Poultry Digest August/September 2014

Long established Queensland broiler farm prepares for another change in grower technology

poultrydigestAugust/September 2014

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The council for sustainable egg farming

Australian Farmer of the Year 2014 awards

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August/September 2014

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Page 8: Long established Queensland broiler farm prepares for another change in grower technology Brisbane farmer John Clatworthy switches to RSPCA broiler code

Page 42: The council for sustainable egg farmingby Greg Mills

Page 54: Farming with a pressure to reduce antimicrobial useby Derek Detzler

Page 55: Strategy for salmonella prevention on egg layer farms (part one)by Peter Scott

Page 4: Australian Farmer of the Year 2014 awards

Page 16: Local and international expertise show-cased at Australasian Turkey Conference

Page 24: Potters Poultry – celebrating 50 years of growth and innovation

Page 47: Improving market access for Australian agriculture

Volume 30, Number 1

John Clatworthy

NEWS

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1. The three finalists for the Egg Farmer of the Year award. LtoR: Brian Ahmed from Werribee in Victoria, Kate Mason from Kojonup and the winner Danny Jones from Pure Food Eggs in Tasmania. 2. LtoR: Nikolai Beilharz from ABC Rural, Danny Jones and Ben White, Editor of Farming Ahead. 3. All the Farmer of the Year award finalists.w

The popular Australian Farmer of the Years Awards, hosted by The WA based Kondinin Group and ABC Rural for 2014, included the Egg Farmer of the Year category sponsored by the Australian Egg Corporation Limited.

Kai Ianssen, AECL’s Communications Manager, was present at Melbourne’s Langham Hotel on the night of September 10 to introduce the three contestants in the Egg Farmer of the Year category for the 2014 event.

Danny Jones is the Managing Director of Pure Foods Eggs, the winner of the Egg Farmer of the Year award for 2104 and Tasmania’s largest producer, marketer and distributor of eggs.

He stated that his company is, “committed to providing choice for consumers and feeding a growing population”.

“Pure Foods Eggs has adopted a unique Tasmanian branding model so consumers are in no doubt that they are buying a local product and this also provides upstream support to local grain growers and transport providers,” Danny said.

“On top of servicing an expanding market, the company’s priority is the welfare of the hens, producing a high quality safe product and protecting the environment.

“We recycle the waste from the company’s farms,” Danny explained.

Apart from his duties as Managing Director of Pure Foods Eggs, Danny is a past member of the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee and a past chairman of TQA Australia, a not for profit incorporated association aimed at assisting primary producers understand and implement management systems into their businesses.

Another finalist was Kate Mason, whose family runs the Katie Joy’s Free Range layer farm near Kojonup in South Western WA. She is a marketing and farming dynamo who, with the help of her partner Rhyce and other family members, has built up a diversified farming business that grows organic oats, raises a flock of 600 cross bred ewes raised on organic principles and operates a grain cleaning business.

A 19 year old Kate started with just 150 hens and now the free range farming operation houses more than 4000 birds.

As the face of Katie Joy’s Free Range brand, Kate realised the

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NEWSimportance of connecting with consumers, as well as maintaining that connection, while utilising social media and the ‘family business’ identities with the customer.

Apart from a hectic farming life and raising a young family, Kate in 2013 won the inaugural egg industry Nuffield Scholarship that involved extensive international travel to extend her interest and ability to connect consumers to farmers and their produce.

“The hens being free range face the largest challenge in biosecurity when compared to other production methods and they are situated away from areas that are considered an attraction for wild migrant species populations, like open surface water,” Kate said.

The third finalist, Brian Ahmed from Werribee in Victoria established LT’s Egg Farm as a family business in 1970 when it began as a 1500 bird free range and cage layer combined operation.

Today the farm houses 20,000 laying hens producing around seven million eggs a year and now has moved into the retail and hospitality industry under the banner of ‘Wydham Cache’, developing products that complement the farm’s egg and poultry products as well as drawing on the organisational skills of other family members in the growing enterprise.

Brian has been involved with the Victorian Farmers Federation since 1990 and is the current Egg Group President.

Brian remains at t he forefront of educating consumers about production systems, and his firm belief that diversification would provide a more stable farming business is being realised.

When announcing that Danny Jones won the 2014 Egg Farmer of the Year Award, Kondinin Group General Manager Stephanie Shedherdson said “Mr Jones was in fine company this year for this new and prestigious award category”.

“There were numerous nominations, with egg farmers proving to be very passionate about their enterprises.

“For business profitability, processes, staff handling and environmental factors, Mr Jones was a stand out in this field.

“He is an outstanding ambassador for his state and his industry and on behalf of Kondinin Group, ABC Rural and all the sponsors and other entrants I congratulate him,” Ms Shepherdson said.

In the following award category

v

Top: Finalists in the Diversification Farmer of the Year – winner Brian Ahmed is in the centre. Above: Robert Green was named as the Farmer of the Year for 2014.

on the night ‘Diversification Farmer of the Year’ sponsored by Kondinin’s Farming Ahead/ Farming Ahead Online publications, Brian Ahmed took out that award.

Kate is still working through her Nuffield Scholarship material and the industry is sure to hear plenty more about her innovative farming operations.

South Australian orchardist Robert Green was named as the Kondinin Group-ABC Rural Farmer of the Year for 2014 .

He runs Oakleigh Orchards at Lenswood in South Australia and was also awarded the ‘Horticultural Grower of the Year’, sponsored by John Deere earlier in the evening.

Greece misses cage free deadlineSome farmers groups have argued

that “Greece has got away with producing illegal eggs for so long with absolutely no consequences for the country or producers,” and that failure to comply with legislation has created an unfair playing field in the egg market.

The European Commission announced in April this year that Greece and Italy would be taken to court for failing to implement Directive 1999/74/EC banning “un-enriched cages”, stating that full compliance by member states was essential to avoid distortions and unfair competition. It went on to say that despite repeated calls by the commission to address the situation, both countries had failed to adequately comply with EU law.

Greece has been found guilty by the European Court of Justice of being in breach of the welfare of hens directive, as it failed to ensure that laying hens were no longer kept in cages by the 2012 deadline, despite having more than a decade to change its production systems.

The court has ordered Greece to pay costs, but no fine has been imposed, although under EU rules this could occur at a later date. The result echoes the case against Italy heard by the court earlier this year.

In response to the ruling, welfare groups have argued that the court is undermining EU welfare legislation making the value of adherence to cage ban legislation “questionable”.

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Long established Queensland broiler farm prepares for another change in grower technology

years of broiler chicken growth.In the event PTL was taken over

by Inghams Enterprises and after 250 batches, John is still growing and adapting with Inghams – itself a changed entity in recent times.

On the day Poultry Digest visited the farm in late August, Martin Simmons who has also been changing entities (now TSA) joined us with Yaron Zafrani from the Israeli based business, Agrotop.

Agrotop not only manufactures prefabricated poultry sheds but also lighting systems that now suit RSPCA protocol broiler growing.

Martin, after many years at the head of Rotem distributor OEC, is now specialising in equipment that suits RSPCA broiler requirements.

In addition to lighting systems which include automated controls, Martin fabricates perches and sells winching systems to operate them.

John, as a broiler farmer, has always moved with the times and made the

best use of available technology.The sheds on his farm started life

as conventional curtain sided housing with hessian curtains and he was glad to move to more substantial materials and was amongst the first to convert to tunnel ventilation and automated control.

He proudly displays an early Rotem AC 2000 controller that OEC sold him more than 20 years ago. Now with upgraded software, it continues to deliver great service.

Martin reminds Poultry Digest that when it was first built and for some years after, John’s farm and its sheds were regarded as being ‘state of the art’.

Now he is approaching a new phase as a broiler grower with the same attitude to newly available technology that he has always held.

“I like to know all about new products but also want to do the homework for myself,” he pointed out.

“We have looked at numerous shed

By PETER BEDWELL

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J ohn Clatworthy is a second-

generation contract broiler grower for Inghams. His six-shed farm, situated on 22 acres at Thornlands on Brisbane’s outer suburbs, was built by his parents in 1965 and he took over in 1966.

Initially, though the farm was contracted to Inghams, John switched to growing for a corporate owned operation PTL, one of many small integrators that sprang up in the boom

One of John Clatworthy’s sheds – constantly upgraded over nearly half a century, now RSPCA Broiler code

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lighting options over the years and are well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of what they offer.

“The new RSPCA protocols we are converting to, require very specific lighting regimes and getting it right was important to us,” he said.

“The Agrotop system, well proven over many years of operation on Israeli farms, is robust and operates well.

“The globes are easily dimmable and the sockets well protected with seals around the globe base for washing down purposes,” explained Yaron.

“Intensive broilers farms have been a vital component in providing a reliable food source for Israel and its rapidly expanded population that has grown to more than eight million since the nation was established in the late 1940s.

“With few natural resources we had to use what we had and overcome difficulties using innovative technology to build climate controlled sheds.

“Efficient, controllable and durable lighting systems are just one of a number of systems Agrotop has developed in recent times and they match well with our advanced prefabricated sheds which now sell around the world, including in Australia,” he said.

“Our current range of waterproof, dimmable broiler shed lights, developed over a ten year period has proved to be durable and efficient. Two key features are the very reliable lenses used in their manufacture and the dimming driver,” Yaron added.

John thoroughly investigated the options available to him as a broiler grower and identified problems with some of the new lighting systems on offer apart from just survivability in a broiler shed environment.

“Some of the lights generated excessive heat and though some were dimmable which is a requirement for RSPCA broiler protocols, they still used the same amount of power even when Lux levels were reduced by 50%,” he said.

The Agrotop globe does not have these problems and though the savings on electricity use are small, they are nevertheless, savings.

John then demonstrated a range of globes he had tried which helped to explain his liking for the Agrotop item supplied by Martin Simmons.

“Understanding the light levels required by our new growing protocols is critical and requires a good Lux meter.

“One of the problems farmers may have experienced in the past is that broiler shed lighting delivering variable light levels to suit the birds was modelled on domestic housing dimmable lights.

1. TSA supplied Coolair fans 2. Agrotop dimmable lamp 3. TSA supplied winch for perches with brake 4. 20 year old Rotem AC2000 Controller 5. Agrotop’s Yaron Zafrani (left) and Martin Simmons (right) with durable Agrotop lighting system.

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“Chickens see light differently and, logically respond in different ways and we have to get our heads around that fact,” John said.

The other key items required to comply with RSPCA protocols and also supplied by TSA to John’s farm are of course, perches.

Whereas other major items of equipment in the sheds were designed and built overseas, like the dimmable lights, controllers, Coolair fans (US), feeders and drinkers (Europe), the perches are substantially very Australian.

The perch itself is made from galvanised steel section that many would instantly recognise as crush rails on a cattle or dairy farm.

These steel sections are cut to length suitable for the shed dimensions, sealed with a simple plastic cap to minimise corrosion and suspended on a number of galvanised eyebolts.

The winches fitted in the shed roof and supplied by TSA are of overseas manufacture and are capable of lifting a tonne and fitted with a upper limit switch operated by a plastic collar mounted on the winch cables.

