Okukuji Shamo
Okukuji Shamo,Okukuji Shamo Chicken
Registration Number | 71 |
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Name of the GI | Okukuji Shamo,Okukuji Shamo Chicken |
Class | Meat |
Date of Protection | 2018/12/27 |
Producing Area |
Ibaraki Prefecture
Daigo Town in Kuji County, Hitachi-omiya City, Hitachi-ota City, and Takahagi City |
Applicant - Name and Address | Okukuji Shamo Production Association 3721 Fukuroda, Daigo-Town, Kuji-Country, Ibaraki Prefecture |
Producing Area
Okukuji Shamo is a local breed of jidori (pure line or mixed-breed chickens with over 50% of native-bred hereditary) produced by using a breeding method unique to the area, from chicks created by crossing a less aggressive Shamo breed selectively bred in Ibaraki Prefecture with the Nagoya and the Rhode Island Red breeds.
Okukuji Shamo is highly recognized by customers and consumers for its firm, juicy and lean flesh with resilient texture and minimal odor characteristic to chicken.
For the production of Okukuji Shamo, breeding chicks are created by crossing a Shamo breeder rooster and a crossbred breeder hen (a strain created by crossing a Nagoya breeder rooster and a Rhode Island Red breeder hen).
Male and female chicks are fattened over a minimum period of 110 days and 130 days, respectively, from the time of hatching.
After 28 days, chickens are raised at a stocking density of 10 birds or less per square meter, and through a formula feed prepared by mixing ingredients such as corn, milo, soybean oil cake and rapeseed oil cake and adding salt, calcium sources, nutrients such as from mugwort, and natural minerals such as from seaweed.
Okukuji Shamo is a strain created through selective breeding of the Shamo breed traditionally farmed in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, for which the method of breeding was established in 1975. Full-scale production and sales of Okukuji Shamo began in 1985.
With the support of Ibaraki Prefecture and based on the advice from customers, producers in the area have established a unique method of production that allows chickens to be raised over a long period of time in a quiet and stress-free environment surrounded by wild nature, with specially formulated, low caloric feed and good quality water.
The volume of production of Okukuji Shamo has increased from around 6,500 birds in 1985, when the full-scale production and sales began, to approximately 51,000 birds as of the end of 2017, owing to increased publicity by the superior quality, active advertising campaigns by the producers, and media coverage.