Poultry meat quality and welfare as affected by organic production system

Abstract

Abstract: Most of consumers preferring organic food accompanied emerge of environmental awareness in the last decades.

Organic production system is considered as an important solution for the environment problems because it improves

sustainable agriculture by using organic compounds and avoiding synthetic chemical ones, restricting intensive production and

making the entire chain of production under control. Therefore, it is encouraged and supported by environmental protection

agencies in spite of the higher production cost of organic production compounds. Due to its higher production cost most

producers prefer intensive systems because they focus on reducing cost and increasing production regardless of environmental

degradation. Organic poultry system usually mentioned with free-range system and poultry welfare. That is because all organic

systems are free-range. Organic system gets a lot of attention of animal welfare organizations because it assists birds to express

normal behavior by offering plenty space. Organic or free-range system by some modifications and developing of the system

regarding good management of its environment in addition to establishment of biosecurity measures it could considered as a

suitable system for human, poultry and environment rather than intensive system because it achieves human health by avoiding

dangerous remainders in food such as chemical residues, and for poultry by offering good welfare and health, and also to

environment by improving sustainable agriculture.