Fair broiler breeding

Safety and sufficient air for the chickens

Franz Dorner's modern fattening farm has space for 90,000 chickens.

(Bild: Timo Jaworr)

A lack of fresh air recently killed thousands of animals on a farm in the Lavant Valley. Professional breeder Franz Dorner explains how such cases can be prevented.

A defect in the ventilation system of a farm reportedly led to the death of 18,000 broiler chickens, and the "Krone" spoke about this dramatic incident with one of the most renowned chicken breeders from the Lavant Valley, Franz Dorner, who has been running the first and only EMAS-certified farm at 1310m above sea level for decades and is extremely familiar with safety measures.

"I find it very regrettable that this incident happened. And I can only report from my own farm that this must be an exceptional case and that, if all safety precautions are observed, this cannot happen in 99.9% of cases!",

so Franz Dorner, vulgo Treppbauer, Landwirt aus St. Gertraud

(Bild: Hronek Eveline)

He himself has triple and quadruple-secured his farm: Analog, through noise detectors, which are even installed in the bedroom, digital - via smartphone - and also through a 110kWh emergency power generator in the event of a power failure. If the generator fails to respond, a fully automatic air flap system, which opens up to 100 air flaps without electricity, can supply the animals with air in an emergency. Dorner also explains that, compared to Italy (25 chickens per m²) or Poland (60 per m²), a maximum of 15 animals per m² are kept on his farm and animal welfare is guaranteed.