Holostic Approach Neededto Prevent Osteoporosisand Bone Fractures in Laying HensBreeding, housing & nutrition could

solve welfare issue 2010.

POULTRY DigitalThe

Site

February 2011 - Issue 2 Expert Knowledge at your Fingertips

Label Rouge: Pasture-BasedPoultry Production in France Label Rouge: success story for niche mar-

keting in France.

Regional News, CompanyNews, Events in Your Area Plus much, much more...!

1

European Conference Offereda Flavour of Global Researchin Genetics and BreedingInvited speakers from across the world offered a

glimpse into the rapid progress being made on

poultry genetics, as well as on topics of more

practical interest such as broiler breeding and in-

cubation techniques at last year's European Poul-

try Congress. Jackie Linden, senior editor of

ThePoultrysite, selects some of the highlights.

Recent Outcomes and Future Prospects for

Avian Genomics

In his plenary paper, Alain Vignal from INRA at

Castanet Tolosan in France explained that ge-

nomics was first defined as the association of mo-

lecular and cell biology with classical genetics,

fostered by computational science. It started with

the mapping and sequencing of genes on a global

scale (genome) and now concerns the study of all

genes, their products (transciptome, proteome)

and interactions (interactome) in an individual cell

or tissue under different conditions.

For any species under investigation, the whole

genome sequence in considered a peak in ge-

nomics research and

although it is only one

aspect, it gets most

media attention.

The chicken genome

was sequenced and

published in 2004 but

the new parallel se-

quencing technologies

allows a great increase

in sequence production and, as a consequence,

more avian species' sequences, such as turkey and

duck, are expected soon.

Following the trend set by human genomics, the

most recent chicken genomics studies include

whole genome re-sequencing approaches. Nu-

cleotide polymorphism can have an important im-

pact on the implementation of marker-assisted or

genomic selection for poultry, said Dr Vignal.

In-depth analyses of transcriptome, proteome

and interactome (gene networks) data will allow

continued on page 4...

Features Editorial Team

3 Editorial

Jackie Linden - Senior Editor

jackie.linden@5mpublishing.com

Chris Wright- Senior Editor

chris.wright@5mpublishing.com

Sarah Mikesell - Senior Editor

sarah.mikesell@5mpublishing.com

Sales Team

Expert Knowl-Issue 0 - November 2010 Febuary 2011 - Issue 2 Expert Knowledge at your Fingertips

1 European Conference Offered a Flavour of Global Research in Genetics and BreedingA glimpse into the rapid progress being made

on poultry genetics, broiler breeding and incu

bation techniques from last year's European

Poultry Congress.

8 Holistic Approach Neededto Prevent Osteoporosis and Bone Fractures inlaying HensBreeding, housing and nutrition could solve a serious

welfare issue.

24 EventsConferences and trade shows coming up for the

poultry industry in the coming weeks..

20 Regional NewsThe latest regional news from the Americas, Europe,

Asia, Africa and Oceania

12 Label Rouge: Pasture - Based Poultry Production in FranceHow broilers are reared for this successful niche

market in France.

Charlotte Johnston - Editor

charlotte.johnston@5mpublishing.com

Chris Harris - Editor in Chief

chris.harris@5mpublishing.com

Alex Guy - Sales Manager

alex.guy@5mpublishing.com

Vicki Robson - Global Account Manager

vicki.robson@5mpublishing.com

Sue Snyder - Americas Sales Manager

sue.snyder@5mpublishing.com

2

broilers. This should make it easier to spot health

and/or leg problems in real time.

And finally, on poultry diseases, the number one

poultry-producing state in India, Andhra Pradesh,

is on a heightened bird flu alert after an outbreak

of H5N1 in the far north-east of the country –

India's first outbreak of this flu season. Reports

of the disease in Japan and South Korea are slow-

ing down, indicating that the situation is being

brought under control there. Meanwhile, New-

castle disease continues to be reported sporad-

ically in countries as far apart as Sweden, Israel,

Mexico and Peru.

Jackie LindenThePoultrySite.com Senior Editor

In this issue, we have a review of just some of the

papers presented at last year's European Poultry

Conference, chosen to fit with our theme of

'Breeding and Genetics'. These cover a wide range

of topics from the preservation of endangered

poultry breeds to how lighting affects broiler

breeders and how incubation conditions can im-

pact the lifetime performance of broilers.

And to offer every reader something of interest,

there are features on the range of approaches

needed to tackle the related problems of osteo-

porosis and bone fractures in laying hens, and on

Label Rouge chicken production in France.

