Poultry free-range

However, as the negative animal welfare impact associated with caged and other intensive indoor production systems became apparent, animal welfare became a primary driver for consumer demand and product differentiation in the poultry sector. As a result, both organic and conventional free range products have achieved significant market shares and price premiums compared to products from intensive indoor production in most European countries (Hamm et al., 2002). 

Predation (e.g. by foxes and birds of prey) may also be a serious cause of mortality in free-range husbandry. Foxes can be kept away with a solid fence, which can be supplemented by an electric fence. Birds of prey are not a big problem for poultry houses that are closed at night and free of holes. However, keeping birds of prey such as the hawks away is not easy, especially for farms surrounded by forest or in a landscape with a lot of trees. In such situations, low structures should be provided as hiding places for the hens. 

The risk of contracting avian influenza from free-range poultry is currently much lower than the risks for the diseases mentioned above, but widely... 

Bubier N.E. and Bradshaw R.H. (1998). Movement of flocks of laying hens in and out of the hen house in four free-range systems , British Poultry Science, 39, 5-18. 

Kijlstra A. (2005). The role of organic and free range poultry production system on the dioxin levels in eggs , in Hovi, M. Jan Zastawny and S. Padel Proceeding of the 3rd SAFO Workshop, 16-18 September 2004, Falenty, Poland. University of Reading, UK, 83-90. 

Lawlor J.B., Sheehan E.M., Delahunty P.A., Morrissey P.A. and Kerry J.P. (2003). Oxidative stability od cooked chicken breast burgers obtained from organic, free-range and conventional reared animals , International Journal of Poultry Science, 2, 398 -03. 

Nicol C.J., Potzsch C., Lewis K. and Green L.E. (2003). Matched concurrent case-control study of risk factors for feather pecking in hens on free-range commercial farms in the UK , British Poultry Science, 44, 515-523. 

Most organic poultry farmers use normal hybrid strains at least for laying hens. For meat poultry like turkeys or broilers some slower growing strains are available, bred for example, for the free-range label production in France. However, these birds are also hybrids, which mean that the farmers cannot reproduce their own animals. 

Two aspects of forage are of interest how much do free-range poultry consume and how well is it utilized The topic of forage intake and its significance in relation to nutrient needs is of practical importance. Another consideration is that one of the most important egg-quality parameters for the consumer is the yolk colour, which can be affected by forage intake and quality (Fig. 7.3). 

Earthworms are a natural feed source for poultry kept under free-range systems and, live or dried, are highly palatable to poultry. Meal made from earthworms contains about 600g/kg CP, with an amino acid composition comparable to that of fishmeal (Ravindran and Blair, 1983). It can replace fishmeal in chick and layer diets but care must be taken to balance the dietary calcium and phosphorus contents, since these minerals are low in earthworms due to the absence of an exoskeleton. Moreover, earthworms are known to accumulate toxic residues, particularly heavy metals and agrochemicals. 

That all growing cattle, sheep and poultry should have period of being free range That during the finishing period, fattening birds should have daylight, warmth and fresh air... 

Yellow phosphorus is a highly toxic element that is still used as a rodenticide. Poultry and wild birds can be intoxicated by consumption of bait intended for rodents. Firework fragments also are a common source of poisoning in free-ranging birds. Affected birds are depressed and anorectic, have increased water consumption, and manifest diarrhea, ataxia, paralysis, coma, and death. 

Maybe someone should examine whether humans who dine on stressed, factory-raised chicken are smarter than people who favor free-range, carefree poultry. Maybe they are, since they are unwilling to pay higher prices for chicken that has no clear superiority. Of course, someone is bound to point out that smart people don t eat animals in the first place. Maybe we should stress broccoli and see what happens. 

For example, organic produce and free-ranging, hormone-free poultry and livestock are becoming more popular. But does this mean pesticides are unsafe Actually, manufactured pesticides used on crops and animals are heavily regulated and rarely contain enough chemicals to be harmful at typically encountered levels. This book is designed to enable you to make your own conclusions about health hazards from chemicals in the environment, and to be a more informed professional and consumer. 

Poultry must be reared in open-range conditions and have free access to an open-air run whenever the weather conditions permit. The keeping of poultry in cages is not permitted. 

---