Alternative systems from SPECHT
In compliance with all the current national and European legal requirements, Specht has developed three different layers housing systems which are able to meet all poultry farmers’s needs.
Housing systems in laying hen husbandry – second part
A status report
This analysis is an abridged version of a report which the Author prepared for the International Egg Commission (IEC) in London, UK.
In...
Big data for poultry. What is possible? – second part
The term big data may at first appear incongruous to animal agriculture. However, by capturing, analysing, reporting and sharing of through-production chain data with...
Factors that contribute to consistent quality poult starts
The process of egg production, hatching, processing and delivery of a quality poult are all important and stressful points that impact the lives of...
Artificial structures mitigate simulated adverse pop-hole conditions
There is some evidence that commercial meat chickens prefer to access the range through ‘favoured’ pop-holes; however what makes pop-holes attractive or aversive is...
Nutritional economics for commercial turkey operations
Feed is the single biggest cost to a turkey operation, 60% to 70% of the cost of production is related to feed, with energy...
Effects of probiotic bacillus Amyloliquefaciens H57 on performance and intestinal microbiota of chickens
Direct fed microbials are a potential probiotic alternative to antibiotic
growth promoters for improving animal production and preventing enteric pathogen
infections. We are studying the effects...
Latest innovations and future advances in genetics at Lohmann Tierzucht
The 53rd Lohmann Tierzucht Franchise Distributor provided an opportunity to review the latest innovations in genetics and genomics. Prof. Dr. Rudolf outlined the main points of the company strategy in breeding.
Hatcheries data collection and analysis
Hatcheries collect large quantities of data to monitor performance and to make sure equipment are operating within set operating limits.
These data are a valuable...
Water quality critical to broiler performance
Water is the most important nutrient for poultry. Although the necessity of providing a plentiful supply and sufficient access is well understood, the importance...
Lubing presents the new Intermediate drive 2.0 for its egg conveyor systems
Lubing starts its 2022 with a novelty: the new intermediate drive, which was completely redesigned and makes the use of egg conveyors even smoother...
Using sensor technology against feather pecking in laying hens
In collaboration between Animal Breeding and Genomics (WUR), Breed4Food and the COST Action GroupHouseNet, a review paper was written on how sensor technologies can...
The bioavailability of zinc in poultry: what does literature say?
Zinc bioavailability: zinc is an essential trace element for all the animals, including broilers. In case of deficiency, alteration of growth performance and distortion...
Spent hens: Can we improve their welfare?
The aim of this study was to observe the improvement in welfare indicators of spent hens kept in three different housing systems.
Sixteen Isa...
Feeding management of broiler breeders
Modern strains of fast-growing broilers have been selected for fast growth, feed efficiency and high feed intake, and broilers are processed once they achieve...
Assessment of the use of perches to improve leg health in meat chickens
Poor leg health in Australian fast growing meat chickens is a major welfare issue, resultant from long-term genetic selection for bird size and growth rate...
Effectiveness of a double choice test to assess dietary taste preferences in broilers
Investigations into the taste system of broilers can help to improve poultry feeding strategies. However, a comprehensive study on dietary taste preferences for broilers...
In Vitro evaluation of xylo-oligosaccharide production from different batches of wheat with and without...
Supplementing poultry diets with xylanase partially depolymerizes the xylans present in the dietary cereals, reducing the number of sugars in the molecular chains. The...
Effective fumigation of hatching eggs to improve hatch results
Microbial contamination of hatching eggs is a main concern of hatcheries as it causes decreased hatchability, poor chick quality, growth and performance. It is...
Histopathological evaluation of Histomonas meleagridis on ceca and the bursa of Fabricius in turkeys
Histomoniasis is caused by Histomonas meleagridis, a flagellated protozoan parasite. It causes systemic infection in turkeys and induces characteristic lesions in ceca and liver....
Chick quality monitoring and diagnostics
Evaluation of chick quality in the hatchery and mortality in the field can be used to identify general problem areas: the incubator, the hatcher, or the environment after hatch.
Meta-analysis of genetic parameters of feed conversion and related traits in chickens
The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of some factors on heritability estimates of
body weight (BW), feed conversion ratio (FCR),
feed
intake (FI),...
A practical approach to broiler breeder management in the absence of beak treatment –...
In the absence of beak treatment management strategies, which ensure appropriate bird development and growth and the provision of adequate environment and stimuli, which...
Review of different day-old chick quality parameters in layer type breeds – Part 2
The aim of every commercial layer hatchery is a maximum hatchability of first quality chicks. The evaluation of chick quality in the hatchery provides...
Seminars highlighting innovations in broiler farming
Two interesting specialist seminars for broiler farming were held on the 16th and 17th of November in Visbek and Hamm, Germany. The companies BEST3,...
Dietary energy, digestible lysine and available phosphorus levels influence growth performance and carcass traits...
