption of Americans food supply is least of our concerns. Look around.

 

[nageov3t]

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Interruption of Americans food supply is least of our concerns. Look around.

A quote from 1896 still holds-

"Those of us who are well fed, well garmented and well ordered, ought not to forget that necessity makes frequently the root of crime. It is well for us to recollect that even in our own law-abiding, not to say virtuous cases, the only barrier between us and anarchy is the last nine meals we've had. It may be taken as axiomatic that a starving man is never a good citizen."

Even so this isn't a crisis. It does say quite a lot of modern practices where everything is reduced to the maximum profit for the least spent in agriculture. Varieties which have been developed over hundreds of years or more are gone or virtually so because they aren't as cost efficient and that leaves food supplies vulnerable, sort of an "all your eggs in one basket" to play a pun.

 

[Jaskalas]

I'm just waiting for Alex Jones to tell us it's the government forcing us to all be vegans.

 

[Zebo]

A quote from 1896 still holds-

"Those of us who are well fed, well garmented and well ordered, ought not to forget that necessity makes frequently the root of crime. It is well for us to recollect that even in our own law-abiding, not to say virtuous cases, the only barrier between us and anarchy is the last nine meals we've had. It may be taken as axiomatic that a starving man is never a good citizen."

Even so this isn't a crisis. It does say quite a lot of modern practices where everything is reduced to the maximum profit for the least spent in agriculture. Varieties which have been developed over hundreds of years or more are gone or virtually so because they aren't as cost efficient and that leaves food supplies vulnerable, sort of an "all your eggs in one basket" to play a pun.

Since hundreds of thousands of people and small farmers raise chickens I bet there is still variety, just not in the penny pinching commercial sphere. They'll work this out not concerned. But it sure does make you think about our food supply and how commercial farming/ranching, often in one species, sometimes genetically modified, can make us vulnerable. Like say wheat or something failed to germinate.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Since hundreds of thousands of people and small farmers raise chickens I bet there is still variety, just not in the penny pinching commercial sphere. They'll work this out not concerned. But it sure does make you think about our food supply and how commercial farming/ranching, often in one species, sometimes genetically modified, can make us vulnerable. Like say wheat or something failed to germinate.

It's not only vulnerability, which is a genuine threat, but loss of other positive attributes as well. Today's pork sucks, truly. Oh you can sort of cook around it's limitations- maybe, sometimes, well not very well. It's awful compared to how it was not many decades ago. Science screwed us in this case with all the misinterpreted evidence that it was bad for us so we bred for leanness which resulted in dryer, tougher, less flavorful pigs. "The New White Meat". We also took up agricultural practices which made economic sense but resulted in flavorless product, like store bought tomatoes.

Good news! Pork fat isn't bad for us and we just go back to the old breeds. No. Some have gone extinct, and the rest don't fit the economic model so they are farmed by fewer and have become a pricey niche market item and likely never see people's tables. Look up what Berkshire hog meat costs.

It's a shame that something so good isn't even known to a vast majority today.

 

[Sonikku]

InB4 Liberals bemoan $7.25 an hour isn't worth today what it was worth 5 years ago.

 

[MongGrel]

What does Obama have to do with it anyways?

Funny story, I was dating a girl in the late 70's that was a friend of my cousin.

We were all going out one weekend and she was at my cousins house and showed up there my cousin was doing the same thing with pair of jeans and a spray bottle to loosen them up, one she got those things zipped was almost like a chastity belt.

And she was not fat, she just put those things on skin tight.

The bang my head against the keyboard thing was the girl I was dating at the time won a Very Large PowerBall lotto, but of course as events lead to different things over time she probably wouldn't have if we'd stayed together.

Life is strange

 

[MongGrel]

I've actually considered getting a few chickens myself in the backyard here as have a big rabbit hutch I could convert.

Was talking to the wife about it the other night as I grew up having em around.

Usually it's just raiding the hen house with a chicken stick and keeping em fed, but we have coyotes in the area too would have to watch for.

 

[schmuckley]

So you're telling me those 2 little bastards that attacked me last weekend are valuable?
I'll wring their stupid necks.
One got me on the ankle,then I beat them back with a tree limb.

 

[DominionSeraph]

I'm just waiting for Alex Jones to tell us it's the government forcing us to all be vegans.

I bet Fox News has already blamed it on Obama and, "regulations."

 

[MongGrel]

So you're telling me those 2 little bastards that attacked me last weekend are valuable?
I'll wring their stupid necks.
One got me on the ankle,then I beat them back with a tree limb.

:biggrin:

 

[CZroe]

They aren't nearly in the position the beekeepers are in wbere they are desperately trying to introduce genetic diversity from wild/feral bee colonies to stop Colony Collapse Disorder.

If they get there they are welcome to the teaming masses of feral chickens in my neoghborhood. No virility issue here!

There are places with old established populations of feral chickens all over. Hawaii should be happy that someone wants all their feral roosters!