Pirbright research to boost vaccine production
Scientists at the Pirbright Institute have received money, which will enable research into boosting vaccine yields by up to ten fold. The funding was...
World Veterinary Day – celebrating the value of vaccination
The theme of this year’s World Veterinary Day – celebrated April, 27th – was Value of Vaccination. To celebrate it, some of the vaccinology...
Antimicrobial drug resistance in poultry. What do we know about risk factors?
There is an increasing amount of published surveillance and diagnostic submissions data, providing information on prevalence and trends of antimicrobial drug use and antimicrobial...
A new view of how class I molecules fight diseases
Classical class I molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) play crucial roles in defence against viruses.
The class I molecules bind pieces of protein...
Practical guide for evaluating day-old chick quality: key standards and health monitoring
Evaluating the quality of day-old chicks (DOC) is crucial for successful poultry production. This practical guide outlines the key physical indicators, health factors, and...
A review of novel biological alternatives to antibiotic therapies in poultry
As poultry producers in Australia continue to limit antibiotic use, increasing numbers of alternative therapies and chemical biosecurity products are being used to overcome...
Gut health
Gut health and the efficient conversion of feed into its basic components for optimal nutrient absorption is vital for both commercial and turkey breeder...
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...
In-ovo corticosterone alters body composition in 35 day old chi-cken meat birds
Increasing evidence suggests early-life exposure to maternal stress can permanently alter thedevelopment of an embryo. Such findings have significant application to the chicken meat...
Mass water vaccination in poultry sheds: accurate dose for every bird, every line
Even if many people use the same methods or knowledge for water vaccination in cage or aviary systems as they do for broiler or...
Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of thermophylic Campylobacters in poultry
Campylobacter spp. is a leading cause of foodborne diarrhea. The most common source of infection is contaminated food, mainly poultry meat.
The uncontrolled use of...
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...
The manureshed concept: a solution to poultry litter nutrient recycling?
Surface waters in the United States are regularly assessed as a part of the Clean Water Act to determine whether the water quality protects...
How a single Avian Influenza protein can increase period of infection
New research led by scientists at The Pirbright Institute has shown how an Avian Infuenza a virus protein, called PB1-F2, is able to shut...
Managing CO2 and fresh air to optimise hatchability
Last year I was invited to a layer hatchery that was reporting slightly lower hatchability than its sister hatcheries, despite using eggs from the...
Chlamydia spp. detected in poultry in Piedmont, Italy
Chlamydia spp. are agents of re-emerging infections in poultry worldwide and deserve attention from a public health perspective due to the well-known zoonotic nature...
A diagnostic laboratory perspective for pathogen detection
Detection of infectious diseases can generally be broken down into laboratory detection of the pathogen or detection of the immune response to the pathogen....
Evaluation of factors that affect susceptibility and control of reovirus-induced viral arthritis in broiler...
The USPOULTRY Foundation announces the completion of a funded research project at AviServe LLC in Newark, Del. (USA), that has revealed a new tool for...
A multidisciplinary research approach on Avian Influenza in Italy
The Avian Influenza epidemic of 2016-2017 had been the largest in Europe in more than 10 years. The circulating virus was a Highly Pathogenic...
Gut health, intestinal innate immunity and performance
Gut health is a very important determinant for health and performance in particular in production animals. The intestinal innate immune system is pivotal in...
Pirbright’s livestock coronavirus research
The Pirbright Institute is aware that misinformation regarding the Institute and its research is circulating on social media following an outbreak of a new...
Newcastle disease virus evolution and control strategies
Newcastle disease virus is continuously evolving, and molecular techniques allow the classification of vaccine and field strains in numerous genotypes and subgenotypes, although a...
Turkey dermatitis/cellulitis: where are we headed?
Clostridium septicum is a ubiquitous, spore-forming bacterium associated with spontaneous gas gangrene in both livestock and humans. The spores can persist in harsh environments,...
Research shows nutritional effects of Coccidiosis vaccination
A funded research project on Coccidiosis was completed at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas, that shows the nutritional effects of coccidiosis vaccination.
Project...
Biosecurity, before the beginning…
Almost all of us, the poultry people, know what biosecurity is about. For the investors, it means spending lots of money to prevent disasters,...
Backyard poultry flocks Salmonella spp. seroprevalence
As backyard poultry grows as a hobby in the United States there is an increased worry that poultry will become infected with Salmonella spp....