The European poultry news highlights this week

come from a meeting of the European Agriculture

and Fisheries Council. There, it was confirmed

once again that the ban on conventional battery

cages for laying hens will come into effect from

the 1st of January next year. Also discussed was a

return to the use of meat and bone meal in pig

and poultry diets, proposed by Poland. Although

receiving some support, the proposal was rejected

until issues over the material's involvement in the

transmission of transmissible spongiform en-

cephalopathies (TSEs) have been resolved.

Two research items caught the eye. In Norway, it

was found that mild weather and rain increase the

risk of Campylobacter in chickens, and that farms

using their own water sources also had a higher

risk of infection. And a group led by Professor

Marian Dawkins from the University of Oxford in

the UK has developed a system with a small-scale

camera and computer to improve the welfare of

Editorial

Welcome to ThePoultrySite Digital Issue 2

3

From Endangered BreedsTo Incubation Conditions

Epigenetics Helps Explain Diversity

Ten years after the end of the human genome

project, many of the fundamental questions re-

main unanswered, said Dr Andras Paldi of ISERM

in Evry, France. It is becoming clear that genome

sequencing alone cannot explain the diversity of

phenotypic forms in the living world. How or-

ganisms with an identical genotype have dramat-

ically different phenotypes is covered by

'epigenetics', which is usually used to design her-

itable phenomena that cannot be explained by

the transmission of DNA. The phenotypic diver-

sity of differentiated cells in an organism and the

maintenance of their phenotypes after division is

a representative example of how epigenetic

mechanisms contribute simultaneously to the

phenotypic diversification of the cells and mitotic

inheritance of the phenotypic state, providing

both variation and the faithful transmission of

phenotypes. A gene's functional state can be

transmitted through meiosis as well, he said.

The known examples of epigenetic inheritance

such as imprinting defects in mammals show that

the genetically identical organisms display differ-

ent, highly stable heritable phenotypes that do

not follow Mendelian segregation. High stability

of epigenetic inheritance is increasingly recog-

nised as an important factor in the development

of multicellular organisms. In addition, substantial

evidence shows that environmental stimuli can,

in some cases, influence the transmission of epi-

genetic traits, Dr Paldi concluded.

Studying Changes in the Chicken

Transcriptome

Larry Cogburn of the University of Delaware in

the US presented work carried out at his insti-

tute, the universities of Maryland and Georgia

increases levels of genome annotation, including

that of non-coding RNA genes and regulatory re-

gions, leading to refined global comprehension of

the biology of avian species, he concluded.

Gene Networks to Study Complex Traits

Mari Smits of Wageningen Livestock Research in

the Netherlands devloped the theme of gene net-

works and what their study can reveal.

Animal sciences have arrived at the threshold of

a genomics data explosion due to the recent ad-

vances in high-throughput biological technologies

such as massive parallel sequencing, transcriptome

and proteome analysis, said Dr Smits.

Biological processes are too complex to be ex-

plained by the analysis of individual components

alone but the application of systems biology offers

great promise for a global understanding of the

expressions, interactions, modifications and regu-

lation of cellular networks.

One type of cellular network is the gene regula-

tory network, which can be viewed as an input-

output device; the inputs are signals, signalling

pathways, transcriptional factors etc., and the out-

puts are gene expression levels, the amount of

mRNA produced by genes and the functional

properties that arise from the network.

Dr Smits showed the inference of gene regulatory

networks using seven-time series gene expression

measurements derived from control and Salmo-

nella-infected chickens. This work revealed so-

called 'hub genes', the central elements in the gene

regulatory network, which are potential targets to

modulate the biological processes involved in in-

testinal development of young chicks and their

host response to Salmonella infection.

Feature Article

European Conference Offered a Flavour of Global Research in Genetics and Breeding

4

...continued from page 1

This leads to a larger initial egg size but fewer

eggs per hen and so it has implications on feeding

during the transitional period, i.e. from 20 weeks

of age to onset of lay. In open rearing houses, nat-

ural daylength during rearing (latitude 30° South)

proved to be more beneficial than a constant 14-

hour programme.

A model for predicting the effect on age at sexual

maturity of 20-week body weight and the pho-

toperiod used during rearing has been developed

from the results of a number of trials conducted

by Dr Gous. He continued that egg production

is inferior when the breeders are exposed to 16-

hour days because the advance in the onset of

adult photorefractoriness, i.e. the end of the

breeding season, is proportional to the stimula-

toriness of the photoperiod provided inlay.

Maintaining Genetic Diversity

Global awareness has increased efforts to con-

serve animal genetic resources, explained Dr Har-

vey Blackburn of the National Center for Genetic

Resources Preservation, part of the USDA Agri-

cultural Research Service. Ex-situ conservation

and management of these genetic resources is can

now be achieved by an array of reproductive and

genetic biotechnologies, he said.

