home    about    browse    search    latest    help 
Login | Create Account

Performance of commercial laying hen genotypes on free range and organic farms in Switzerland, France and The Netherlands

Leenstra, Ferry; Maurer, Veronika; Bestman, Monique; van Sambeek, Frans; Zeltner, Esther; Reuvekamp, Berry; Galea, Fabien and van Niekerk, Thea (2012) Performance of commercial laying hen genotypes on free range and organic farms in Switzerland, France and The Netherlands. British Poultry Science, 53 (3), pp. 282-290.

[thumbnail of LIBlayersBPS2012.pdf] PDF - English
Limited to [Depositor and staff only]

158kB

Document available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00071668.2012.703774


Summary

1. A total of 257 farmers with free ranging laying hens (organic and conventional) in Switzerland, France and The Netherlands with 273 flocks were interviewed to determine the relationships between the genotype of the hens, management conditions and performance.
2. Almost 20 different genotypes (brands) were present on the farms. In France, all birds were brown feathered hens laying brown eggs. In Switzerland and The Netherlands, there were brown, white (white feathered hens laying white eggs) and silver (white feathered hens laying brown eggs) hens.
In Switzerland, mixed flocks were also present.
3. The overall effect of system (organic vs. conventional free range) on egg production and mortality was significant, with higher mortality and lower egg production among organic hens. In pair wise comparisons within country, the difference was highly significant in The Netherlands, and showed a non-significant tendency in the same direction in Switzerland and France.
4. White hens tended to perform better than brown hens. Silver hens appeared to have a higher mortality and lower production per hen housed at 60 weeks of age.
5. There were no significant relationships between production, mortality, feather condition and use of outside run or with flock size.
6. There was more variation in mortality and egg production among farms with a small flock size than among farms with a large flock size.


EPrint Type:Journal paper
Keywords:laying hen, free range, genotype, management, performance
Subjects: Animal husbandry > Breeding and genetics
Animal husbandry > Health and welfare
Animal husbandry > Production systems > Poultry
Research affiliation: Netherlands > Louis Bolk Institute
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Animal welfare & housing
Switzerland > FiBL - Research Institute of Organic Agriculture Switzerland > Animal > Poultry
European Union > LowInputBreeds > SP 4: Laying hens
Netherlands > Wageningen University & Research (WUR) > Animal Sciences Group ASG
Horizon Europe or H2020 Grant Agreement Number:222623
ISSN:0007–1668(print); 1466–1799 (online)
Related Links:http://www.fibl.org/en/switzerland/research/animal-husbandry/animal-husbandry-research.html
Deposited By: Maurer, Dr. Veronika
ID Code:21650
Deposited On:15 Oct 2012 10:28
Last Modified:28 Jul 2021 14:21
Document Language:English
Status:Published
Refereed:Peer-reviewed and accepted

Repository Staff Only: item control page

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics