Broiler Industry

Industry Value

The New Zealand broiler industry is worth about $800 million to the economy with ~$50 million of the total value coming from export sales. 

Industry Structure

The commercial broiler industry is highly vertically-integrated. Eggs from pedigree genetic stock are imported into New Zealand and undergo quarantine before joining the Great Grandparent Flocks and Grandparent Flocks maintained by Cobb and Aviagen. 

Around 99% of all commercial broiler farms in New Zealand belong to one of the four main processing companies: (1) Tegel, (2) Inghams, (3) Brinks, and (4) Turks. These companies have specific guidelines that their suppliers must adhere to and there is generally good knowledge about the health and performance of these farms at the company level.  

These two companies sell into Tegel and Inghams that maintain parent flocks that produce day-old chicks in their hatcheries to supply the approximately 165 broiler farms across New Zealand that produce about 120 million broilers each year. These birds are typically slaughtered at 35 to 42 days of age.

Virtually all commercial broiler farms are registered with the Poultry Industry Association of New Zealand (PIANZ), which is an industry association that acts to represent the interests of its members.

Animal Care

The main housing types for broilers are barns where birds are raised exclusively indoors or free-range where chickens are still kept in barns but able to access outdoor areas during the day.  About 30% of farms are free-range.  Free-range chickens are at higher risk of picking up intestinal parasites, bacteria, and viruses from contact with wildlife in the surrounding area.