Motivated by consumer concerns for animal welfare, several European countries have recently banned the culling of day-old male chicks from layer lines. Germany and France were the first countries to enact this binding prohibition, and in Germany, Article 1 § 4c of the Tierschutzgesetz (TierSchG) makes it a punishable offence to kill a vertebrate animal without reasonable cause. Economic unprofitability, which is the key reason for killing day-old male chicks from layer lines, whose genetically determined productivity is insufficient for commercial meat production, is explicitly excluded as a sufficient justification for the taking of animal life. Consequently, alternative systems such as dual-purpose poultry, in which both males and females are reared for commercial use, have gained importance. However, knowledge on the management and productivity of dual-purpose chickens is still limited. This study assessed the potential of selected dual-purpose chicken genotypes as an alternative to single-purpose poultry in organic production systems. Three genotypes with different performance profiles were reared and compared to commercial layer and broiler types as controls under organic husbandry guidelines. Due to biosecurity measures for avian influenza, males had access only to a covered outdoor run, while females were restricted to covered areas from 18 to 28 and 60-72 weeks, with full pasture access between 28 and 60 weeks of age. In the fattening trial, dual-purpose males required 37-50% longer to reach a target weight of 2.1 kg compared to the control, but exhibited more balanced growth of valuable cuts, whereas the control showed disproportionately high breast meat yield. Meat quality in dual-purpose males was not compromised relative to the control. Laying performance in dual-purpose hens was 19-25% lower than the control, with feed conversion ratios of 2.62-3.43 vs 2.14 in the control. However, due to their dual-purpose nature, the meat yield in these hens was 17-27% higher. While significant differences were observed in performance, egg quality remained similar across genotypes, and meat quality varied slightly. Economic evaluations indicated scenarios of short-, medium-, and long-term profitability depending on production goals and market context. Overall, dual-purpose poultry may represent a promising alternative for farming systems prioritising ethical considerations and product quality.
Background:Epilepsy is two to three times more common in patients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) compared to the general population. Patients with MS and epilepsy without other identifiable causes (MS + E) show greater cortical damage than those without epilepsy (MS-E). However, it's unclear whether MS + E patients exhibit distinct cognitive and neuropsychological features requiring specific management. Methods:In a cohort of pwMS from three MS centers, MS + E patients were identified and data on MS clinical features, epilepsy history, and treatments were collected. A matched group of MS-E patients was included. Assessments included cognitive and neuropsychiatric tests. Cognitive impairment (CI) was defined as scoring ≥1.5 standard deviations below normative values in ≥1 cognitive domain. Results:CI was more prevalent in MS + E (n = 33) patients than in MS-E (n = 33). MS + E patients had lower processing speed (p < 0.01) and visuospatial memory (p = 0.03). MS + E was independently associated with CI (odds ratio 3.6, 95% confidence interval 1.21-12). Somatization, phobia, anxiety, and depression were the most affected neuropsychological domains in MS + E, with global psychological distress negatively correlating with processing speed (rho -0.36, p = 0.048). Conclusions:MS + E is associated with higher CI, particularly in processing speed and visuospatial memory, alongside psychological distress, highlighting the need for targeted multidisciplinary care to improve outcomes and quality of life.
Farmers are confronted with the issue of mycotoxin contamination of cereals, regardless of the type of farming they practise. People who are aware of the presence of mycotoxins in food often associate organic farming with a higher risk of contamination. Legitimate questions are also being asked about the sanitary quality of cereal products marketed through short distribution channels, which are rarely inspected. However, there is a lack of specific, usable data on the risk of mycotoxins appearing, to assess the specific features of the organic farming cereal system among farmers growing, storing and-processing on farms involved in producer-to-consumer food chains. The data acquired as part of the Myco3C project provide answers on the sensitivity of these production systems, raise farmers' awareness of the mycotoxin issue, and offer them recommendations, thus providing consumers with better guarantees on mycotoxin contamination levels.
Improving the welfare of farm animals, which is essential for the sustainability of livestock farming, raises questions and sometimes heated debates, in particular among livestock farming professionals, researchers, public authorities and citizens. Participatory and co-design approaches, which aim to bring togethera wide range of stakeholders with sometimes divergent positions, to develop knowledge and innovative solutions, are particularly relevant in the field of animal welfare. The emergence of a consensus around a problem, defined and understood by all the stakeholders, and a solution can only be achieved within a framework of trust and mutual listening, for which the facilitator of the process will be the guarantor, and which requires time. Through six illustrative projects, significant benefits have been identified, whether in terms ofawareness and open-mindedness or in terms of proposing operational solutions. The challenges lie in assessing the impact of the solutions developed, in terms of real improvements in animal welfare, and in disseminating these solutions in the field, considering the economic and social dimensions in which they are embedded.
Rearing entire male pigs is of great interest in organic farming to improve animal welfare conditions (castration no longer required). But this raises questions about breeding practices, the expected rate of odorant (boar-tainted) males, and the use of carcasses from non-castrated males (NCM). There is a risk of boar-tainted pork in case of high androstenone and skatole concentrations. Results from an observatory set up on six farms have shown that it would be possible to contain the risk of boar-tainted males’ carcasses to a few percent. This work also provided recommendations for breeders. Experiments carried out at the Porganic experimental farm confirmed the positive effect of dietary fibers on the decrease in pork (backfat) skatole content and highlighted the favorable effects of the feeding strategy on other pork quality properties. Finally, sensory tests on various pork products have confirmed the benefits of diluting pork at risk for boar taint with pork from female pigs to use the meat from NCM in organic farming.