By combining the biotechnologies, highly effective

conservation actions can be achieved, without the

need to maintain the animals alive. Dr Cogburn

explained that this can ease the pressure on the

research community to reduce the number of in-

situ populations maintained. As th techniques are

improved further, poultry populations can be se-

curely cryopreserved and regenerated as needed

by industry or the research community.

Managing Broiler Breeders with

Lighting Regimens

The response of broiler breeders to light is

strongly modulated by two factor irrelevant to the

lighting of egg-type hybrids, namely, controlled

feeding and photorefractoriness, explained Dr

Rob Gous of South Africa's University of

KwaZulu-Natal n his paper on managing repro-

ductive performance of breeders. Where broiler

breeders are reared on short days, the photore-

fractory influence is not evident. However, it be-

comes pertinent when photoperiods of 14 hours

or longer are used, for example, in open-sided

rearing houses in summer.

Dr Gous said that juvenile photorefractoriness

can cause delays of three weeks or more in

achieving sexual maturity.

5

aimed at improving the bird's thermotolerance

and improving carcass quality.

The incubation period of broilers has received

more attention during the last decade, he said,

because it has been shown that environmental

manipulation may induce long-lasting physiologi-

cal memory (LLPM) caused by epigenetic adap-

tation. Dr Yahav reviewed the effects of

long-term mild manipulations.

He described how temperature during the pe-

riod of hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid and adre-

nal axes development and maturation leads to a

significant improvement of thermotolerance in

broilers up to marketing age. This is explained by

both a significant reduction in heat production

and with a significant increase in sensible heat

loss as well as reduced signs of heat stress. The

responses were detected already during embryo-

genesis. Dt Yahav added that the thermal

manipulation also increased relative breast mus-

cle weight and reduced the abdominal fat pad.

Jackie Linden ThePoultrySite.com Senior Editor

References

Blackburn H. 2010. Reproductive technologies and management of ge-

netic diversity.

Cogburn L. et al. 2010. Meta-analysis of the chicken transcriptome

across multiple tissues, genotypes and ages during juvenile develop-

ment.

Gous R. 2010. Managing reproductive performance in broiler breeders

with lighting regimens.

Paldi A. 2010. Genetics and epigenetics.

Smits, M. et al. 2010. Gene networks as a tool for the study of complex

traits.

Vignal, A. 2010. Recent outcomes and future prospects arising from

avian genomics.

Piestan Y. et al. 2010. Thermal manipulations during broiler's embryo-

genesis – its effects on thermotolerance acquisition and chicken's qual-

ity. (presented by S. Yahav).

All papers were presented at the 13th E-uropean Poultry Congress in

Tours, France in August 2010. Hosted by the French branch of WPSA.

Superior egg production is achieved when broiler

breeders are reared on eight hours and subjected

to a 13-hour photoperiod in lay, explained Dr

Gous. There is no advantage in providing photope-

riods longer than this, nor is there any advantage

is using a light intensity greater than 70 lux, he

added.

Thermal Manipulation During Incubation

Affects Broiler Performance

Shlomo Yahav of Israel's Volcani Center explained

how epigenetic adaptation is involved in the re-

sponse to thermal manipulations during incuba-

Feature Article

European Conference Offered a Flavour of Global Research in Genetics and Breeding

6

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.com

ones, the design of housing systems and handling

at depopulation.

Bone weakness in laying hens mainly results from

osteoporosis, which is a

pathological condition as-

sociated with progressive

loss of structural bone

throughout lay. This makes

the bones fragile, suscepti-

ble to fracture and in se-

vere cases, it can lead to

collapse of spinal bone and

paralysis.

The keel bone (or ster-

num) is initially made of

cartilage but ossifies at

about 35 weeks of age, ex-

plains FAWC. Before ossi-

fication, it may become twisted or otherwise

deformed. It may be damaged or broken by col-

lision, for example when the hen jumps onto a

perch and lands awkwardly. Loss of bone from

the skeleton is increased by mobilisation of cal-

cium for egg shell formation and is decreased by

load-bearing and biomechanical forces. The hen

therefore benefits from walking, hopping, wing

flapping and other exercise.

The incidence of weakened bones and fractures

is affected by genetics and strain, nutrition, hous-

ing system and methods of depopulation and is

The Farm Animal Welfare Council has reported

on its review on osteoporosis and bone fractures

in laying hens, which are judged to be serious wel-

fare issues in terms of pain and limiting the bird's

mobility to reach feed and water. Breeders, nutri-

tionists, housing/equipment designers, farm man-

agers and legislators need to work together to

eliminate these conditions, it concludes.

