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...
ProHealth, new solutions for animal health and production sustainability
The ProHealth project is focused on understanding the multi-factorial dimension of animal pathologies linked to production and use this to develop, evaluate and disseminate effective control strategies to reduce impact.
The potential of perinatal nutrition
Based on Darwin’s theory of adaptive evolution and Mendel’s fundamental laws of heritability, breeding and genetic selection for increased growth rate and meat yield...
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...
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...
Using sunflower meal in broilers with the addition of a carbohydrase complex
Sunflower seeds are extensively grown for oil production for human consumption. Therefore, a great amount of sunflower meal becomes available for use in feed...
Effects of light intensity on broiler welfare, productivity and leg health
Researchers investigated the welfare implications of behavioural changes induced by varying light programs. Here the effects of light intensity on broiler welfare and productivity are reported.
Transgenerational impact of broiler breeder nutrition
Continuous genetic selection in meat-type chicken for rapid growth resulted in increased meat production and decreased the time required for achieving the market weight....
New animal welfare labelling system
The conclusions of the animal welfare labelling subgroup of the Commission’s Animal Welfare Platform were released. Copa and Cogeca welcomes the main conclusions of...
Effect of different dilution rates on fertility of chicken spermatozoa and its storage
Under natural mating, with a ratio of hen:cocks of 8:1 fertility rates are still low. Artificial insemination (AI) technology can be adopted and is...
Key global health issues in cage-free and organic laying hens
In USA and Europe there has been a growth in cage-free, free range, and organic production over the last 10 years.
The percentage of all...
Broiler breeders, a research on alternative feeding programs and photostimulation periods
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in which researchers...
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...
10 alerting signs of poor ventilation
Proper ventilation is basic in poultry farming as it reduces mortality, stimulates early feed intake, improves flock uniformity, and ensures an adequate temperature regulation.
Here...
How to house happy birds by Vencomatic Group
Happy birds produce best. Aviary systems were invented to provide laying hens with maximum freedom, while using floor space efficiently. Aviaries consist of multiple...
Short chain fatty acids and poultry gut health
Due to customer demands, producers have been asked to change the way they grow production animals, specifically through the removal of antibiotics. With this...
Scientifically validated results to raise poultry production profitability
The Poultry Science Association 2017 Annual Meeting took place in Orlando, Florida on July 17-20. Being the most prestigious scientific event for poultry in...
Timing is everything in early feeding
Early feeding is now a critical point. When using nature as a reference to what are the optimum requirements of the day-old chick, we...
The challenge of feeding modern broiler breeders
Broiler breeders are expected to produce about 150 chicks in 40 weeks of production and even though it is commonly believed that selection for...
How to guard your hatchery against biosecurity threats
Biosecurity, by simple definition, is a set of procedures undertaken to limit the spread of infectious pathogens to a susceptible population. It is, however,...
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...
Sample management and handling for diagnostic testing
Diagnostic testing is an important and widely used tool in commercial poultry husbandry. A key to best use of diagnostic testing, is to begin...
Effects of yeast and its derivatives on meat yield
The present experiment was designed to determine the effects of yeast and its derivatives on meat yield and hematological indices of broiler chickens challenged...
Dietary calcium, phytate and non-phytate phosphorus, on IP6 degradation in broilers
The effectiveness of phytase is usually determined under phosphorus or both calcium and phosphorus deficient specifications. Phytase efficacy in terms of increasing available or...
Taking portioning to a new era, Marel I-Cut 122 dual-lane high-speed portion cutter for...
I-Cut 122 Portion Cutter by Marel combines the highest levels of accuracy, throughput and reliability with new, innovative software.
The dual-lane I-Cut 122 has been...
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...
Challenges in poultry feeding
Poultry producers around the world continue to struggle with high production costs for poultry feeding, largely due to volatility in prices for basic feed...
Precision feeding of broiler breeders
Precision livestock feeding relies on real-time sensor feedback from individual birds to decide whether or not to allocate feed, according to the needs of...
Feed Conversion Ratio optimized for farmer profit
The farmers’ cost for animal feed is one of the main expenditures consisting of 60-70% of the overall producer costs. These producer costs are...
Minnesota Turkey launches 3rd “day in the life of a turkey farmer” video
Minnesota turkey grower Loren Brey of Brey Farms, New Ulm, Minn., was recently featured in “A Day in the Life of a Turkey Farmer”...
Macroscopic lesion scoring correlates with gut morphology changes in a newly developed dysbacteriosis model
Conventional broilers often experience intestinal problems between 20 and 30 days of age, caused by a microbial imbalance in the gut, which is referred...
Monitoring the turkey incubation process to ensure the best results
Incubating turkey eggs is often considered to be more challenging than incubating broiler eggs, yet, in essence, the basic principle of success is the...
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...
Influence of feed form and particle size on the performance and nutrient utilisation of...
The present experiment was designed to examine the influence of feed form and particle size in maize-based diets on the performance and nutrient utilisation...
Detection and quantification of Gallibacterium anatis and Mycoplasma synoviae
Mycoplasma synoviae is one of the most common preconditions for secondary bacterial infections in poultry. It causes subclinical infections of the upper respiratory tract,...
