Quality and integrity of organic eggs, chicken meat and pork
The organic pig and poultry production of today in Denmark is typically characterized by:
1) compromises with regard to animal welfare issues e.g. environments that restrict the animals possibility of performing natural behaviour
2) the use of specialised genotypes not necessarily well-suited for outdoor conditions nor of a particular gastronomic quality
3) a heavy price competition with egg, chicken meat and pork products produced in conventional farming
4) little or no objective quality differences compared with conventional products.
These constraints may be the reason for the current low production and consumption of organic chicken meat and pork and call for new ways of production. Thus, it is a key challenge to establish the knowledge base for development of new organic products which have a high credibility, a high eating quality, and - not least - have a particular appearance in the final presentation for the consumers, hereby making them recognize the products as organic and in consequence be willing to pay a premium price. The establishment of such knowledge is the basic idea of this project.
The work is organized into six work packages including a work package (WP1) concerning coordination and stakeholder contact.
WP 2 investigates different ways of obtaining high and differentiable quality of organic eggs in relation to genotype of hen and the inclusion of home-grown forage in the diet. A particular emphasis is put on types of forage that contains carotenoids or fructans and thereby may have an impact on the egg appearance, flavour and shell quality. Furthermore, new crops rich in protein and especially methionine that can be cultivated organically in the Danish climate are to be included in feed for laying hens and digestibility, egg production and egg quality is examined.
WP 3 focuses on integrated chicken meat and apple production. The impact of including broilers in a fruit plantation on infestations of pests- especially the apple sawfly- is assessed. The right timing of the inclusion of broilers is considered and the prospect of using slow growing broiler genotypes with high chicken meat qualities is investigated by sensory assessment and by the muscle characteristics.
WP4 investigates strategies for a diversified pork production. The prospect of producing new products based on small entire male pigs, large female pigs and sows slaughtered after first litter are assessed. The effect of using genotypes with superior meat characteristics is investigated and the strategies take offset in systems where the pigs perform a considerable foraging on standing crops, including crops which are expected to reduce the risk for boar taint and/or impact positively on other meat quality characteristics.
WP5 focus on the intestinal health of piglets born under free-range conditions. Of particular interest is whether fructan rich feedstuffs (FRF) may limit parasite and zoonotic infections and post-weaning diarrhea, which are common problems in organic pig herds. DNA typing methods will be used to increase the knowledge of how to use and support the natural intestinal microflora by changes in feed nutrition and bioactive feed components.
WP6 has among the aims to avoid castration of male piglets, practiced at present to reduce the development of the off-odour and flavour known as Boar taint, due to animal welfare and ethical considerations. Work package 6 investigates whether it is possible to avoid boar taint in entire male and also in female pigs by feeding the animals FRF for a short period just before slaughtering at normal slaughter weights. It is hypothesized that this may improve the sensory properties of pork from entire male as well as female pigs via a reduction in the development of Boar taint related off-odours and flavours and thus, remove the need for castration, thereby enhancing animal welfare. Furthermore, the prebiotic effects of inulin and fructo-oligosaccharides mean that chicory diets may help to reduce the level of pathogenic bacteria as e.g. Campylobacter.
The project activities as a whole are expected to create a foundation for proposing new production strategies for organic pigs and poultry, which at the same time comply with the organic ideals of integrated production strategies and the consumers’ expectations and demands to organic products.
Project title
Quality and Integrity of Orgainc Eggs, Chicken Meat and Pork (QEMP)
Project leader
John Hermansen, Head of Research Unit, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus, Research Centre Foulum P.O. Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele. Tel.: (+45) 8999 1236; Fax: (+45) 8999 1200.; E-mail: john.hermansen@agrsci.dk
Project participants
Marianne Hammershøj, Sanna Steenfeldt, Judith Henning, Klaus Horsted, Hanne Lindhard Pedersen, Bent Hindrup Andersen, Helle Frank Jensen, Anne Grete Kongsted, Laurits Lydehøj Hansen (Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Aarhus)
Chris Claudi-Magnussen, Camilla Bejerholm, Kirsten Jensen (Danish Meat Research Institute)
Anders Hans Karlsson, Allan Roepstorff, Maria Langkjær, Derek V. Byrne, Stig Milan Thamsborg (Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen)
Annette Nygaard Jensen, Lars Mølbak, Dorte Lau Baggesen, Tim K. Jensen (National Food Institute and National Veterinary Institute, Technical University of Denmark)
