Hennovation: “Practice lead innovation supported by science and market-driven actors in the laying hen and other livestock sectors”
The Hennovation project demonstrated the potential of innovation led by producers and industry (on-farm, during transport and at the abattoir) through the establishment of innovation networks that proactively searched for and utilized new ideas to make their business more efficient and sustainable. The networks initially tackle two particular issues of concern in the production chain: injurious pecking and the transport and use of end-of-lay hens. 19 innovation networks were mobilized at different levels of the production chain, local, national and European level in five countries (United Kingdom, Sweden, The Netherlands, Spain and The Czech Republic) These networks were supported by science driven-actors, such as veterinary surgeons, farm advisors and scientific researchers, and market-driven actors, such as those that buy eggs e.g. retailers, packers, food processors, and those certifying egg production e.g. farm assurance companies and certification schemes.
The on-farm networks, 15 in total, focussed on various aspects that are known to have influence on injurious pecking. Injurious pecking is a problem that has many risk factors and the networks tested a variety of innovative ideas. The off-farm networks, four in total, focussed on various aspects that are relevant for catching and transport of End-of-Lay hens.
Alongside product or technical innovation (e.g. new design of trolleys for depopulation, new type of litter material to reduce stress and encourage natural behaviour or the use of alpacas in organic systems to reduce predation), a variety of often less expected and sometimes unintended ‘soft’ innovations also emerged through these networks. These were related to protocol or process (e.g. a new way of monitoring Poultry Red Mite infestation and new relationships between production chain actors, for example the pullet rearers).
Based on the innovative ideas tested by the innovation networks 38 Practice Abstracts and an additional five technical notes were developed by the network facilitators for use in practice by end-users.
| PA # |
Hennovation Practice Abstracts |
| 1 |
PA 1 Light in the laying hen houses |
| 2 |
PA 2 Feather scoring as a management tool to reduce injurious feather pecking in flocks with intact beaks. |
| 3 |
PA 3 Adjustments of stocking density according to outside air temperature during transport of end-of-lay hens. |
| 4 |
PA 4 Improving the catching and transporting of Laying hens to Slaughter at the End -of-Lay by adding value to hen meat. |
| 5 |
PA 5 Chick rearing conditions crucial to prevent later feather pecking. |
| 6 |
PA 6 How to keep laying hens with intact beaks – learning together. |
| 7 |
PA 7 An easy monitoring method to improve control of Poultry Red Mite in laying hen flocks |
| 8 |
PA 8 Critical points during catching and transport of end of lay hens |
| 9 |
PA 9 Selection criteria for laying hen litter |
| 10 |
PA 10 Litter for laying hens: rape seed straw and fibre hemp straw |
| 11 |
PA 11 Climate checklist to reduce injurious feather pecking in laying hens |
| 12 |
PA 12 Measures to suppress poultry red mite populations in henhouses |
| 13 |
PA 13 Use of a spinosad to prevent red mites |
| 14 |
PA 14 Unifying the dress code on farms reduces stress in laying hens |
| 15 |
PA 15 Use of a cost-benefit tool to improve the business performance of egg production enterprises |
| 16 |
PA 16 Evaluating innovations for on-farm use |
| 17 |
PA 17 Influence of crate lids on welfare of hens |
| 18 |
PA 18 Factors affecting dead on arrival (DOA) during hens’ transport |
| 19 |
PA 19 Influence of handling on injuries during hen transport |
| 20 |
PA 20 Glossy objects motivate the hens to redirect unwanted feather pecking behaviour. |
| 21 |
PA 21 Maximise range behaviour and foraging by planting cover crops |
| 22 |
PA 22 Positive effects of oats in the laying hen diet |
| 23 |
PA 23 The benefits of providing roughage to laying hens |
| 24 |
PA 24 Laying hens want to dust bath in peat |
| 25 |
PA 25 The shade created by the trees around the farm improves the microclimate. |
| 26 |
PA 26 Mesh on the floor helps newly placed laying hens adjust to aviary systems. |
| 27 |
PA 27 Reducing the risk of injury when transferring hens at the end of lay from furnished cages to transport lorries |
| 28 |
PA 28 Evaluating commercial innovations |
| 29 |
PA 29 Monitoring of poultry red mite using measuring traps: an easy, cheap and effective method. |
| 30 |
PA 30 Monitoring poultry red mite allows you to anticipate and optimise treatment. |
| 31 |
PA 31 Sand may be an easier litter material for wet conditions |
| 32 |
PA 32 Can sand litter maintain better feather cover? |
| 33 |
PA 33 Monitoring the impact of feed additives to improve the gut-health of laying hens. |
| 34 |
PA 34 Maximise ranging behaviour by planting trees |
| 35 |
PA 35 Methods to reduce predation of free ranging hens |
| 36 |
PA 36 Recommendations for using alpacas as guardians of free range hens |
| 37 |
PA 37 Comparison of different ways to measure ammonia levels in the laying hen shed |
| 38 |
PA 38 Risk assessment of each flock at end-of-lay reduces losses |
A full version of the Hennovation Practice abstracts (i.e. end-user materials) listed above can be found here.
