The specific requirements and sensitivities of turkey egg incubation
Turkey eggs have a high incubation success rate when all the species-specific areas of incubation are managed correctly. Hence, a suite of incubation equipment...
Mycoplasma Synoviae, a technical update
Mycoplasma are the smallest free-living organisms both in size and number of genes, and unlike many other bacteria, they do not have a cell...
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...
Fear in turkeys, implications for productivity and wellbeing
From an evolutionary standpoint, fear is an adaptive response that promotes survival by enabling animals to avoid injury and death. Because of the important impact that fear has on animal well-being, fear has formed the basis of many scientific studies and is included as part of welfare assessment programs such as the Welfare Quality Assessment Protocol for poultry.
Layer nutrition associated with different production systems
The egg industry continues to grow; in the past this was in cage production, but today’s growth is focused on alternative production systems such...
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...
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...
Re-programming of broiler growth and immunity through changes in breeder hen bodyweight
Reprogramming of broiler growth and developmental events is increasingly recognised as having lifelong effects on animal health, welfare and productivity. Whilst most studies have...
Evaluating phosphorous equivalency of phytases
The use of exogenous enzymes in non-ruminant nutrition is a valuable tool to increase digestibility and therefore spare the inclusion of expensive nutrients whilst...
Carcass picking: removing the feathers and protecting the quality
The poultry feathers are non-edible and need to be thoroughly removed during processing. The defeathering consists of moving the carcasses along the picking line...
Meyn: a look inside the market for deboning and deskinning
The poultry processing market is still on the road to growth. A CAGR of 4.7% by 2020 in USA alone is evidence of the...
Performance, immunity and blood biochemical parameters of broiler chickens fed diets containing Kappaphycus alvarezii
Kappaphycus alvarezii (KPA) can be incorporated at 1.50% in diets for improved performance, immuno-responsiveness and blood biochemical parameters in broiler chickens.
Introduction
Kappaphycus alvarezii (KPA) is...
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...
Hatchery waste management
There are various options for hatchery managers to convert their waste into value-added products such as compost, fertilizer, liming agents for soil amendment, biogas, medical products, and animal feed. This article explores some of these options.
Comparison of wheat and maize-based diets on growth performance and meat quality of broiler...
Maize and wheat are a major source of energy in broiler diets. Generally, wheat-based diets are offered to broiler chickens in Europe, Australia and...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Spirulina platensis Algae, a novel poultry feed additive
Identifying alternative replacements for soybean meal in a high quality and reasonable price is of importance in poultry production and physiological parameters. Spirulina platensis...
Navigating an antibiotic-free and reduced antibiotic use poultry industry
Antibiotics are a type of antimicrobial medication used to treat infections caused by bacteria. In the 1930s, a sulfonamide was the first commercially available...
Modification of the chicken intestinal epithelial physical barrier in poultry by dietary factors
The intestinal epithelial physical barrier is the most critical element of maintaining an intact intestinal barrier and made up of a layer of columnar...
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...
Solar energy ensures cost-efficiency
Solar energy radiation means revenues – at least for farmers who have successfully harnessed renewable energies. However, with the latest amendment to the Renewable...
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...
A comparison of hen performance during an extended laying cycle based on hen body...
This study evaluated the performance of Hy-Line Brown hens with different body weights (BW) up to 100 weeks of age. Hens in the lowest...
Broiler breeders are calmer when fed twice a day
Broiler breeders which are fed twice a day display less foraging and pecking behaviour and more eating and resting behaviour. Furthermore, some birds even...
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...
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...
Boosting the cell-mediated immunity in chickens post-hatch via pre-hatch delivery of nucleic acids
Respiratory virus infections such as Avian Influenza, infectious laryngotracheitis and infectious bronchitis lead to high morbidity and mortality in chickens globally.
Given the limitations...
Antibiotic-resistance: the contribution of the viruses in GIT microbiome
The GIT, or rather the gastro intestinal tract, is the organ of the all organism mostly colonized by the microbial population: it hosts more...
Researchers characterize selected variant Avian Reovirus strains
USPOULTRY and the USPOULTRY Foundation announce the completion of a funded research project at the University of California, Davis, in which researchers looked to...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Innovative approaches to egg sexing
The rise of specialized layer genetics in the mid-20th century introduced a lasting challenge for egg producers: identifying and culling male chicks. This practice...
“BALTIKA”: guaranteed comfort for laying hens
TEXHA housing alternative system BALTIKA meets all the European requirements and has already been implemented by the European poultry farms
How to reduce antibiotics in broiler production?
