Formulating layer diets beyond the least-cost model
Due to the high cost of feed for poultry, there is continuous pressure to formulate ‘least-cost’ diets that meet nutritional requirements. However, the main...
What we do and don’t know related to cage free egg production research
During the early 2000s the pressure was on the U.S. egg industry to increase cage space and to transition from conventional cage systems to...
The effect of monochromatic photo-stimulation on growth and reproduction of broiler birds
Broilers in-ovo or with post hatch photo-stimulation with green light (GL) were heavier from dark incubated birds. Furthermore, we defined the cellular and molecular...
Research shows practical method to reduce litter moisture
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in which researchers...
Warm weather ventilation management
A poultry house ventilation system is arguably the most important management tool for a farm manager to use. As the birds grow and climates...
Impact of the lighting and feeding regimen during rearing on Hy-Line brown pullet growth...
The impact of two lighting and three feeding programs during rearing on pullet body weight (BW), feed intake (FI), organ characteristics and start of...
ERPA, the European rural poultry association to defend rural poultry producers
Rural poultry production is important in volume and has a large social role; it was therefore essential to have a specific organization to represent...
Challenges and opportunities in establishing a new turkey parent stock operation in a remote...
The Russian turkey market has shown substantial growth during the last decade with new and very large companies willing and able to invest considerable...
Identification of broiler poultry house dust components using chemical and physical analysis
Dust found in poultry housing is a complex substance most likely comprised of a mixture of excreta, feather, feed and bedding material.
M. Ahaduzzaman, L....
Different light sources
The value of regulating the photoperiod of poultry and livestock to stimulate reproduction has been recognized for many years and is used regularly by...
Cost-effective biosecurity management practices
An effective flock health plan must integrate solid strategies for disease prevention, rapid diagnosis, and effective treatment to support poultry health. To attain this...
Management of chicken manure
The laying hen produces an average of 150 to 200 g of fresh manure, which is considered a source of pollution due to the...
Cleaning and disinfection as strategic tools for avian production
Biosecurity, defined as all measures taken to prevent both the introduction and the spread of infectious agents on the farm, is of key importance...
Wet litter. Factors associated with the shed micro-environment and litter properties
Wet litter in meat chicken sheds occurs as the result of multiple, interrelated causes. This paper discusses some of the sources of water in...
Broilers perform better with intermittent lighting programs
Roles of certain parts of the digestive tract of chickens seems to have been lost with the evolution of time and commercial practices. Gizzards...
Waterline cleaning between broiler batches: a key to better bird health and performance
Clean water is essential for poultry—not just as a source of hydration but as a vital part of nutrition, digestion, and temperature regulation. In...
Minimizing interventions for turkey beak treatment in Germany
Germany wants to play a leading role in Europe in poultry and turkey welfare issues. Fundamental changes have been made to husbandry systems during...
Targeted approaches to achieving good litter quality
Turkeys spend their life in close contact with litter material. The aim is to establish and maintain good, dry litter conditions and an environment...
Balancing beetles with the bottom line
Darkling beetles, commonly referred to as litter beetles, are a widely encountered pest for those in the broiler production industry. Litter beetles are holometabolous...
Biosecurity – practical tips to minimize the human risk of contamination
All poultry operations are under a constant threat from the ever-present enemy of disease and infection. It is imperative in all operations that we...
Poultry lighting
With LED technologies, farmers can today vary the color, intensity and photoperiod of the poultry lighting in houses and barns to improve production.
While incandescent,...
Impact of stress on feather cover of laying hens
Feather pecking is a behavior in which individual laying hens peck repetitively at the plumage of conspecifics, causing poor feather. Although FP can be...
Methods for recovery and quantitation of viral nucleic acids from broiler litter
There is a well-recognised problem with both the supply of broiler litter material in some regions, and with the disposal of spent litter. This...
Management of ectoparasites in cage-free housing systems
As cage-free systems become more frequent in poultry production, we are forced to evaluate how pest control measures should adapt to ensure efficacy.
The...
Minimizing antibiotic use in broiler production
Many countries are being asked to reduce or eliminate antibiotic use in poultry, due to growing concerns about the use of antibiotics in food-producing...
Flip-overs: causes and solutions in brooding
The poult start is an extension of the hatching process. The whole process, including poult placement, is only as strong as its weakest link.
William...
Turkey Breeding – Making the most of genetic potential
Genetic potential
Successful and profitable turkey production occurs across a wide range of production systems and farming environments. Breed choice, farming facilities, equipment, management, nutrition...
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...
Turkey farming – A brief review of welfare and husbandry issues
A literature review was undertaken to examine welfare issues in the turkey farming sector. The major issues are diseases, poor locomotion due to high...
Housing systems in laying hen husbandry- First 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...
Big data for poultry – first 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...
Cage free pullet management
The conditions in cage free systems differ from the traditional cage housing systems and require a different management approach. Alternative production systems can be...
Researchers develop practical solar heater for poultry houses
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., in which researchers...
Brooding
Getting chicks off to a good start is very important to overall flock performance. At no time does a bird grow faster than during...
Perches: environmental enrichment or mechanical challenge?
The study compared the impact of wire ramps and perches on meat chicken mobility and the incidence of detached femoral caps (DFC), which can...
Biosecurity: protecting animal health to sustain the supply chain
Safeguarding animal health is of paramount importance to any country’s economy and food supply. Livestock with a clean health status is an important requirement...
LED lights in turkey farms
With the rise of the energy efficient light emitting diode – LED – bulbs in today’s market, there is an opportunity to refine...
Pulsed ultraviolet light processing of eggs
In recent years, pulsed ultraviolet light has been shown to reduce microbial pathogens on the surface of shell eggs, crucial for maintaining good chick...
