?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Workshop+and+desk+study+to+appraise+technical+difficulties+associated+with+organic+pullet+rearing&rft.creator=Gordon%2C+S&rft.subject=+Poultry&rft.subject=+Technology+transfer&rft.subject=+Production+systems&rft.description=Background++To+date%2C+Regulation+(EC)+1804%2F1999+and+UKROFS+Standards+allow+conventionally+reared+pullets+up+to+18+weeks+of+age+to+be+brought+into+systems+of+organic+egg+production.++Pullets+must+be+reared+according+to+the+rules+laid+down+in+Regulation+(EC)+1804%2F1999+and+according+to+UKROFS+Standards+for+at+least+six+weeks%2C+before+the+eggs+may+be+sold+as+organic+eggs.++The+derogation+for+pullet+rearing+has+been+agreed+for+a+transitional+period+expiring+on+31+December+2003.++If+pullets+are+to+be+reared+from+day+old+in+an+organic+system+in+accordance+with+Regulation+(EC)+1804%2F1999+and+UKROFS+Standards+this+may+potentially+create+a+number+of+technical+problems%2C+which+may+disadvantage+UK+producers+considering+organic+egg+production.++A+series+of+workshops+and+a+literature+review+were+commissioned+by+MAFF+to+provide+possible+solutions+to+these+technical+problems.%0D%0A%0D%0AObjectives++%0D%0A1.%09To+organise+a+workshop+involving+key+members+of+the+egg+sector+of+the+poultry+industry%2C+representatives+of+organic+sector+bodies+and+of+MAFF+to+consider+technical+problems+that+may+occur+when+rearing+pullets+organically%2C+and+to+identify+possible+solutions.%0D%0A2.%09To+address+some+of+the+perceived+technical+problems+by+reviewing+the+available+literature+on+conventional+pullet+rearing+and+assessing+the+extent+to+which+published+results+can+be+applied+to+organic+systems.+%0D%0A3.%09To+reconvene+workshop+members+to+discuss+findings+from+the+literature+review%2C+to+identify+research+priorities+and+to+consider+mechanisms+for+technology+transfer.%0D%0A%0D%0AMethodology++There+were+three+separate+but+related+stages+to+the+project.++Stage+one+comprised+a+workshop+involving+representatives+of+the+egg+sector+of+the+poultry+industry%2C+of+the+Soil+Association%2C+of+ADAS+and+of+MAFF%2C+and+attendees+were+specifically+invited+to+comment+on+the+likely+difficulties+that+might+be+experienced+when+attempting+to+rear+pullets+in+an+organic+production+system.++Stage+two+was+a+desk+study+in+the+form+of+a+literature+review.++Literature+searches+of+the+major+international+abstracting+databases+were+done+using+key+words+related+to+the+technical+problems+highlighted+by+workshop+one+attendees.++Stage+three+was+a+second+workshop+where+attendees+discussed+the+findings+from+the+literature%2C+identified+research+priorities+and+considered+mechanisms+for+technology+transfer.%0D%0A%0D%0AResults++The+outcome+of+workshop+one+was+that+several+likely+difficulties+associated+with+rearing+pullets+in+an+organic+production+system+were+identified+and+these+included%3B+1)+the+application+of+light+programmes+in+pullets+receiving+natural+light+when+the+maximum+daily+light+period+is+16+hours%3B+2)+nutrition%3B+3)+housing+and+pasture+management%2C+and%3B+4)+food+safety+risks.%0D%0AImplications+of+findings%2C+future+work+and+policy+relevance++The+implications+of+the+findings+are+that+with+current+scientific+information+there+will+be+technical+difficulties+associated+with+rearing+pullets+in+an+organic+system.++The+most+important+technical+difficulties+are+to+do+with+photoperiodism%2C+nutrition%2C+pasture+management+and+rotation%2C+and+methods+of+controlling+injurious+feather+pecking.++Also+a+maximum+permissible+daylength+of+16+hours+for+rearing+organic+pullets+would+mean+that+producers+in+Northern+European+countries+may+be+disadvantaged.%0D%0AThe+project+addressed+MAFF%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s+policy+of+supporting+the+development+of+organic+livestock+production+within+the+UK.++The+project+has+provided+information+to+MAFF+and+the+egg+sector+of+the+poultry+industry+about+the+key+technical+problems+associated+with+organic+pullet+rearing%2C+possible+solutions+to+these+problems+and%2C+where+scientific+information+is+missing%2C+future+research+needs+have+been+identified.&rft.date=2001&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F6610%2F1%2FOF0192_Report.pdf&rft.identifier=Gordon%2C+S+(2001)+Workshop+and+desk+study+to+appraise+technical+difficulties+associated+with+organic+pullet+rearing.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F6610%2F