Ansätze zum Controlling in der Hähnchenmast

Controlling can provide management with instruments for improving production processes. It can be shown that in ecological broiler production controlling can support the management of production processes and will lead to better economic results

Legehennefutter mit 100% Öko-Komponenten

EC Regulation 1804/99 requires organic sources of all components of feed in organic husbandry. Especially for organic pig and poultry nutrition it is not researched which components ensure the supply of amino acids. In our previous studies in 2003 with laying hens with genetics of TETRA, the effect of a high percentage of linoleic acids coming from soybeans was demonstrated. The egg weight increased to an average of 73 g in laying week 38 (ANDERSSON et al. 2004). Consequently we tried in 2004 to reduce the egg weights • by using the genetics of ISA XH • by using components with less linoleic acid in the feed. Using the genetics of ISA XH was one advisable result to reduce egg weights. In this actual study, the hens fed with soybeans laid eggs with highest weight, but on an acceptable level of about 60 – 68 g / egg. Rations with very low energy concentration (9,6 MJ ME, 21 g/kg linoleic acid) were accepted by the hens, while feed consumption increased to more than 145 g/ hen and day. Therefore it seems possible to lower concentrations of amino acids, especially methionine, if the feed intake increases. The laying performance of hens fed with energy concentrations of 9,4 – 9,8 MJ ME was during the laying period of first 14 weeks comparable with the performance of the control group fed with a “standard” ration, later (data only until week 22) it was on a lower but acceptable level

Untersuchungsvorhaben in der ökologischen Schweine- und Geflügelhaltung in Niedersachsen 2002 - 2003

Inhaltsübersicht: • Entwicklung von Konzepten für eine tiergerechte und standortangepasste Bewirtschaftung von Grünausläufen in der Geflügelhaltung (Dr. Friedhlem Deerberg) • Einsatz von 100% Öko-Komponenten im Vergleich zu einer mit D/L-Methionin ergänzten Ration und einer Standardration in der Legehennenfütterung (Prof. Dr. Robby Andersson) • Proteinträger in der Fütterung des Ökologischen Landbaus - Prüfung der Proteingehalte und der Proteinqualität in ökologisch erzeugten Futterkomponenten (Prof. Dr. Robby Andersson) • Untersuchung von drei verschiedenen Öko-Rationen in der Schweinemast(Dr. Hans-Gerd Brunken

Machinery and Technology in Poultry Husbandry

Tierschutz in der Geflügelhaltung und Möglichkeiten der Verbesserung durch eine Optimierung der Haltung und des Managements nehmen eine zentrale Rolle in der Geflügelforschung und in der Praxis ein. Zielstellung ist es, neue Wege für die Verbesserung des Tierwohls zu finden und aktuelle Probleme zu lösen. Im Fokus hierbei steht das Schnabelkürzen, das grundsätzlich dem Amputationsverbot nach § 6 TierSchG unterliegt. Seit 2017 wird in Deutschland auf das routinemäßige Schnabelkürzen bei Legehennen verzichtet. Bei Puten besteht aufgrund der derzeit noch unzureichenden wissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse noch Forschungsbedarf. Untersuchungsergebnisse zum Licht als wichtigen Faktor in der Haltung von beiden Spezies werden vorgestellt.Animal welfare in poultry husbandry and possibilities for improvement by optimizing husbandry and management play a central role in poultry research and practice. The aim is to find new ways to improve animal welfare and to solve current problems. The German poultry sector focusses on the ban of beak trimming, which is ruled and forbidden in accordance to the Animal Protection Act (§ 6). Since January 2017, the German Egg Branch has been implementing a full ban of beak trimming, while for turkeys there is still a need for research due to the currently insufficient scientific results. Research results on light as an important factor in the husbandry of both species are present

Status Quo der Ökologischen Rinderhaltung in Deutschland

A survey was carried out to get key features of the organic cattle production in Germany. Questionnaires were evaluated from 750 farms with dairy or beef-suckler cows. Furthermore, 101 farms were visited to get more detailed information in the fields of housing, feeding, breeding, health, economy. Dairy farms were more specialized than beef farms. 30 dairy cows respective 15 beef cows were kept on average per farm. Most dairy farmers hold the typical regional breeds. About 10 % kept old, endangered breeds. One third of dairy farmers had still stanchion barns, but less than 10 % of beef farmers. Main health problems on dairy farms were mastitis, claw or fertility disorders. Milk production averaged on 6.150 kg per cow and year. In many dairy farms, improvements are possible with regard to animal welfare, animal health or productivity. About one fifth of the milk and one third of the beef produced still had to be sold conventionally. Beef producers are dependent on subsidies

