Project coordination

Subproject 4

Improving performance, animal health & welfare, environmental impact and product in organic and ‘low input’ LAYING HEN production systems

Responsible

Dr. Ferry Leenstra, Wageningen University and Research Centre, Livestock Research, The Netherlands
Dr. Veronika Maurer, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture, Switzerland (Deputy)

Work packages

WP 4.1 Development of ‘FARMER PARTICIPATORY’ breeding systems to improve productivity, health and welfare and egg quality related traits; comparing standard with farmer participatory breeding systems

WP 4.2 Effect of, and interactions between, laying hen genotypes, feeding regimes, ‘welfare-friendly’ moulting protocols and prolonged use of layers on performance, and animal health and welfare

WP 4.3 Effect of, and interaction between, laying hen genotypes and management innovations on egg quality

Laying hens: Participatory breeding program (Work package 4.1)

Work in work package 4.1 'Development of ‘FARMER PARTICIPATORY’ breeding systems to improve productivity, health and welfare and egg quality related traits; comparing standard with farmer participatory breeding systems' has the following sub work packages:

WP4.1.1 Selection and characterization of ‘low input’ farm groups in 3 macro-climatic regions in Europe for inclusion in a “farmer participatory” performance recording network (FP-PRN) and performance recording of currently used layer genotypes
WP4.1.2 Design of breeding programme(s) for organic/‘low input’ production systems (based on data from WP4.1.1 and stakeholder consultations) and production of new genotypes for validation under WP4.1.3
WP4.1.3 Validation of performance of genotypes from organic/‘low input’ specific breeding programmes within the FP-PRN

Contact

Dr. F. Leenstra, Animal Sciences Group, WUR, The Netherlands

News & info

LowInputBreeds Newsletter No. 2, April 2010, page 4, Participatory breeding system for laying hens (403 KB) by Ferry Leenstra