MARKET STRUCTURE

The hatchery industry involves the production of day-old-chicks (DOCs) and day-old-poults (DOPs) through the incubation and hatching of eggs. The timeframe and temperatures involved in the process vary according to the species.

The process begins with the importation of one-day-old breeding chicks or poults. The females are separated from the males, and the animals are raised in darkened, climate-controlled rearing farms for a period of 22 weeks for chicks and 30 weeks for poults. At this point, the animals are transferred to breeding farms, where females are mixed with males for the laying phase. This laying phase can last up to 43 weeks for chickens and 30 weeks for turkeys. The eggs are then placed in incubators, then in hatchers (for a period of 21 days for chicken eggs, 28 days for turkey eggs). Once the chicks and poults have hatched, they are sold to chicken and turkey broiler units.

In Morocco, a number of chicken hatchery operators have also integrated animal nutrition activities. However, in the turkey hatching sector, only three operators, including Zalar Holding, are also involved in the animal feed industry.
The integration of the animal nutrition and hatching sectors allows animal feed producers to improve the supply of DOCs and DOPs to broiler clients.