Tackling the future challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry - vTI

RAHMANN G & GODINHO D (Ed.) (2012): Tackling the Future Challenges of Organic Animal Husbandry.
Proceedings of the 2 nd OAHC, Hamburg/Trenthorst, Germany, Sep 12-14, 2012
Les Bleues laying hens are heavier than normal laying hens, 2200 g on farm 3 and 2500 g in the
parent flock instead of 2000 g. But weight is inhomogeneouos ranging from 1900 g to 3000 g. Although
the Les Bleues hens are heavier the acceptance of the outdoor range is very good and the
laying hens show a very good activity in the outdoor range. Some of the farms have got mobile
houses which fit very good to this system. With good activity outside feed costs can be reduced.
The fact of showing good activity although of heavy weight unluckily includes a tendency to feather
picking. The challenge is to have both an attractive outdoor range and to have more time for feed
consumption.
Discussion
The experience of 6 farms around Berlin show that a concept for dual purpose chicken can work.
There has to be a higher price both for the eggs and for the meat, but in this concept both eggs and
meat can be sold as a “premium” product. That is an advantage to concept working with more or
less “normal” hybrid hens having no extra price on the eggs but meat which is only usuable for processing.
But economics of the Les Bleues have to be improved especially in egg production. That is
not a surprise because main target in the original French breeding programme was on meat and
meat quality.
Further research, selection and/or crosses will be needed to get strains that are acceptable for a bigger
market.
Suggestions to tackle the future challenges of organic animal husbandry
Killing of male birds of laying hens strains should be not accepted in organic farming anymore. Our
trails show that a dual purpose chicken can offer both good quality of eggs and meat. But nevertheless
a lot of breeding activities are necessary to improve performance and economics.
References
Iber, Lugitsch Company (2010): Comparision of strains. Presentation, not published
ifoam EU group (2010): Position Paper: Organic poultry production and rearing
Knierim U. et al. (2009): Eignung unterschiedlicher Herkünfte für die ökologische Haltung von
Masthähnchen – Feldprüfung, Abschlussbericht BÖLN Forschungsprojekt 07OE037
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