1. Online Multilingual Biological Agriculture eServices System for Organic Farmers, Traders, Institutions and Citizens

2. Appropriate hybrids for organic poultry meat and egg production George K. Symeon Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Faculty of Animal Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece

3. http://bioagro.aua.gr Organic poultry production: an alternative 1. Introduction  Land-related production  Low density  Environmental equilibration

4. http://bioagro.aua.gr Genetic material in poultry production nowadays  100 % use of highly productive hybrids  Hybrids are produced by colossal companies and are “trade secrets” Structure of producing and trading of hybrids 1 Hybrids developing companiesProduce paternal and maternal lines for egg and meat production after crossings 2 Reproductive companies Hatcheries Crossing of maternal and paternal lines and production of hybrids 3 ProducersRearing of hybrids and production of eggs or poultry meat

5. http://bioagro.aua.gr Hybrids Products of crossings between breeds and lines with desirable attributes

6. http://bioagro.aua.gr A secret well kept…  Reproductive companies cannot produce paternal or maternal lines because these are also hybrids  Hybrids’ reproduction ends to diversity and decrease in the desirable attributes, due to gene segregation

7. http://bioagro.aua.gr Absolute centralization… Hybrids’ producing companies nowadays Maternal companyReproductive companies Erich Wesjohann Group Hi-Line, Lohmann, Ross, Arbor Acres, L.I.R., C.W.T. Hendrix Genetics ISA, Babcock, Shaver, Hisex, Bovans, Dekalb Grimaud Group Grimaud Freres Selection, Hubbard Tyson Foods Cobb

8. http://bioagro.aua.gr Advantages and disadvantages  Advantages Fast movement of the genetic progress to the farmer High productivity Constant improvement of desirable attributes  Disadvantages The farmer always depends on the maternal company for the acquirement of poultry hybrids Decrease of genetic diversity Global genetic material is the same

9. http://bioagro.aua.gr The target  Choosing the appropriate genetic material (hybrid) so as to have the best result in accordance with the production system (rearing practices, diets, hygiene issues)

10. http://bioagro.aua.gr Conclusions  Poultry meat and egg production uses exclusively hybrids of various types and colours, different for each production sector  Medium and slow growing broilers are more suitable for organic poultry meat production  The same egg-laying hybrids used in conventional production are also used for organic hens

11. You can visit us for more information in http://bioagro.aua.gr