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...
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...
Linear Epitope Mapping of B-cell responses following immunization with Avian Reovirus S1133
Avian reovirus is a causative agents of tenosynovitis and viral arthritis. Commercially available reovirus vaccines do not protect against challenge with emerging variants associated...
Development of Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) for Mycoplasma gallisepticum
Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) is the most pathogenic avian mycoplasma species. It affects commercial, non-commercial poultry and wild birds. Current MG sequence typing methods rely...
Changing role of poultry nutritionist in a changing industry
Reflecting back on 30 years of working in the poultry industry as nutritionists we realize that the biggest changes that have occurred have mostly...
Effect of ammonia on the immune response to infectious bronchitis virus vaccination
Commercial broilers in the grow-out stage are commonly exposed to ammonia which can have an effect on infectious bronchitis virus vaccination.
Ammonia concentrations are...
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...
Woody breast in the poultry meat industry
In the U.S., poultry is widely popular by consumers and is the top protein consumed. In the last decade along with improvements in growth...
Backyard chickens
Are backyard chickens just a transient phenomenon? Current craze? Foodies’ desire for fresh eggs? Baby boomers or young families wanting to get closer to...
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...
Hot weather management
Hot weather can have a detrimental effect on flock performance and in extreme cases cause heat loss. While you cannot control outside weather conditions,...
Navel practicalities
A well-closed navel is one of the most important and easily visible signs of chick quality. In a good quality chick, the navel is...
Effects of low protein and balanced amino acid levels on birds under subclinic NE
One benefit of low protein (LP) diets is improving gut health in a future of antibiotic-growth promoter free diets.
Drew et al., (2004) found an...
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...
Gene-edited chicken cells resist Avian Influenza virus in the lab
Cobb-Vantress, Inc. / Siloam Springs, Arkansas, USA: In newly released research, scientists from The Roslin Institute have prevented the Avian Influenza virus from replicating in lab-grown...
Holistic view of intestinal health in poultry
Intestinal health is necessary to maintain efficient and sustainable gastrointestinal tract (GIT) physiology. The GIT has digestive, absorptive, metabolic, immunological and endocrinological functions.
This means...
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...
The broiler chicken as a signal of a human reconfigured biosphere
Part 1
The first part in the series of two wich analyses the anthropological impact of the chicken from an archaeological/historical point of view: broilers...
IFIF: Better nutrition for improved animal health
The International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) underlined its commitment to supporting efforts by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to strengthen animal health...
Algae products in organic poultry diets
Algae, “the not so new kid on the block” has been used in both human and animal diets dating back centuries. There is a...
Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccines produced in eggs have unpredictable mutations
Scientists at The Pirbright Institute have shown that infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccines produced in eggs have unpredictable mutations which may be prone to...
Transcriptomic modifications caused by subclinical necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens
Phasing out of in-feed antibiotics in the poultry industry has caused necrotic enteritis (NE) to become a primary concern in commercial poultry production in...
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...
Measuring egg shell quality
Maintaining egg shell quality is important for maximizing production of broiler chicks from breeders as shell quality and hatchability go hand in hand. Thin...
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...
Development and evaluation of probiotics
As restrictions to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) have become more prevalent, producers have turned to several technologies as probiotics - Direct Fed Microbials to...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Does the external climate matter?
The optimum climate parameters for embryo development – temperature, humidity, and the balance between oxygen supply and carbon dioxide release from the incubator –...
Low protein diets down regulate hepatic enzymes
Low protein (LP) diets have clear benefits for the poultry industry with regards to health, welfare and production. Dean et al., (2006) found that...
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...
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...
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...
Raising turkeys without antibiotics
Alternative management – paying attention to detail and supportive care strategies can be utilized to produce turkeys without antibiotics in this new era.
Dr. Steven...
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...
Future of coccidiosis management in turkeys
Coccidiosis is a disease that is caused by protozoan parasites that develop within the intestine of most domestic and wild animals and birds. Coccidia...
Advantages and disadvantages of Coccidiosis control programs in poultry
Coccidiosis is a protozoan economic disease of poultry, in which around 80% of losses are due to mortality, reduced weight gain, inefficient feed conversion,...
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...
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...
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...
The importance of fresh air
Vostermans Ventilation is addressing the need for even distribution of fair and heat in the poultry house, to obtain an optimal uniform microclimate on...
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....
Farmers’ perceived importance of biosecurity practices and actual performance on farm
It is prudent in today’s age that farmers uphold high-level compliance of biosecurity practices on Australian commercial chicken farms. This is especially so with...
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...
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...
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...
Breeding for a sustainable industry
As a breeding company, there is a misconception that we only select for traits that have a clear, direct economic impact: selection for increased...
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...
Can xylanase inhibitors affect the efficacy of xylanases in poultry diets?
Xylanase inhibitors are reported to be widely present in cereals, and can influence the assay of supplemental xylanases in feeds.
In the present study, a...
What happens during transfer?
Why chicks can’t set and hatch in the same incubator and need transfer.
At the point chicks hatch, they create a lot of fluff and...
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...
Training the animal microbiome to degrade fibre with NSPase
A new perspective on the mode of action of fibre-degrading enzymes NSPase.
Increased understanding of NSPase mode of action is presenting a new perspective on...
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...
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...
Improvement of chilling efficiency and product quality of broiler carcasses using sub-zero saline solutions
Carcass chilling in subzero saline solutions has not been studied enough although it can transfer the carcasses temperature to the chilling media in an...
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...
Blackhead disease: development of molecular tests and an in vitro assay to identify reservoirs...
This research project developed diagnostic assays needed for advancing the understanding of blackhead disease. The article shows clearly how the disease most likely spreads...
Improving poultry products safety
The research is part of the Association’s comprehensive research program encompassing all phases of poultry and egg production and processing.
Dr. Hong Zhuang at...
The effects of a multi-enzyme and Bacillus probiotic combinations on calcium and phosphorus digestibility...
450 day-old male Ross 308 chicks were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments with 6 replicate pens per treatment and 25 birds per pen....
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...
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...
Alternative systems: pros and cons
Alternative production systems of cage-free or range egg production are increasing in number due to outside influences. The outside constituents forcing this growth are...
Mycotoxins in turkeys
Toxin production requires the presence of a mould, a suitable substrate and a suitable environment. If a mould is present, toxin production is influenced...
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...
Frontiers in human and veterinary antibody discovery
The Pirbright Institute hosted the inaugural Comparative Veterinary Immunology Group (CVIG) meeting Frontiers in Human and Veterinary Antibody discovery on 26 and 27 November,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Antioxidants in broiler breeder diets can affect offspring performance
In a series of experiments, it was shown that antioxidants in broiler breeder diets can affect broiler performance trans-generationally. To study this, a polyphenol...
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...
The ability of meat chickens to extract energy from wheat
The apparent metabolisable energy (MJ/kg dry matter) values for wheats were determined in two conventional energy balance experiments on meat chickens. A blend of...
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...
Breast meat quality affected by wooden myopathy
Wooden breast (WB) is a myopathy that affects meat quality traits in modern broilers and it has been associated with an increased BW gain...
NSP enzymes, gut microbiota and fermentation products
Arabinoxylans account for 50-70% of the NSP feed enzymes present in cereal grains and make up the majority of cell wall NSP in corn,...
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...
Impact of grain type on performance in broilers under Necrotic Enteritis challenge
The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of grain type on performance and gut microbiota composition in broiler chickens under a...
Light intensity preferences of broiler chickens in farms
There has been a growing interest in the relationship between light intensity and welfare for commercial broiler chickens. A choice approach was employed to...