The aim of its Opinion on Osteoporosis and Bone

Fractures in Laying Hens is to review the implica-

tions of osteoporosis and bone fractures for the

welfare of laying hens, particularly in light of the

forthcoming ban on conventional cages in Great

Britain, says the Farm Animal Welfare Council

(FAWC). The report was published in December

2010. Its main recommendation was that the egg

industry (including retailers) should aim to elimi-

nate bone fractures in live birds altogether, using

a combination of genetics, house design and nu-

trition.

Extent and Nature of the Topic

Skeletal health is an important aspect of the

welfare of laying hens, FAWC point out. Frac-

tures are common but are mostly detected, if

at all, after slaughter. They are referred to as

either 'old' fractures, i.e. those which occurred

during the laying period, or 'new' fractures, i.e.

those which occurred during depopulation,

transport or slaughter. Factors that influence

the incidence of fractures are the weakness of

Feature Article

8

Holostic Approach Needed to PreventOsteoporosis and Bone Fractures inLaying Hens

There is evthe prevalbone fractlaying hendeclining actually b

According to FAWC, the incidence of bone frac-

tures is greatly increased by trauma, caused by

collisions with ‘furniture’ in buildings or by poor

handling, particularly at depopulation.

In terms of eliminating or minimising suffering

arising from osteoporosis and bone fracture, the

design of husbandry systems affects both

whether birds perform sufficient activity for ad-

equate bone strength and the risk of traumatic

injuries. Genetics and nutrition can also reduce

the extent and impact of osteoporosis.

Until these improvements can be realised, the de-

cisions of managers and workers determining

husbandry and handling practices, especially at

depopulation, are particularly important to re-

duce the frequency of bone fractures.

Extent of Problem

About 30 million laying hens per year are kept in

the UK in a variety of husbandry systems, ac-

cording to FAWC. In terms of egg output, the

most common system in 2009 was the conven-

tional cage (46 per cent), followed by free-range

(37 per cent) and enriched cages (nine per cent)

with barn and organic free range systems ac-

counting for about four per cent each.

It is estimated that about 30 per cent of the total

mortality of hens in cages (around four per cent)

is linked to osteoporosis, but that the proportion

is much lower in hens in non-cage systems, which

have a higher total mortality of about eight per

cent. Thus the number of hens whose death is

linked to osteoporosis is about one quarter of a

million per year in the UK. This estimate ex-

cludes mortality during depopulation and trans-

port to the slaughterhouse.

and is exacerbated by the high egg output and

persistency of lay of modern hybrid strains.

Finally, FAWC adds that hens are subjected to pain

as a result of bone fractures.

Welfare Aspects

Osteoporosis and bone fractures were recog-

nised as welfare concerns soon after cages were

introduced over 50 years ago, but it was some

time before it was established that osteoporosis

was related to the restric-

tion of movement and lack

of exercise. Osteoporosis is

further exacerbated by the

great egg output of modern

hybrids.

Sexual maturation in the

pullet is associated with the

development of medullary

bone and the cessation of

re-modelling of structural

(i.e. cortical and cancellous)

bone. Medullary bone is a

calcium store for egg shell

formation – each bird re-

quires about 2.3 g calcium each day for egg pro-

duction –– and is formed at the expense of

structural bone. The hen cannot re-model cortical

structural bone during lay, which therefore leads

to a low density of structural bone, osteoporosis

and a propensity to fracture.

Bone fracture is acutely and chronically painful in

humans, says FAWC, and the same will hold true

for chickens. The effects are worse and healing

takes longer if the fracture site is mobile during

repair, and a hen must move to reach food, water

and a nest box.

9

videncelence oftures inns is notand may

be rising.

r welfare, it says. This need is acute in view of the

forthcoming ban on conventional cages, which

will reduce some causes of bone fracture (par-

ticularly osteoporosis)

but increase others

(particularly collisions

in some housing de-

signs).

Selection for high egg

production, combined

with rearing methods

including control of

light periods, has pro-

duced hens that are

vulnerable to bone

fractures. FAWC ques-

tions whether it is pos-

sible to maintain egg

output of around 300

eggs in the laying cycle while attaining bone

strength sufficient to reduce this vulnerability.

Conclusions

A direct result of selection and management of

laying hens for egg production and intensive rear-

ing is a steady fall in the real price of eggs, but

laying hens suffer because of bone fractures, ac-

cording to FAWC.

The incidence of bone fractures of laying hens,

both during and at the end of lay, is too high in

all systems of husbandry, says the Council. Breed-

ing selection and production system manage-

ment can reduce this problem considerably and

perhaps eliminate it, which is the ideal.

The design and management of systems of egg

production needs to be regulated to minimise

the risk of bone fractures, both in terms of im-

The extent of mortality alone indicates signifi-

cantly poor welfare for many laying hens. There

are no reliable estimates of the morbidity due to

osteoporosis and/or

bone fractures for the in-

dustry as a whole.