Foot Pad Health as Part of On-Farm-Monitoring in Turkey Flocks

Currently, there is no consistent approach to on-farm and post-mortem foot pad (FP) assessment in turkey husbandry in sampling of both feet, sample sizes of birds and scoring schemes during the production period. Therefore, in a field study, 11,400 turkeys, i.e., 22,800 feet, were macroscopically scored at 4-week intervals, 60 birds per flock per date, in accordance with the scale system of Hocking et al. (1). Spearman's rho was calculated between the foot pad dermatitis (FPD) score of both feet of an individual turkey. Sample size for FPD monitoring was calculated for several flock sizes, considering expected FPD prevalence and the error and confidence level (α = 0.01, 0.05, 0.1). To compare macroscopic to histological findings, ten excised FPs were histopathologically investigated by hematoxylin & eosin staining. To align manual macroscopic FPD evaluations with a technical system, 20 photographic images of FPD were measured using the ImageJ program. The scores of both feet of an individual turkey correlated between r = 0.252 and r = 1.000. Thus, both feet of a bird should be monitored, while the worse foot should be evaluated. As an exemplary sample size for on-farm FPD assessment, 77 turkey poults were calculated in a flock of 4,000 birds with an expected FPD prevalence of 40% and α = 0.1. The sample size of monitored birds within a flock should differ and depend on flock size and expected FPD prevalence. Histopathological findings showed normal and non-affected structures of a macroscopic Score 0 and a moderate ulcer of the macroscopic Score 1 and Score 2. The applied assessment scheme should distinguish first alterations and scar tissue as separate scores to differentiate the need for management intervention vs. the success of management measures that were already implemented. FPD affected areas were given lower Scores and assessed to be healthier when evaluated by an image system, compared to a manual assessment. Furthermore, with regard to an increase in camera-based assessments, the boundary of the metatarsal pad needs to be clarified. In conclusion, a new scoring system is required, as the size of the FP cannot be clearly defined and different tissue textures, as well as valid sample sizes are not currently sufficiently considered