Profiling Salmonella serotypes through broiler processing
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in which researchers profiled Salmonella serotypes through broiler processing.
The...
Microbiological consequences of different housing systems for laying hens, with particular reference to Salmonella...
A significant proportion of human illnesses caused by Salmonella are linked to the consumption of contaminated eggs. In response, substantial government and private industry...
Biological control of Salmonella in the poultry industry: a European perspective
Salmonella remains one of the most important foodborne bacterial pathogens worldwide, and is frequently linked with the consumption of contaminated poultry meat and eggs....
Infectious bursal disease viruses may swap genetic material during infection
Live cell imaging has been used by researchers at The Pirbright Institute to reveal new information about how different strains of infectious bursal disease virus...
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...
Concurrent infection of Histomonas meleagridis and Eimeria meleagridis in a turkey flock
Blackhead disease (histomoniasis) in turkeys is one of the protozoan diseases sporadically documented in commercial turkey production facilities. Histomoniasis may induce mild, moderate, or...
Researchers develop method for making new types of vaccines
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens,...
Investigating diseases affecting poultry production
Severe diseases such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and velogenic Newcastle disease are still a concern for poultry producers and government agencies alike. Companies...
The Omics revolution – Implications for animal production
What does Omics mean?
Omics is a term that refers to the recently developed high throughput technologies that include genomics, functional genomics (transcriptomics), proteomics, and...
Immune system and nutrition: the balance between immunity and growth in modern broiler crosses
Immune activation is the first stage of the immune response necessary to protect the body. It is accompanied by significant metabolic costs and inflammation....
Get the most from your diagnostic laboratory.
A field perspective.
You notice the
mortality is up this morning in one of your brooder houses. Your first thought
might be “better take some birds to...
Interrupting cholesterol pathway reduces Marek’s disease spread
In a new discovery, scientists from The Pirbright Institute confirm that cholesterol production and transport play a crucial role in how Marek’s disease virus...
Researchers investigate the cause and prevention of False Layer Syndrome
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in which researchers investigated the cause and prevention...
Overcoming challenges of antibiotic-free production
Antibiotic use once became a conventional, on-farm practice to prevent health issues and boost growth in poultry. Yet, public health concerns about rising bacteria...
Feeding the commercial turkey
Choosing the most effective feeding programme has never been more important given the unpredictability of the raw material market and lack of consistent supply...
Salmonella, creating the most undesirable environment
Background
Salmonella non-typhoidal is among the top foodborne bacteria that cause illness within the United States annually.With 1.4 million illness (11% of foodborne bacteria), 19,336...
Pathogenesis of egg infections by salmonella – Second Part
Early protection has been demonstrated after primary live vaccine administration early post-hatch but this effect is serotype-specific, while cross-protection between some serotypes has been...
Bacterin usage
A good vaccination program, along with proper flock management and biosecurity, plays a key role in the health and productivity of broiler breeders. The...
Holistic view of intestinal health in poultry
The intestinal health of poultry has broad implications for the systemic health of birds, animal welfare, the production efficiency of flocks, food safety, and...
Turkey reoviral arthritis update
Avian reoviruses (ARVs) belong to the genus orthoreovirus in the family Reoviridae. They are nonenveloped, double-stranded RNA viruses that are ubiquitous in domestic poultry...
Active and passive Salmonella surveillance systems
Two surveillance systems have been established in France for the monitoring of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica isolated from the agro-food...
Monitoring of IBV circulation and prevalence
Infectious bronchitis (IB) is one of the most common viral diseases in chicken production worldwide and IB virus (IBV) is considered the most contagious...
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...
Heat stress causes inhibition of Eimeria replication in broilers
Eimeria infection is one of the most important diseases affecting poultry production, and is characterized by bloody or watery diarrhea, weight loss, poor feed...
A synergistic herbal alternative combination: curcumshield vs poultry infections – a broad-spectrum study
Introduction
In the case of bacterial infections, various categories of antibiotics – especially synthetic ones – are widely used as broad-spectrum bacteriostatic and bactericidal agents....
The declining trend of salmonellosis cases in the EU has levelled off
Cases of Salmonella Enteritidis acquired in the EU have increased in humans by 3% since 2014 says the report, which is compiled by the...
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...
Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) Advisory – City of Kingston
The Feather Board Command Centre (FBCC) is issuing an Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT) biosecurity advisory for an approximate 10 km area in the City of Kingston.
