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Nulkaba Hatchery provides a real alternative in Australian
poultry breeding.
We are independent
of major egg, broiler, duck and game bird producers and have no effective involvement in
any of these industries.
Our broiler, layer, duck and game
bird genetic
programmes are conducted in Australia by a qualified and experienced
geneticist.
As we conduct our own genetic programmes, and own our genetic
resources, no
royalty payments to overseas breeding companies are required.
All of our breeding
programmes are designed to produce high performance livestock for the barn or
free range environment - the poultry farming choice of the future.
Because our breeding
programmes are conducted in Australia, and in the environment of
ultimate use, our lines have become increasingly heat tolerant.
Additionally, as our
layer and broiler stock are of a quiet temperament and easily managed, no beak trimming is required.
Nulkaba Hatchery is a privately owned business independent of
major egg, broiler, duck and game bird producers.
Our expertise lies in the genetic improvement and subsequent hatching, rearing and sale of egg and broiler
strains of chickens, ducks and game birds.
We are not an
integrated operation and therefore have no effective involvement in the broiler
or egg production industries, or in the duck or game bird industries.
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All our genetic improvement programmes are conducted in
Australia by an experienced geneticist. Conducting on-going improvement in
Australia means that the resultant broiler, layer, duck or game bird is likely to be more
adapted, and suitable, for the Australian market.
Our geneticist is university
trained and has had more than thirty years experience in the Australian
poultry industry
having developed the superior Siro-CT, Siro-CB and Hy-Line Gold layers,
and the Rochedale Hywate broiler, and co-developed the Hy-Line and Steggles broilers.
Our proprietary poultry lines include both Australian and imported blood lines
which provide a good mix in our commercial layers, broilers, ducks and game
birds.
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Because we own our proprietary lines of poultry we have no
requirement to pay on-going royalties to foreign poultry breeding companies.
Because we conduct our own genetic improvement programmes we have no requirement to
regularly import expensive updated genetic material.
All of our spending remains in
Australia to benefit the Australian community.
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Our genetic programmes are specifically designed to produce high
performance livestock for the barn and free range
environment.
In addition to improving our poultry for the usual economic
characteristics (egg production, egg size, etc. in layers and growth rate, feed
efficiency, etc. in broilers, ducks and game birds) we also pay particular attention to behavioural
characteristics and broodiness.
Increasing the prevalence of favourable behaviour patterns and
reducing the incidence of broodiness results in easier flock management and
improved economic performance in the barn and free range environment.
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Because our layer lines, our ducks and our game birds, have all been
bred in Australia for consecutive generations in sheds that are not
environmentally controlled, they have become adapted to the Australian
environment and are now heat tolerant.
This is in stark contrast to the regularly imported stock marketed
by other breeding companies which is not specifically adapted to the
environment experienced in the barn and free range production systems.
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Both our commercial broiler and our commercial layer are of a quiet and
friendly (but not timid) temperament with no significant vices apparent. Because
of this quiet temperament, no beak trimming is
required for trouble free lifetime production.
Beak trimming is of increasing concern to welfare lobbyists and minimising or
avoiding this practice through improved behavioural characteristics will become
increasingly important.
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