The winches are controlled by a remote ‘wand’ and are easily used to adjust perch height during growing phase and to lift the perches clear for batch thinning and litter treatment – just like drinkers and feeder lines.

While the cost of the equipment to modify broiler sheds is not too onerous John has allowed himself the luxury of acquiring a piece of kit that makes maintenance tasks in the roof of sheds a whole lot easier.

His cherry picker, a stable work platform, speeds up progress on his transition to yet another change in rearing techniques.

Litter re-use is another task familiar to John and he reminds us that many years ago the eminent scientist and 2014 recipient of The Australian Poultry Award, Dr Balkar Bains, who started his career at Inghams after graduation from the Queensland University of Veterinary Science, conducted much research on this subject.

“He had plenty of practical advice for growers back then and now here we are again dealing with the same subject half a century on,” John remarked.

“There a plenty of options to making shed litter viable for repeat batches but it does take careful management and of course, time,” he said.

“There are plenty of products that have been developed to manage paddocks used for crops that attached to a decent tractor work in poultry shed litter.

“There are some interesting products made out of shed litter that allow the material to be used safely

1. Martin Simmons from TSA demonstrates Rotem shed light controller.2. John goes back to litter re-use, everything old is new again!

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for crop fertilisation and I think there is going to be more interest in these developments in the future,” he predicted.

John Clatworthy’s family farm is a practical history lesson in the evolution of Australia’s broiler industry.

Now as the 110,000 bird capacity operation moves to a new phase in its long existence, his sheds display a practical solution to evolving consumer demand.

When the farm was first built it was to satisfy rapidly growing demand for affordable chicken meat from a growing Australian population.

Then as feed costs rose, there was the need to increase both capacity and efficiency to stay competitive and his sheds were modified to that

requirement with computer controlled environments.

Now Australian consumers not only want affordable chicken meat but also demand that there is a welfare component to the production process.

“We can meet these RSPCA protocols provided we understand what we are doing so we can go about our task in the most effective way,” John said.

Martin Simmons described John’s farm as being ‘state of the art’ when first built in the original chicken industry boom in the 1960s but art changes, and often quickly. John’s now venerable sheds are once again, modified to suit RSPCA broiler protocols, and arguably once again, ‘state of the art’.

It’s just that the ‘art’ is a bit different.

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NEWS

Top: Daryl Deutscher speaks about his breeding program of rare breeds. Above: John Watson, free range turkey farmer based near Bordertown in SA.

The 2014 Australasian Turkey conference was held in Albury, NSW on Friday July 11 to Sunday July 13 at the Ibis Styles Albury Lake Hume Resort.

A special presentation, the Bert Snell Trophy, was made by Daryl Deutscher from Deutscher’s Turkey Farm. This year the award went to an outstanding contributor to the Australian Turkey Association, Robyn Watson from Pooginagoric Free Range Turkeys.

Robyn Watson has worked hard as Association Treasurer and Conference organiser for many years. Her contributions were recognised at the 2014 Australasian Turkey Conference.

The trophy is in honour of Bert Snell, a UK turkey producer. Bert was responsible for the development and implementation of turkey portioning into the Australian industry. He was a personality always present at ATF conferences. This award was in honour of his contributions to the industry.

Guest speakers at this year’s conference included Rex Lethlean who spoke about ‘Early history of turkeys in Australia’.

Ealing Park Turkey Farm in Mt Eliza in Victoria was run by the Lethlan family from 1942 to1993. The Mt Eliza Farm designed its first pens in 1951. They were slatted-floor porches and each pen held 50 birds from six weeks through to 32 weeks.

In 1959, the first white poults were imported from the USA. These birds were used to breed with the black feathered birds. It took 10 years to breed out the black feathers. Also in 1959 the first group of artificial insemination (AI) experiments were conducted. By 1963 only AI was used. A 1964 price list revealed the following: Started Poults- four weeks old £11 and six weeks old were £15. Settings of eggs –16 eggs for £3.

By 1965 the farm had its own drive through shop. Customers could purchase whole turkey, turkey cuts and even cranberry sauce. Instructions were given with the birds to assist in cooking them properly. The turkey

Local and international expertise show-cased at Australasian Turkey Conference

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 w

By CHRISTINE CLARK pieces (individual cuts) are now most of the world’s turkey meat market, but took a long time to catch on. People’s perception was “If I didn’t take home a whole bird, the neighbours may think that we could not afford it”.

In 1970 the farm upgraded production to a 200 foot long, fan ventilated rearing shed at Ealing Park allowing the family production to progress and move forward with production. In 1993 after 42 years in the turkey industry, Eden Park closed its doors. They had spent a lifetime providing turkeys and advancing genetics to independent producers in Australia.

Rex and his wife Dawn aided in the start of the Australasian Turkey Federation in 1979. The association was open, and was pivotal in the development of the turkey market in Australia.

Dennis Bauman and Ben Wood- Hendrix’s subject was ‘Genetics – history and future of the modern turkey’.

This is the second year that Dennis and Ben have visited the Australasian turkey conference. They bring with them a great insight into the American and Canadian industry and modern turkey breeding programs. The global turkey strain market share consists of 85% heavy birds, and 15% medium birds. (See table below).

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NEWS1. Daryl Deutscher presenting the Bert Snell trophy to Robyn Watson, Pooginagoric Free Range Turkeys. 2. Branco Karac from Zoetis Australia.3. John Sharp from Aviagen speaking about the world trends in the poultry industry and the role turkey meat will play.

v CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16questions and requirements from customers are: feed conversion, bodyweight, yield, activity and aggression, livability. There are also legislation/regulatory impacts facing the industry:

Canada – supply management is under pressure

USA – Salmonella reduction targets Europe – Beak trimming,

maximum weights, density reduction requirements, import of eggs and meat, removal of growth promoters and veggie diets only.

Daryl Deutscher, Deutscher’s Turkey Farm spoke about ‘Rare breeds and coloured turkeys’.

Daryl presented a comprehensive overview of his wide range of rare breeds, and held a discussion on his breeding programs and development of his birds. 30% of their production is rare breed turkey where he has over 17 varieties. He is an avid collector and striving to protect rare breeds.

John Sharp from Aviagen talked about ‘World trends in the poultry industry, sustainability, the role of turkey meat as an affordable protein’.

There are several success stories associated with the turkey, most recently from North Africa. Tunisia established farms in the early 1980s and Algeria and Morocco in the early 1990s.

North Africa has increased production year on year and is currently at 34 million turkeys per year. Carcass weight has gradually but steadily increased. The market consists of mainly branded products, portions and further processing.

Turkey meat has grown in popularity and demand as it is marketed to the middle class and beef and lamb are very expensive.

The United States is the largest producer of turkey meat. In 2012 the country produced 2,707,000 tons carcass weight.

The EU is second in the world with 1,920,000 tons carcass weight.

The current trends in the market include a variety of further processed and cooked products, a trend toward heavier turkeys, low cost production and a large or increasing middle class.

How producers are making a contribution:

• Improved disease control measures

• Better rodent control • Hub brooding-single age • Better designed, more efficient

barns • Tunnel ventilation with

side vents • More insulation, tighter houses • Re-use of disease free litter

In the largest market (US) turkey is the second most affordable meat. It is well positioned to continue to grow. The US is the super success story of the world and the developing success story are countries like North Africa.

The sponsors for 2014 were Allfarm, Alltech, AusPac Ingredients, BEC Feed Solutions, Bio Properties, Ridley Agriproducts and Zoetis.

The plan for 2015 is that the event will be held from July 3-5 at the Ibis Styles Albury Lake Hume Resort.

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This year marks the 50th ‘Golden’ anniversary of Potters Poultry. Started by William Potter in the 1960s, the growth of the company, and its willingness to adapt to every challenge and opportunity over the years, has led to it becoming the only UK poultry equipment manufacturer supplying customers worldwide.

From nest boxes, aviaries, cages and feeders, Potters’ laying and rearing equipment has earned a strong reputation for robust reliability in countries from South Africa and the Middle East to the Americas, Australia and Asia.

The Warwickshire based company also rears over two million birds a year – trading as Potters Pullets. The rearing division now supplies farms all over the UK from its company-owned rearing sites, assisted by selected contract rearing farms.

“We are delighted to be celebrating our 50th anniversary,” said Olivia Potter, who along with her brother Justin, owns and manages Potters today. “Half a century is a real landmark, an opportunity to reflect and fully appreciate all that has been accomplished.”

The 1960’s spirit of innovationJoining William Potter in what was a

general farming business, his two sons Ron and Ken saw an opportunity in rearing pullets but, not satisfied with the available rearing cages soon started to design and manufacture their own. This spirit of innovation has characterised Potters from its earliest days.

Olivia and Justin Potter are the grandchildren of William, children of Ron Potter and now head the company – with Olivia in charge of pullet rearing and Justin heading the equipment division.

“From cages in wood and wire, the earliest electronic controls to egg collection and feeding systems and metal cages, if Potters saw a need, we designed and manufactured equipment to meet it,” said Justin who after studying Agriculture at Harper Adams University, gained experience of poultry farming in South Africa before joining the family business. “Then as now, Potters equipment is designed to be fit for purpose and built to last.

“We were also one of the first, if not the first company, to provide our customers with Farm History Packs detailing the birds’ progress throughout the rearing period,” added Olivia who returned to the family business after studying at Manchester University and moved into managing the farms and their sales.

“Justin has his division to run and I have mine, it is 50-50,” said Olivia, “but whilst they are separate, we also work very closely if that is what the customer requires: pullets, housing or equipment, including aftercare. It gives

NEWS

1. Potters began designing its own rearing cages in the 1960s. These were made of wood and wire. 2. The latest designs, still built to fit the purpose and designed to last.

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Potters Poultry – celebrating 50 years of growth and innovation

us something very unique to offer the poultry industry.”

Having been egg producers themselves for many years means that the Potters’ team can offer a wealth of experience.

“We are farmers at heart,” said Olivia, “we understand our customers’ need for consistency and quality. Our highly knowledgeable Field Service Team, are very technically minded, but also believe in looking at things from the chicken’s point of view.

“It can help to identify problems CONTINUED ON PAGE 28 w

Do you remember how your house used to perform in the first months after commissioning?

Is your energy bill getting higher and you don’t know why?

Old cooling pads or cooling pads with a high pressure-drop hurt your profits because of higher amounts of consumed electrical energy.

As a cooling pad gets old, it becomes scaled with calcium salt deposits, and old algae. This deposit blocks the air-flow and makes the exhaust fans work extra hard.

When new a typical pressure drop across the pad is 20Pa, when old it is normally over 45Pa.

This extra increase in pressure drop means1) 25% less in air exhausted, so 25% extra time for fans to be on and

2) 42% decrease in m3/Wh efficiency, which translates to3) an extra 72% electrical running cost per annum.

In most cases this would mean that an installation of new cooling pads would pay for itself in energy savings alone in 3.5 years.

Munters Offices:Albury Head Office - Tel: (02) 6049 6101 Sydney Sales Office -Tel: (02) 8843 1594

Call our Customer Centre 1800-100-011

Distributor: Munters Pty Ltd.

