Table 1. Central Maine: Changes in Selected Practices 



1951 to 1955-56 



Feature 



1951 



1955-56 



% of Sales in 

 N. Y. Dressed Form 



95 



35 



% of Slaughter, by Market Classes: 

 Broilers 

 Fowl 

 Chickens 



87 

 12 

 1 



79 

 6* 

 15t 



% of Supplies from Contract Growers 



62 



92 



Over 200 Mi. 47 



100-200 Mi. 43 



50-100 Mi. 9 



Under 50 Mi. 1 



Wholesalers 81 



Chain Ware- 

 houses and 

 packer 

 branches 19 



* Fowl and roosters. 



t Heavy young chickens. 



? Intervals associated with state lines and distances from plant not strictly comparable. 



area accounts for the bulk of the state's market and hatching egg flocks. 

 Interspersed is a substantial output of commercial meat chickens. Hence, 

 this area is important in the production and processing of fowl and related 

 classes, with commercial meat chickens a supplementary contribution to plant 

 volume. While Rockingham and Hillsboro counties are moderately com- 

 mercialized, the other three counties are semi-commercial; thus, in total 

 the area can best be described as semi-commercial and surplus. It is inter- 

 mediate in distance from major consuming areas. This area processes more 

 fowl than any other in New England. Sales to volume outlets in markets 

 outside the area are stressed. It is still an important territory for live 

 buyers. 



Plants in southeastern New Hampshire and in eastern and central Massa- 

 chusetts compete for poultry across their respective state lines and in some 

 instances in portions of Vermont and southern Maine. Maine, New Hamp- 

 shire, and Massachusetts are important suppliers of live poultry for the 

 Boston market and live poultry from these states also moves to the New 

 York City area. In balance, there is a net out-movement of live poultry 

 from Areas 3 and 4. 



