Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 23, 2026

Production of Germ-Free Fast-Growing Broilers from a Commercial Line for Microbiota Studies
Published on: June 18, 2020
Nutrient balances as indicators for sustainability of broiler production systems
1Institute of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, Federal Agricultural Research Centre (FAL), Braunschweig, Germany. sylvia.kratz@fal.de
Abstract:
1. Flock balances of nitrogen, phosphorus, zinc and copper (N, P, Zn, Cu) were calculated in order to evaluate environmental effects of three different broiler production systems (intensive indoor, free range and organic). 2. Nutrient gain in birds per unit nutrient intake (retention) in intensive indoor production was higher than in free range and organic production. 3. Nutrient surplus relative to nutrient retention was higher in organic production than in free range and intensive indoor production. 4. The main reasons for differences in nutrient efficiency between intensive indoor, free range and organic production were duration of growth period, strain of broilers and feeding strategy. 5. The calculation of whole farm indicators (livestock density, N and P excretions per hectare of farmland) demonstrates how defining system boundaries affects the outcome of an evaluation: organic farms had the smallest livestock densities and the lowest N and P excretions per hectare of farmland. 6. In the efforts to reach a more holistic evaluation of agricultural production systems, the definition of adequate system boundaries must be discussed. In addition to nutrient balances, further indicators of sustainability, such as human and ecological toxicity, should be considered.
Related Concept Videos
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Production Efficiency
Energy Budgets and Reproductive Strategies
Trophic Efficiency
Designing Growth Media for Bioreactors