No. 2, 148 James Ruse Drive, Parramatta, NSW 2150Phone: (02) 8843 1594, Mobile: 0418 206 157, Fax: (02) 8843 1570E-mail: [email protected], Web: www.munters.com.

Dim the lights, please. According to the RSPCA regulations, the lighting system in the shed must provide a mini-

mum period of 8 hours artificial lighting per day after 7 days of age, — unless birds have

access to natural daylight which provides at least the minimum required intensity — and a

minimum period of 4 hours continuous darkness (with all lights off) to be provided at night,

in every 24-hour period. From January 2015, the light intensity between lighting periods

must be adjusted in a gradual manner (using dimmers or switching individual lights on/off)

over at least 15 minutes.

How do you safeguard that regulations are followed in your poultry house? If you haven’t

given it a thought, Munters has certainly done so. Our controllers orchestrate all climate con-

trol components in the poultry house from cooling, ventilation down to light control. We can

help you make sure that regulations are followed and that your production output is opti-

mized at all times. Available in 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 relays

Munters Pty Ltd.No. 2, 148 James Ruse Drive, Parramatta, NSW 2150Phone: (02) 8843 1594, Fax: (02) 8843 1570e-mail: [email protected] / munters.com.au

28

and issues before they impact on production. They are experts at getting the best health and performance from a flock and keep abreast of new challenges, and new products – especially what is available in terms of vaccination and gut health – to ensure birds meet target weights, whilst reducing mortality.”

On the equipment side, Potters’ 50 years of experience also pays dividends believes Justin:

“We can now take a project from its very earliest stage and provide a complete poultry system, so that you only have one point of contact for all that you need. Also in many overseas markets, cage free production and automation of breeder farms is still in its early days.”

Potters international Time and again, throughout the

company’s past 50 years, progress has been accelerated by innovations that set standards throughout the UK, and now the world.

From the UK, and its network of carefully selected international dealerships, Potters will design and custom build equipment to meet their customers’ needs.

“This ability to tailor make equipment is invaluable when so many of our customers around the world are converting old or existing buildings,” said Justin.

“A Potters’ designer can work alongside the design team at the local dealership; everything we sell can be installed and serviced locally.

“Our first exports were to South Africa,” continued Justin. “And, whilst the UK market remains a leading priority, in the years we have made contacts, and contracts, all over the world. We are now expanding in the USA, South America, the Middle East, Australia and Asia, markets where there is tremendous scope.

“Until now, many of these markets have relied on manual labour: they are now finding that our automatic equipment improves both egg quality, hatchability, production results and profitability.”

Just like the three generations of Potters, many families have been involved with the company for generations.

“Potters is very much a family business,” agreed Olivia, “and people certainly seem to enjoy working here. We are delighted to be celebrating our 50th anniversary and are certainly looking forward to exciting times ahead!”

NEWSv CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

1. The original headquarters of Potters Poultry 2. Potters can design and custom build equipment to meet their customers’ needs. 3. An early design for rollaway nest boxes with astro turf flooring. 4. Potters’ designs for equip-ment have been accelerated by innovations that set standards throughout the world.

1 2

3

4

Pay back on your investment

LED lighting not only im-proves the quality of yourlight and the ability to dimthe lights, it also providessignificant financial benefits.

LED lights may reduce light-ing costs by as much as 50%which can equate to a return on investment of only1.5 yrs. Putting in the right LED lighting now can saveyou big money down thetrack as electricity costs continue to increase.

National Sales & Distribution

ph -1300 370 173

Programmable Light Control:1. Dimmable Lighting controller with programmable sunrise sunset settings. 2. Multiple preprogrammedoptions, layers,breeders, meat. 3. All programseasily set to suityour needs.4. Can be integrated into existing control units.

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1 x LED light replaces 2 Fluro tubes

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Worried about lightingDON’T!

Understanding Light levels

We can help you with yourlight design. Send us yourshed details including thelength and width of the shed,your current light heightabove the ground and numberof lighting strings. We willthen send you through alighting plan at no cost. Thelight plan will include num-ber of lights, placement oflights and the LUX levels onthe ground through out thebuilding.Don’t waste time and moneygetting it wrong.

ENERGY Reduction & Safety

LEDs traditionally use 50%less energy than Fluros andup to 75% less energy usingMercury Vapor and Incandes-cent lighting.

You simply can’t add morelights to an existing lightingcircuit to fix light levels.Adding more lights has alarge impact on electricalcompliance, safety and powerconsumption such as over current and fault loop impedance.

Santrev_DVD Cover 2_O.indd 1 28/02/11 5:14 PM

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The pop-holes are opened and closed automatically via the DOL 539 climate and production computer.

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NEWSThe largest free range production in the world SKOV A/S has entered into an agreement to supply complete ventilation systems and farm management for 42 houses with free-range broiler production in Blanchetown, Australia.

SKOV will supply complete Combi-Tunnel ventilation systems to a farm of seven production sites, each of them comprising six houses.

There will be a total of 42 houses, making it the largest free-range production in the world.

The farm, which is situated north of Adelaide in Blanchetown, South Australia, is owned and operated by Santrev Pty Ltd which is primarily known for construction of poultry houses in Australia and Asia. Production of free-range broilers is carried out for Inghams Enterprises Pty Ltd.

“Santrev has been our partner for many years and we have supplied ventilation systems and farm management to many of their livestock house construction projects for conventional broiler production over time,” said Area Sales Manager Arne Overgaard, SKOV A/S.

Focus on free range production of broilers has increased across the world in recent years which means that there

is also an increased focus on production systems for free-range broilers.

“Quite recently, SKOV A/S has developed and tested a new ventilation principle for free-range production. From a ventilation viewpoint, the challenge lies in having an open production environment, where we do not have full control of the livestock house environment,” continued Arne Overgaard.

The SKOV system is fully automatic and can open and close doors (pop-holes) providing access to the free-range areas.

The system primarily applies natural ventilation when the broilers occupy the free-range areas and ventilates according to the Combi-Tunnel principle when the broilers are inside the livestock house and the doors are closed.

“It will, in many cases, however, also be necessary to ventilate mechanically when the doors are open, as there may for example still be a great number of birds inside the livestock house.

“When that is the case, we regulate the climate in the livestock house based

on the temperature of the air as well as humidity and CO2 levels, concluded Mr Overgaard.

Exhaust units positioned in the roof construction are applied for air outlet. This ensures that the system can provide natural ventilation for a great deal of the time when the doors are open. But it is also possible to open the wall inlets and ventilate mechanically via fans in the exhaust units. Furthermore, the livestock house climate is adjusted using high-pressure cooling.

The first twelve livestock houses, each with a capacity of approximately 40,000 free-range broilers, are under construction and they are expected to be built and commissioned within the next eighteen months.

Bilateral agreement on avian influenzaAgriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce recently welcomed the signing of a bilateral agreement with the United States that will minimise the trade impact of an avian influenza outbreak in either country.

Minister Joyce said the agreement, which has been signed by the Chief Veterinary Officers of Australia and the United States, applied to trade between the two countries of all birds, poultry products and any commodity containing poultry products.

“Both countries understand how serious an avian influenza outbreak can be,” Minister Joyce said.

“We now have common processes for communicating and applying balanced, science-based import health measures in the event that avian influenza virus is confirmed in

commercial poultry flocks.“This agreement means we can

continue to trade in all commodities that have been assessed as safe through agreed processes, without resorting to a kneejerk reaction that affects the domestic industries in both countries.

“It introduces a framework that will reduce any disruption of trade, should an outbreak occur, to a justifiable minimum based on the best available science.

It will also ensure that proper and proportional import health measures are in place at all times.

“The United States is one of our most valuable trading partners and the maturity of our relationship means that we can make sensible decisions about how we will operate should either country identify an outbreak of avian

influenza.”Protocols from the new agreement

will be implemented in the event that high pathogenicity or low pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI or LPAI) virus is confirmed in commercial poultry flocks, or HPAI is confirmed in birds other than poultry, in either the United States or Australia.

“Over the past ten years, there have been four avian influenza incidents in Australia, resulting in significant disruption to our poultry and egg industries with a combined production value of about $2.9 billion,” Minister Joyce said.

The bilateral agreement with the US takes immediate effect, and follows the recent agreement with New Zealand on cooperative measures to combat foot-and-mouth disease.

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Highly effective againstAvian Influenza including H7

34

NEWS

Egg storage times: EFSA assesses public health risksExtending the storage time of eggs at home or at retail would increase Salmonella food poisoning risks, said EFSA’s latest scientific opinion on public health risks from eggs.

Experts focussed on the risk to consumers posed by Salmonella Enteritidis, the bacteria responsible for causing the highest number of egg-borne outbreaks in EU.

EFSA’s experts looked at the consequences of extending the sell-by date and best-before date for eggs eaten on their own or as ingredients in foods. The sell-by date is the last date shops are supposed to display eggs for sale; the best-before date is the period in which the eggs maintain their best quality, for example their texture and flavour.

If the sell-by date for household consumption is extended from 21 to 28 days for eggs, the risk of infections

Adrian Revell, Group Executive General Manager NZ of Inghams Enterprises (pictured at left) receives the Ecolab Award.

increases by 40% for uncooked and 50% for slightly cooked eggs respectively. In the worst case scenario, where the sell-by date is 42 days and the best-before date is 70 days, the risk is around three times higher than currently for both uncooked and slightly cooked eggs.

The results are similar for eggs used in catering establishments, which are usually collected directly from wholesalers, by-passing retail.

To calculate such estimates, EFSA experts used a quantitative model that allowed comparing the current situation regarding the storage of eggs in the EU with different possible scenarios, using different sell-by dates and best-before dates.

“If Salmonella is present inside eggs, it can multiply more rapidly as the temperature and storage time rise. However, thoroughly cooking eggs

reduces the risk of infection”, explained John Griffin, Chair of the Biological Hazards Panel.

Keeping eggs refrigerated is the only way to reduce the increased risk of infections due to extended storage. However, if the sell-by date and best-before date were extended for more than three weeks, the risk increases- even with refrigeration in shops.

This scientific advice was requested by the European Commission to help inform any future developments on date marking for eggs. Consumer confusion about the meaning of date labelling contributes to food waste in the home.

Salmonella control programmes at EU level have led to a decline of Salmonella cases in humans over recent years. Salmonellain poultry has also decreased significantly, especially in laying hen flocks. The reduction of Salmonella levels in laying hen flocks is likely to be the main reason for the decline in human cases, since eggs are the most important source of human infections in the EU.

Public health risks of table eggs due to deterioration and development of pathogens.

Inghams wins environmental award in NZInghams Enterprises New Zealand won the Ecolab Award for Excellence in Eco-Efficiency at the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology Annual Conference in July.

The institute’s awards are open to any company or employee of any sector of the New Zealand food and beverage industry, not only institute members.

The Eco-Efficiency Award recognizes an exceptional individual or group contribution to achieving resource efficiencies in a New Zealand food business, particularly associated with a culture change that embeds eco-efficiency in the business.

Examples of qualifying activities are changes in processing systems, operating practices or technologies that result in favorable environmental outcomes, through reduction, recovery or re-use.

Example outcomes might be significant reductions in water usage, solid or liquid waste disposal, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions or chemical usage.