Poultry litter pasteurisation
Heaping of used poultry litter reliably induces significant elevations in temperature due to the actions of variety of aerobic bacteria and fungi. Temperatures typically...
Best practice in egg production
How robust management and proactive measures can drive best practice for egg production on poultry farms.
In partnership with Cobb, this article examines best practice...
The five principles of broiler brooding for modern broilers
Investing in new technologies, while important, is not the only way to reach top performance potential in broilers. Simple efforts such as paying attention...
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...
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...
Effects of feed presentation on growth performance and gut health of turkeys
The combined effect of feed presentation parameters bears considerable implications for the digestive health and growth performance of turkeys. This topic is very relevant...
Some common issues of the first week in brooding turkey poults
Turkey poults are very sensitive to environmental conditions and any uncomfortable situation very quickly leads to a problem and even sometimes a disaster. Any...
Economics of broiler production systems in the Netherlands
In 2017, farmers of conventional, slower growing and biological broiler strains had similar incomes. The so-called ‘middle segment’ systems, the Dutch Retail Broiler (DRB)...
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...
The benefits of nipple drinker catch trays
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in which researchers...
How much cold pressed canola meal can we use in layer diets?
Canola meal has been available for the layer feed industry in Australia for over 30 years. However, very little has been used due to...
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...
Graded levels of stocking density for turkey toms raised to 16 weeks of age
Stocking density can be one of the most important drivers of economic return; however it can greatly influence bird performance, health, and welfare. In...
Back to basics: we need to concentrate on basic management skills
As we move to using less antibiotics in the production of poultry, many alternative products have been developed. While some are affective in specific...
Best practice in biosecurity
How to effectively manage and reinforce best practice in biosecurity on broiler farms
This article examines best practice in broiler production, focusing specifically on biosecurity....
Partially slotted flooring systems for market toms – What are the possibilities?
Avian influenza virus is stable longer in moist and cool conditions. Depending on seasonal and production conditions barn air and litter (bedding) moisture can...
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,...
Enhancing turkey welfare one step at a time
Researchers of Wageningen Livestock Research have been able to define when a turkey takes a step. This is an important milestone to automating gait...
Biosecurity, the basics
By biosecurity we mean those measures aimed at reducing the risk of introducing and spreading infectious agents on farms, i.e. bio-exclusion and bio-containment measures.
Luigi...
The challenging world of a primary breeder, matching genetic programs to market requirements
It is Hubbard’s genetic commitment to offer a wide range of products ranging from conventional cost-efficient broilers to slow(er) growing Premium chickens. It is...
Maintaining hatching egg quality through good hygiene and handling
The microbiological status of a hatching egg is highest immediately after the egg is laid. The objective, therefore, is to ensure that quality is...
Best practice in management
How management best practice can help support profitability on broiler farms
In partnership with Cobb, this new series of articles will examine best practice in...
Antibiotic-Free turkey production
The production of turkeys without the use of antibiotics is an increasingly common goal across the globe due to the focus on antimicrobial resistance....
How preheating temperature can affect litter drying
One of the purposes of preheating a broiler house is to ensure the litter is properly dried prior to chick placement. Research has shown...
Essential oils – Opportunities to improve food safety in organic poultry production and processing.
Organic poultry – A growing sector with challenges
Poultry is the most widely available organic meat in the U.S. and predicted to have increased consumer...
Best practice in broiler house management
How the right technology and proactive management can ensure best practice in housing on broiler farms
In partnership with Cobb, this article examines best practice...
Breeding for robustness in turkeys
Turkey breeders have invested in selection methodologies to ensure the commercial cross is capable of delivering outstanding performance with good welfare under a variety...
The importance of monitoring chicks water usage
Getting chicks off to a good start is very important to overall flock performance. At no time does a bird grow faster than during...
The impact of anthelmintic resistance in parasites of poultry
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in which researchers...
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...
Variable speed tunnel fans
Since October 2017, a study has been underway to examine the use of variable-speed tunnel fans to reduce fan operating cost. The study is...
Management best practices: small details can have the big-gest impact
Raising turkeys is equal parts science and art. It involves precise measurement of various factors throughout the life of the flock. It also requires...
Developing and implementing Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOPs)
As part of the modernization programs at USDA, FSIS is amending the egg products inspection regulations and is now requiring plants that produce egg...
Visual identification of potential feather pecking
Feather pecking behaviour is common in floor-housed laying hens a behavior, which is positively associated with developing feather pecking habits.
It has been suggested that...
Effective ventilation key to Cobb500™ development
Effective ventilation plays a key role in the health and performance of broiler flocks. Nigel Strain, Cobb senior regional technical manager for Europe, the...
Light intensity and led lights
Light intensity can be measured in three ways: luminous intensity, luminous flux and luminous power. Led Lights are here analyzed.
Luminous flux is the total...
The use of antibiotics in the poultry industry
Antimicrobial resistance in human and animal isolates in the E.U. remains a significant problem despite the bans of antibiotic growth promoters and the reductions...
Animal breeding reduces environmental impacts
Results of a study show that breeding reduces environmental impacts of animal products by about 1% per year. This is achieved without specific selection...
A correct lighting is essential in poultry houses
Many poultry producers appreciate the importance of light in maximising performance. Whether chickens or turkeys, laying hens, commercial growers or parent stock, all poultry...
Sentinel Birds: An old strategy that can enhance current diagnostic tools
The use of sentinel birds such as specific-pathogen-free (SPF) leghorns has been used extensively to learn about local presence of pathogens in farms, either...
Managing heat and minimum ventilation systems in the broiler house
When outside temperatures drop and gas prices rise, maintaining the desired inside broiler house air temperature and ventilating to meet air quality needs can...
