Mobile housing system

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A mobile entertainment system or mobile housing system is a full featured mobile stall for yearly storage of farm animals. By regularly moving the stables to always fresh grass, silting, over-fertilization and the accumulation of parasites are greatly reduced.

Since this further development of stationary free-range husbandry is particularly suitable for keeping chickens due to the animals' high need for protection , there are predominantly mobile housing systems for laying hens and broilers .

Mobile chicken coop

history

Specialist book on poultry farming from 1886

The concept of a mobile chicken coop has probably been around for a few centuries; at least they are described in collected works on chicken keeping as early as 200 years ago. At that time, converted carriages or self-developed construction trailers were used. When the economic mood between the two world wars was tense and people had to pay special attention to their most precious resource, food, the trend of chicken tractors emerged among British farmers and the first heyday of mobile stables began. Due to the lack of poultry feed, it made sense for the farmers to send their hens to the harvested fields. So it came about that the chicken coops were pulled from field to field with horses and later with tractors. In the fields, the chickens could still find some lost grains, worms or weeds, for which the farmers had no fodder expenses. According to tradition from poultry farming, the chickens from mobile housing are more robust, stronger and healthier than chickens in permanent stalls.

While the bulk of which after the Second World War by the industrialization of agriculture poultry production by the increasing use of technology over time on the seemingly economical factory farming specialist, the company developed Triangle in France some mobile barn systems where intensive livestock farming and a mobile barn were combined. The farmer Andreas Wördekemper took over this system and developed it further. In the nineties, the young farmers Iris and Maximilian Weiland needed a fully mobile stable for use by smallholders due to the high level of parasites in the run. One year after the construction of the chicken mobile, the first fully mobile barn system, by the Weiland company, it won the 2003 award for organic farming.

In the years that followed, interest in mobile stables began to grow. Wördekemper expanded its segment by developing semi-mobile housing systems for geese, calves and pigs. Weiland, on the other hand, specialized in chicken husbandry and increased mobility requirements. More and more farmers have discovered mobile stable systems for themselves in recent years, so that other companies such as farmermobil, Steiner Automation and Rowa have entered the industry.

background

Mobile stable for 900 free range hens from farmermobil
A mobile hen house for 900 free range hens

In free-range husbandry, each animal has a fixed area to run out. The consumer expectations for this label are that the animals have plenty of space outdoors and that there is enough green space. This also meets the needs of the hens. Since domestic chickens, as descendants of the Bankiva chickens, have an increased need for protection, they always stay in the area close to the house. This leads to the fact that after a few days the entire run-out area is trampled on and covered with a poo. The strong over-fertilization leads to an increased parasite load and a destruction of the turf. The consequences of this are excessive nitrate pollution of the soil, but also infectious diseases are not uncommon, especially in conventional chicken farming. One solution to these problems is to move the barn frequently.

Semi-mobile stable systems

Partially mobile is the term used to describe relocatable stalls for accommodating livestock , which can be relocated without having to completely dismantle them. Semi-mobile systems stand on runners or supports. As a rule, they cannot be operated independently. In the case of semi-mobile stables, a permanent connection for water, feed and electricity is usually necessary.

In contrast to fully mobile barn systems, semi-mobile barn systems must be located on contiguous parcels on a level with a slight incline. Due to these restrictions in mobility, semi-mobile stalls are usually only moved one to five times a year, even if frequent relocation would be particularly necessary due to the high number of animals in order to be able to use the corresponding synergy effects. A large number of farmers with partially mobile stalls for keeping chickens only use this once a year when stabling them. As a result, the young laying hens do not come into contact with the harmful parasites of previous years, but the sward is completely destroyed after a few weeks and the hens run in their own droppings.

Fully mobile stable systems

Chickens in front of a fully mobile house system

Stables designated as fully mobile can be moved within a few minutes, and they are designed as a completely self-sufficient system. Fully mobile barn systems are relocated every 10 to 14 days so that the vegetation under and around the barn can recover quickly and without reseeding. In bad weather conditions, fully mobile stalls should be moved at least every four to six weeks.

