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JUNE 2012 – ISSUE 18

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Novel Control of Fowl MitesResearch on feeding sulphur to laying hens as a way

to control Northern fowl mites was presented at the

International Poultry Scientific Forum, held in Atlanta,

US in January 2012, writes senior editor, Chris Wright.

The Northern fowl mite, Ornithonyssus sylviarum, is the

most important ectoparasite of commercial poultry

in North America. Feeding sulphur to layers was suc-

cessfully tested as a way to control fowl mites yet still

not affect the production parameters of layers.

The research was conducted by Dr Wallace Berry, S.

Oates and J. Hess from Auburn University in the US.

Fowl mite infestations can reduce egg production by

10 per cent or more – bad for layers, even worse in

breeders, particularly the males. They can also bite

humans and cause irritation.

This feature is continued on page 4

June 2012 – Issue 18

Biosecurity is Key to AntibioticFree Turkey Production - P7

Tips on rearing turkeys without the routine use of

antibiotics were offered by William Alexander,

speaking at a recent turkey conference in the UK.

Key to success lies in prevention of diseases, rather

than cure, reports senior editor, Jackie Linden.

Biosecurity in Small-Scale US Livestock Operations - P11

Animal health is closely related to profitability, since

healthy animals are more productive and introduc-

tion of disease to a naïve herd or flock can have

negative economic consequences.

French Study Investigates Cage Hygiene, Laying Location andEgg Quality - P16

New research from France indicates that eggs laid

in the nest boxes of furnished cages were cleaner –

both visually and microbiologically – when the nests

were lined with a plastic mesh than with artificial

turf. Eggs laid in the pecking/scratching area were

cleaner when it was covered with the artificial turf

than with a rubber mat.

EDITORIAL 03

LATEST POULTRY INDUSTRY NEWS

Biosecurity & Hygiene 18

Health & Welfare 24

Breeding & Genetics 28

Feeding & Nutrition 30

Housing & Equipment 36

Incubation & Hatching 38

Processing & Packaging 40

INDUSTRY EVENTS 42

BUSINESS DIRECTORY 44

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2

Novel Control of Fowl Mites

P1

Research on feeding sulphur to laying hens as a way to control

Northern fowl mites was presented at the International Poultry

Scientific Forum, held in Atlanta, US in January 2012, writes senior

editor, Chris Wright.

COVER STORY

We have chosen ‘Biosecurity & Hygiene’ as the theme of this issue as close

attention to detail here can help solve many of the health challenges, both

medical and veterinary, which face the poultry sector today. Just think of avian

flu and other poultry diseases, parasites, welfare, Salmonella and other food-

borne pathogens and the growing pressure to reduce antibiotic use in farm

animals!

The first feature this month is about a new method to control of Northern

fowl mite, the most important ectoparasite of commercial poultry in North

America. Feeding sulphur to layers has been successfully tested by researchers

at Auburn University as a way to control fowl mites without affecting egg

production parameters of layers.

Good biosecurity is one of the keys to the production of turkeys without

antibiotics, according to William Alexander of Hybrid Turkeys in Canada.

Speaking at a recent conference on turkey production, he summed this up,

saying: “The best means of offence against diseases is defence.”

According to Mr Alexander, as well as good biosecurity, water sanitation, vac-

cination, achieving and maintaining a healthy gut flora and getting the house

environment right make the control of coccidiosis and other diseases possible

without needing to resort to antibiotics. As pressure mounts on the industry

to reduce antibiotic use over concerns of antimicrobial resistance, his advice

will be welcomed by many poultry farmers.

USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has published the results

of a survey that highlights practices and methods small-scale livestock farmers

can use to minimise the animal health risks associated with poor biosecurity.

And finally, new research from France reveals what type of floor matting in

furnished cages is best for egg hygiene.

