Research project Prevention and Control of red bird mites in organic laying hens in mobile cages

General introduction

How can the harmful parasite Red Bird Mite be more sustainably and effectively controlled even in short-chain poultry farms? This is what researchers are working on in the Mobio'Mite project. The red bird mite is estimated to affect over 90% of Belgian laying hen farms. In fact, the mite is ubiquitous throughout Europe. In the poultry industry, control traditionally relies on the use of chemical acaricides. However, such products are harmful to the environment and resistance to them is increasingly common. In recent years, a lot of research has already been done on sustainable, natural control methods of red bird mite, but mainly focused and applicable to the larger laying hen houses.

Research approach

The current project proposal focuses on short-chain farms with mobile chicken houses and aims to investigate which natural methods are interesting and best used in practice.

Relevance/Valorization

Once the options in terms of natural control agents against red bird mites are listed, and the measures with the most potential for use in small-scale, mobile layer houses are selected, knowledge dissemination follows. One channel includes the BaroMijter and SOPs (standard operating procedures). In their communications, the researchers immediately explain how these products or techniques can be used in a useful and user-friendly way.

Financing

CCBT