There are variations due to the time of year, the breeder, the weight of the animals, cage climate etc, and it is therefore possible to make changes that can reduce fatalities. These findings have been made by research assistant Annika Kulle and Professor Krister Sällvik, SLU Alnarp.
Good foot health
A number of data from cages have been registered, such as cage climate, ventilation, the moisture content of the straw bedding, and the foot health of the chickens.
- We have not been able to find any factors in the climate of the cages that would explain differences in transport fatalities.
On the other hand, a straw bedding of low moisture content, lower than 37 per cent, makes for good foot health, says Annika Kulle.
It has been found that farms with low transport fatalities have straw bedding of higher moisture content than farms with higher transport fatalities. However, this difference was not statistically verified. Farms with low transport fatalities also had a lower slaughter weight and slightly smaller flocks than farms with higher transport fatalities.
- Many farms should however check the ventilation and get climatic control to work properly so that the fans work at their design capacity. Only 50 per cent of the farms had the recommended capacity, notes Annika Kulle.