Institute of

Organic Farming

Up to 320 laying hens or 740 broilers are kept for research projects. The aim is a good balance of genotype (dual purpose chickens or hybrid chickens) and 100% organic feeding from regional resources. Chickens are kept in mobile barns, on permanent grassland or other crops with the aim of ensuring both economic efficiency and animal welfare.

Research focuses on the following topics:

  • Production efficiency, performance and quality: productivity, meat and egg quality
  • Improvements in feeding according to the animals´ needs: 100% organic feeding, grain legumes, regional protein sources, reduction of existing vitamin and amino acid gaps, possibilities of using valuable feed despite antinutritive ingredients, feeding intensity adapted to genetic potential
  • housing: Mobile housing for chickens in grassland as well as in crop rotations and landscape, mixed grazing
  • Improvement of animal welfare: Brother rooster and dual-purpose chicken with performance potential adapted to the available feed