In the case of Inghams, which has the philosophy of “Doing the

right things and doing things right,” the award recognized the company’s achievements in “creating a team and environment, led from the highest level

of management, where environmental sustainability is one of the company’s three driving business priorities, along with animal welfare and food safety”.

2 HMTBa to 1 metal coordinate covalent bonds

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Higher Bioavailable Chelated Trace Minerals

Enhanced immunityReduced oxidative stressImproved progeny bonedevelopment

®MINTREX and are trademarks of Novus International, Inc.,and are registered in the United States and other countries. ©2010 Novus International, Inc.All rights reserved. 2001-10-14057 EI

Novus Nutrition Pty LtdTop Floor, 103 Victoria Rd, Drummoyne, NSW 2047Tel: 02 9719 1466 • Fax: 02 9719 1463www.novusint.com • [email protected]

Only MINTREX can supply producers with a source of organic trace minerals and methionine activity in one package. After delivering its trace mineral to the point of absorption, the HMTBa ligand contained within MINTREX becomes available for conversion to L-Methionine, representing an important added value.

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Improved bone developmentstrengthImproved tissue integrityReduced mineral excretion

36

PRODUCT NEWSZagro – traceable and sustainable nutrition right to your doorstep

that ensure homogeneity of premixes, auto dosing micro bins and modern and computerized facilities by Buhler that assures better mixing efficiency.

“All raw materials are obtained from pre-approved suppliers and have gone through quality analysis before being used in production.

All raw materials are also well stored as per each advised regulated-storage conditions.

“Furthermore, stringent quality assurance is carried out daily by a team of laboratory specialists from Pacific Lab Services, the laboratory arm of Zagro which performs a comprehensive range of tests for different needs.

“Zagro quality control adheres to standards from raw materials to production process to finished products until goods delivery.

“This guarantees that each premix nutritional value can be traced and be sustainable, thus, ensuring the written

Zagro is a leading manufacturer and distributor of animal health, crop care and public health products in the Asia Pacific. Starting off as a division under the prestigious Swiss-based Zuellig Group in 1953, the company was brought to public on the Singapore Stock Exchange in 1996.

“Over the years Zagro has proven to be one of the leading industry players catering to the needs of farmers and offering the most innovative and value for money agrisolutions all year round,” said Karen Wee, Regional Manager, Sales and Technical, Animal Health.

“Zagro’s Animal Health division has dictated and expedited the need for improved quality and productivity.

“Our business caters to the needs and healthcare of livestock, poultry and aquatic animals.

“It manufactures and distributes a wide range of nutrition and protection products to ensure that these animals are protected and given the essential nutrition for growth.

“The work flow, health environment and safety of our production facilities are continually studied and enhanced as all these inevitably contribute to higher productivity.

“As a premix manufacturer, Zagro caters specifically to the animals’ needs with customized formulations developed by a team of dedicated veterinarians and animal nutritionists.

“The wide range of Zagromix and Anavite vitamin and mineral premixes are specifically designed to meet the requirements of different species of animals.

“Each formula is carefully formulated to achieve animals’ optimum growth, reproduction and production performance.

“Apart from the wide product range of Zagromix and Anavite premixes, Zagro also offers customized formulations to address the specific needs of its clients.

“It allows clients to adjust the premixes according to their animals’ specific requirements and to their target performance instead of adding their specific needs on their own.

“The strength of Zagro vitamin and mineral premixes is that these are all manufactured under stringent quality assurance program together with good manufacturing practices.

“The manufacturing plant uses a Forberg fluidized zone mixing system

Continued improvement in broiler performance traits expectedWhile genetic progress in broiler chicken biological performance and welfare traits has been remarkable, the potential to naturally select for even more improvement to these traits hasn’t been exhausted, claims one poultry specialist.

Speaking at this year’s Poultry Beyond 2020 Broiler Nutritionist’s Conference, Dr Bryan Fancher, Aviagen Group vice president for global technical operations shared that with the implementation of more advanced methods of selecting pedigree stock for naturally occurring traits, further genetic progress/benefits can be expected going forward.

In fact, he claims that the efficiency of broiler meat production – both in genetic potential and nutritional inputs – must continue to improve for broiler producers to meet the ever-increasing global demand for animal protein.

Using an intensive, but balanced, genetic selection strategy, both biological performance and welfare traits in Aviagen broiler genotypes have

requirements to reach the farm as available nutrients for the animals.

“Being dedicated in maintaining the highest level of productivity and services, our premixes production facilities have been awarded the following certifications: ISO 9001 and ISO 22000 (by UKAS) inclusive of HACCP Certification and in conformance to GMP requirement, and FAMI-QS Code of Practice for Feed Additives and Premixture Operations.

“These achievements demonstrate our commitment to meeting our customers’ ever growing demand for the highest level of product and service quality.

“Envisioning itself to be the global leader one day, Zagro is on its way to building long-term solutions to an ever increasing demand for higher quality products at affordable prices.

“Furthermore it entails itself to leave a mark of excellence in the eyes of its customers. The company remains steadfast and faithful to its philosophy of delivering consistent Agrisolutions to farmers all over the world,” Ms Wee concluded.

Visit www.zagro.com for details.

been simultaneously improved.Fancher joined other experts in

New Zealand at the invitation-only conference held every four years by the Poultry Industry Association New Zealand (PIANZ) and designed for poultry nutritionists and industry stakeholders.

The conference attracts top speakers from around the globe, covering poultry nutrition topics and related issues. The 2014 conference drew 116 delegates, 70 of whom are Aviagen customers.

“This conference offers a great chance to network and share insights with different people within our industry and to connect more closely with customers,” said Marc Scott, Operations Manager for Aviagen New Zealand.

“Aviagen was delighted to be one of the main sponsors for such a prestigious conference – one that is highly regarded and attracts industry leaders from around the Asia/Pacific region.”

DOL 539 Free-Range Climate and Production Computer

• Large graphic touch screen - navigation via icons on the screen• Special free-range functions

• Automatic change between free-range ventilation and normal ventilation• CO2 control, also in free-range mode• Basic and broiler production facilities

• Pop-holes to be opened automatically or manually (sensor on doors if manually)• Automatic ventilation turned off in free-range mode• Automatic change of alarm for high/low temperature

• CO2 ventilation active in free-range mode (will start ventilation if CO2 is too high)• Pressure alarm

• Fans only operate if needed (too high temperature or too high CO2)• When pop-hole door closes, the program changes back to “Normal ventilation”

All the required functions for ensuring optimum production under any climatic conditions.

Features

SKOV Free-Range Ventilation

38

PRODUCT NEWS

One of the many new exhibitors at PIX/AMC 2014 was Lismore based Tuffass Machinery Pty Ltd, distributors showing their Italian designed and patented Frantumix poultry shed litter management equipment.

Tuffass is the Australian distributor for the Fantumix range of products.

Tuffass Managing Director Shaun Stead, a farmer himself, has been involved with the distribution of innovative farm machinery for many a long year.

“Mostly we have been involved with manure spreaders and matching power units but the move by the Australian poultry industry back to re-using litter between batches created a golden opportunity for the Italian Frantumix range of equipment.

“These products efficiently scoop up the shed litter from floor level, breaking it up, aerateing it and thus reducing odour, pathogens and helps to dry it out during the entire growing cycle and prepares it before the next batch,” Shaun said.

“Obviously the wide adoption of RSPCA broiler protocols, which include the possibility of litter re-use, though with careful management, has created a market in Australia for our Italian designed, proven and manufactured Frantumix equipment.

“In Italy and other parts of Europe litter re-use in poultry housing has been standard practice for decades so equipment like the Frantumix 4 Regenerator-Crusher-Mixer has been perfected to suit this practice.

“Critical to the effective regeneration of the litter for use with successive batches is that the machinery treating it lifts it from the shed floor in total before completely breaking it up and depositing it back as viable bedding material,” Shaun explained.

“In Italy the predominant shedding material is wheat straw that is very fibrous and requires shredding both before and after placement of the batch of birds.

“The machine is designed to work with all types of shedding litter material available in Australia including wood shavings, rice hulls and straw based bedding.

“Important aspects of the Frantumix design are the protection bars on the sides of the equipment and the fact that crusher/chopping blades are enclosed

Tuffass Frantumix poultry shed litter management machinery ideal for RSPCA broiler protocol sheds

within a protective casing.“In Italy it is not legal to use litter

regenerator equipment without these features and they are an essential safety design feature when being used in the sheds with birds and staff present.

“As the adoption of RSPCA protocols may involve more frequent pick ups during the whole term of a batch of broilers this is an essential aspect of the Frantumix regenerator design,” Shaun stated.

“In Europe the Frantumix litter regenerator is particularly popular with turkey growers where a typical 110 day growing cycle can create litter management challenges for growers.

“We have developed a deep litter machine to accommodate these concerns with the capacity to process deep 300mm litter.

“Obviously acquiring a highly developed piece of equipment like our Frantumix litter regenerators involves cost but if litter re-use is to be an essential part of a contract broiler growers operating conditions, the

Frantumix 4 can reduce labour costs and save on litter purchase costs.

“Also litter re-use and management may become a more widespread practice throughout the broiler industry as the movement and disposal of poultry shed litter becomes more restricted by authorities both State and local,” Shaun said.

“As the Frantumix Australian distributor, we keep a large range of equipment in stock and available for immediate delivery.

“There are six models of the Frantumix regenerator for use when coupled to a tractor with PTO and two models of ‘walk behind’ units available.

“The ideal unit for typical Australian broiler sheds is the Frantumix 4 170 which features a 170cm wide blade and only requires minimal HP compact tractors to operate properly – the walk behind units have a 90cm blade.

“Accessories like a 200 litre tank sprayer unit are also available to widen litter treatment options,” Shaun concluded. Go to www.tuffass.com.au

1. Frantumix litter turning machine with side protection bars and enclosed blades. 2. Frantumix 170cm wide machine, ideal for broiler sheds 3. In Italy, litter re-use has been practised for many years in broiler sheds

1

2

3

Call for a quote: Etienne Misfud on Mob: 0428 481 811 or 0417 481 811 Office: (02) 4774 8764

Fax: (02) 4774 8415 Email: [email protected]

R & E SHEDSBuilt to Last

• Over 20 years experience in building poultry and machinery sheds• All styles of sheds – conventional, free range and tunnel sheds• Well known reputation for fast and efficient erection time without

compromising good quality workmanship• As the owner of R&E Sheds, Etienne Misfud oversees the whole job from

start to finish• Repairs, extensions, insurance work to any existing sheds• All sheds can be customised to suit any clients’ needs• All structural steel work manufactured at R&E Sheds, so no delays on

completion of the project• No project too small or large• We travel to all areas of Australia and New Zealand• Fully licenced to build interstate or overseas

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Call for a quote: Etienne Mifsud on Mob: 0428 481 811or 0417 481 811 Office: (02) 4774 8764

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R & E SHEDSR & E SHEDSBuilt to Last

• Over 20 years experience in building poultry and machinery sheds• All styles of sheds – conventional, free range and tunnel sheds• Well known reputation for fast and efficient erection time without

compromising good quality workmanship• As the owner of R&E Sheds, Etienne Mifsud oversees the whole job from

start to finish• Repairs, extensions, insurance work to any existing sheds• All sheds can be customised to suit any client’s needs• All structural steel work manufactured at R&E Sheds, so no delays on

completion of the project• No project too small or large• We travel to all areas of Australia and New Zealand• Fully licenced to build interstate and overseas

Project5:R&E Shedsfinal 25/03/14 2:26 PM Page 1

40

NEWSThe darling downs region is leading the way in the biogas industry transformationAs agribusinesses and food processors look to embrace more sustainable business operations, there’s one Australian region leading the pack in the early adoption of anaerobic digestion systems.

