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Online Multilingual Biological Agriculture eServices System for Organic Farmers, Traders, Institutions and Citizens Appropriate hybrids for organic poultry meat and egg production George K. Symeon Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Faculty of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece Organic poultry production: an alternative 1. Introduction Land-related production Low density Environmental equilibration http://bioagro.aua.gr Genetic material in poultry production nowadays 100 % use of highly productive hybrids Hybrids are produced by colossal companies and are “trade secrets” Structure of producing and trading of hybrids 1 Hybrids developing companies Produce paternal and maternal lines for egg and meat production after crossings 2 Reproductive companies Hatcheries Crossing of maternal and paternal lines and production of hybrids 3 Producers Rearing of hybrids and production of eggs or poultry meat http://bioagro.aua.gr Hybrids Products of crossings between breeds and lines with desirable attributes http://bioagro.aua.gr A secret well kept… Reproductive companies cannot produce paternal or maternal lines because these are also hybrids Hybrids’ reproduction ends to diversity and decrease in the desirable attributes , due to gene segregation http://bioagro.aua.gr Absolute centralization… Hybrids’ producing companies nowadays Maternal company Reproductive companies Erich Wesjohann Group Hi-Line, Lohmann , Ross, Arbor Acres, L.I.R., C.W.T. Hendrix Genetics ISA, Babcock, Shaver, Hisex, Bovans, Dekalb Grimaud Group Grimaud Freres Selection, Hubbard Tyson Foods Cobb http://bioagro.aua.gr Advantages and disadvantages Advantages Fast movement of the genetic progress to the farmer High productivity Constant improvement of desirable attributes Disadvantages The farmer always depends on the maternal company for the acquirement of poultry hybrids Decrease of genetic diversity Global genetic material is the same http://bioagro.aua.gr The target Choosing the appropriate genetic material (hybrid) so as to have the best result in accordance with the production system (rearing practices, diets, hygiene issues) http://bioagro.aua.gr Conclusions Poultry meat and egg production uses exclusively hybrids of various types and colours, different for each production sector Medium and slow growing broilers are more suitable for organic poultry meat production The same egg-laying hybrids used in conventional production are also used for organic hens http://bioagro.aua.gr You can visit us for more information in http://bioagro.aua.gr