Sternum fractures in Danish laying hens remain the rule

In fact, fractures of the sternum are not uncommon in laying hens in Denmark. This is confirmed by studies that the professional association Danske Æg has carried out together with the University of Copenhagen over the past few months. This was preceded by a study by the university, according to which sternum fractures were found in around 85% of all laying hens tested. However, critics had criticized that the samples came from the years 2016 to 2018 and were out of date due to improvements made in the meantime. However, according to the association, the recently completed test confirmed the original findings. Of 520 hens examined, a good 85% of the animals had healed bone fractures. This is all the more problematic as the majority of keepers have switched to laying breeds with smaller eggs in recent years, explained Jørgen Nyberg Larsen from Danske Æg. For Larsen, this shows that Danish egg production continues to have a “huge problem” that urgently needs a solution. Based on ...