FBCC...
DNA region in chickens identified for disease resistance
One region in the DNA explains a large difference in possible disease resistance betweenchickens. This was discovered by researchers of Wageningen University & Research...
When the gut rebels: the challenge of chronic inflammation in laying hens
In the poultry industry, intestinal health is a cornerstone for achieving high production yields, feed efficiency, and disease resistance. One of the issues that...
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...
How Marek’s disease may directly affect the chicken immune system
Marek’s disease virus (MDV) causes disease in chickens and is estimated to cost the global poultry industry up to US $2 billion each year.
In...
Managing coccidiosis in birds raised without antibiotics
For poultry producers to make a profit they must have healthy, uniform sized birds, make sure there are no real or assumed human health...
Garlic allicin as a promising alternative to antibiotics in broilers
Introduction
The poultry industry is under increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use due to antimicrobial resistance and consumer demand for safer products. Garlic (Allium sativum)...
Alternatives to antibiotics in organic poultry
Organic poultry production is one of the fastest growing segments of organic agriculture with a 20% average annual increase since the establishment of the...
Avian reovirus, molecular characterization
Avian reovirus (ARV) is the main cause of viral arthritis and tenosynovitis in chickens and turkeys, triggering economic losses in the poultry industry due...
Testing day-old poults
When poults are received at a farm from the hatchery they should be good quality poults; namely, free from physical defects, actively looking for...
Better for birds, the earth, and you: Kipster’s egg
In the United States, as of March 2024, 40% of eggs produced are cage-free. While the cage-free movement has gained momentum worldwide, one company...
Poultry gut health critical to NAE production
The production of “No Antibiotics Ever” (NAE) poultry is a common trend worldwide today. Despite scientific evidence indicating that specific antibiotic growth promoters (AGP)...
On-farm control of campylobacter
Campylobacteriosis, primarily caused by the consumption of contaminated chicken products, accounts for the majority of food poisoning cases in Europe and many other developed...
Update on Infectious Bronchitis in the United States
Infectious bronchitis infections continued to increase this year in the Ontario broiler, broiler breeder and layer sectors.
Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) can be spread by...
Enumeration of Ascaridia Galli eggs in chicken excreta
Excreta counting techniques in eggs can provide valuable information for assessing flock infection levels, selecting nematode resistant chicken breeds and for determining anthelmintic efficacy.
Although...
Future of Blackhead Disease in poultry
A turkey health survey of US veterinarians in turkey production ranked blackhead position #13 (#11 prior year) compared to #22 in 2006; the survey...
UK Veterinary Vaccinology Network
Veterinary researchers from around the world came together at this year’s joint UK & International Veterinary Vaccinology Network Conference on the 9-10 January 2019...
Bioavailable silicium as feed additive and its beneficial effects throughout poultry production
Silicium is a naturally occurring trace element that supports bone formation, collagen synthesis, and structural integrity in tissues and eggshell membranes. In poultry, dietary...
Understanding resistance to different Infectious Bronchitis virus genotypes
In previous experiments, we have challenged major histocompatibility complex (MHC) congenic chicken lines available at UC Davis with an infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) M41...
Trouw Nutrition presents research during the Poultry Science Association Meeting
Synergistic use of different feed additives may support producers’ antibiotic reduction programmes.
Reducing antibiotic use in poultry production is an urgent objective shared by stakeholders...
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...
Vaccination of turkey breeders to control Salmonella
Salmonella continues to be a top food safety concern for the turkey industry, the USDA, and the consumer. Salmonella bacteria are the most frequently...
An alternative method to fight Avian Influenza Virus
A recent project was completed at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, in which researchers developed a mobile system that can inactivate Avian...
How do coccidiosis challenges influence lipid digestibility and energy utilisation?
Coccidiosis continues to be one of the most pervasive and economically detrimental diseases in commercial poultry production. Controlling this enteric disease is an even...
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...
Decoding cecal cores in chickens: from necropsy to diagnosis
Cecal cores are a classical pathological gross lesion seen in field necropsies. Even though a presumptive diagnosis is made based on the visualization of...
How Necrotic Enteritis affects animal’ welfare and performance
Necrotic Enteritis (NE) affected flocks have poor enteric health and nutrient digestibility leading to decreased performance and increased excretion of nutrients.
Evidence suggests that...