Legal Context

The following existing

regulations were consid-

ered pertinent to the re-

port: The Animal Welfare

Act 2006 (and the Animal

Health and Welfare

(Scotland) Act 2006); The

Welfare of Farmed Ani-

mals (England) Regula-

tions 2007 (and similar

regulations in Scotland

and Wales); and The Welfare of Animals (Trans-

port) (England) Order 2006 (and similar regula-

tions in Scotland and Wales).

As from 1 January 2012, laying hens may not be

kept in conventional cages in the European Union,

and thereafter only enriched cages or non-cage

systems will be permitted. There are also detailed

EU requirements for marketing poultry meat.

Commission Regulation (EC) No. 543/2008 re-

quires that meat from birds in which the tip of the

sternum is rigid (ossified) must be marketed as

from a cock, hen, casserole or boiling fowl. This in-

cludes end-of-lay hens.

Critical Issues

FAWC highlighted that there is evidence the

prevalence of bone fractures in laying hens is not

declining and may actually be rising. More needs

to be done to reduce this significant cause of poor

Feature Article

Holostic Approach Needed to Prevent Osteoporosis and Bone Fractures in Laying Hens

10

The incidence ofbone fractures oflaying hens, bothduring and at theend of lay, is toohigh in all systemsof husbandry.

Finally, FAWC concludes that the economics of

implementing all the measures to reduce or pre-

vent fractures – breeding, feeding and handling –

will need careful evaluation but should not be

sole factor in determining outcomes.

proved design and hen handling at depopulation.

Although raised perches in non-cage systems

sometimes increase the prevalence of fractures,

particularly of the keel bone, there are other ben-

efits for welfare, says FAWC, so their design and

layout of perches needs to be improved to pre-

vent bone fracture.

Regarding nutrition, FAWC says that is difficult to

feed calcium in large particles to laying hens and

so new methods are needed to benefit bone

strength.

While it is not feasible at present to identify all

hens on farm with fractures, FAWC says that if

hens with fractured bones are detected, they

should be treated or culled.

The Council concludes that practical techniques

and criteria for intervention for use on farm

should be developed for public or private surveil-

lance (and should be adopted by assurance

schemes among others).

Detection of bone fractures at the abattoir is fea-

sible, using palpation for some breaks and auto-

matic methods for others, and could be used to

quantify the extent of the problem in particular

flocks and to identify and reduce the causes. It

would also allow carcasses with newly broken

bones to be identified, reducing the number of

bone fragments and increasing the value of the

meat.

Looking to the future, the modification of restric-

tions on describing meat from end-of-lay hens as

chicken would increase its value and encourage

better care of end-of-lay hens prior to and during

killing, says FAWC. Killing end-of-lay hens in their

housing would avoid the problems of bone frac-

tures during depopulation.

11

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You can view the full report from the FAWC, in-

cluding the evidence it reviewed and its recom-

mendations, by clicking h ere.

Production

Label Rouge began 40 years ago as a grassroots

movement led by visionary farmers. As poultry

became more industrialised after World War II,

demand grew in France for the taste of tradition-

ally raised farm chickens. Label Rouge perform-

ance has been called 'stunning' and now accounts

for 30 per cent of poultry sales to the public, in

spite of its high price – twice the price of con-

ventional poultry (Westgren, 1999).

The Label Rouge programme focuses on high-

quality products, mainly meat, with poultry as the

flagship product. It emphasises quality attributes

such as taste and food safety and free-range pro-

duction practices. The average consumer can

note a positive difference in taste between Label

Rouge and conventional poultry – in fact, regular

taste-testing is a certification requirement to

prove that these products are 'vividly distinguish-

Pasture-raised poultry is increasingly popular in

the United States. American farmers and small

companies can benefit from studying the French

Label Rouge programme, write Anne Fanatico and

Holly Born, NCAT Agriculture Specialists. Started

as a grassroots movement, the programme now

commands 33 per cent of the French poultry mar-

ket and it has helped boost incomes for small

farmers.

Pasture-raised poultry is the leading product in a

programme in France called 'Label Rouge'. This

programme provides premium products to con-

sumers, increases farmer income and strengthens

rural development. It consists of many regional

producer- oriented alliances, called 'filieres', which

produce and market their own branded products

under a common label. A third-party certification

programme ensures that strict standards are being

followed. Other countries are beginning to take

note of the Label Rouge programme.

In the US, a grassroots pastured poultry move-

ment has been growing since the early 1990s.

Poultry raised on pasture are processed on-farm

and direct marketed, creating supplemental in-

come on small diversified family farms. See

ATTRA's Alternative Poultry Production Systems

and Outdoor Access for a description. The French

Label Rouge, which also started out as a grass-

roots programme, provides an example of what is

possible when farmers, consumers and organisa-

tions work together.

