Are Dual-Purpose Chickens Twice as Good? Measuring Performance and Animal Welfare throughout the Fattening Period

摘要

Dual-purpose chickens and native chicken breeds have gained public interest and their agricultural use has increased. Furthermore, the fattening of so-called “brother cockerels” of laying hens has been periodically discussed, with an increasing number of questions raised about their high feed consumption and low fleshiness and, therefore, low sustainability. This study carefully examines chickens—native, hybrid dual-purpose, and layer lines—to assess their performance in meat production, in addition to animal-based welfare indicators and sampling methods. Compared to modern broilers, tested alternatives gain less meat, consume more food, and need a longer fattening period. However, advantages may still exist in terms of animal welfare and with regard to ethically justifiable animal production in the future. Of the three alternatives tested, dual-purpose hybrids may be suitable for niche production, but further research is needed on economically sound feed management and adapted breeding strategies for dual-purpose chickens.