one function is clearly primary to its existence, organization, and oper- 

 ation. The major features of each type of assembler of live poultry are 

 listed below: 



Processing plants slaughter and eviscerate poultry for sale to volume 

 buyers. Other functions are contributory in nature. Most plants are lo- 

 cated at country points. 



Contract haulers truck poultry mainly for processing plants at a fixed 

 contract rate per pound. They seldom take title to any poultry. Contract 

 haulers are of two types: (1 ) Those who haul the entire volume for par- 

 ticular plants or a share of it on a regular basis: and, (2 I those who 

 haul only during periods of peak receipts for plants which own their 

 own trucks. 



Contractors finance growing operations. They obtain the bulk of 

 their volume from contract growers to whom they extend financing for 

 cash items. They commit some lots in advance to specific plants and 

 negotiate sales of other lots when birds reach market size. 



Live-poultry buyers purchase small and mixed lots of poultry from 

 scattered, independent producers and resell them in live form. 



Table 1. Pouhry Assembly Firms: Type, Number, Volume, and Market Classes 

 of Poultry Assembled, New England, 1957 



1 Excludes ofF-farm deliveries by producers to assemblers, but includes acquisitions 

 at cooperative live-poultry auctions. 



-Mostly fowl and roosters; includes minor quantity of turkeys. 



•* Includes only firms which haul. 



* Including 7 formerly engaged in processing. 



•'■' Not available. 



^ Insignificant. 



8 



