On June 10, the Experimental Poultry Farm (EPC) has welcomed a new flock of laying hens - marking the start of a fresh round full of innovation and research. In the preceding six weeks, cleaning, disinfection and maintenance works were diligently conducted and preparations were made for the arrival of the new hens. This round represents a key step in our mission towards a future-proof egg production system, focusing on hen longevity within OMELETTE.
In total, 10592 Warren Brown, 3072 Isa Brown and 15 624 Dekalb White hens were placed in four different housing systems, including enriched cages and three types of aviaries. One of the aviaries is the prototype system CODE2+, which is currently under investigation within the context of OMELETTE as alternative to conventional aviary housing.
The previous flock has provided novel insights on measures to prolong hen longevity such as the ideal rotation sequence of enrichment materials, the management of alternative breeds and deployment of dynamic lighting. First steps were made in automated monitoring. In combination with results from project partners across the NWE region, these insights have supported the development of the Longevity Action Plan (LAP). This new round at EPC will serve as test case for the implementation and enrolment of the LAP. The aim of the LAP is to prolong the productive life of hens while maintaining the health and wellbeing of the animals as much as possible.
More EGGciting news to EGGspect in the coming weeks and months.