Research Project

2009-2012

Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (BMELV) by the Agency of the Federal Institution of Agriculture and Food (BLE), National program Organic Agriculture

• Detlev Möller, Farm Management Section

• Christiane Keppler
• Ute Knierim

The main objective of this research project is to evaluate a management tool for the improvement of laying hen health on organic farms with regard to its economic implications, feasibility and efficacy, and to elaborate perspectives for a wider use of such a tool. The management tool under investigation is based on herd health plans and the Bioland management handbook. It comprises target values concerning animal health as well as guidelines how to reach targets in the framework of a structured cooperation between laying hen and pullet farmers, extension services and veterinarians. The possibility to integrate the tool as a module into an existing internet and data base assisted quality management system (Nutri-&FlowWeb) in order to promote its sustainable introduction into practice will be examined. Moreover, perspectives associated to the possible integration of the tool into a quality assurance scheme will be analysed.

The management tool will exemplarily be applied on ten laying hen farms and the supplying pullet farms over two laying periods. Animal health, housing and management data will be recorded and changes in the animal health state evaluated. Additionally, opinions of farmers, advisors and veterinarians about the tool’s feasibility and efficacy will be taken into account. At the same time, relevant economic data including labour input will be recorded on the farms and analysed using cost-performance calculations and simulations of different health situations in order to identify break-even points for necessary differentiated market prices for eggs.

Results including practice oriented recommendations will be published in a final report and technical papers. A main result of this study will be a feasible, economically evaluated management tool that benefits farmers and extension services, and possibly can be integrated into an internet database assisted quality management or quality assurance scheme.