Commercial Pheasant Producer to Speak at KSU

Bill MacFarlane aided in the creation of the Wildlife Management Degree program at KSU

Bill MacFarlane, Owner and President of MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc., will share his knowledge of commercial pheasant production at Kansas State University, Sept. 12, 2013. The lecture will be held in room 1018 of the Throckmorton Plant Sciences Center at 6:30 p.m., preceded by refreshments at 6:00 p.m. There is no cost to attend, and the lecture is open to the public.

Shipping birds throughout the U.S. and Canada, MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc. is currently the largest pheasant farm in North America. Some of his clients even include Kansas’ very own Flint Oak Hunting Resort. Topics covered in MacFarlane’s presentation will include running a commercial pheasant farm, breeding and hatching processes, and the raising of pheasants.

“It’s quite an operation,” said MacFarlane. “I think this is a great way for students and the public to learn what it looks like to be in commercial pheasant production.”

Apart from his extensive hands-on experience with gamebirds, MacFarlane has also been an active member of the North American Gamebird Association for several years, where he has served as president for three separate terms.

MacFarlane’s plans for this year include the production of 1.6 million pheasant chicks and 200,000 partridge chicks, the selling of 425,000 adult pheasants, 100,000 chukar and redleg partridges, and 50,000 Hungarian partridges. MacFarlane also has plans to process 150,000 pheasants for food production in 2013. For more on MacFarlane Pheasants, Inc., visit www.pheasant.com.

For more on this event, contact Dr. Peg Althoff at (785) 532-1949.