Integration of organic egg and apple
production
Monique Bestman & Bart Timmermans
7 April 2017
European Union’s Seventh Framework
Program for research, technological
development and demonstration under
grant agreement no 613520
Poultry free range areas
Free range area contributes to animal welfare
Cover with trees, bushes or artificial is crucial
Range 4 m²/chicken – farm with 10,000 chickens 4 ha
Planting 4 ha with trees is high investment
Add revenues to business model
Introduce professional fruit trees in free range area
Cooperation fruit & poultry farmer
1. Poultry farmer is owner/manager of fruit trees and hires
fruit advisor
2. Fruit farmer owns, manages & harvest fruits and pays
rent
Concerns of different stakeholders
Poultry farmer:
Fruit farmer:
No high additional costs
Trees demand good soil condition
Lack of fruit skills / expertise
No long term experience with
No veterinary risks
combination – business model
Fruit related activities & machinery
Trees sometimes demand instantly
should fit in poultry system
actions – unlimited access
No harmful substances
Trees sometimes demand
substances
Hygienic production necessary
First results apple orchard in range area
6000 organic hens
Orchard planted in 2010
1,4 ha apples in 2,4 ha range area
Estimated harvest in 2016: 30-50 tons/ha depending on
breed and location (=pretty good)
First results apple orchard
Higher trees further away from stable
Less insect damage closer to stable
No scab closer to stable
Effects chickens + machinery on soil
worse close to stable
Recommendations
Plant bigger trees compared to no chicken situation
Cheaper & more robust trees closer to stable
No machinery route close to stable
Experiment diff breeds and rootstocks
Keep on monitoring:
Does it still work on long term?
Distinguish season and chicken effects
Related example: broilers + cherries
Orchard few years earlier than
chickens
Farmer owns/manages both
chickens and cherry trees
20,000 free range broilers
550 professional cherry trees
Cherry trees 25 % of farm income
Related example: mobile chickens + apples
http://myorchardeggs.co.uk
Food safety
Poultry manure and human food
No contact fruit and soil
No contact chickens and fruit equipment/machinery
Juice is safe product (heating)
Regulation not applicable on this specific combination, but farm sale
in combination transparency about product origin important
Conclusions
Professional poultry and professional fruit promising combination
Long term experince necessary for judgement
Less (chemical) problems in case organic
European Union’s Seventh Framework Program for research, technological
development and demonstration under grant agreement no 613520
www.agforward.eu