Energy (E) and amino acids (AA) are two of the most expensive components in broiler diets. There is no general consensus regarding the interaction...
Variation in individual egg weight loss
A chicken egg has to lose around 11-13% of its original weight during the first 18 days of incubation. This weight loss is needed...
Managing bird behaviour in organic production systems
This topic is presented on by John Brunnquell, the founder and current president of Egg Innovations, which is the largest exclusive producer of free...
Ability to detect Salmonella vs. Salmonella-Free in poultry processing
Poultry are sampled often for Salmonella during growout on the farm and throughout the processing plant. While on farm sampling is not currently a...
Fertile or not?
Fertilisation and a fertile egg marks the beginning of a new life but is by no means a guarantee of a long life, as...
Copper influences broilers’ performance and growth
Copper (Cu) is an essential component involved in a wide variety of biochemical processes. It must be supplemented in the trace mineral premix as...
A Box-Behnken assessment of fishmeal and sorghum inclusions in broiler diets
The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of starch and protein digestive dynamics on broiler growth performance using Box-Behnken response surface...
Does negative pressure created by exhaust fans affect poultry?
Most poultry are raised in houses that use a negative pressure ventilation systems to aid in maintaining air quality, house temperature, and air movement....
Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) outbreaks in laying hens in Konya province
Infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) epidemic cases characterized with respiratory symptoms, hemorrhagic tracheitis and laryngitis findings were identified in laying hen’s enterprises in Konya province.
Ten Lohman-breed...
Poultry litter quality: investigating the interrelationship between litter moisture content, pH, water activity and...
Wet litter is a recognized issue in commercial poultry production and litter quality has come under great scrutiny with the introduction of farming scheme...
Incubation temperature and how it influences chick hatch time and bone ash
With commercial broilers spending up to 30% of their lifespan in the egg, incubation temperature has been linked to some leg weakness issues.
The recommended...
Gut health and Coccidiosis
In poultry, gut health is fundamental and the gastrointestinal tract accounts for twenty percent of the energy expenditure of the whole body. This energy...
Engineering vaccines for multiple strains of IBV
In new work funded by a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) researchers at The Pirbright Institute and The Roslin Institute have published...
Gut health in layers
To some extent gut health has not been a focus of commercial pullet and layer flocks unless the problem contributed to a significant mortality...
How to minimize peracetic acid exposure in poultry plants
Peracetic acid has been used increasingly in the food and medical industries as a disinfectant, and its use in poultry processing has further enhanced...
The Salmonella initiative
An enduring challenge and reputational issue for the egg industry is caused by the presence of Salmonella enterica serovars (particularly some Typhimurium serotypes), which...
Managing eggs and chicks from young breeders
First week mortality is often higher in chicks from very young breeders (25-30 weeks) than in chicks from older breeders. What causes these chicks...
Current trends in litter management
As much of the broiler industry transitions to antibiotic free production based on consumer demand, broiler house management is changing more substantially than it...
Dietary starch influences performance of broiler chickens offered low-protein diets
This study suggests that there is interference between the digestion of starch and protein and/or absorption of glucose and amino acids. Paradoxically, the low-protein...
Phosphorus: how low can we go in broiler diets?
Phosphorus (P) is essential for all forms of life. Dietary P content either in excess of, or below requirements may adversely affect broiler performance....
Fatty acids in ABF poultry production: a nutritionist’s perspective
The beneficial role of short-chain fatty acids and medium chain fatty acids on gut health and reducing pathogen colonization has been well documented over...
Adaptability of bird flu poses threat to poultry
New insights from a study of the 2016/17 bird flu outbreak show how highly pathogenic bird flu viruses – which are likely to cause...
Rapid in vitro antimicrobial screening assay against Campylobacter
Research was undertaken to adapt a multi-well antimicrobial assay as a fast and reliable method to screen large numbers of plant extract treatments against...
Sustainable feed supply for worldwide poultry production
The poultry industry is facing various challenges in its value chain. Production needs to be environmentally sound and social responsible with the prerequisite that...
Hot weather management and nutrition
Thermoregulation is the ability of birds to maintain their body temperature across a range of environmental temperatures and in hot weather. Turkeys use a...
Replacing soy in broiler diets. Effect on performance, carcass yield and cost of production
The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of replacing soybean meal (SBM) in broiler diets on performance, carcass quality and...
Isoquinoline alkaloids lower the prevalence of salmonella Heidelberg in broiler chickens
Worldwide, tens of millions human cases are reported every year for salmonellosis. This makes it one of the most common foodborne diseases, which can...
Biosecurity measures and new vaccines to combat the spread of bird flu
The recent H5N6 bird flu outbreak is confined to the south of England, partly due to the introduction of an Avian Influenza Protection Zone...
Two critical points in the rearing of Hubbard premium pullets
Achieving good uniformity is not the biggest challenge during the rearing period of Hubbard Premium breeder females. Because they take a fairly long time...