This article will cover Label Rouge production.

Feature Article

12

Label Rouge: Pasture-Based PoultryProduction in France

The Label Rouge programme focuses on superior quality and

gourmet taste

Besides broilers, standards also exist for layers,

turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl and capons.

Layers require double yards (rested in rotation)

because they are on the range longer than broil-

ers. The standards are available in French [click

here]. There are also Label Rouge hams, sausages,

eggs, rabbit and cheese products.

As is evident from this discussion of standards, a

certification programme can permit much

broader production claims than a mere definition

can. In addition, production claims can be verified

by the consumer.

Case Studies: Lands Filiere and Loue Filiere

The journey from a grassroots movement to an

industry can be seen by studying two different fil-

ieres.

The Label Rouge movement began in the 1960s

in the southwest of France, in the forested Lan-

des region. Landes poultry are still known for

being raised in a pine forest, using small portable

housing called Marensines.

able' from conventional poultry, according to the

programme.

The main reason for the superior taste is consid-

ered to be the use of slow-growing birds instead

of the fast-growing birds used in the conventional

industry. The slow-growing birds are from spe-

cialty rustic genetic stock and are harvested close

to sexual maturity, The meat is flavoursome and

firm, but not tough.

Standards

Strict and comprehensive standards ensure qual-

ity. Following are the standards related to broiler

production.

Independent third-party certifying organisations

ensure that standards are being followed. Inspec-

tion occurs once for each flock, twice a year for

feed mills, monthly for processing plants and twice

a year for hatcheries. Each visit includes bacteri-

ology tests and process control inspections. There

are five taste tests a year.

The standards are a base-line that many Label

Rouge filieres surpass. For example, some groups:

* use dividers in the house to break down

flocks into smaller groups

* require tree and bush plantings to integrate

the house into the countryside as well as provide

shade on pasture

* use smaller, portable houses

* do not permit pesticide use on the range

* require grit and whole grains to improve gut

health, and

* maintain a constant ration to keep the taste

of the birds constant, not changing it when other

ingredients are less expensive.

13

The Landes filiere uses portable housing

Photo: NCAT

Feature Article

Label Rouge: Pasture-Based Poultry Production in France

14

Table 1. Label Rouge standards for broiler production

Genetics Only certain genetics are allowed – slow growing breeds suited for out-

door production.

Buildings Buildings are a maximum of 4,304 square feet. No farm can have more

than four buildings. Building must be at least 98 feet from each other.

Maximum density in buildingThe maximum stocking density is 0.98 square feet for a bird. No more

than 4,400 birds are permitted in each building. Chickens require 2.2lb

of litter each.

Access and size of range

All birds have access to the outdoors from 09:00 until dusk after six

weeks of age, and must be outside for at least 42 days of grow-out.

Range requirements are 22 square feet per bird. About two acres of land

are needed per house. 1.2 feet of pophole exits are required for 100

square feet of building.

Feed

Feed must consist of at least 75% cereal and must be non-medicated;

starter rations can be 50% cereal because of a higher soybean ocntent.

Rations cannot ocntian animal products, growth stimulants or other

additives. Fishmeal is not permitted. Synthetic amino acids are allowed.

Other

Although routijne meidcations are not allowed, antibiotics prescribed by

a veterinarian are. Coccidiostats are permitted but must be withdrawn

five days before slaughter. Vaccination is allowed; beak and toe trimming

are not.

Slaughter age Birds must be grown a minimum 81 days.

Dressed Weight Minimum 2.2kg without giblets

Sanitation period There is a minimum sanitation period of 21 days between flocks.

Transport No more than two hours travelling time or 64 miles to processing plant

Processing Air-chill

Shelf life Sold fresh within nine days of slaughter

Chart adapted from François Paybou's Technical and Economic Feasibility Study of Adopting French Label Rouge

Poultry Systems to Illionois (2000)

he southwest in the Landes filiere. He is now eld-

erly and has lost a leg to a combine but still raises

corn and poultry – 50,000 birds a year by himself.

He has 20 small houses, which take two days to

move with the help of three people. (The houses

are dismantled before moving.) He also has an

on-farm feedmill and mixes feed daily for his use

and for sale.

Although Label Rouge production began in the

Landes region, it was the Loue filiere that was in-

strumental in making it a viable industry. Label

Rouge did not grow as an industry until the prod-

uct became widely available at supermarkets.