The Darling Downs, in Southern Queensland, is emerging as Australia’s first biogas farming hub with Quantum Power building its fourth multi-million dollar biogas project in the farming region.

The biogas projects on the Darling Downs include a mixture of layer chicken producers and pig producers, both industries representing compatibility to biogas production.

As Quantum Power CEO, Richard Brimblecombe explains, industry suitability is the key driver in biogas being an effective, long-term sustainable energy model to deliver economic benefits.

“Poultry and pig producers are amongst the top key industries for compatibility as the organic waste they produce is used in the biogas plant to generate electricity, reducing both energy and waste management costs,” he said.

And with the biogas industry recently receiving a huge boost with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) forming a strategic alliance with Quantum Power Limited, to catalyse up to $40 million of new biogas energy infrastructure, the industry is transforming.

The CEFC initiative combined with Quantum Power’s unique build-own-operate model, providing 100% financing, will increase the viability for many businesses to adopt this sustainable practice.

As Richard explained, “the biogas systems we build convert the business’ organic waste to a bioenergy supply that is used to power its operations and the company agrees to purchase the generated power at a discounted rate compared to grid supplied electricity for a specified time.

This gives the business certainty over its power bills and reduces costs associated with organic waste disposal.

Facilitating businesses to participate in biogas projects without assuming financial risk will fast track this essential economic and environmental development in Australia,” he said.

For businesses preferring a turn-key solution, Quantum Power can build the entire biogas to energy system including the digester and generator/boiler for businesses to purchase and operate the completed system with ongoing maintenance services also available.

Of the four Darling Downs projects one is complete and considering undertaking a second stage expansion, two are now at commissioning phase and the fourth has been contracted with construction due to start in September 2014.

And according to Richard, the Darling Downs will continue to be at the forefront of Australia’s adoption of this sustainable farming initiative.

“We are in discussions regarding numerous other projects in the region and I believe in the long term the Darling Downs could support in excess of 20

separate biogas projects,” he says. “Each project provides new industry

and employment opportunities for the region, and provides Australian agriculture with a sustainable competitive advantage linked to low cost, renewable energy generation.”

Biogas projects undertaken by the CEFC and Quantum Power have achieved reduced grid electricity usage between 30 and 100per cent, with the associated reduction in costs.

While bioenergy currently provides only 0.9 per cent of Australia’s electricity generation, The Clean Energy Council’s projected 2020 target for agricultural biogas production is 791 GWh.

This represents significant potential for businesses compatible to biogas production with enormous opportunity for cost-effective energy savings and renewable energy generation.

Opposition to Manilla farmThe approval of a 70 shed broiler chicken farm in the northern New South Wales received strong public opposition at the regional council meeting, where the project was approved.

Despite heated debate one Tamworth local has spoken out in support of the proposed Manilla development.

Executive Director of the Central North Poultry Innovation Group Peter Pulley, said the farm is the first step for growth in poultry farming for the whole region.

Mr Pulley said research from independent University of Newcastle personnel in 2008, predicted the industry to expand, eventually reaching an investment value of $500 million.

“The economic impact of the farm would be the start of major expansion to the poultry industry in the total region,” he said.

“We’ll end up with having about 1,500 direct jobs, for the whole industry, not just Baiada but the growers and the processors.

“There’s already $30 million worth of grain purchased locally, so you can imagine that if they continue to purchase locally and regionally you can double that.”

Mr Pulley says the half a billion dollars investment value assumes necessary infrastructure to cater for the farm, such as a new processing plant and feed mill, which should in his opinion be built in the region.

41

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42

MANAGEMENT FEATURE

The council for sustainable egg farming

The Council Sustainable for Egg Farming (CSEF) role is to review current and evolving knowledge in the science of egg production in Australia. CSEF’s role is not to replace existing industry and other decision making processes, but to improve the process by providing the best available science to inform these processes.

The CSEF over time will build a resource of information on the best available science on a range of topics. This information will be based on the academic assessment of all information sources known to the members of the committee. Based on this information members of the committee will determine what is known and unknown and make this available in a format that is useful to inform broader decision processes. CSEF will also consider the applicability of overseas research to Australian conditions and may at times provide input into Australian research topics.

CSEF will provide independent professional science based advice on a range of issues affecting the sustainability of Australian egg farming. Members of CSEF will be primarily academics of the highest standing in a range of areas that affect the sustainability of Australian egg farming. These areas will include;

i. Animal Wellbeing ii. Food Safety iii. Food Affordability iv. Environment v. Worker Safety vi. Community vii. Food Nutrition

Initial focus will be in the areas of Animal Wellbeing and Food Safety to capitalise on the experience gained from the existing AECL working groups.

These existing working groups will be disbanded upon the implementation of the CSEF.

At a later stage additional members will be identified to provide input on a wider range of issues.

These may not be formed into additional groups but these individuals can be called upon to provide input into specific issues as required.

As topics relating to egg nutrition are already considered by the Egg Nutrition Council, the CSEF will not undertake activities in this area.

It will engage directly with the Egg Nutrition Council if members of the CSEF believe specific issues would benefit from such interactions.

It will be developed around a charter which outlines the scope and purpose of the organisation.

Membership of CSEF will be restricted to those who commit to undertake their involvement in CSEF in strict accordance with the charter of the organisation.

CSEF will communicate its reputation as a source of independent, credible and unbiased information on issues that are important to the sustainability of egg production in Australia.

It will provide information that can be used by a range of egg farming, community and government groups in deliberations regarding the Australian egg industries.

CSEF information will be based on reviews of the latest published research of topics identified as key to the

sustainability of egg farming. All members of CSEF must

undertake to provide input into this review process in a completely unbiased way.

Literature reviews will be created and maintained by CSEF in key areas of egg farming sustainability.

Topic Papers and one page Snapshot documents generated by CSEF will be freely available to the wider public via websites and media activity.

The activities of CSEF are initially being funded by AECL and the CSEF is seeking to gather support from other organisations

who wish to support the objectives of CSEF.

The activities of the Council for Sustainable Egg Farming are guided by the following principles. 1. Members believe there is a need for a balanced and holistic evaluation of Australian egg production including, but not limited to, environmental impact, food safety, worker safety, community interactions, animal health and well-being, and food affordability in order to achieve a sustainable supply of eggs. 2. Members believe that all egg production systems must be evaluated in an unbiased and impartial manner. This includes free range, barn, conventional cages, enriched cages and organic production systems. 3. Members believe that decision processes are greatly enhanced if they are based on sound scientific foundations. 4. Members believe it is important to disseminate accurate, independent and impartial information on sustainable egg production issues. 5. Members believe international research provides valuable insights, however this research must be evaluated in the Australian farming context. 6. Members believe that the council’s role is to provide independent professional science based advice, and that it does not lobby or attempt to inappropriately influence decision making processes.

The Literature review process is shown in Figure 1 on the next page.

CSEF members, external researchers and industry personnel can notify the Independent Chair of new research or older research they believe has not been included in the reviews.

Once the Independent Chair is made aware of the new literature it will be checked against the review database to determine if it has previously been considered.

If CSEF does not have an active literature review in the area relating to the literature provided it will be retained and considered once the review is commenced.

If a review is active and the literature has not be previously been considered it will be forwarded to the relevant subcommittee members and any other CSEF members that the Independent Chair feels may be able to provide beneficial input.

By GREG MILLS*

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MANAGEMENT FEATUREBased on CSEF members

evaluation the document will be allocated to one of five categories based on the quality of the research and the results that are described.

These five categories are:1. Significant errors: The subcommittee may consider corresponding with the author or publications to highlight the issues identified 2. Confirms existing knowledge: If the item is consistent with existing information in the active literature review it will be added to the references in the review 3. Extends existing knowledge: If the item adds to existing knowledge this will be include in the active literature review and consideration will be given to updating the Topic Paper and Snapshot if the subcommittee feels this is warranted.4. Questions existing knowledge: a: If the item questions existing knowledge this will be include in the active literature review and consideration will be given to updating the Topic Paper and Snapshot if the subcommittee feels this is warranted. b: The subcommittee may also consider

Figure 1. Flow diagram of document review process

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implications for future research and make this known to the research committees of AECL and Poultry CRC. 5. Outside CSEF scope: If the literature is determined to be outside of CSEF key area no future action will be required.

One member of each subcommittee will be retained to maintain and update the active Literature

Review and develop the drafts of the Topic Papers and Snapshots with the assistance of the Independent Chair.

This subcommittee member will be known as the Custodian. Professional scientific writers will be engaged to finalise these documents prior to final signoff and release.

The CSEF will develop three main types of documents. These are Literature Reviews, Topic Papers and Snapshot Documents.

The CSEF will create and maintain Literature Reviews across the range of issues associated with sustainable egg production. The first two to be progressed will be Animal Wellbeing and Food Safety. As resources permit additional reviews will be created and updated.

These documents will contain a review of all relevant documents that are known to the CSEF.

These documents will be made available to key research providers such as Universities, AECL and Poultry CRC. On a periodic basis (e.g. every three to five years) these documents may be condensed and published.

The second form of documentation will be called Topic Papers. These will be publicly available and will be up to 20 pages on a more specific topic. A Topic Paper will contain the latest knowledge on a topic and will only reference the more defining research on that topic.

The topics selected for Topic Papers will be based on current issues and decision processes that will require up-to-date scientific reviews. Given the upcoming review of the poultry welfare codes the initial focus for Topic Papers with be in the key area of animal wellbeing.

Topic Papers will be targeted towards resourcing decision makers in government processes and more interested community members looking for more detailed information.

Snapshot Documents will be one to two pages in length and will only contain key messages on an issue.

Snapshots will target media outlets and the broader community members and consumers who only require the key facts that they can read quickly. Snapshots will be easier to read and may include photos and illustrations.

Snapshots and Topic Papers will be available on the CSEF website. The website will also contain a full list of publications that have been included in the review process.

CSEF may also make submissions to government when necessary, make presentations at relevant conferences and assist in the correction of misinformation when appropriate.*Greg Mills is the Communications Manager with the Australian Centre for Food Integrity and this paper was presented at PIX 2014.

Greg Mills

46

NEWS

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Improving market access for Australian agriculturePriority must be given to policy and regulatory settings that improve market access for Australian exporters, with a heightened focus on the negotiation of Free Trade Agreements and building business-to-business and government-to-government working relationships, according the a new report by global agribusiness specialist Rabobank.

Further leveraging Australia’s world class production and supply chain systems is also of utmost importance.