Characterizing litter mite communities. Applications of DNA barcoding for management strategies
The use of DNA barcoding can facilitate rapid biodiversity assessments of fastidious taxa - litter mite communities - by delineating species using molecular operational...
Different incubation profiles for different breeds?
Breeding has powerful effects. Although all chicken breeds originate from the same wild ancestor, they differ dramatically in appearance, physiology, type and metabolic rate....
Understanding egg quality
Egg quality is multi-faceted, with physical, functional, and microbial aspects contributing to egg quality. Research has shown that many factors impact egg quality including...
Effects of dietary insoluble and soluble non-starch polysaccharides on performance and ileal and excreta...
This study examined the effect of dietary insoluble and soluble non-starch polysaccharides (NSP) in common broiler diets on performance and ileal and excreta moisture...
Pre-harvest interventions and implications of safety for turkey processing
Increasing consumer attention toward low fat, high protein diets, and demand for healthy foods has led to a significant increase in the production and...
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...
Rethink the golden rules of incubation
Your incubation results might be affected by a lack of accuracy in the rules you’re applying. The rules of incubation have been derived from...
Salmonella control in broiler breeders
Today, our goal is to control and eliminate all Salmonella species and pathogens from the breeding program. The ability of the primary breeder to...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
How to improve hen fertility
Following specific procedures to increase hen fertility will not eliminate drops in fertility, but it may also reduce the need to trouble-shoot breeder flocks.
Artificial...
Effect of the type of diet and the addition of humic substances as growth...
In recent years, humic substances have been tested as growth promoters in animal production and are one of the promising options to face the...
Pre-Placement checklist
Pre-placement house preparation should be part of a proper management to ensure future performance of broilers and farm profitability.
The following checklist displays the...
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...
Gut health in poultry production: why, what and how
Gut health has become a dominant topic in the global poultry industry. But why did the topic emerge to become so important to the...
Reducing the environmental impact of egg production via breeding and alternative diet
Egg production has an important role in the global production of food. For decades, we have successfully selected laying hens that efficiently produce animal...
Nutritional implications of antibiotic free rearing of broilers
The gradual reduction in the use of AGP coincided with an increase in the therapeutic use of antibiotics on farm level. Especially in broiler...
Biosecurity. Cleaning and disinfection on an organic poultry farm
All who work or visit poultry farms must adhere to the guidance of the farm management when it comes to biosecurity protocols.
There are...
Research examines alternative feeding programs and photostimulation periods for broiler breeders
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, in which researchers...
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...
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...
The relationship between sperm function and diet – Toms are what they eat
It is well known that cryopreserved semen could be used to regenerate commercial or research poultry lines; however, fertility rates from poultry semen frozen...
Big problem – simple solution in the hatchery
A hatchery got in touch with me recently about a worrying problem: 3-5% of the newly delivered chicks were dying during their first 3-5...
Six questions about high-volume chicken fillet portioning
Modern technology and software bring an infinite number of cutting options.
The huge volumes of chicken fillet needed to satisfy global demand go way beyond...
Eco-friendly heating for efficient poultry breeding
The new standards for commercial poultry breeding have been requiring more sustainable, efficient and cleaner technologies. Along with it, the organic poultry production is...
The role of early experience on the behavior of hens housed in cage-free aviaries
Understanding the consequences of rearing experiences on the behavior and bone integrity of laying hens can help inform solutions to animal welfare and management...
Diagnostic strategies for the control of avian Mycoplasmas
Mycoplasmas are bacteria without the cell wall which cause infections in poultry especially at respiratory and articular level.
They are the smallest single-celled organisms found...
Biodiversity – breeding choice for the markets of today and tomorrow
In this article, Aviagen® Ltd R & D Manager Brendan Duggan discusses the second of Aviagen’s Top 5 Commitments, Biodiversity, and how this commitment...
The future of probiotics
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, Calif., in...
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...
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...
Jamesway’s Webinar talking about the Hatcher
The hatcher is often the forgotten sister of the incubator. Most presentations focus on getting everything right in the incubator, assuming that if the incubation...
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...
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...
Using accelerometers and artificial intelligence to predict presence of woody breast
The broiler industry has been challenged with a condition referred to as "woody breast" for the past 8-10 years, which can affect a significant...
Science unveils new pathway to broiler chicken growth performance
A new tool has emerged for broiler chicken operations seeking new ways to optimize results while keeping aligned with a full range of the...
Practical applications of nutrigenomics in poultry nutrition
Novel molecular techniques such as microarray technologies have spurred the development of the field of nutrigenomics.
Using microarrays to evaluate gene responses allows us to...
The trifecta for a sustainable production
To meet the needs of an additional three billion people over the next 35 years and to prevent further escalation of global poverty, agricultural production must double during this time. In meeting the increased demand for food, the interdependence between water, food and energy will become more evident and highlight resource insecurities.
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...
On farm slaughter
Commercial on farm slaughter could eliminate many potential animal welfare issues associated with cooping, transport, dumping, and shackling of live broilers. However, concerns regarding...
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...
Officine Facco, alternative systems for “cage free” layers
Facco offers practical, economical and environmentally-friendly solutions for the world wide poultry industry through a complete line of poultry cutting-edge technology equipment.