Jackie Linden

Editorial

Biosecurity &

Hygiene

Jackie LindenThePoultrySite.com Senior Editor

jackie.linden@5mpublishing.com

CONTACTEditorialJackie Linden

jackie.linden@5mpublishing.com

Tel: +44 (0) 1234 818180

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5M Enterprises Ltd., Benchmark House, 8 Smithy Wood

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A Benchmark Holdings Ltd. Company

3

Novel Control of Fowl Mites

4

The constant re–infestation of mites is a continual

problem for the industry, said Dr Berry.

Mites in the US are currently controlled by pesticides

(pyrethroids) and their use is opposed by the gov-

ernment. None of these insecticides kills the mite

eggs, plus some residue remains.

Dr Berry pointed out that an old cure is sulphur and

sulphur powder (‘flowers of sulphur’) that has been

and is still used to kill mites and ticks.

Some facts on elemental sulphur:

• inexpensive

• effective on mites and other pests

• low toxicity (unlike sulphur compounds)

• resistance is less of an issue, and

• can be sprayed or dusted

Problems with dusting sulphur:

• flammable

• corrosive

• irritating

• difficulty to control dose, and

• applications are labour–intensive

THE NOVEL IDEA: FEEDING SULPHUR

‘Feed–through’ pesticides have been used in the poul-

try and livestock industry for some time, now, Dr

Berry said.

Means of controlling or eliminating fowl mites with-

out pesticide resistance or residue concerns are

needed. For this reason, three levels of a granular sul-

phur–based miticidal treatment in the layer diet were

tested as a potentially effective and safe ‘feed–

through’ miticidal treatment in laying hens, without

affecting production parameters.

The levels tested were: low dose, 1 pound per ton;

medium dose, 3 pounds per ton and high dose, 5

pounds per ton.

The test ran for eight weeks to determine the time

required for miticidal activity to become apparent,

and to determine efficacy over several mite genera-

tions. Mite numbers on the hens as well as hen body

weight, mortality, egg production and shell and inte-

rior egg quality were measured throughout the ex-

periment. Mites were counted by swab test.

At the end of the experiment, hen tissues, eggs, and

faeces were analysed to determine the distribution

and fate of the compound in the birds, eggs, and

waste.

Dr Berry’s research found that the miticidal treat-

ment reduced mite numbers without altering feed in-

take, egg production, egg weight or eggshell quality,

and it did not accumulate in hens or eggs. There was

no sulphur residue.

The only effect seen was that egg albumen height de-

creased at the high inclusion level of sulphur.

There was a significant decrease in mites at the

medium dose at six and seven weeks, he emphasised.

The high dose also had some positive results.

EFFECT ON MINERALS AND AMMONIA

The analysis for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and

cadmium as well as other minerals demonstrated

that granular sulphur did not alter the way hens use

these minerals, did not cause the hens to accumulate

toxic minerals, or to lose valuable minerals, and did

not alter faecal concentrations of these minerals.

As a side benefit, the compound acidified hen waste

and significantly reduced ammonia emissions. This fact

alone has the US poultry industry interested in this

research. They are looking at doing this same re-

search in breeders.

Dr Berry added that, to his knowledge, this is the first

study of its kind to examine the potential for using a

granular sulphur product as a feed–through mite con-

trol agent in laying hens.

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/the-poultry-site/id489824502?mt=8

Biosecurity is Key to Antibiotic–Free Turkey Production

6

7

FEATURE ARTICLE

“There are many stressors involved in turkey production,” said William Alexander

of Hybrid Turkeys in Canada, “and our aim is to reduce them.” He was speaking at

the 6th Turkey Science and Production Conference in Macclesfield in March 2012.

BIOSECURITY: THE BEST DEFENCE

The best means of offence against diseases is defence, he said, referring to beetles,

flies, rodents, wild birds and people. He stressed the need to form and implement

a biosecurity programme and to modify it, if necessary. For effective rodent control,

it is important that the bait is fresh.

He also stressed the need to wash and disinfect poultry houses thoroughly between

flocks, paying particular attention to the feed pans.