Releasing the research report, ‘Competitive Challenges – Getting Australia on the global market access ‘VIP’ list’ – Rabobank Animal Proteins Analyst Matt Costello said improving market access is critical for the future growth and success of Australian agriculture, given the importance and reliance on exports across all sectors.

“Since being elected in 2013, the Australian government has made improving market access a major priority and after negotiating the Free Trade Agreement with Japan and Korea, China is now the focus, and with future trade growth expected to come from Asia and the Middle East, urgency should be placed on improving access to these markets too,” Mr Costello said.

“Improving market access through FTA’s is only one half of the equation

though – political and regulatory risks remain in the form of technical trade barriers (TTB), which are often high for agriculture and can be difficult to resolve.

“Technical trade barriers are also less transparent than tariff barriers and can have a greater impact on trade flows.”

The successful negotiation of FTA’s with emerging markets should be a “stepping stone” to building and improving relationships in order to prevent and address TTB’s as having strong relationships on the ground in the market, is vital, Mr Costello stressed.

“There is clearly a need for greater collaboration between all facets of agriculture, domestically within industries, cross-sectorally and with the government,” he said.

“A coordinated and strategic approach to formal negotiations as well as breaking down TTB’s are critical for the advancement of Australian agriculture.”

The report also looked at Australia’s need to negotiate a complete reduction in tariffs like New Zealand has with China, in order for Australia’s FTA with the Chinese to be considered a success, Rabobank’s report warns.

“As China is Australia’s largest

agricultural export market, it is imperative an agreement is reached quickly, tariffs are completely phased out, and more resources are invested to smooth the developing trade and limit the impact of TTB’s,” Mr Costello said.

“As it stands, China is close to removing all tariffs on most of New Zealand’s key commodities, particularly ones that directly compete with Australia which will make New Zealand’s exports more competitive relative to ours – the Australian government needs to act now to protect our position.”

While it is difficult to quantify just how costly non-tariff barriers are, they are often more complex and less transparent and therefore quite difficult to overcome, Mr Costello said.

Examples of TTB’s include product and processing certification, bio-security requirements, quarantine protocols, labelling and inspection requirements, and import licensing requirements.

“Two trends that are clear with the gradual reduction in trade barriers over time and the likelihood of further reductions in the future, the use of TTB’s is increasing particularly in emerging markets,” Mr Costello said.

“It is vital that Australian has resources invested on the ground, with strong relationships in the market to prevent and overcome delays as soon as possible.”

Despite these challenges, the Rabobank report highlights that among these trade barriers there are opportunities for Australia to share its knowledge, expertise and product that overseas importers and indeed consumers demand.

“By leveraging our first-class reputation for food safety, supply chain management and market knowledge, Australian exporter have the ability to gain access into markets – particularly emerging markets where a collaborative and strong relationship and expertise is required,” Mr Costello said.

“A continuing commitment to supply chain integrity and product quality remains the key differentiator supporting trade and global market access for Australian food and agricultural products which can give us the upper hand on our competitors such as Brazil, the US and India, who have experienced challenges with disease status and traceability concerns.”

47

NEWS®

Aviagen Management Essentials Nortje De Wet

Technical Service Manager, Aviagen Australia, New Zealand and Asia

De Wet has 23 years experience in the poultry industry with a large integrated company in South Africa, before joining Aviagen ANZ in 2012.

“In order to produce the highest number of chicks, production of clean eggs in well managed nest boxes with minimal bacteria load is important for hatchability

and quality”, commented De Wet.

Nest Box ManagementObjective

To create and maintain excellent next box hygiene by using good nest box management practices to ensure eggs have as low a bacterial load as possible.

Key Points

1. Plan the nest box layout within the poultry house to minimize floor eggs. Nest boxes should be evenly placed throughout the house and be easily accessed by birds.

2. The nest boxes should be in good repair, be of sound construction, have a solid bottom and be securely positioned to not rock or move when females enter or leave them.

3. Nest opening must be wide and high enough to accommodate the female entering, turning around and exiting comfortably (photo 1).

4. Perches should be positioned as follows: a. Bottom perch (or slat) no higher than 45cm from the litter b. Boxes with 2 tiers should have bottom perch extending 10cm beyond the top perch c. Perches must be strong enough to support the weight of several birds at the same time.

5. Nest box allocation should follow manufacturers specifications and be based on egg collection methods as follows: a. Manual - 3.5 to 4 hens per hole b. Mechanical colony - 40 hens per linear meter.

6. Slats on mechanical boxes should not exceed a slope of 10 degrees.

7. Nest box litter and nest pads need to be cleaned daily and faecal or egg material removed. Feeding is the best time to clean boxes.

8. Manual nest box litter should be refreshed and kept clean to ensure no bacterial build up, all nest litter should be replaced at least every 8 weeks.

9. Mechanical box nest pads must be replaced and cleaned when soiled. Full replacement and cleaning should be carried out at least once during the production cycle.

10. Daily checking of boxes is required for damage, broken perches, inadequate levels of nest litter and contamination.

Woolworths gets cracking on cage-free commitment

AB Vista supports sustainable poultry production theme

The RSPCA has welcomed the news that Woolworths has taken a major step in their commitment to Australian hens, by removing cartons of cage eggs from their stores in the Australian Capital Territory.

“With 11 million hens confined to cages in Australia without the ability to express natural behaviours such as spreading their wings, dust bathing and laying their eggs in a nest, this decision is an important step forward for hen welfare,” said RSPCA Australia Humane Food Marketing Manager Hope Bertram.

She said Woolworths’ ACT-wide switch to only stock cage-free eggs was another success for Australian hens and consumers.

“Consumers are increasingly concerned about animal welfare and have long been asking for higher welfare products on Australian supermarket shelves,” said Ms Bertram.

“Woolworth’s commitment to removing cage eggs from its ACT stores is a fantastic step forward for improving hen welfare, and is a key indicator of consumer power in action.

“As Woolworths works towards completing their 2018 commitment to no longer stock any cartons of cage eggs across their Australian stores, the RSPCA is looking forward to this switch occurring nationwide.”

The RSPCA encourages Australian consumers to continue to use their consumer power to push for higher welfare products on their local supermarket shelves.

AB Vista is once again supporting the Poultry Science Symposium as a silver sponsor for 2014, with this year’s meeting running under the title of ‘Sustainable poultry production in Europe’.

“AB Vista understands the importance of sustainability to the future of European poultry production, so we’re delighted to be able to support the Poultry Science Symposium for another year,” said Michael Noonan, AB Vista’s Business Manager for the UK.

“It is also the year in which AB Vista’s revolutionary Quantum Blue phytase has been approved for use throughout Europe. This has opened up the opportunity for poultry producers to regain some of the estimated €4-6 per tonne of feed manufactured that is currently being lost due to the anti-nutrient effects of phytate.

“Quantum Blue was developed specifically to maximise phytate destruction through superdosing, resulting in an average four point improvement in feed efficiency. This has a significant role to play in improving the long-term sustainability of European poultry production.”

Organised by the UK branch of the World’s Poultry Science Association (WPSA), the Poultry Science Symposium 2014 will take place between the 8th and 10th of September in Chester (UK). Key members of the AB Vista technical and research teams will be attending the meeting.

48

How poultry management and equipment influence results

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Results of poultry can be influenced by management. Farmers can adjust their management according to the performance of the animals on a daily base.

The only important thing is knowing which factors are responsible for the results of poultry.

Recognising the behaviour and knowing how to deal with it is one of the most important skills a poultry manager should possess.

But the one thing that is as important as management is the application of good equipment.

Other than management, equipment can be less easy to influence.

Equipment needs to fulfil requirements that are necessary to achieve high production results.

Equipment cannot function without management and management cannot function without equipment.

The quality of both aspects determine the quality of your

production results. Finding the right equipment for the production of quality hatching eggs is essential.

The right laying nestLaying nests need to attract hens

and therefore need to offer an sheltered and attractive environment in which to lay eggs undisturbed.

Also hygienic conditions are very important in order to preserve the quality of hatching eggs and to achieve high hatchability rates.

As soon as the hens lay their eggs the aim must be to protect these eggs from dirt and damage.

The Premium+ laying nest is developed to attract breeders and to preserve egg quality.

Safe egg transportThe automatic laying nest with

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1. FlexBelt egg conveyor ensures careful transport to the central collection area. 2. Premium+ laying nest is developed to attract breeders and to preserve the egg quality.

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49

PRODUCT NEWS

the central collection area. Specially designed egg carriers and

egg transfers within this system handle eggs with great care.

Another advantage of this egg conveyor is the flexibility of instalation. Even small spaces can be suitable for this flexible system.

Accurate egg packaging When eggs arrive at the central egg

collection area, they should be placed into setter trays with great accuracy

The Hatchery Packer egg packaging systems has several special features in order to carefully place eggs in setter trays.

The point setting is very preciseand the suction cups handles eggs very softly.

Careful handling of setter trays What remains is the handling of

setter trays. This this process can be automated by adding the Cobot palletizing robot for setter trays.

The robot places setter trays into container or on pallets: all with just one push on an easy to operate touch screen.

The above production process has been set up to achieve one goal; higher production results. All the differentsystems integrate with each other,thus toreliably delivering high egg quality.

Apply the right poultry management Some crucial aspects in the

management of breeders are the start-up period, ventilation, weight control, feed and water supply and light.

But what makes a good start-up? What is good ventilation? What is the right weight? What should be the right frequency and time for feeding? What light schedule and intensity should be applied? How can all these important aspects be managed on a daily base?

The performance of breeders can be influenced by finding the right answers to these and other questions.

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Visit website www.jpe.org and go to Service/Poultry Management.

1. Cobot palletizing robot places setter trays into container or on pallets. 2. Packaging systems point setting is very accurate and the suction cups handles eggs very softly.

21

50

CRC NEWSNovel protein sources and improved starter feed formulation for broiler chicks

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Poultry CRC project leaders Professor Bob Swick and Professor Paul Iji at the University of New England have recently completed a research project aimed at identifying ingredients and feed formulae that can improve the growth of broiler chicks, post-hatch.

As the production cycle of broilers has been reduced to such an extent that the starter phase represents more than a quarter of the cycle, poor feeding at this time can have a significant negative impact on the final weight of birds.

Poor feeding in the starter phase can be due to delayed access to feed and/or water, or use of poor ingredients in formulating the starter diet. It is difficult to address the former although there are attempts being made at in ovo feeding and in-shed hatching, to improve post-hatch growth.

However, the objective of this work was to identify ingredients and feed formulae that could improve growth of broiler chicks post-hatch.

Four experiments were conducted

to identify suitable supplements that may be used in developing starter diets for broilers.

Three of the experiments were focused on identifying supplements that would enhance the nutritive value of pre-starter diets, to maximise the response of chicks placed on such diets.

An animal protein supplement, spray-dried porcine plasma (SDPP), and a plant protein product, HP AviStart (HPA, a fermented soy concentrate), were investigated.

The fourth experiment examined the potential of a complex dietary formulation that would enable the chicks to derive complementary benefits from SDPP and Soycomil® (SPC), a food grade soy protein concentrate (non-fermented) and 10% additional digestible amino acids.

