LOHMANN INFORMATION
Abstract Feather pecking is a serious problem in poultry production. It causes high economical losses and suffering in the affected birds, especially in countries where beak trimming is prohibited. In spite of intensive research, the causes of this damaging behaviour are not fully understood. Most approaches to solve the problem were focused on nutrition and […]
Leer más
Abstract Between 8th November 2016 and 31th May 2017, more than 1,150 cases of HPAI H5N8 in wild birds and 107 out-breaks in birds kept in captivity (92 poultry holdings and 15 zoos/animal parks) were reported in Germany. This HPAI epidemic is the most severe recorded in Germany so far. In total, 29 European states […]
Leer más
Avian Influenza remains the most important threat of poultry production worldwide. After disastrous outbreaks in the US in 2014/15, Europe was hit in 2016 by a modified type of HPAI virus. Franz J. Conrads describes the dynamics of the recent problem in Europe and measures in Germany to minimize the spread of the disease. We […]
Leer más
Applied research to support cooperative breeding programs
Abstract Cooperative forms of animal breeding are still dominating in Southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The breeding organizations are supported by public research facilities which allow Bavarian farmers to compete in genetic progress and to apply state of the art methods although the majority of herd book and AI-organizations are way too small to run […]
Leer más
150 years Gregor Mendel – from counting peas to gene editing
Preface The present article is based on the introductory lecture of the author “150 Jahre Mendel’sche Regeln: vom Erbsenzählen zum Gen-Editieren” at the joint Symposium of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Gregor-Mendel-Society, held in Vienna March 2016. The article focuses on the scientific work of Mendel, with special reference to the social and […]
Leer más
Double-yolk eggs in commercial laying hens and parent flocks
Abstract Mature hens typically ovulate in precise daily cycles, adding albumen and shell within 24 hours and depositing the egg before the next ovulation. As deviation from this precision production of eggs, two or more ovulations may happen within a few hours, and then two or more yolks are found in one shell. Double-yolk (DY) […]
Leer más
Selection on beak shape to reduce feather pecking in laying hens
Abstract Feather pecking and mortality due to cannibalism in laying hens are of economic and welfare concern in all housing systems. Traditional family selection on the basis of liveability and feather condition in group cages has reduced, but not eliminated this misbehaviour. Actually, the change to non-cage housing systems and the ban on beak treatment […]
Leer más