Market chain of “Consortium for safeguard of Bianca e Bionda breeds” in Piedmont: 1. demography, housing and slaughtering conditions

In Piedmont (North-West Italy), the poultry market chain safeguard of Bianca di Saluzzo (BS) and Bionda Piemontese (BP) by a local Consortium and the meat is a Slow Food Presidia. For this reason, a census was conducted to describe the alternative poultry chain of these two local breeds. Both breeds are reared, as imposed by their production disciplinary (that reports only other two rules, like the banning of OGM feed and allopathic treatments), in free-range systems, but with great density variability among farms for both breeds. BS are slaughtered at 220 ± 54 days, when males reach 2.1 ± 0.2 kg live weigh and females 1.7 ± 0.2 kg live weight; while BP are slaughtered at 184 ± 38, 226 ± 84 and 268 ± 8 days for males (LW ¼ 2.3 ± 0.2 kg), females (LW ¼ 2.0 ± 0.2 kg) and capons (live weight ¼ 2.9 ± 0.3 kg), respectively. were very good, showing undamaged plumage and none foot pads and breast blisters. Birds showed natural behaviour repertoire together with great exterior characteristics.