Economic Analysis of Broiler Production by Gender in Different Governance Structures

Abstract

The Brazilian poultry production is based on the hybrid governance structure established between integrators and rural production units. However, some companies still invest in the maintenance and acquisition of their own broiler breeding facilities. The objective was to evaluate the zootechnical performance of broilers according their gender and analyze the economic results of the activity under different governance mechanisms. Case studies were used as research procedures to evaluate the activity in the creation centers of the integrating company and integrated rural producers. Primary data on costs, income and zootechnical indicators were collected in 24 poultry production units belonging to one integrating company and five integrated rural producers, located in Minas Gerais. Information from 144 broiler lots produced between August 2015 and August 2016 was used. Zootechnical results of exclusive male flocks were better than those observed for breeding non-sexed birds and for female flocks, respectively. However, when comparing the evaluated lots with the COBB® Broiler Performance, the genetic potential of the birds could have been better used by the rural production units. Regardless of the gender of the birds, economic analyzes indicated that only the creation of broilers in the integration model was able to confer economic profit to the activity. It was found that, for any governance structure adopted, poultry production cannot be sustained financially in the medium and long terms without secondary revenues from the sale of poultry litter.