A high degree of mobility is achieved through good running gear, tires that are gentle on the soil and integrated water, feed and energy storage. It is characterized by a closed floor slab, which ensures that there is no destruction of the floor even under the house system and which enables the hens to create a species-appropriate environment through dry bedding. The frequent relocation of the fully mobile stalls means that there is no parasite contamination of the outdoor areas and the sward is not damaged. On the contrary, because the droppings of the animals, which are distributed to various pastures, meadows and fields as they move on, serve them as fertilizer .

The high mobility means that fully mobile stall systems can usually only hold relatively small numbers of animals. In terms of labor, this means significantly more work per animal for the farmer than in intensive animal husbandry.

With chickens, the number of animals in a fully mobile house system varies between 200 and 2000 animals, depending on the manufacturer. What is well below the number of animals in intensive animal husbandry, groups of 3000 to 6000 laying hens and 10,000 to 40,000 broilers are the rule.

Effects on Agriculture

Animal welfare

Mobile stable systems offer a great opportunity for agriculture and animals in terms of animal welfare . Due to constant exercise, the chickens have enough exercise and always have the opportunity to eat healthy green fodder. The year-round exercise promotes the formation of vitamin D and strengthens the hens' immune system. By constantly moving the barn, the typical deficits in animal health that are often the case in conventional free-range or organic farming are prevented.

The needs of chickens include social coexistence in a group, exploring their surroundings, moving around, resting and grooming themselves in the form of sand bathing and foraging, which takes up around 40 to 60 percent of the time of the day. With daily exercise, all of these needs can be met in fully mobile stable systems. Around 50 percent of the animals are outside on a daily average, which in turn reduces the density of stocking in the barn.

Due to the limited size of fully mobile stalls, the permanent stress for the animals is reduced and the farmer can keep a better overview of his animals. Since the chickens from fully mobile housing systems are under less stress and have enough space to run around, feather pecking occurs less often and the common mutilation of claws and beaks does not have to be carried out.

In mobile house systems there are perches which offer both the hens and the broilers a natural resting area. In contrast to most broiler chickens from conventional stables, the animals from fully mobile housing systems do not have to stand in their excrement towards the end of the fattening period. Most systems have manure belts that regularly dispose of the waste.

Ideally, the house system offers the hens a large scratching area and an additional covered outdoor area so that they can pursue their natural occupations even in unfavorable weather conditions or when the house is required to be in a barn. Some manufacturers have also integrated claw-sharpening slats, gentle wooden poles or animal-friendly litter nests into their systems.

Ecological aspects

If mobile barn systems are moved at least every 2 weeks, there will be no point nitrate pollution. The animals can always move on other sections of the meadow, which means that their droppings are distributed over large areas.

With chickens in particular, it is typical that they stay in the area close to the stall due to their need for protection. This leads to rapid destruction of the sward, which in turn promotes silting, erosion and leaching. Thanks to the full mobility of the house systems, the hens can meet their need for closeness to the house without the floor suffering. Each time you move, a different section of the parcel is charged for a short time . The sward is retained by this system, even if the stall is only moved after six weeks due to the vegetation.

Systems with a closed base plate ensure that 60 to 70 percent of the manure remains in the barn. Investigations on "chicken mobiles" have shown that the nutrient inputs amount to a maximum of 65 kilograms of nitrate per hectare. The droppings distributed in the run are taken up by the plants directly for growth, so that the sward compacts through the fertilizing effects. Most stall systems also have a manure belt, which is emptied weekly, which also minimizes the odor burden on the environment.

Furthermore, the hens need a 10-30 percent smaller proportion of concentrate due to their green fodder intake. Since this often comes from regions where climate protection is concerned, it can also improve the CO 2 balance per egg.

Permaculture and synergy effects

Chickens in front of a mobile house system, protected from birds of prey by goats

The main advantage of fully mobile stable systems is the option to move them on. This is where the greatest connection to the idea of permaculture lies . Overloading the soil can be prevented by small groups of animals and by constantly moving on. The energy that is consumed can be recharged via the photovoltaic system .

