I called Tyson today and asked, "What breed of chicken do you sell in grocery stores?" A nice lady told me that the breed of chicken they sell is the "Cobb 500", which is a breed that the Tyson family developed, and raise in their own hatchery. She did not know (what breeds) make up the Cobb 500.
.....Does anyone here know (what) breeds make up a Cobb 500?
Tyson's breed of chicken The Cobb 500
I started googling it and the Cobb 500 is a very interesting bird. It is a hybrid created 30 years ago by a man named Cobb who started his own business after graduate school. It revolutionized broiler breeding by its incredible growth rate and high percentage of breast meat. Tyson recently bought out the company...so Tyson really didn't develop it. But they have propriatory control of it. It is used world wide--though the British have their own similar hybrid. Because it is a hybrid, the progeny--if you can get them, cause the poor beasts don't live very long--will not have the same characteristics as their parents.
It sounds like it is a very specific Cornish X Rock. There is also a Cobb 700 and other similar hybrids. Their breeding program is working on disease resistance and other traits. The RSPCA and other animal rights groups and "slow food" chefs are lobbying against them because their growth rate makes them physically handicapped and deformed. The eggs seem to be available, at least in other countries.
I'll see if I can get more specific information on the parental lines.
isn't that ike asking the colonol for his recipie?
Click on the "product profile". They can thrive on "lower nutritional foods". What does that make them as food?
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/focus/cobb/59/cobb-500
It is a cross between a White Plymouth Rock and a White Cornish. Here is the history--it is interesting--then strangely sad as the bird becomes a commodity.
http://www.cobb-vantress.com/AboutUs/CobbHistory.aspx
I think that is TMI for me..
I don't want to know.
Hmmmm... Very interesting. What I'm seeking is a meat bird that tastes **exactly** like the chicken we buy in the grocery store. My experience has been that not all breeds of chickens taste the same.
Fran530, you asked, "isn't that like asking the colonol for his recipie?" With a chuckle, my answer is, "Yeah! It is!" lol ...I've always been one who will always ask because you'd be surprised how many times I've been given the info I want, when you would think the source wouldn't tell anyone. My philosophy is, "The worst they'll tell me is, 'No.', so hey, it's always worth a shot."
Catscan, I'd be interested in any info you find. I'm also contacting other grocery store poultry meat companies to see if I can find out what breed of chicken they sell. I'll let you all know if I have any luck!
I'll check out the website links tomorrow too. Thanks!
:) Glenda
I suspect how they are fed also affects how they taste. They have very strict feeding programs in broiler production.
Catscan, I just came across an article on chickens washed in bleach. The chickens in this article made me question what breed of chickens that Tyson uses. We buy the frozen breasts which I have always thought were abnormally large. Makes me now wonder if Tysons chickens are done the same way. Here's the article.
http://dailym.ai/2uMFHuV
I have found that my hens' eggs taste differently when I feed the hens different feeds so it would make sense that the meat would be similarly affected. I am inclined to believe the feed would make more difference than the breed.