Suitability of egg-type cockerels for fattening purposes

Das Ziel des Projektes bestand darin, die Eignung männlicher Legehybriden zur Mast, unter den Bedingungen der Ökologischen Landwirtschaft, zu untersuchen. Dafür wurden 256 Lohmann Brown (LB) und 254 Lohmann Brown plus (LB+) als Eintagsküken und als Mischherde in einem modifizierten Mobilstall für Legehennen („Hümo 225“, Weiland) nach ökologischen Richtlinien aufgestallt und 70 Tage unter intensiver Nutzung eines Grünauslaufes gemästet. Die LB+ Tiere wurden bei Einstallung mittels Flügelmarke markiert. Die Tiere erhielten Zugang zu Futter und Wasser ad libitum. Während der Mastperiode erfolgte wöchentlich eine Wägung von 120 zufällig ausgewählten Tieren / Herkunft. Weiterhin wurde durch Ein- und Auswaage des Futters der Futterverbrauch ermittelt. Die gesamte Kohorte wurde nach 70-tägiger Mast geschlachtet und je 30 zufällig ausgewählte Tiere / Genetik einer Zerlegung zugeführt. Während des Prozesses erfolgte die Erfassung der Schlachtgewichte sowie der Gewichte und Anteile der Teilstücke. Die intakten Schlachtkörper wurden zum Abschluss im Rahmen eines 7-Gänge Menüs in der gehobenen Gastronomie verköstigt, um die Qualität und die sensorischen Eigenschaften des Fleisches und das Potential der männlichen Legehybriden zur Vermarktung als Delikatesse in einem Nischenmarkt einzuschätzen. Die Herkünfte LB und LB+ zeigten, über die gesamte Mastperiode hinweg, eine ähnliche Gewichtsentwicklung, wobei die Herkunft LB+ in der Tendenz und an drei Terminen signifikant (p ≤ 0,05; ANOVA) höhere Körpergewichte aufwiesen. Das mittlere Lebendgewicht der LB+ bzw. LB betrug am 49. Tag 752 bzw. 734 g (p = 0,0270), am 60. Tag 1082 bzw. 1074 g (p = 0,0301) und zum Ende der Mast (Tag 70) 1357 bzw. 1328 g (p = 0,0082). Über den 10-wöchigen Versuchszeitraum hinweg wiesen die Tiere der Herkunft LB+ mittlere tägliche Zunahme von 18,9 g und die Tiere der Herkunft LB von 18,4 g auf. Die LB+ Tiere wiesen ein etwas höheres Schlachtgewicht auf als die Herkunft LB (816 vs. 793 g). Auch bei den Gewichten und den prozentualen Anteilen der wertvollen Teilstücke (Brustfilets, Keulen) hinsichtlich der Schlachtkörperzusammensetzung war die Herkunft LB+ der Herkunft LB, in der Tendenz, überlegen. Eine ökonomische Betrachtung (Vollkostenrechnung) zeigte, dass das Kilogramm Schlachtkörper für ca. 10 Euro produziert werden kann. Wesentliche Mehrkosten verursachen die erhöhten Futterkosten aufgrund einer schlechten Futterverwertung und die hohen Investitionskosten pro Mastplatz für den Mobilstall. Der notwendige Preisaufschlag, um die gegenüber einer konventionellen Masthähnchenproduktion erhöhten Produktionskosten (Faktor 5) zu decken, kann vermutlich über eine direkte Vermarktung erzielt werden. Es zeichnet sich ab, dass es förderlich ist, die regionale, ökologische Produktionsweise in Kombination mit dem Tierschutzaspekt, als Gesamtkonzept mit dem Verbraucher bzw. potentiellen Kunden zu kommunizieren.The aim of the study was to determine the suitability of egg-type cockerels for fattening purposes. Therefore, 256 Lohmann Brown (LB) and 254 Lohmann Brown plus (LB+) day-old chicks were reared/fattened for 70 days under organic conditions in a modified mobile stable system for laying hens. LB+ chicks were marked with wings tags. During the fattening period body weight development, feed consumption and mortality rates were recorded frequently. After a 70 day fattening period all animals were slaughtered whereas a total of 30 randomly selected animals per genotype were dissected according to recommended standards. In order to evaluate the meat quality and consumers acceptance the remaining undissected carcases were degusted within a seven-course menu. Mean body weight of LB+ and LB cockerels tend to be similar during the fattening period, however it differed significantly at day 49 (752 vs. 734 g, p = 0.0270), day 60 (1082 vs. 1074 p = 0.0301) and day 70 (1357 vs. 1328 g, p = 0.0082), respectively. During the experimental trail mean daily weight gain was 18.9 g in LB+ and 18.4 g in LB cockerels, respectively. LB+ animals had in tendency higher carcase weights compared to LB animals (816 vs. 793 g). The same tendency was observed for the percentages of valuable cuts (breast and leg). A full-cost accounting analysis revealed 5 times higher operating costs compared to conventional broiler production systems. Additional costs are mainly caused by a higher feed consumption and the high initial investment costs per animal-place. Due to the positive feedback regarding the meat quality the product may be placed on a niche-market as a delicacy. However, further work need to done in order to optimize the production system, its management and to lower the operating costs

FPGA design av en kontrollenhet för en CAN-kontrollenhet.

This diploma work describes how an FPGA is designed to control a CAN controller. It describes the different tools used when working with Actel’s design tools and the sequence of work applied. It gives a short overview of a multiplexer, the CAN bus, an analog/digital-converter and some more information on the actual FPGA. It also brings up the design process of the FPGA, planning, coding, simulating, testing and finally programming the FPGA. The different parts implemented in the FPGA are a shift-register and two state- machines that are connected with each other. They work together to control the SJA1000 CAN controller made by Philips. They also receive data from the analog/digital-converter that they forward onwards to the CAN controller that forward the data on the CAN bus

The Effects of UV-A Light Provided in Addition to Standard Lighting on Plumage Condition in Laying Hens

Natural light with ultraviolet spectrum (UV) influences the birds´ perception, the reflectivity of their plumage and affects bird behavior. Therefore, in Germany, laying hens kept in barns should be provided with daylight inlets. Nevertheless, lighting in laying hen houses with a UV proportion is not common practice and little is known about the detailed effects of UV-A lighting during the entire rearing and production period. The present on-farm study examines the impact of light quality on plumage loss, skin injuries and production parameters of laying hens. Therefore, about 92,000 Lohmann Brown hens with untrimmed beaks were kept on a farm in two different groups. Half of them were housed in a barn containing 10 pens illuminated by additional UV-A light (simulate “daylight spectrum”). The other half in the second barn were equally grouped, but exposed to standard lighting for poultry houses. Health, production parameters and plumage condition were monitored during rearing and production. The study results reveal that additional UV-A light is associated with the occurrence of plumage damage and cannibalistic injuries during production. In all groups, the plumage condition of the hens was intact when the hens started laying and declined with age. Therefore, complex interactions alongside UV illumination, environmental enrichment, feed and feeding strategies as well as other management factors that possibly affected both feather damage and skin injuries must also be taken into account