In all experiments, the diets containing the supplements were fed for 10 days, after which the chicks were transferred to regular grower and finisher diets.

Experiment 1 through 3 had no in feed antibiotic added, whereas experiment 4 used a commercial dose of zinc bacitracin.

Results demonstrated that SDPP improved both weight gain and FCR during the starter, grower and finisher periods.

Notably, it could also be fed over five days rather than 10 days with similar outcomes, thereby reducing cost. In general, SDPP improved feed costs per unit weight gain, and could be fed in wheat- or maize-based diets. HPA improved weight gain and FCR but was only marginally effective in wheat-based diets compared to maize-based diets.

Additional digestible amino acids improved performance in the fourth experiment but SDPP or SPC did not have a positive impact on performance. This suggests that SDPP may be a potential alternative to antibiotics. Further work is necessary to compare ZnB and SDPP in the same experiment.

The fact that soy protein as HPA improved growth while SPC did not may be related to the fermentation residues present in HPA. It would be of interest to compare both sources in a single study.

The results of this project suggest that it is possible to improve growth and FCR if starter diets are supplemented with SDPP. HPA produced a similar effect. These products would require further testing, particularly on litter (all but the fourth experiment were conducted in cages), in order to fully recommend them to industry.

To request a copy of the final report from this project, please contact the Poultry CRC at [email protected].

Professor Paul Iji from UNE

51

NEWS

The Rural Industries R&D Corporation (RIRDC) is seeking applications from suitably qualified individuals for several positions on

the RIRDC Chicken Meat Industry Advisory Panel.

The Advisory Panel consists of people with a range of skills and experience in the research, production and processing

sectors of the Australian chicken meat industry.

The Advisory Panel provides recommendations on the allocation of research, development and extension funding

for the RIRDC Chicken Meat RD&E Program.

Members of the Advisory Panel will be recompensed for their services to RIRDC at rates determined by the

Commonwealth Remuneration Tribunal.

Submissions close at 5pm on Friday, 24 October 2014.

Submit your applications to, or for further information contact: Dr Vivien Kite on 02 9929 4077 or

email [email protected] or

Margie Heath on 02 6271 4145 or email [email protected]

CHICKEN MEAT ADVISORY PANEL

MEMBERS SOUGHT

www.rirdc.gov.au

Layer feed production: Barley suffers from roller milling

The three major cereals used in layer feed production, maize, wheat, barley each react differently to grinding methods, perhaps giving ground to differences in layer productivity

Cereal grinding is a major cost in layer feed production.

Hammer mills and roller mills are both used in grinding cereals, and each type of grinder offers different advantages and disadvantages.

But, when selecting the best-fit equipment for any feed mill, it is important to know if the specific type of grinding will have an impact on layer productivity.

Things get slightly more complicated when one considers that all three major cereals (maize, wheat, barley) are used in layer feed production, and each cereal reacts differently to grinding methods, perhaps giving ground to differences in layer productivity.

To this end, a study was conducted to determine the influence of method of cereal grinding on production and egg quality.

A total of 420 Hy-Line Brown egg layers were used in a complete randomised design with six treatments arranged as a 3 ◊ 2 factorial.

Main factors were type of cereal (maize, wheat, or barley) and grinding procedure (hammer mill or roller mill).

Each treatment was replicated seven times, and the experimental unit was an enriched cage with ten hens.

Production was recorded every four weeks from 24 to 59 weeks of age; egg quality was measured at 40 and 56 weeks of age.

For the entire experimental period, feed intake was higher in layers fed wheat or maize than in layers fed barley (110.8 and 110.7 vs 109.7 grams per day; P = 0.014), but most of the differences were observed when the cereal was roller milled (P = 0.009 for the interac-tion).

Also, egg production was similar for the three diets when the cereal was hammer milled but tended to be lower

for the barley than for the wheat or maize diets when the cereal was roller milled (P = 0.09 for the interaction). None of the other productive or egg quality traits were affected by dietary treatment.

It is unclear why roller milled barley did not support performance

By IOANNIS MAVROMICHALIS, Ph.D

equal to that obtained by hammer milled barley.

If barley is going to be the major cereal in a layer hen diet, then it should be hammer milled.

For maize and wheat, either type of grinding supports equal performance in egg-laying hens.

52

CRC NEWS

PhD candidate Mr Dean Powell with Dr Sandra Velleman at OSU

CRC project investigates woody breast condition

Poultry CRC revisions and awards

In recent times, white striping and hard or ‘woody’ texture has been observed in some chicken breast muscles.

Indeed, at the recent 14th European Poultry Conference in Norway, a session dedicated to meat quality discussed these issues.

Professor Sandra Velleman from Ohio State University is also now working on a deeper understanding of the so-called ‘woody breast’ condition.

Having recently completed a Poultry CRC project investigating post hatch feed restriction and its effect on broiler muscle growth, Sandy is well placed to investigate the woody breast phenomenon further.

While the exact cause of woody breast is not known, breast muscles with the wooden breast phenotype appear to have reduced capillary blood supply to the muscle.

Without sufficient capillaries, muscle damage may occur as lactic acid, a by-product of anaerobic respiration (which is the metabolism used in the breast muscle), cannot be cleared through the capillaries and remains in the muscle.

“Wooden breast is a muscle myopathy that results in the necrosis of muscle fibres with macrophage infiltration,” Sandy explained.

“In response to the necrosis, fibrosis takes place, leading to connective tissue synthesis and the replacement of muscle-

specific proteins with highly cross-linked collagen. The highly cross-linked collagen gives the muscle its wooden or very stiff phenotype”.

Researchers M. Petracci, S. Mudalal and C. Cavani (2014) from the University of Bologna, Italy, note that the occurrence of woody breast “impaired the visual appearance and reduced consumer willingness to buy chicken breast fillets”.

Clearly a deeper understanding of the woody breast condition is vital for industry, given its occurrence in the US, Europe and other chicken meat producing countries.

The Poultry CRC’s Chicken Embryo Development animation recently took out two awards at the Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) annual meeting in the USA.

The Canadian animators, AXS Studio Inc. were delighted to pass on the news that the animation had won both a Member’s Choice Award (New Media) and an Animation: Didactic/Instructional – Non-Commercial Award (Award of Excellence).

The AMI meeting opened with “a visual celebration of artist and scientist collaborations”.

“At Poultry CRC, we are very proud of our collaborative work with AXS, with the animation having reached almost a quarter of a million views to date,” said Poultry CRC CEO, Professor Mingan Choct.

“In other news,we have been spending some time of late improving pages on the Poultry Hub site.

“Revisions are being made to ensure that pages are current and/or timeless (where possible) in an effort to ‘future proof’ the site beyond the life of the Poultry CRC.”

One such example is a new page for backyard chickens. This page covers common health and welfare issues associated with backyard poultry, including ‘egg bound hens’, ‘scaly legs’, ‘nutrient deficiencies’, ‘impacted, blocked, pendulous, sour crop and gizzard’ and finally, ‘cannibalism’.

Soon other aspects of the nutrition section of the Hub, in particular, feed formulation and ingredients will be updated.

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Leading Australian animal nutrition specialist BEC Feed Solutions has just launched Sustenhance, a new premium nutritional supplement brand designed to offer top of the range feed solutions for smaller farming customers, horse and poultry owners and hobby farmers alike.

Fully Australian owned, the Sustenhance range includes two premium supplements for equines, Equi-Omega Boost and Equi-Complete, and one premium supplement for poultry, Sustenhance Perfect Poultry with recommended retail prices from just $1.16 per daily dose for horses and 43 cents per day for five birds.

With almost 10% of Australia’s egg production happening in people’s backyards and more than 1.2 million horses and 445 horse clubs across the country, Sustenhance General Manager Adam Williams said there was a clear need to bring Sustenhance to the market.

“BEC Feed Solutions has been manufacturing the best animal nutrition for years but due to a shift in trends and an increase in hobby farming and equine ownership, there was an essential need to bring Sustenhance directly to the shelves of retailers and focus on the smaller markets so everyone can benefit,” he said.

The Sustenhance range was formulated by an experienced in-house team of vets and nutritionists who understand what is required in animal diets but more importantly, what is missing, and that’s where Sustenhance comes in.

Sustenhance animal nutritionist Dr Tiffany Dobbs said the modern pet owner required much more than generic products for their animals and as people became more understanding of

what a good diet could do for their horses and poultry, the more they required supplementary nutritional products to feed them.

“Sustenhance Perfect Poultry has proven abilities to boost your chickens to lay bigger, better eggs with enhanced yolk colour and stronger shells, as well as prolong the laying lifecycle, meaning you will get more from your chickens,” she said.

BEC Feed Solutions launches Sustenhance – a new nutritional supplement

To advertise in Poultry Digest please contact Peter Bedwell on 02 4323

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54

HEALTH FEATUREFarming with a pressure to recduce antimicrobial use

Growing chicken today can be extremely rewarding as a result of the tools we have to help us through our flocks. Antimicrobials have been one of these fantastic tools.

Over the past 40 plus years we’ve used these molecules to prevent and control common poultry ailments such as E. coli, Clostridium perfringens and Coccidiosis. However, there has been a most notable shift within the public and scientific community in relation to:

1: The perception of how we use these antibiotics.2: Antibiotic resistance concerns.Consumer sentiment is exactly just

that. It’s maybe not justified, correct, or science based but we all recognize the power of consumers and their demands.

A large percentage of these consumers are far removed from today’s animal production (this is evident when we look at the disparity

By DEREK DETZLER, Hucon Inc*between rural and urban votes).

Cartoon visions of chickens and how we should raise them is the expectation of a consumer that is uneducated with current housing, health, welfare and feeding regimes.

Aside from the consumer, the science is starting to push us in a clear direction.

The World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Public Health Agency of Canada have outlined their concern for the use of antimicrobials fed to animals. In fact, they have asked for an immediate reduction in use. This, at a time when food safety and animal welfare have made headlines in all forms of media.

A producer or industry partner can feel like they are being subject to unfair scrutiny. It seems our consumers want their cake, and to eat it too.

As producers, it can be extremely

frustrating to understand what to do. Who takes responsibility for antibiotic reduction?

Simple answer. It’s shared. And, it’s already underway.

Recently, a voluntary hatchery ban on ceftifur has highlighted the importance of the entire production system and enhancing our management techniques.

The health status of breeders, quality control in the hatchery, brood management, proper culling, and provision of high quality feed and clean drinking water, is critical to minimise bacterial stress at all points in the production cycle.

Antibiotic resistance is a term that’s been tossed around for some time. Do we understand it perfectly – no. Will we? Maybe one day. What we need to understand is that there can be a loss of efficacy to the antimicrobials that we rely on.

Resistance is a very natural phenomena, that we can speed up or slow down depending on how much we use these additives. There’s a reason great chemical anticoccidials don’t work on some farms any longer.

To the same point, it explains why higher levels of certain products are needed to control the same old disease. And here lies the conundrum – how do I reduce when potentially higher levels are needed?

The good news is that it can be done. Reduction of antimicrobial use in poultry production has been applied successfully over the past few years.

This does not mean we have to sacrifice welfare or performance. This success has come from a strategic approach that is science based and certainly not haphazard.