For farm visitors, there should be a protocol, and boot dips need to be kept free

of organic material and kept fresh.

The flock should be checked at least twice a day if they are healthy and up to four

times a day in case of disease outbreaks so that any dead birds are removed quickly.

Mr Alexander recommended that special protective clothing and boots are worn

for this procedure to prevent the spread of any undiagnosed disease to other

houses.

Feature Article

Tips on rearing turkeys without the routine use of antibiotics were offered by

William Alexander, speaking at a recent turkey conference in the UK. Key to success

lies in prevention of diseases, rather than cure, reports senior editor, Jackie Linden.

Biosecurity is Key toAntibiotic–Free TurkeyProduction

WATER SANITATION: KEY FOR FLOCK HEALTH

Water sanitation is vital, he said, recommending a

peroxide cleaner is used as soon as the house is de-

populated in order to remove any biofilm that may

have built up in the water system, and then repeating

the process 24 to 48 hours before restocking the

house.

Drinker line sanitation is most commonly achieved

using chlorine. The pH of the water should be be-

tween 5.5 and 6.5 for the chlorine to be effective and

so pH should be checked to see if an acidifier is re-

quired, said Mr Alexander. A good way to measure

the effectiveness of an oxidising sanitiser is by meas-

uring Oxidative Reductive Potential (ORP), which

should exceed 700 to 750mV. He recommended

weekly checks, at the front of the line and at the end.

Chlorine dioxide is another good sanitiser but the

ORP is not a suitable test for its efficacy, he said.

DEVELOPING A HEALTHY GUT

Mr Alexander said he values regular post–mortem

Biosecurity is Key to Antibiotic–Free Turkey Production

8

examinations between one and six weeks of age –

even on apparently healthy birds – to give early warn-

ing of possible health problems, particularly of enteric

disease. Villus development, gut fill and caecal health

are key areas to check.

He believes in the ‘Seed, feed, weed’ concept for de-

veloping and maintaining a healthy gut flora. That

means:

• seeding the GI tract with probiotic at the hatch-

ery and as the poults arrive on-farm

• feeding with organic acid at the farm to develop

the beneficial flora and check the bad ones, and

• weeding with what he calls an ‘attachment

blocker’ such as mannan–oligosacchiaride product

to prevent the ‘bad’ ones attaching themselves to

the GI tract.

Good gut health promotes strong immunity, including

good caecal development by seven days of age, ac-

cording to Mr Alexander.

9

FEATURE ARTICLE

“A compromised digestive system is an open door

to disease,” he said.

THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT

Turning his attention to environmental conditions in

the house, Mr Alexander stressed the need for the

correct ventilation rate to keep humidity under 60

per cent and prevent the build-up of carbon dioxide,

which can cause damage to the respiratory system.

Draughts must be eliminated, he said.

Air quality is important, he stressed. Minimum venti-

lation rates needs to be set, with timers and ther-

mostats because Mr Alexander stressed the need to

control air moisture, carbon dioxide and pathogens

in the litter.

Gases can affect bird behaviour and may lead to

raised early mortality. Carbon monoxide, on the

other hand, has been linked to waterbelly, round-

heart and aortic rupture as well as poor uniformity

and reduced weight gain. The goal should be to keep

carbon monoxide below 25 to 30ppm, and data log-

gers are important to make sure these levels are not

exceeded, he recommended.

COCCIDIOSIS CONTROL

WITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS

Alternatives for coccidiosis control are ionophores,

chemicals and vaccination. Mr Alexander says the

same equipment can be used for the application of

the vaccine as for the probiotic. He offered the tip

that a proper cover to the vaccination box will keep

the birds warm and active so that they consume the

vaccine more quickly. It is important to check that

they have consumed the vaccine by checking the

tongue for the temporary stain.