Stables for chickens can ideally be moved to fields after the harvest so that the hens have the opportunity to peck the leftovers. They can be placed on the edge of orchards , with the chickens using the area under the trees and fertilizing them at the same time. Another possibility is to move them to fallow areas, so roadsides and ditches can be cultivated, and the chickens ensure a well-tended landscape. Hedges , scrubby plots or nettle fields are usually unattractive for farmers. For chickens, however, they are ideal habitats that can be expected to have positive effects on the well-being of the animals and good animal health. If the chickens are left under raspberry or blackberry fields for a short time, they loosen the soil and eat the pests . Under certain conditions, the hens can ideally use the leftovers that arise during food production and would otherwise end up in the biogas plant or on the compost.

Another optimization that can be made by fully mobile house systems is the double use of fields that are used for fattening . For example, it is an ideal complement to send the cows out into the meadows and then let the hens take over the remaining shorter grasses. It is also possible to put goats , sheep and chickens on a meadow, as the larger animals can reduce the losses caused by birds of prey .

Quality of products

So far, the principle has been “the more open the housing system, the higher the risk of exposure to the eggs by drugs or environmental contamination”. This is due to the fact that the hens run in their faeces in the conventional free range in the exercise area. Moving them weekly avoids these problems.

The increased consumption of green fodder ensures that the eggs taste more intense and that the higher proportion of carotenoids makes them significantly more yellow than conventional eggs. Due to the large number of antioxidant acting carotenoids also include the protection increases against skin aging and skin cancer.

Opportunities for producers

On the one hand, urbanization , liberalization and the trend towards more and more technical processes lead to a change in the agricultural sector , to which many producers react with “grow or lose”. On the other hand, food scandals and animal welfare issues regularly attract attention. As a result, a longing for the original and the small spreads in the population. Both regional and emotional connections to his food are high on the preference scale of German consumers. But also species-appropriate husbandry , renouncing genetic engineering and a high degree of naturalness are becoming increasingly important.

Depending on their size and transparency, mobile stable systems can meet these consumer demands. Consumers pay fair prices thanks to the guaranteed freshness and knowledge of the origin of the products. Due to the increasing demand for high process quality , family-run companies that do not operate on a large scale are particularly attractive for customers. Full transparency in the production process is also required. This can easily be achieved by inviting customers to the stall.

Therefore, mobile barn systems offer farmers the opportunity to build up another mainstay without high risk. In particular, small and fully mobile housing systems for chickens offer the best entry into direct marketing and thus strengthen smallholder agriculture. There is no dependence on bulk buyers and small stables can be resold without major problems. In addition, there are special regulations for farmers who sell their eggs "ex-farm". For example, these do not have to be stamped or weighed.

The experience reports of the Weiland chicken coop operators show that the chicken mobiles also increase sales of other goods from direct marketers. The poultry specialist Jutta van der Linde suspects that this is due to the high advertising effect of this form of free-range farming. This is particularly large if the fully mobile stable system is positioned at the entrance to the yard or a street .

With a self-sufficiency rate of chicken eggs , which is below 76 per cent since the turn of the century when, in fully mobile housing systems can be seen to producers a huge opportunity to fill this gap. Despite the bad image of the eggs due to various negative hits, the demand for this food has increased in recent years. Furthermore, due to the increasing number of people who eat vegetarian food, it can be expected that they will increasingly resort to high-quality eggs as a source of protein.

Politics and authorities

Due to the increasing number of owners of mobile stable systems, the authorities are increasingly faced with the question of how to evaluate them. Since a mobile stable system is neither a fixed building nor an agricultural machine that can be clearly classified, there are no standard procedures that the clerks can use for orientation. A mobile barn system is a term in itself that politicians will have to deal with in the near future in order to clarify problems and create clarity.