When the hatchery power supply fails
In a contemporary hatchery all the parameters influencing incubation – such as temperature, humidity, ventilation and the turning of eggs – are based on...
Flexible Feed Formulation with GALLIPRO
Facing challenging goals
The goal of the poultry industry is to provide consumers with safe food, while promoting poultry health and welfare, in addition to carefully...
Importance of hatch-time and access to feed on broiler muscle development
In commercial settings, hatching occurs over a 24-48 h window and chicks are held in the incubator until a majority have cleared the shell.
Earlier...
Short-term temperature training in the hatcher improves stress response in broiler chickens?
An alternative approach to improve functional traits alongside with the production efficiency of fast growing broiler chickens provides temperature training in the hatcher (PTT:...
Quality Control Audits of killed vaccination
Vaccination programs for breeders and egg layers include procedures with inactivated vaccines. Killed (inactivated) vaccines are used to prevent disease in the vaccinated bird...
Considerations for a better quality of chicks
During the incubation period, embryonic growth and development are affected by different factors, as breeder age, the incubation temperature and the availability of egg...
The impact of raised incubation temperature on hatch, chick quality and broiler performance
Two experiments were conducted at the Aviagen product development center in the USA to study the effect of increased eggshell temperature during mid to late incubation on hatchability and chick quality
Salmonella prevention strategies and influences of sampling method selection
Multiple factors can influence both Salmonella prevalence and diversity of Salmonella serogroups detected from both pre and post-harvest samples. Sampling methodologies vary widely when...
Bacillus Subtilis improves performance of broilers fed medicated or non-medicated feed
Animal digestive health is key to obtain optimal performance. Antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) have long been shown to be very effective to develop and...
Impact of layer alternative systems on management and production costs
The use of alternative systems in layer farming has increased in the commercial egg industry due to pressure arising from consumers concerns about hen...
Reducing water usage in turkey processing
Virginia Poultry recently installed several liquid/solids separation screens for reducing water usage in its turkey feather and offal processing. The two new primary and...
Comparing two ELISA kits
Here a comparison of two ELISA kits as been made to assess their efficicacy.
Recombinant turkey herpesvirus vaccines (rHVT) are being widely used for...
The fertilization process and embryo mortality during incubation. What is the Relationship?
The goal of a successful incubation operation is to produce the maximum number of quality chicks from the fewest breeders housed in order to...
Using more bioavailable sources of trace minerals pays off
A study of broiler breeder performance was conducted using three separate minerals programmes. The objective was to determine if productivity could be maintained at...
VAL-CO, clean and dry feed from delivery to consumption
A VAL-CO feed storage and transport system is designed to keep feed clean and dry from delivery to consumption. Store your feed in our...
Improving birds’ health by refining their intestinal microbiota health and stability
Intestinal systems of living organisms are inhabited by a dense community of microorganisms dominated by bacteria but also containing archea, fungi, protozoa and viruses....
Management of slow growing broilers for profit
Chicken is consumed in larger quantities than either beef or pork largely due to its relatively low fat and high protein content when compared...
Roxell pan feeder system: the ultimate alternative to beak treatments
Jan Hoving from Zeewolde (NL) tested this Roxell solution at his rearing farm. For him, the decision to use Natural Beak Smoothing was a...
VALLI housing systems
VALLI’s products not only live up to everything they promise but, above all, the solutions provided by the Italian company take into account all the issues involved in order to meet the requirements of an increasingly conscious and demanding customers.
Why do we need low protein meat chicken diets?
The current level of protein used in meat chicken diets is linked to various issues observed in the industry including feed cost and feed...
Pirbright’s new Avian Influenza vaccine
An improved poultry influenza vaccine has been developed by researchers from The Pirbright Institute. The potential vaccine triggers a rapid immune response which protects...
Major histocompatibility complex and genetic resistance to Infectious Bronchitis Virus
Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is an endemic disease of chickens responsible for considerable economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. IBV replication leads to...
Turkey breeding – Where from, Where to? – Domestication of animals was a major...
All species of today’s domestic plants and animals followed an analogous pattern of multi-generational change influenced by humans. The modern populations of turkeys followed...
Taking phytase superdosing from scientific concept to commercial application: a UK example
Scientific research is based on carefully designed experiments, performed in carefully controlled conditions with the outcome measured as accurately as possible, using a range...
Effects of probiotic Bacillus amyloliquefaciens H57 on performance and intestinal microbiota of chickens
Probiotics (direct fed microbials) are a potential alternative to antibiotic growth promoters for improving animal production and preventing enteric pathogen infections. The Authors are...
Growth begins in the gut
In the race to replace antibiotics on Canadian poultry farms, some producers have successfully adopted yeast-based prebiotic supplements. But there’s more potential to enhance...