Building immunity is important, he said. Vaccination

at day–old gives about 30 per cent immunity in the

first cycle, which builds up to around 80 per cent for

the second cycle, 90 per cent for the third cycle and

100 per cent for the fourth cycle.

Mr Alexander suggests not giving anticoccidials be-

fore two weeks of age to ensure that a successful

successive vaccination has taken place.

His top tip for brooder management is that if the

birds stop eating, it may be an early sign of coccidiosis.

He suggests using a probiotic, adding the organic acid

and paying particular attention to keeping the young

birds warm.

Summing up his key points to achieving good results

rearing turkeys without antibiotics, Mr Alexander

mentioned:

• biosecurity: planned, monitored and updated

• water sanitation: ORP consistently over 700 to

750mV

• gut health: establish ‘good’ microflora

• ventilation: control temperature, humidity and

carbon dioxide

• litter management: regular tilling helps control

pathogens, and finally

• attention to detail will keep you ahead of any

problems.

“And above all, keep it simple,” Mr Alexander told the

audience.

CLICK HERE FORBIOSECURITY & HYGIENE

NEWS & ADVERTISING

Biosecurity in Small-Scale US Livestock Operations

10

11

FEATURE ARTICLE

Biosecurity is a system of practices designed to reduce the risk of introducing dis-

ease to an operation and prevent disease spread among animals. Because disease

transmission to even one animal can affect the health of animals on the entire op-

eration, biosecurity practices are an important part of the health management plan

of all operations.

Ideally, operations should work with a veterinarian to develop practical and cost

effective biosecurity practices. Good biosecurity practices include:

• proper handling of new animals and visitors

• regular veterinary consultations

• limiting contact with outside animals

• use of animal identification, and

• knowledge of interspecies disease transmission.

The US Department of Agriculture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System

conducted the Smallscale US Livestock Operations, 2011 study.

The study focused on operations that raised livestock and had gross annual sales

from $10,000 to $499,999. Based on the NASS 2007 Census of Agriculture, ap-

proximately 350,000 farms in the United States fit this definition of a small–scale

livestock operation. Livestock included cattle, poultry, goats, sheep, swine, horses,

aquaculture, and other farm animals raised for sale or home use.

Feature Article

Animal health is closely related to profitability, since healthy animals are more pro-

ductive and introduction of disease to a naïve herd or flock can have negative eco-

nomic consequences. This factsheet from the USDA Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service looks at practices and methods that small-scale livestock farmers

can use to minimise the risk associated with poor biosecurity.

Biosecurity in Small-Scale US LivestockOperations

For the study, 8,123 small–scale operations from all

50 States responded to the survey.

MULTIPLE LIVESTOCK SPECIES

The presence of multiple livestock species on an op-

eration can have implications for disease transmis-

sion. For instance, several domestic and foreign

animal diseases can infect multiple ruminant species,

and some influenza virus strains might be transmitted

between swine and avian species. In addition, some

species can be carriers of a disease without showing

clinical signs of disease, yet can still transmit the dis-

ease to other species.

The majority of small–scale operations (87.2 per

cent) raised beef cattle during the 12 months prior

to the study survey, and about half of operations

(47.1 per cent) had more than one type of livestock

during the same time period. The West region had a

higher percentage of operations with more than one

type of livestock species compared with operations

in the other regions. Operations in the West region

commonly kept both beef cattle and horses.

SLAUGHTER FACILITIES

Some regions of the United States do not have

enough slaughter facilities to meet the needs of local

small–scale farmers (Goodsell, 2010). A mobile

slaughter unit is a self–contained slaughter facility

that travels from site to site and is an alternative to

using a stationary slaughter facility.

Mobile slaughter units, however, can increase the risk

of disease transmission between farms or animals.

For example, disease spread can occur if the unit’s

equipment is not properly decontaminated between

operations. Using mobile slaughter units can also de-

crease the risk of disease spread because animals

processed in these facilities do not go to market and

are, therefore, not exposing other animals before

being slaughtered.

