Kiwi company corporatising Aussie chicken farming

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A large kiwi-owned chicken company is making waves in Australia with its corporate-style farming.

ProTen's Sydney-based chief executive Daniel Bryant says the company aims to increase its annual production from 35 million to 42 million chickens within 18 months.

He says it will do this by adding nearly 50 more growing sheds, each of which can hold 55,000 chickens.

Mr Bryant says ProTen has 'corporatised' the chicken farming industry in Australia.

"It's traditionally a mum-and-dad farmer-based type of industry, where a family farm might have six to eight sheds alongside their sheep and beef farm, for example."

Mr Bryant says profit before interest and tax this year is forecast to be about A$11 million ($13.76 million) from turnover of A$20 million.