Italian researchers studied the feasibility of organic meat chicken farming and specifically looked at animal health, bird performance and meat quality. They housed 12,000 Kabir chickens in an indoor pen of 450 m2 with exit/entry holes, connecting to an open-air run of 10,000 m2 covered with vegetation. The production unit, located in Umbria, central Italy, was equipped with infrared lamp systems, in order to maintain an appropriate temperature (30 °C) during the first days of the birds’ life. The temperature was progressively decreased and reached 20 °C after 4 weeks from the start of the trial. Four thousand chickens were housed for each of the three consecutive production cycles of 83 days. Males and females were reared together. In order to meet the current EU legislation for organic poultry production feed and water were provided ad libitum, whereby at least 80% of the feed ingredients were certified as organic in both the starter and finisher diets. At least 65% of the concentrate fed in the second period was based on cereals.
Improved health and quality in Italian organic chicken.
ASDRUBALI, Giampaolo;FRANCIOSINI, Maria Pia;TRABALZA MARINUCCI, Massimo;BRANCIARI, Raffaella;RANUCCI, David;OLIVIERI, Oliviero
2004
Abstract
Italian researchers studied the feasibility of organic meat chicken farming and specifically looked at animal health, bird performance and meat quality. They housed 12,000 Kabir chickens in an indoor pen of 450 m2 with exit/entry holes, connecting to an open-air run of 10,000 m2 covered with vegetation. The production unit, located in Umbria, central Italy, was equipped with infrared lamp systems, in order to maintain an appropriate temperature (30 °C) during the first days of the birds’ life. The temperature was progressively decreased and reached 20 °C after 4 weeks from the start of the trial. Four thousand chickens were housed for each of the three consecutive production cycles of 83 days. Males and females were reared together. In order to meet the current EU legislation for organic poultry production feed and water were provided ad libitum, whereby at least 80% of the feed ingredients were certified as organic in both the starter and finisher diets. At least 65% of the concentrate fed in the second period was based on cereals.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