Loue is now the largest filiere and represents the

typical production system used – a small fixed

house and yard. The house has automated feeding

and watering equipment, and chicks are brooded

in it. The house has several popholes that allow

access to the range. There are shade bushes

planted in the yard as well as tree plantings. The

yard immediately outside the house is dirt. Since

speciality rustic genetics are used, the birds for-

age well beyond the house and have access to

grassy pasture. Feed and water are also provided

outside. The Loue Web site [click here], is avail-

able in French only but has many informative pic-

tures.

It is not necessary to use stationary housing in

order to build a national industry. Pastured-poul-

try producers in the United States are keenly in-

terested in pasture rotation and use portable

houses. In adapting Label Rouge features, US pro-

ducers are more likely to promote portable

housing than stationary housing. However, small

speciality companies may adapt a stationary sys-

tem. Production systems are an excellent way to

differentiate between companies in the market-

place, as long as the basic standards are followed

The size of the buildings ranges from 16 feet × 16

feet (256 square feet) to 20 feet × 33 feet (660

square feet). Older houses were built of wood;

new ones are metal. In a dense forest, the smaller

houses fit between the trees. Litter is spread in

the houses, which are floorless. Brooding is done

in the houses with gas brooders. Part of the feed

is kept outside to help train birds to go out.

The houses are moved after every grow-out

(three times a year) and have knobs where wheels

can be attached and towed by tractor. The houses

are sometimes placed beside corn-fields so that

birds can benefit from shade and forage for in-

sects. Often, only three sites on the farm are used

in rotation. The sites have a water line or produc-

ers fill barrels, which feed water troughs, every

couple of days.

You can read about the Landes filiere on its web

site [click here]. There is an English-language op-

tion.

George Berbille invented the portable Marensine

system 40 years ago and is considered the father

of range poultry production in France. His farm is

15

Stationary houses and yards are common in Label Rouge

production. Pictured is a Loue farm.

Photo: NCAT

the actual broiler chicks, but rather the parents.

However, many pastured poultry producers have

hatching capability. SASSO's typical Label Rouge

cross is T44N male × SA51 female (using a dif-

ferent male – the T44NI – results in white under-

feathers in the offspring). A typical Hubbard cross

is S77N male × JA57 female. Broilers from both

of these crosses will have red feathers, yellow

shanks, thin skin and a naked neck. Other parents

are available for broilers with white feathers and

skin, black feathers, barred, non-naked neck and

more or for faster growth.

Health

The use of slow-growing genetics and the low-

density Label Rouge production system offer dis-

tinct health advantages – ascites, leg problems

and sudden death are minimal, and birds have

good immunity. Mortality for conventional broil-

ers in France is six per cent during a six-week

grow-out; it is half that for Label Rouge produc-

tion (three per cent) even during a much longer

grow-out of 12 weeks (Faure, 2002).

Since Label Rouge birds have a longer life, they

to market under a common label.

Label Rouge birds are usually produced on diver-

sified farms where they are integrated with other

livestock and grain production. Bird rations are

supplemented with whole grains from the farm;

litter from the house is spread on the fields. Poul-

try may bring in 50 per cent of the farm income.

Although no fence is used in either the Loue or

Landes filiere, the loss to predators is only one

per cent. The United States, however, has more

predator pressure. European Union (EU) defini-

tions differentiate fenced and unfenced produc-

tion systems:

* fenced – 'raised in open air'

* unfenced – 'raised in total freedom'

The Label Rouge programme permits both. The

European Union specification 1538-91 defines

Label Rouge as 'traditional free-range poultry'.

Genetics

Slow-growing birds are key in Label Rouge pro-

duction – birds grow to five pounds in 12 weeks.

In comparison, the fast-growing broilers (Cornish

cross) of the conventional industry reach five

pounds in six to seven weeks. Not only does slow

growth allow the organs, muscle and bones to

grow in harmony, it also results in a more flavour-

some meat. The carcass is generally more elon-

gated and has a smaller breast and larger legs than

conventional carcasses. In addition, slower growing

breeds are more suited to outdoor production

than Cornish cross.

In Europe, the slow-growing genetics are mainly

supplied by the poultry breeding companies

SASS0 and Hubbard. The companies do not sell

Feature Article

Label Rouge: Pasture-Based Poultry Production in France

16

A black SASSO broiler with a naked neck characteristic.

Pictured is a Loue farm.

Photo: NCAT

per year is only 3.2 because the grow-out is long

and there is a long downtime required between

flocks for proper sanitation and pasture rest.

Feeding

A low-protein and low-calorie diet is used for

slow-growing birds. Whereas typical fast-growing

Cornish-cross rations in the industry start at 22

per cent crude protein and finish at 17 per cent

protein, Label Rouge rations start at only 20 per

cent protein and finish at 15 per cent. According

to Jeff Mattocks of Fertrell, pastured poultry pro-

ducers in the United States often use one ration

have a different vaccination schedule from con-

ventional broilers. For example, in France, conven-

tional broilers are not vaccinated for Marek's

Disease; Label Rouge broilers are vaccinated.

