Top Egg Industry Vet slams biosecurity processes on corporate 'free range' farms.

the latest Australian Egg Corporation publication Eggstra Eggstra contains an article by leading industry vet Dr Peter Scott, the managing director of consulting Group Scolexia Pty Ltd. In the article he fully supports the arguments we have used for years that intensive 'free range' egg farms are a major biosecurity hazard. He confirmed our views that the industry should avoid building large 'free range' complexes close to cage farms. He also said that the industry should be looking at encouraging 'small farm units' which are spatially separated.This is exactly why we encourage people to set up more small scale free range farms. That's what our wokshops are all about and the next one is this Saturday  May 31. So far at least 20 farms have become established following our input.
It is very gratifying that Dr Scott has at last acknowledged that outbreaks of avian influenza are a result of inadequate biosecurity practices. "There is only one level of biosecurity and that is one that ensures - at all times - there is no potential for an incursion of AI because of a failure of barrier securitry", he said.
Hopefully this article will result in the Australian Egg Corporation actively supporting the free range sector of the industry rather than concentrating on the intensive production systems used by the corporate sector.
It will be interesting to see  how those corporate egg producers react to the published views of Dr. Scott.

Bristol University confirms knowledge about methods of reducing feather pecking in free range laying hens

Researchers at the UK's University of Bristol have confirmed knowledge about methods of reducing feather pecking and cannibalism in free range (or non-cage) laying hens.

A report about the findings, published in Poultry International is here:
http://www.poultryinternational-digital.com/201406/Default/4/0#&pageSet=4&contentItem=0