Parasitic worms in organic laying hens

Summary

Laying hens in alternative systems run a higher risk for infections with parasitic worms than when kept in a cage system. Organic farmers generally prefer not to use chemical medicines, but at the same time they are afraid to run health or production risks. Our aim was to get an overview of the current situation concerning the prevalence of parasitic worms in organic laying hens and whether it makes a difference when farmers use anthelmintics. We monitored 16 flocks of organic laying hens on 13 farms. Every 5-6 weeks manure samples were collected. The results showed that Ascaris was seen most, followed by Coccidiosis and Capillaria. Heterakis was found to a lesser extend and Syngamus was not found at all. 50% of the flocks were treated with anthelmintics. In general the fecal egg counts were lower in flocks treated with anthelmintics.