Label Rouge birds are generally vaccinated for

coccidiosis and given de-wormers in the feed. Pro-

biotics are used; antibiotics can be used only if

prescribed by a veterinarian. Regular biosecurity

on the farm is important – foot-baths are used at

the entry-ways to houses and visitors must wear

protective clothing.

Since France has a mild climate, birds are raised

outdoors However, the mean number of flocks

17

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Naturally ahead

typical in the United States. A soft scald uses a

lower temperature for a longer time than a hard

scald and keeps the skin intact.

Although ready-to-cook products are the most

common, a variety of dressing methods are used.

In the 'efilee' style, the bird is eviscerated but the

crop, head and feet are left intact.

Corn finishing is a part of this presentation. The

customer should be able to feel whole grains still

in the crop. Birds dressed in this style are slaugh-

tered and eviscerated manually.

Processing plants may also handle a variety of

species. For example, Fermier Landes processes

chickens, guinea fowl, cockerels and rabbits, as

well as capons and turkeys from Christmas. Al-

though it is a large plant, it can put together small

custom orders for butchers and other clients.

of 19 per cent protein. A low-protein ration is

used to slow down the rapid growth of Cornish

cross. This type of ration could easily be used for

slow-growing genetics. For more information on

poultry nutrition, Jeff Mattocks's publication Pas-

tured Poultry Nutrition, can be requested through

ATTRA.

All meat meal is banned from livestock feed in Eu-

rope. Even fishmeal is not permitted in Label

Rouge production because it could be confused

with meat meal. Only vegetable fat is permitted

and no genetically engineered crops can be used

in feed.

Some feed mills in France are dedicated to the

eradication of salmonella in feed. At Landal, a feed

mill in the southwest that supplies feed to the Lan-

des company, entering trucks must be disinfected

and high heat is used during milling to kill

pathogens.

Processing

Some processing plants exclusively process

Label Rouge products; for others, Label Rouge

is only a percentage of their work.

There are several large automated Label

Rouge plants – for example, Fermier Landes

processes 200,000 birds a week – as well as

small ones.

There are many quality control points during

Label Rouge processing to ensure a high-qual-

ity carcass.

Processing plants in France cool carcasses by

air chilling instead of immersion chilling. In im-

mersion chilling, the carcasses soak up water.

A soft scald is used instead of the hard scald

Feature Article

Label Rouge: Pasture-Based Poultry Production in France

18

The Label Rouge carcass (left) is more elongated than the

compact conventional carcass (right).

Photo: NCAT

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20

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CSIRO Joins Global Fight Against Pandemic

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23

9th Avian French Research Days

Tours, France

Tuesday 29th to Wednesday 30th March

Journées de la Recherche Avicole (JRA) is a

meeting place between researchers and pro-

fessionals of poultry science, organised by

ITAVI, INRA and AFSSA, with support of the

French branches of the WPSA and the WVPA.

7th International Poultry Show & S

Bangabandhu International Conference Center,

Bangladesh

Friday 25th to Sunday 27th March

60th Western Poultry Disease Conference

(WPDC)

Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza, Sacramento, California, USA

Monday 21st to Wednesday 23rd March

The theme for the 60th anniversary of the

Western Poultry Disease Conference (WPDC)

is: Progress and Projections in Infectious and

Emerging Diseases.

An American College of Poultry Veterinarians

(ACPV) workshop is scheduled for Sunday,

March 20, 2011, prior to the WPDC.

Poultry Industry Events

Keep up to date with what is happening in the global poultry industry.

24

Vaccine World Summit India

New Dehli, India

Tuesday 1st to Thursday 3rd March

Vaccine World Summit India is the largest

and only vaccine conference in India to bring

together Indian and international vaccine in-

dustry’s leading players.

25

VIV Asia 2011

BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand

Wednesday 9th to Friday 11th March

Ever since the start of VIV Asia in 1993, a

vast group of international and Thai ex-

hibitors have participated in each and

every edition. Their ongoing commitment

at ten editions has been a key driver be-

hind the success of VIV Asia. The trade

show is renowned as the most reliable and

effective marketing platform for the Asia-

Pacific industries for animal production and

processing.

Seminar

Dhaka,

BIT Life Sciences 3rd Annual

World Vaccine Congress 2011

China National Convention Center, Beijing, PR China

Wednesday 23rd March

This conference is to protect the world

from health threats. BIT Life Sciences Annual

World Congress of Vaccine has become a

forum to report on the latest progress and

developments in vaccines for disease pre-

vention and treatment.