Dual-purpose chickens produce better meat
Dual-purpose chickens have received particular attention since the ban on killing chicks in Germany in January 2022. Both the eggs and the meat can be used with them. Dual-purpose chickens are an ethical alternative, but what about the taste? As part of a research project at the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart, led by the Naturland Association of Baden-Württemberg, students from the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) in Heilbronn were called upon to assess the sensory properties of meat and eggs from organic production. To do this, they analyzed, tasted and systematically evaluated the appearance, taste and smell of several lines of dual-purpose chickens in the summer of 2023. Even though the testers noted differences both between the different lines and between the individual parts – breast, drumstick, wing or stock – their overall verdict was “Dual-purpose chickens taste better!”
The appetite for poultry meat is great: According to the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL), 2022 kilograms of poultry meat were consumed per capita in Germany in 11,4. But eggs are also very popular: per capita consumption, including processed products such as baked goods, pasta and ready meals, was 2022 eggs in 230.
“While the classic country chicken used to supply both eggs and meat, the great demand has led to a separation of the different breeding lines,” explains Prof. Dr. Lukas Kiefer from Naturland-Verband Baden-Württemberg e.V. “While the layer lines were bred to lay lots of large eggs, the chickens in the fattening lines should put on as much meat as quickly as possible.”
The result: For a long time, male chicks of laying hens were killed on the first day of life - they do not lay eggs and produce too little and unsatisfactory meat when fattened. Although there has been a ban on killing newly hatched chicks in Germany since January 1, 2022, there are many loopholes, says Prof. Dr. Kiefer: “We keep receiving reports that the brood is being relocated to other European countries where chicks are still allowed to be killed.
Alternative to killing chicks
The BMEL proposes three alternatives for implementing the ban. In the laying lines, the male chicks can be raised and marketed as so-called “brother roosters”. However, due to the lower meat quality and the higher costs, this represents a competitive disadvantage for the companies. Alternatively, so-called in-ovo sexing, i.e. sex determination in the egg, can prevent male chicks from being hatched at all - one possible solution which currently predominates in the conventional poultry industry and is also viewed as a sensible option by some organic egg producers.
But eco-associations in particular reject gender determination in hatching eggs for ethical reasons. They are increasingly relying on the third option: so-called dual-purpose chickens. This refers to the use of hens to lay eggs and roosters to produce meat. But “dual-purpose chickens have one disadvantage: although they can produce both eggs and meat, their performance remains around 20 percent below the established laying and fattening lines,” says Prof. Dr. Jaw. “This is of course also reflected in the price.”
There is still no market for dual-purpose chickens in Baden-Württemberg
Currently only a few pioneering businesses in Baden-Württemberg keep and sell such animals. “There is currently no market for dual-purpose chickens in Baden-Württemberg,” describes Dr. Beate Gebhardt from AK BEST at the University of Hohenheim. The “Zweiwert” project aims to remedy this. Together with other partners, the Naturland Association and the University of Hohenheim want to create a regional network to build the “dual-purpose chicken” value chain in Baden-Württemberg.
The existing production and delivery structures are often not yet sufficient. Marketing often fails because of very banal things, describes Prof. Dr. Kiefer: “Dual-purpose chickens often cannot be processed in standard slaughterhouses because the slaughter lines are not designed for their size.”
“But the majority of consumers don’t have much use for the term ‘dual-purpose chicken’ either,” explains Dr. Gebhardt. This means that the marketing of dual-purpose chickens faces major challenges: “Since the products are still little known, effective communication on values such as sustainability and animal welfare is important.”
Make product quality tangible
The criticism of today's poultry farming and increasing demands have led to consumers placing more and more value on the organic quality and regional origin of the products. Certain groups of buyers were also willing to pay more money for eggs and meat from dual-purpose chickens.
“However, that alone will not be enough. It is also important to convince consumers of the quality of the products,” continues Dr. Gebhardt continued. “Studies show that enjoyment and taste are often the top priority when buying food. A price that is perceived as appropriate is often the final deciding factor.”
A crucial approach is to make the product tangible for consumers. Those who know the background and have had the opportunity to convince themselves of the quality will shop more consciously and also accept higher prices, according to the expectations of those involved in the project.
Aromatic taste – even without salt and other spices
In the summer of 2023, students of the Food Management department at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW) also dealt with the task of developing innovative marketing strategies for dual-purpose chickens. As part of a practical project, they were asked to blindly taste and evaluate both meat and eggs from dual-purpose chickens.
The test included four lines of dual-purpose chickens from organic production as well as chickens and eggs from the supermarket for comparison. Using a multi-part questionnaire, the students assessed the sensory properties such as appearance, taste and smell of the breast, wings and drumsticks as well as the broth and the eggs.
Even though it was only an initial test in which only a few people took part, the general verdict can be summarized briefly: “Dual-purpose chickens taste better!” Although they were cooked without salt or other seasoning ingredients, they were particularly convincing due to their aroma. If these results are confirmed in further tests, dual-purpose chickens could be more widely accepted by consumers and contribute to their further spread.
