PHOTO: ANP/HANS VAN RHOON


Pros and cons of mobile chicken houses


Small scale, mobile chicken houses are gaining popularity in many north-western European countries. They appeal to consumers who want to buy at source instead of from the super- market and they are interesting to farmers too, as they can sell their eggs at a premium. But there is a catch, as was explained by one of the Netherlands’ two poultry producers’ organisa- tions (NVP). It also sees the benefits for its member farmers, but sees risks as well. The NVP is worried that old diseases like Coryza could flare up again and warn against egg contamina- tion by salmonellas and environmental contaminants like dioxin. NVP wants a legislation loophole which favours farmers with mobile houses, closed. As the situation now stands the Netherlands’ existing food safety and animal welfare regulations don’t apply to flocks smaller than 250 birds. “If we have learned one thing from the past it is that even small food safety issues can have a detrimental effect on the whole poultry production chain.”


▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 7, 2020


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