Overall, 5.8 per cent of operations used a mobile

slaughter service for livestock or poultry and 38.9

per cent had live animals transported to a slaughter

facility. A higher percentage of operations in the West

region used a mobile slaughter service (26.7 per

Biosecurity in Small-Scale US Livestock Operations

12

cent) compared with operations in the North Cen-

tral, Northeast, and South regions (6.2, 4.2, and 1.5

per cent of operations, respectively; Figure 1). Oper-

ations that did not use a mobile slaughter service or

transport animals to slaughter might have sold ani-

mals through an auction instead.

MOVEMENT AND QUARANTINE

The addition of new animals to an operation is a po-

tential route for disease introduction. In addition, an-

imals that leave the operation and then return may

have had contact with other animals, which presents

the risk of introducing new disease. Proper quaran-

tine of new or returning animals can prevent the in-

troduction of acute infectious diseases to the herd

or flock.

During quarantine, animals should be kept separate

from the remainder of the herd or flock and be ob-

served regularly for disease symptoms or fever. Sep-

arate equipment and clothing should be used when

caring for quarantined animals. Operators should

care for the established animals first and care for the

new or returning (quarantined) animals last. Some

diseases that do not manifest acute clinical signs, such

as Johne’s disease in cattle, cannot be effectively pre-

vented by temporary quarantine. For these diseases,

Figure 1. Percentage of operations by facilities used for slaughtering livestock

or poultry for home use or sale, and by region

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

NorthCentral

NorthEast

South West AllOperations

Slaughter facility

Mobile Slaughter service that comes to the operation Live animlas transported to slaughter facility

Region

Percent

13

FEATURE ARTICLE

laboratory testing or other techniques can be uti-

lized to help prevent disease introduction.

Overall, about four out of 10 operations (39.3 per

cent) brought new livestock or poultry onto the op-

eration during the 12 months prior to the study, and

13.9 per cent of operations had livestock or poultry

move off the operation and return during the same

time period. The percentage of operations that

brought new livestock or poultry onto the operation

increased as farm sales increased, ranging from 37.4

per cent of low–sales operations to 68.3 per cent of

high–sales operations. High–sales operations were

also more likely to have had livestock or poultry

move off the operation and return (22.3 per cent)

than low–sales operations (13.5 per cent).

Overall, 40.3 per cent of operations that brought on

new animals or had animals leave and return always

quarantined the new or returning animals but almost

half of operations (48.0 per cent) rarely or never

quarantined new or returning animals (Figure 2).

A quarantine period of at least 21 to 30 days for new

or returning animals is recommended for most live-

stock species. Operations that always quarantined

new or returning animals during the previous 12

months kept the animals quarantined for a longer pe-

riod (25.3 days, on average) than operations that

sometimes quarantined new or returning animals

(17.5 days, on average).

BARRIERS TO IMPLEMENTING QUARANTINE

As mentioned previously, about half of operations that

added animals or had animals leave the operation and

return rarely or never quarantined the new or return-

ing animals, even though the introduction of disease

can be very costly.

Operators were asked to provide the reasons for not

quarantining animals. For operations that sometimes

quarantined new or returning animals, inadequate

labour or time was cited as a reason for not always

quarantining animals by 18.1 per cent of operations.

Trusting the source of the new animals or the place

from which animals returned was given as a reason for

not quarantining animals by 67.5 per cent of these op-

erations (see table on the next page), and lack of a sep-

arate enclosure or extra equipment was a reason for

not quarantining on 29.5 per cent of operations.

About one of 10 operations that rarely or never quar-

antined new or returning animals (11.4 per cent) had

‘other’ reasons for not isolating animals. The most

commonly cited ‘other’ reasons were all-in-all-out pro-

duction and the belief that isolation was not necessary

for their circumstances.

