BREEDING OF CROATIAN HEN

Dosadašnja se industrijska proizvodnja konzumnih kokošjih jaja u gotovo svim zemljama svijeta odvijala u zatvorenim objektima, kaveznim načinom držanja pri čemu su uglavnom korišteni visoko selekcionirani hibridi kokoši nesilica. U posljednja tri desetljeća svjedoci smo sve većeg društvenog interesa za dobrobit životinja koji preporuča proizvodnju konzumnih jaja alternativnim sustavima držanja. Slobodan način držanja kokoši nesilica jedan je od propisanih alternativnih načina proizvodnje kokošjih jaja u Europi, a proizvodnja konzumnih jaja na obiteljskim gospodarstvima u Hrvatskoj uglavnom se odvija na taj način. Cilj je ovoga rada bio utvrditi proizvodnost hrvatske autohtone pasmine kokoši hrvatice u uvjetima slobodnog načina držanja, te se temeljem provedenog istraživanja može se zaključiti da se njihovo korištenje u proizvodnji konzumnih jaja i proizvodnjom mesa slobodnim načinom držanja na obiteljskim gospodarstvima može preporučiti, poglavito ako se za rasplodna jata nastave isplaćivati državni poticaji.So far, the intensive production of table eggs in almost all countries of the world took place in closed buildings, cage keeping in what are mainly used high-selected hybrids of laying hens. In the last three decades we have witnessed a growing interest in animal welfare which recommend production in alternative systems of keeping laying hens, which typically include environments without cages (room with animals), with the possibility of access to poultry area of poultry house. Free way of keeping laying hens is one of prescribed alternative modes of production of chicken eggs in Europe, and the production of eggs for consumption on family farms in Croatia is mostly done that way. The aim of this study was to determine the productivity of Croatian indigenous breed Croatian hen in conditions of free keeping. Based on this study it can be concluded that, their use in the production of table eggs and the production of meat based on free grazing on family farms, can be recommended. Especially if the government continues to pay state subsidies for the breeding flocks