PPILOW

Poultry and Pig Low-input and Organic production systems' Welfare
PPILOW

PPILOW – Eurogroup for Animals meeting

– by Anne Collin (INRAE)

The PPILOW consortium was proactive to facilitate the transfer of scientific-based knowledge to NGOs through a specific online meeting held on the 22nd of February in the afternoon. A plenary session aimed at presenting the PPILOW project and its multiactor approach with a communication prepared by Anne Collin (INRAE) and Monica Coletta (AIAB), followed by a presentation on the issues and levers for welfare improvements in low-input outdoor and organic pig and poultry productions by J. Niemi (Luke). Then several PPILOW results were presented during a technical session:

  • “PIGLOW and EBENE: Development and on farm testing of apps for animal welfare self-assessments” by Evelien Graat (ILVO)
  • “How to avoid feather pecking in non-beak-trimmed hens?” by Bas Rodenburg (Utrecht University)
  • “Evaluation of performance and economy of dual-purpose genotypes as an alternative to the elimination of one-day old male layer chicks” by Maxime Reverchon (SYSAAF) and Petra Thobe (Thuenen Institute)
  • “Improving the robustness of laying hens and piglets against parasitic and bacterial infections” by Marina Spinu (USAMV Cluj Napoca)

Discussions between PPILOW partners and the representatives of European Animal Welfare NGOs followed the presentations and particularly focussed on the accessibility of the cited scientific articles and tools, the potential synergies of PPILOW with other European projects, among which the recently-launched EUPAHW, and the potential of dual-purpose breeds in Europe as an alternative to the elimination of layer male chicks.