In principle, most agriculture ministers see great opportunities for the future in mobile stall systems. They are trying to pave the way so that the authorities can put them into operation without any problems. Lower Saxony, a country with one of the highest animal densities in Europe, is pioneering the recognition of machines. Mobile stable systems with an interior size of up to 450 cubic meters will not require building permits in the future. Since Lower Saxony has long been considered a pioneer in agricultural agreements, it can be assumed that other federal states will follow.

Mobile stable systems are promoted throughout Germany due to the special animal welfare. For investments that are particularly animal-friendly, grants of up to 40 percent are granted through the Agricultural Investment Promotion Program (AFP). Furthermore, fully mobile stable systems that are used in so-called disadvantaged areas are funded by many federal states.

It will be the task of politics to emphasize this animal-friendly system in consideration of environmental protection and a sustainable economy. Some federal state websites have already created an index that consumers can use to identify where to find mobile chicken coops.

The case of organic farmer Joel Siegel attracted increased attention, as the Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald district office considered his “chicken mobile” to be illegal. They requested a building application with a permanently registered parcel that the mobile should not have been allowed to leave.

Association requirements

The various associations honor the particularly animal-friendly system of the mobile stables. As a rule, the keeping requirements are adapted to the specific stables. For example, Demeter allows a higher number of people in fully mobile stables and does not require an outdoor air-conditioning area. With Bioland no winter garden is necessary and they also allow a higher number of hens in the barn.

Economy and costs

The amount of work in mobile housing systems for keeping chickens is higher than in conventional laying farms. This is because lower numbers of animals per house unit are possible. Other important reasons are that less technology is often used for the benefit of animal welfare and that repositioning takes time every week. With a mobile size of around 250 to 300 hens, the time required is 480 to 550 manpower hours per year. A time advantage is that there are no work peaks.

Larger areas are required for the stable systems than in conventional free-range farming. However, since only some of these are occupied, the fields can be used twice.

Another cost point is the relatively high acquisition costs. The stable space costs, depending on the manufacturer, whether fully or partially mobile, ecological or conventional, range from 75 to 200 euros

Due to the increased costs for the farmers, a higher egg price is necessary for the eggs from mobile house systems. The experience of Weiland's customers shows that consumers are willing to pay for them. A survey of more than 200 stable operators in 2017 showed that conventional size M eggs were sold for an average of 30 cents. The prices from the fully mobile stalls were thus around 10 cents above the market prices for free-range eggs. However, due to uncertainties and concerns on the part of farmers, many eggs are sold well below value. The Weiland company recommends that its customers orientate themselves upwards, some conventional companies do not sell their eggs for less than 45 cents.

The savings through a correct division of the green space are on the opposite side and should not be underestimated: up to 30 percent of feed can be saved here. In addition, the manure is collected in some mobile stall systems and can be sold as fertilizer or, if you use it yourself, lead to cost savings.

Ethical aspects

According to the legal basis, species-appropriate means that animals are not injured without a reasonable reason, that safe feed is available for them, that drugs are administered responsibly and that epidemics are combated.

From the point of view of animal welfare, it means that animals are kept according to the needs of their species . This shows great potential in fully mobile house systems, as these can offer chickens up to a certain size everything they need.

Around 71 percent of German broilers have problems walking and chronic pain, more than 70 percent of which are due to environmental factors such as harmful gases, temperature and the design of the floor, space, litter and lighting. These problems can be largely avoided by distributing the manure and thus a large part of the harmful gases, sufficient space and an outlet and a meadow instead of litter.

Consumers who buy broilers or chicken eggs from mobile housing systems should ensure that the housing system is regularly moved. The herds should not be too large, as the risk of feather pecking and cannibalism increases with the size of the group. The chickens should be healthy in appearance and their beaks should not be shortened . In addition, there should be enough perches made of claw-friendly wood in the stable. Ideally, the farmer uses a fully mobile stable system without roll-off nests, as these are not particularly animal-friendly.

Manufacturer of mobile stable systems

  • farmermobil
  • Stable construction in Weiland
  • Wördekemper
  • ROWA
  • Big Duchman
  • Steiner Automation

Web links

Commons : Mobile Chicken Coops  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

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