100 % organic feedstuffs for laying hens (OK-Net EcoFeed Practice abstract)

100 % organic feed with more utilization of sunflower and soya limits the loss of productivity while meeting regu-latory requirements. • Increasing organic soya- and sunflower cake in the diet limits the decrease of egg production in 100% or-ganic feedstuffs for layer production (Figure 1). Total eggs per bird was 300 with 95% organic feeding (2017) and 290 eggs per bird with 100% organic feeding. • If 100 % organic diet is only based on regionally produced feedstuffs (soya from France), the price is 6% higher. • With 100% organic feed, total farm costs per layer are below the national reference (ITAVI). This result must be put into context since the test farmer works strongly to manage all costs and already had a very good margin before testing 100% organic feeding. • With the higher feed costs and reduced egg production, the farm sale price was increased to 48 cents per egg. Consumers have accepted the price increase so the farmer can continue feeding 100% organic feed to his layers. • This trial demonstrates that changing to 100% organic feed is possible for a laying hen system. Here, a reduction in egg numbers was observed but this was partly due to adverse weather conditions. Overall, layer performance was similar to the national reference (mortality, feed conversion ratio, culling weight). In the context of the test farm, technical-economic results are better than the national reference for layers fed with 100% organic. Farmer decisions were a trade-off between organic ethics and egg sale price. It could be interesting to evaluate results from this trial in other systems. Breeders need guidelines for carrying out adaptations to comply with updated organic regulations. Finally, further study of the feasabilty of 100% organic feed from regional production is required

Alternatives to soya bean for fattening broilers (OK-Net EcoFeed Practice abstract)

Camelina cake, sunflower expeller and rapeseed expeller are produced by a regional mill, increasing the value of local raw materials, and reducing the need to import soya bean cake. For broiler farmers, feed self-sufficiency is dif-ficult to achieve so local protein sources are advanta-geous from this point of view. Feed costs did not increase when using alternative protein sources. • Analysis (table 1) showed that the alternative feedstuffs, camelina cake, sunflower expeller and rapeseed expeller, all met the expected protein and fat content, so the finishing feed is well formulated. Crude protein content for each sample is at recommended levels, fulfilling broiler requirement during the finishing phase. • Control and trial groups had similar growth rates (figure 1), with no significant difference between them. The trial group birds did have a slightly higher finishing weight compared to the control group. • The trial bird weight is compatible with direct-selling demand. The diet did not affect bird aggression levels with low levels of injury and no difference between groups. • The farmer noticed that birds from the trial group looked better, with skin more yellow, than birds in the control group. He was very satisfied with the outcomes of this trial and he wants to continue with finishing feed without soya bean cake. • In conclusion, it is possible to finish broilers without the use of soya bean cake and have good performances and bird quality. The use of local raw materials has allowed soya bean cake to be replaced at no extra cost

Poultry and Pig Low-input and Organic production systems’ Welfare

National audienc

PPILOW, a European project dedicated to welfare in Poultry and PIg Low-input outdoor and Organic production systems - Newsletter issue 5

Newsletter du projet PPILO

Case Study of a newly-developed genotype for dual purpose rearing of male chicks

International audienc

PPILOW: innovations for improving the welfare of pigs and poultry in low-input and organic farming systems

International audienceINTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVEPPILOW is a multiactor project aiming to co-create with end-users innovations for improving the welfare of pigs and poultry in low-input outdoor and organic farming systems. The PPILOW participatory approach involves National Practitioner Groups (NPG) in co-building innovative breeding and rearing strategies and techniques on this purpose. Firstly, the project gathers a comprehensive inventory of the ethical, socio-economic and technical factors that are essential to improve poultry and pig welfare in organic and low-input outdoor production systems, providing a shortlist of potential levers of improvement that are experimentally- and on-farm-tested within the project. The NPGs also co-build and test with PPILOW partners mobile applications for assessing and benchmarking animal welfare status on-farm, and tools for evaluating the sustainability of the tested lever based on the One Welfare concept. METHODS AND RESULTSPPILOW partners organized the participatory approach by setting-up nine NPG dedicated to pig or poultry in six countries. The NPG identified barriers to welfare and levers for improvement, and co-created with partners shared tools and strategies for improving animal welfare to be tested experimentally and on-field. Standardized mobile apps for farmers to self-assess and benchmark on-farm the welfare status of the animals were co-developed (PIGLOW® for pigs) or refined (EBENE® for poultry) with NPG, and made EU-freely available in 9 and 7 European languages, respectively. They are currently being evaluated in longitudinal on-farm studies. Meanwhile, the creation of a data collection framework based on the One Welfare approach centred on both human and animal welfare has been co-created with NPGs. The first experimental strategy focuses on enrichments allowing keeping laying hens and fattening pigs in organic and low-input systems without beak trimming and castration, currently applied to prevent feather pecking and boar taint in meat in laying hens and in pigs, respectively. Studies on alternatives, on the one hand to beak trimming using innovative incubation and insect larvae enrichment in laying hens, and on the other hand to piglet castration through the rearing of entire male pigs with enrichments, have been completed and are currently analyzed. The second strategy explores two strategies for avoiding killing day-old layer male chicks: raising dual-purpose breeds for both egg and meat productions and developing a new in ovo sexing method. Three experimental trials are comparing dual-purpose genotypes in three countries. The ones completed on both males and females showed a high variability of technical performance between genotypes, due to different strategy for crosses, exhibiting less or high layer or meat potentials, and the egg quality results for the different crosses were assessed. On-farm trials have started for enabling the multicriteria evaluation of the use of male genotypes, and the field studies on females have been engaged with voluntary NPG participants. Concerning in-ovo sexing, refinements on methodologies for electrophysical sensing are currently running. The PPILOW project also aims to propose innovative solutions for favouring positive behaviours, health and robustness through an increased adaptation to organic and outdoor systems for laying hens, slow-growing broilers and pigs. Studies with different broiler genotypes have allowed a better understanding of the determinants of exploratory behaviour, showing that ranging behaviour is stable over time and that high-ranging broilers are more prone to work for food than low-rangers. Early management levers for improving resilience are also currently tested, including the experimental use of temperature variations during incubation, and the set-up of on-farm hatching trials with NPG members. Partners working with layers and pigs are developing strategies to limit intestinal parasitic and bacterial infections through different feed supplements, based both on in vitro and in vivo studies. In infected layers, the effect of a feed based on fermented products has been tested. Microbiological, immunological and parasitic profiles were obtained in pigs, and in vitro methods for the screening of plant extracts have been established, showing the high potential of some plants to limit worm infections. Joint protocols are developed and implemented to improve sow welfare and piglet survival through selective breeding and an innovative farrowing house design for outdoor rearing of sows and piglets. These innovative devices are currently tested in pig NPG members’ farms, with a close follow-up by NPG facilitator partners. The most promising PPILOW strategies are evaluated through multicriteria analyses according to the One Welfare concept, and business models are developed.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSPromising results of the project on the limitation of feather pecking in laying hens and aggressive behaviour in non-castrated pigs, of parasite development from pigs reared in low-input farms by the use of plant extracts, and for favouring piglet survival are currently obtained, which could help limiting the use of veterinary products, not only in low-input and organic farms, but also in conventional farms. Ultimately, the PPILOW project will also bring data on the feasibility of using such levers of improvement of pig and poultry health and welfare, and human well-being within the scope of the One Welfare concept. The project PPILOW has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N°816172

Welfare barriers and levers for improvement in organic and low-input outdoor pig and poultry production systems

International audienceThe PPILOW project aims to co-construct innovations to improve Poultry and Pig Welfare in Low-input outdoor and Organic farming systems through a multi-actor approach. Its first step was to sum up animal welfare challenges observed in these systems and levers of improvement, from a review of literature data and research projects. Data were completed with information from key informants of the supply chains of poultry meat, eggs and pork in Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Finland. The interviews indicated that the main issues in poultry were: feeding, biosecurity, lack of range use and range management, feather pecking, weather, regulation, flock size or density, predation, bone fractures, lack of robustness, parasitism, pododermatitis, arthrosis, nervousness, water quality, catching and time spent by farmers. The main issues in pig were: feeding, tail biting, mortality, weather, predation, lack of robustness, lack of range use, castration, animal aggressiveness and competition, water quality, range management, human welfare, biosecurity issues, flock size or density, parasitism, insolation burns, joint abnormalities, parturition in freedom and pollution. This information has implemented a participatory approach for proposing welfare-improvement levers. Some issues and potential solutions were included in PPILOW experiments (phytotherapy against parasitism, involvement of animal personality in range use, rearing of entire pig males, genetic selection for reduced piglet mortality, improved farrowing huts for sows and piglets reared on range, avoiding feather pecking in laying hens with intact beaks, avoiding the killing of day-old male chicks etc.), and solution costs evaluated. The results will provide a combination of practical solutions for welfare improvement in Europe. The PPILOW project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement N°816172

The PPILOW project: Innovations improving welfare in low input and organic pig and poultry farms

