Novel cover crops for organic free-range laying hens
Encouraging range use through cover crops to reduce injurious feather pecking in free-range laying hens
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Detail description
Injurious feather pecking in free-range laying hens is driven by suppressed foraging behaviour, a key welfare concern. This technical note explores the use of cover crops like Jerusalem artichokes to provide natural range cover and foraging opportunities, addressing limitations of permanent tree planting due to tenancy, rotation, or land-use conflicts. The solution supports 5% natural range cover requirements in organic and free-range systems, enhancing hen welfare and reducing feather pecking. Funded by the European Union, the project demonstrates a practical, flexible alternative to tree planting.
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Contribution detail info
- Project
Hennovation
Practice-led innovation supported by science and market-driven actors in the laying hen and other livestock sectors
- Location
- United Kingdom, Europe
- Authors
- Jessica Elizabeth Stokes
- Purpose
- Dissemination
- File type
- document
- Created on
- Aug 17, 2017
- Origin language
- English
- Official project website
- –
- License
- CC BY
- Keywords