Some of the main differences in sustainability between organic and conventional systems No difference in microbial contamination of eggs Higher microbial contamination of broiler meat Organic systems were less safe in terms of: Fewer multidrug-resistant bacteria are found on organic farms.Organic systems had better economic outcomes in terms of: Organic systems had consistently lower productivity High rates of feather pecking (birds are not beak trimmed) Organic systems had poorer animal welfare in terms of: Organic systems had better animal welfare in terms of:īetter leg health in broilers (due to slower-growing breeds) Lower use of fertilisers and absence of synthetic fertilisers.Organic systems had a lower environmental impact in terms of: Slower-growing broiler breeds are less feed efficient Higher potential for acidification and eutrophication (due to lower productivity) Organic systems had a greater environmental impact in terms of: Global warming potential (based on greenhouse gas emissions)Ĭulling male chicks in the egg industry (waste) A brief comparison between the sustainability of organic and conventional poultry production systems, as determined by the study, is presented in Table 1.īoth systems had an equal environmental impact in terms of: Laying hens are also not permitted to be beak trimmed. Not only must the researchers consider the impacts of each system on the environment and animal welfare, but also the impacts on economic indicators, productivity and public health throughout the entire production chain.Īccording to the researchers who conducted the study, a system can be considered sustainable if “the current generation can have its needs met without compromising the ability of future generations to have their needs met.” The definition of what organic poultry farming means in practice varies between different countries, but it will generally require the birds to have outdoor access, low stocking densities, an organic diet and alternative treatment methods for disease that do not use chemicals. However, the findings of a recent study suggest that neither is clearly better than the other, and the solution may lie in combining the best aspects of both systems (Animal (2017), 11:10, pp 1839–1851).ĭetermining the sustainability of a farming system is a complex procedure. Some may view the impressive efficiency of conventional indoor systems as more sustainable in terms of optimised output and business practice, while some may view the “naturalness” of organic systems as best for the environment and thus more sustainable from the point of view of ecology and resource management. When comparing the sustainability of conventional and organic poultry farming systems, most people will have an opinion on which approach they think is better.