All-in-all-out production refers to a management prac-

tice in which all animals are removed from the opera-

tion, barn, room or pen before new animals are

brought in. The practice is common in poultry and

swine production. All-in-all-out production is an effec-

tive biosecurity measure for preventing disease spread,

especially when barns and equipment are cleaned and

disinfected before new animals are introduced.

Interestingly, fewer than six per cent of respondents

believed that isolation is not beneficial but some re-

spondents felt that it did not apply to their situation.

CONTACT WITH OTHER ANIMALS

Exposing animals to livestock from other operations

in a commingled pasture or through fence-line contact

are other routes for introducing disease to a herd or

flock.

Overall, only 8.4 per cent of operations had livestock

or poultry share a pasture at the same time with

Quarantined Always Sometimes Rarely or never

48.3

11.7

40.3

Figure 2. Percentage of operations by how often new or returning animals

were quarantined

(For operations that brought on new livestock or poultry or that had animals leavethe operation and return during the previous 12 months)

14

Biosecurity in Small-Scale US Livestock Operations

Reason Sometimes Rarely or never

Do not have a separate enclosure or

extra equipment for isolating animals 29.5 27.9

Trust the source of the new animals or

the place from which the animals are

returning 67.5 64.8

Have inadequate labour or time to

implement isolation 18.1 9.0

Do not believe isolation is beneficial or

prevents disease 4.1 5.7

Other 5.6 11.4

Percentage of operations, by reason, that animals were not quarantined

(for operations that sometimes, rarely or never quarantined new or returninglivestock or poultry during the previous 12 months)

livestock or poultry from another operation during

the previous 12 months. The percentage was higher

in the West region (22.4 per cent of operations) than

in the North Central, Northeast, and South regions

(8.8, 5.1, and 5.8 per cent, respectively).

Having a perimeter fence and preventing fence-line

contact with livestock from other operations re-

duces the risk of introducing infectious diseases.

Overall, about half of operations (51.8 per cent) had

a perimeter fence and no fence-line contact between

their livestock and livestock from other operations.

Fence-line contact with other livestock is not always

preventable. Although a second fence can be con-

structed to prevent fence-line contact with neigh-

bours’ animals, it can be very expensive.

Fencing is a more important biosecurity feature for

some livestock species than for others. For example,

swine and poultry operations often use a barn rather

than fencing as a barrier for keeping out other ani-

mals. Barns are more effective than fences for pre-

venting wildlife and outside animal access.

Additionally, fencing is not relevant to biosecurity on

some operations with ‘other’ livestock species, such

as aquaculture or bees.

ACCESS TO A VETERINARIAN

Veterinarians, as resources for animal health, play an

important role in the productivity of small–scale op-

erations and the safety of the US food supply. How-

ever, there might be a shortage of food-animal vet-

erinarians in some rural areas. To address this issue,

in 2010 the USDA implemented a plan which offered

to repay the student loans of veterinarians who prac-

tice in under–served areas.

During the study, operators were asked about the

distance to the nearest veterinarian that worked with

their type of livestock, regardless of whether or not

the operation actually used that veterinarian.Overall,

82.0 per cent of operations had a veterinarian that

worked with their type of livestock available within

29 miles of the operation. In the West region, about

one of four operations (24.2 per cent) was located

30 to 99 miles from the nearest veterinarian that

worked with their type of livestock. For 0.9 per cent

of operations, no veterinarian was available or the

nearest veterinarian was 300 or more miles away

from the operation.

Considering that there are about 350,000 small–scale

livestock operations in the United States (NASS 2007

Census of Agriculture), this means that about 3,150

operations (0.9 per cent × 350,000) either have no

access to a livestock veterinarian or would have to

travel 300 or more miles to reach one. Of operations

that reported no veterinarian was available for their

type of livestock, about 25 per cent raised ‘other’ live-

stock species such as aquaculture, fur-bearing animals

or bees.