Producers, integrators and companies who have already ventured down this road are great people we can talk to and learn from.

In 2014, enough science has been generated through countless trials to be able to apply proven reduction techniques.*Mr Detzler is a Director of his family’s farming Company Hucon Ontario Canada and Specialist Poultry Consultant for JEFO International.

55

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Strategy for salmonella prevention on egg layer farmsPART ONEBy PETER SCOTT, Scolexia Pty Ltd

In the genus Salmonella (Family Enterobacteriaceae) there are over 2,500 serovars.

In this paper we are not dealing with the two avian host specific salmonella nonmotile serovars, S. Pullorum (Pullorum disease) and S. Gallinarum (Fowl typhoid) which are both considered to be exotic to Australian commercial poultry.

Similarly not the human specific salmonella called Salmonella Typhi the cause of typhoid disease in man.

The group of salmonella we are dealing with are the motile and non-host adapted serotypes referred to as the paratyphoid salmonellae.

This group of salmonella is found widely distributed in both wild and domestic animals and cold blooded species.

Salmonella is so ubiquitous that it is hard not to find it in both animate and contaminated inanimate sources.

In poultry these salmonella do not generally cause disease and thus egg layers are commonly asymptomatic carriers of salmonella.

Under stressor conditions some salmonella, including Salmonella Typhimurium type 9 and Salmonella Hessarek, can cause significant clinical disease and mortalities particularly in day olds and young layers.

These salmonella generally colonise the intestinal tract with various degrees of persistency and are shed in the faeces thus providing a potential mechanism of contamination of eggs and in some cases with salmonella strains that cause food borne disease in humans.

One salmonella of this group that has a slightly different pathogeneses and epidemiology is Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) which can actively colonise the ovary of the layer and thus be deposited into a clean egg free of faecal contamination.

Australia, with New Zealand, is very fortunate in that the commercial poultry industries are SE free. In the EU it is one of the predominant serotypes and thus control programs are commonly based around SE.

This should be kept in mind when reading international literature on salmonella control.

The colonisation of clean eggs means that the refrigeration of all eggs is a critical control point and vaccination against SE tends to be more efficacious because of the systemic characteristics of its colonisation.

Salmonella as microorganisms are relatively non-particular about their growth media requirements which are simple and while they grow best at 37°C they can grow at temperatures from 5 to 45°C and within a pH range of 4 to 9.

They can survive in the environment for years and colonise invertebrates which can act as passive carriers.

So overall they are very well adapted microorganisms and thus ubiquitous and hard to control infection in domestic livestock.

Salmonella can be destroyed by temperatures over 60°C if heated for in excess of one hour and at temperatures above 90°, such as in pelleting feed, in less than 1 minute.

Thus the normal cooking process will kill salmonella and reduce the food safety risk, which is fortunate for the chicken meat industry, but the

egg industry still has the consumer “problem” of the consumption in some food preparation of raw eggs or lightly cooked eggs.

This creates a dilemma regarding where the food safety responsibility rests.

Salmonella after they have been identified by various biochemical tests and cultural characteristics are then further classified by a serological grouping, using the Kauffman and White classification system.

This results in the serovars such as S. Typhimurium, S. Agona, S. Dublin, S. Infantis, etc.

The next level of typing is using viruses called bacteriophages that are viruses that infect specific strains of bacteria.

By using this technology salmonella serovars can be further more finely classified according to their phage types such as S. Typhimurium type 9 (ST9), or ST 44, ST 135, etc.

Such typing allows more precise epidemiological studies and tracing.

More recently this has been refined even further to a molecular typing called MLVA (multilocus variable number tandem repeat analysis) and is now w

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HEALTH FEATUREmore regularly used by government departments for disease outbreak investigations and has the technical rigor to be used for prosecutions where warranted by health departments.

Status of the Australian egg industry As previously mentioned Australian

is free in commercial poultry of SE phage types that are commonly cause food poisoning. However SE clinical disease in people does occur, with the greater majority of these associated with overseas travel, particularly to Asia.

This identifies a serious risk for Australians egg produces who are often worried about avian influenza and overseas visitors but fail to realise the likelihood of recent overseas travel by staff being a higher risk for the inadvertent introduction of SE onto a local flock.

The salmonella that are causally associated with table eggs related food poisoning outbreaks in Australia include a number of ST, including, but not exclusively, phage types 9, 44, 135a and 135, 170 (108).

The other less common salmonella serovars associated with food

poisonings outbreaks are S. Infantis. S. Virchow 34, S. Singapore and S. Saintpaul.

In recent times the ST 9, 44 and 170 have been the predominant serovars in significant food poisoning outbreaks.

All these salmonella have been and continue to be recovered from environmental sampling of poultry sheds. The status of poultry layer genetic stock, which is under regular monitoring programs and high standard preventative programs, is historically free of those salmonellae associated with food safety issues.

The serovars that have been historically recovered from day old layer stock included S. Infantis, S. Hessarek. S. Agona and a number which are untypable.

Generally either in house or commercially reared pullets are salmonella free at point of lay.

This leads to the conclusion that most of the change in status occurs during the production period.

While traditional dogma states that the young chick is highly susceptible to salmonella colonisation and the mature layer is relatively resistant the

epidemiological field picture identifies most layer flocks become positive in lay.

Salmonella controlInherently very difficult when

one considers the host adaptation capabilities of salmonella and its persistence in the environment. Essentially every horizontal contact that commercial poultry come in contact with could have salmonella including the environment, arthropods, water, feed, vermin, people and fomites of many types.

It can carry over from previous flocks and even after aggressive cleanouts can persist deep in the pore on concrete or in the beetles, flies and vermin re-entering the shed.

Thus control becomes centred on the value of the livestock and the impact that a change in salmonella status would have, the type of salmonella involved in regards to its importance as a food safety pathogen and the likely way the final product will be handled or consumed.

Importantly salmonella can be controlled and even eradicated but the commercial practicality and viability

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HEALTH FEATUREis compared and offset by the risk assessment to the business as a provider of livestock or a provider of a product to the consumer.

The Australian poultry industry has a relatively high level of positive status at the farm level and essentially no regulatory control over this other than the responsibility to provide a food safe product.

This is very different to the EU, and particularly the Northern European countries, where there is tight legislative control on the poultry industry from the production of feed free of salmonella to the compulsory slaughter out of Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) positive flocks where eggs are only to be used a fresh table eggs.

In feed additive treatments and flock vaccination are a normal part of the regulated control programs.

This outcome has been driven by significant food safety events and then followed by sectors of the industry wanting a product distinction for the consumer.

Australia as indicated has no formal or even voluntary code regarding salmonella control and depends on

industry best practice management to achieve a food safe product.

The dilemma facing the Australian industry is while the majority of the industry has no significant food safety events related to table eggs there are ongoing significant egg related food poisoning outbreaks associated with some producers whose practices are not best practice.

In some cases this is clouded by poor food preparation practices and / or the production of high risk foods such as raw egg based mayonnaise, ice cream, mousse, egg butter and salad dressings.

Invariably if the Australian egg industry is to avoid having costly compliance imposed on it through regulation as a result of ongoing egg related food poisoning outbreaks it will need to become more proactive and united in facilitating salmonella control programs and improved egg handling practices throughout the industry.

It is to be noted that there is no one effective control tool for salmonella but it is the accumulation of various strategies that result in a quantitative reduction of the salmonella overall.

Only under the strictest procedures such as at a primary breeding unit can a salmonella free status be reliably achieved and maintained.

Monitoring programs The necessary tools and

laboratories for monitoring salmonella in the egg industry are readily available and most commonly are based on identification by microbiological culture.

Legislatively in Australia the identification of salmonella from an environmental swab does not require reporting (unless part of the SE Accreditation Program) but recovery from a bird does as by definition this is from a case of salmonellosis.

There are a number of private, university and government laboratories that can undertake salmonella culture work, not all are NATA accredited.

For finalisation of serovars and typing there are two reference laboratories in Australia. Cost recovery from these reference laboratories is applied but varies depending on the state the samples came from and the nature of the investigation.

In a monitoring program sampling w

58

HEALTH FEATUREcan involve drag swabs of deep litter or slats, cracked and dirty eggs, egg surface washes, manure belts, egg belts and nest boxes and other working areas such as the packing floor, wash water and cool rooms.

In regard to sampling there are some fundamentals that need to be understood:

• Drag swabs or boot swabs of the deep litter or slatted sheds are a highly sensitive way of determining the status of a shed qualitatively but not the quantitative level of infection in the flock.

• The dragging of slats is as sensitive as dragging of the deep litter / manure in the detection of salmonella in a flock.

• When undertaking environmental swabs there is no need to have a strict aseptic process. The culture techniques are selective for salmonella.

• Samples can be couriered / posted to the laboratory with due care in packaging but without the specific need for cold packing.

• Testing individual eggs is an insensitive method.

• Testing the surface of wash of a number of eggs if positive will indicate a quantitative assessment of salmonella in the shed but is not adequately sensitive to determine the status of the flock.

• Environmental swabbing technically only provides the status of the shed not the flock.

• Testing an aliquot of pulped cracked and dirty eggs provides some assessment of the level of shedding of salmonella of the flock.

• In sheds / flocks with multiple serovars of salmonella the laboratory culture serovar status may vary at each test period as there is a probability of selecting different putative colonies from the agar plate.

It is advisable that producers establish a formal monitoring program that outlines the testing requirements and time frames.

Flock identity is critically important as is the correct recording for traceability reasons. In conjunction with this, a series of SOP’s should be created covering each of the testing / monitoring methodologies.

Flock and ancillary monitoring day olds

Producers buying day olds should as part of their monitoring program collect

chick papers from a representative sample of boxes and send these off for

culture. Where chick papers are not

available samples of 3 day old brooding papers can be used instead.

This procedure provides the producer with confidence of his day old status and also assists the hatchery with its own monoitoring program.

Salmonella monitoring is at a point of time and thus there is no absolute certainty of the status of a flock between testing.

PulletsPullets purchased as point of lay

birds or reared in house should be drag swabbed (or manure belt tested if cage reared) 2 weeks before transfer.

The buying of pullets should be conditional on the provision of the batch summary sheet, serology confirming the efficacy of vaccination and the salmonella status from drag swabs.

With the salmonella status known prior to transfer this will allow any strategic decision such as an additive program or change of destination to be made.

This decision making may be made prior to the serovars of the salmonella being known.

Production birds For commercial layers in both

cage and alternate systems it is recommended that salmonella testing by drag swabs is conducted three monthly.

For those joining the SE Accreditation program it will be necessary to test monthly for three consecutive months and on the absence of any detection of SE can move to three monthly testing.

If for any reason birds are being transferred such as after a moult they should be tested prior to the move.

Where salmonella that are of potential food safety significance are detected in a production flock then it is recommended that the egg pulp from the affected shed or a sample of caked and dirty egg pulp is also tested.

This provides a practical way of gaining some idea of the shedding rate of the flock and thus an improved ability to evaluate the risk assessment.

The second half of this paper which was presented at PIX 2014 will appear in the next issue of Poultry Digest.

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Poultry Digest August/September 2014

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Transcript of Poultry Digest August/September 2014