International audienceThe PPILOW project aims to co-construct innovations to improve Poultry and Pig Welfare in Low-input outdoor and Organic farming systems through a multi-actor approach. PPILOW implements a participatory approach for proposing and studying welfare-improvement levers. It will provide a combination of practical solutions that can be applied at a pan-European level with specific adjustments depending on citizen’s expectations and the target market. The multi-actor approach consists in involving end-users including farmers, breeding companies, feed producers, consumer associations, retailers, advisers, processors, and scientists in National Practitioner Groups (NPG) in six participating countries. PPILOW partners facilitate the groups by connecting NPG at European level, transferring scientific information, interacting with partners engaged in animal experiments, and co-creating innovations rising from NPG-specific demands. They co-build with PPILOW partners welfare self-assessment tools (development of the PIGLOW app for pigs and refinement of the EBENE® app for poultry), and innovative breeding, feeding, and rearing strategies and techniques to improve the welfare of animals. They co-design protocols, test innovations on farm, and disseminate the results. In turn, they receive insights on methods and scientific results, and inputs from other NPG reinforcing the value of the expected outcomes. Approaches focus on avoiding physical damage and the elimination of layer male chicks, on reducing boar taint of intact male pigs, promoting positive behaviours, animal health, and robustness through field studies with pigs and poultry. Multicriteria analyses of the most effective levers of welfare improvement will be performed to evaluate their economic, social, and environmental impacts based on the ‘One Welfare’ concept; economic and business models will also be developed. To ensure the rapid uptake of the project results by end-users, the close involvement of PPILOW’s NPG throughout the EU will ensure disseminationactivities and the facilitation of change. The PPILOW project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement N°816172. www.ppilow.eu

The PPILOW project: Innovations improving welfare in low input and organic pig and poultry farms

International audienceThe PPILOW project aims to co-construct innovations to improve Poultry and Pig Welfare in Low-input outdoor and Organic farming systems through a multi-actor approach. PPILOW implements a participatory approach for proposing and studying welfare-improvement levers. It will provide a combination of practical solutions that can be applied at a pan-European level with specific adjustments depending on citizen’s expectations and the target market. The multi-actor approach consists in involving end-users including farmers, breeding companies, feed producers, consumer associations, retailers, advisers, processors, and scientists in National Practitioner Groups (NPG) in six participating countries. PPILOW partners facilitate the groups by connecting NPG at European level, transferring scientific information, interacting with partners engaged in animal experiments, and co-creating innovations rising from NPG-specific demands. They co-build with PPILOW partners welfare self-assessment tools (development of the PIGLOW app for pigs and refinement of the EBENE® app for poultry), and innovative breeding, feeding, and rearing strategies and techniques to improve the welfare of animals. They co-design protocols, test innovations on farm, and disseminate the results. In turn, they receive insights on methods and scientific results, and inputs from other NPG reinforcing the value of the expected outcomes. Approaches focus on avoiding physical damage and the elimination of layer male chicks, on reducing boar taint of intact male pigs, promoting positive behaviours, animal health, and robustness through field studies with pigs and poultry. Multicriteria analyses of the most effective levers of welfare improvement will be performed to evaluate their economic, social, and environmental impacts based on the ‘One Welfare’ concept; economic and business models will also be developed. To ensure the rapid uptake of the project results by end-users, the close involvement of PPILOW’s NPG throughout the EU will ensure disseminationactivities and the facilitation of change. The PPILOW project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement N°816172. www.ppilow.eu

Welfare barriers and levers for improvement in organic and low-input outdoor pig and poultry production systems

International audienceThe PPILOW project aims to co-construct innovations to improve Poultry and Pig Welfare in Low-input outdoor and Organic farming systems through a multi-actor approach. Its first step was to sum up animal welfare challenges observed in these systems and levers of improvement, from a review of literature data and research projects. Data were completed with information from key informants of the supply chains of poultry meat, eggs and pork in Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Finland. The interviews indicated that the main issues in poultry were: feeding, biosecurity, lack of range use and range management, feather pecking, weather, regulation, flock size or density, predation, bone fractures, lack of robustness, parasitism, pododermatitis, arthrosis, nervousness, water quality, catching and time spent by farmers. The main issues in pig were: feeding, tail biting, mortality, weather, predation, lack of robustness, lack of range use, castration, animal aggressiveness and competition, water quality, range management, human welfare, biosecurity issues, flock size or density, parasitism, insolation burns, joint abnormalities, parturition in freedom and pollution. This information has implemented a participatory approach for proposing welfare-improvement levers. Some issues and potential solutions were included in PPILOW experiments (phytotherapy against parasitism, involvement of animal personality in range use, rearing of entire pig males, genetic selection for reduced piglet mortality, improved farrowing huts for sows and piglets reared on range, avoiding feather pecking in laying hens with intact beaks, avoiding the killing of day-old male chicks etc.), and solution costs evaluated. The results will provide a combination of practical solutions for welfare improvement in Europe. The PPILOW project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under grant agreement N°816172