There is an increased awareness recently in relation to the sensible use of antibiotics within poultry and livestock production. When looking at broiler production,...
Black soldier fly larvae in meat chicken diets modifies the fatty acid profile in...
Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae are a promising alternative feed ingredient for monogastrics,includingpoultry.However,theimpactoffeedingBSFlarvaeinbroilerdietson the fatty acid profile of the breast chicken meat remains unknown.
This...
A cost-effective poultry feed additives solution to partially replace vitamin E
Livestock producers typically use feed additives such as vitamin E to increase the antioxidant capacity of animals and minimise economic losses.
Recently, the price of...
The economic importance of the abdominal fat pad
In an integrated chicken meat producing company, the processing plant is the only revenue-generating area, whose worth-making capability depends strongly on the performance of...
Rise of Yeast Bioactives expands the toolbox for livestock operators
Canadian Bio-Systems receives Veterinary Health Products approval for Maxi-Nutrio® Liquid, a yeast bioactive technology.
An innovative new category of science-powered yeast technology, with dynamic potential to...
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...
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...
Clinical coccidiosis in broilers with concurrent infection of Eimeria maxima and Eimeria praecox
Coccidiosis is a complex disease in chickens caused by protozoan parasites in the genus Eimeria. As Eimeria species are ubiquitous in poultry facilities, coccidiosis...
Development of coccidial vaccinal immunity is not impaired by feeding oregano essential oil
Coccidial vaccination is an alternative to medication programmes, although vaccination can lead to impaired performance.
The objective of this study was to determine the effect...
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...
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...
On free amino acids – Their role in starch and protein digestive dynamics
The quantity of glucose and amino acids absorbed from the small intestine is a function of dietary concentrations, feed intakes and digestibility coefficients. Moreover,...
Low protein diets supplemented with glycine, glutamine or arginine for broilers
A previous study highlighted differences between a low protein (LP) diet and a higher concentration of amino acids (AA) for intestinal permeability and performance...
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...
Optimizing immunization through proper vaccination in turkeys
When we talk about optimizing immunization through proper vaccination in commercial turkeys, we are really talking about optimizing drinking water vaccination when we think...
Maternal stress, the potential impact on broiler breeders and subsequent chick development
Managing stress in broiler breeders has been a continual topic of discussion since the early 1980’s, but our understanding of stress and its influence...
New applications such as superdosing of phytase to maximize phytate destruction to improve performance...
It is well documented that phytase supplementation in broiler diets improves P and Ca utilization through the destruction of phytate (IP6) and thereby allows...
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...
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...
How much dietary protein is too much
Dietary protein accounts largely for most of broiler feeding costs which in return shrink revenue if protein is not used efficiently. Tuning dietary protein...
EFSA’s scientific opinion on welfare of turkeys on farm
Turkeys are raised for meat production in large flocks across the EU, mainly in indoor housing. Systems with covered veranda and outdoor range are...
Use of comparative genomics to identify vaccine candidates for Campylobacter Jejuni
Interventions to control and reduce the incidence of Campylobacter jejuni colonization in poultry is important in order to reduce the burden of foodborne illness in humans....
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...
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...
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...
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...
The importance of right incubation temperatures
In this study researchers investigate the importante of right incubation temperature on broiler performance. Up to 30% of late growth meat chickens demonstrate reduced...
Management and stockmanship – Essential to sustainable poultry production
Experts agree that the way in which animals and poultry are managed can affect 70 to 90% of their health, welfare and productivity.
Poultry producers,...
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...
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...
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...
Biofilms – The hidden threat
The cleanliness of the facility is the #1 prerequisite to safeguarding the chicken products’ safety. Food safety wise, cleanliness does not merely mean keeping...
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...
Common global poultry welfare practices
A recent article by Hendrix Genetics detailed the creation and roll out of a structured poultry welfare program for all species offered by the breeding company.
The...
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...
Use of multiple strains of infectious bronchitis vaccines to induce protection against new IB...
USPOULTRY (www.uspoultry.org.) and the USPOULTRY Foundation announced the completion of a funded research project at the University of Delaware in Newark, Del., in which researchers found...
The importance of minimum ventilation and how to calculate it
Providing birds with the correct house environment is key to unlocking the full genetic potential and performance of a flock. Poultry growers often focus...
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...
Is biosecurity a driver for improved poultry performance? Experiences from a field trial
Maintaining strict biosecurity is vital in poultry farming, with cleaning and disinfection (C&D) serving as a cornerstone for flock health and performance. On-field evidences...
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...
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...