About seven of 10 operations in the North Central

and West regions (72.8 and 71.2 per cent, respec-

tively) had used a veterinarian for their livestock or

poultry during the previous 12 months, compared

with fewer than six of 10 operations in the Northeast

and South regions (59.0 and 54.8 per cent, respec-

tively). Overall, 62.0 per cent of operations had used

a veterinarian during the previous 12 months.

Producers who did not use a veterinarian were asked

why. Of the 38.0 per cent of operations that did not

use a veterinarian, only 12.4 per cent did not use a

veterinarian because it was too expensive. About two

of three operations (65.8 per cent) did not use a vet-

erinarian because there was “no disease or other

need for a veterinarian,” and 44.2 per cent did not

use a veterinarian because the operator provided the

animals’ health care.

15

FEATURE ARTICLE

CONTACTS IN THE EVENT OF A

DISEASE OUTBREAK

If a foreign animal disease outbreak, such as foot and

mouth disease, were to occur in the United States,

early detection would be critical in mitigating the ef-

fects of the outbreak.

Ensuring that the people most likely to be contacted

in the event of an outbreak are aware of the appro-

priate procedures for reporting a potential outbreak

will help speed diagnosis and response.

Most operations (85.1 per cent) would be very likely

to contact a private veterinarian directly if they had

an animal they suspected of having a foreign animal

disease. This finding is consistent with findings from

previous NAHMS studies on individual commodities

(USDA, 2008, 2009).

INFORMATION AND TRAINING NEEDS

Operators of small–scale operations are a diverse

group with varying levels of experience in farming.

Many operators have spent a lifetime farming or

ranching, while others are relatively new to the busi-

ness. Based on research by the Economic Research

Service in 2007, about 22 per cent of all US farms

were operated by producers who had been in farming

for 10 years or less (ERS, 2009). Federal agencies and

universities provide relevant training and informa-

tional resources to assist small–scale operations.

During this study, topics in which small–scale opera-

tors wanted more training, as well as their prefer-

ences for receiving that training, were identified. The

highest percentage of operations deemed training on

animal health/diseases and how to transfer the farm

to the next generation very useful (41.0 and 40.9 per

cent of operations, respectively). The highest percent-

age of operations preferred to get their training

through the local extension office (56.0 per cent) or

via written publication (49.4 per cent).

SUMMARY

Practising good biosecurity is an important part of

animal health management and can reduce the risk of

disease introduction and disease spread. About half of

small–scale operations had multiple species present,

which can have implications for disease transmission

and, therefore, increases the need for good biosecu-

rity practices.

Quarantine is an important biosecurity practice.

About half the operations rarely or never quaran-

tined new animals or animals that left the farm and

returned.

In the West region, mobile slaughter services were

used by about one of four operations. Depending on

the biosecurity practices implemented by the

providers of this service, use of mobile slaughter

services could increase or decrease the risk of dis-

ease spread among operations.

Veterinarians play an important role in the produc-

tivity of small–scale operations. Many operations had

not used a veterinarian during the previous 12

months. Some of these operations provided their

own health care for livestock. In the event of a sus-

pected or actual foreign animal disease outbreak,

however, the majority of operations said they were

very likely to contact a private veterinarian directly.....

French Study Investigates Cage Hygiene, Laying Location and Egg Quality

16

New research from France indicates that eggs laid in

the nest boxes of furnished cages were cleaner –

both visually and microbiologically – when the nests

were lined with a plastic mesh than with artificial

turf. Eggs laid in the pecking/scratching area were

cleaner when it was covered with the artificial turf

than with a rubber mat. The provision of litter in the

pecking/scratching area did not affect on cage hy-

giene.

The effects of linings and litter provision in furnished

(enriched or colony) cages for laying hens were in-

vestigated by Maryse Guinebretière and colleagues

at the French Agency for Food, Environmental and

Occupational Health Safety (Anses) in Ploufragan.

In a paper published in Poultry Science, they explain

that their study investigated the influence of litter

provision and linings used for nests and pecking and

scratching areas on cage hygiene, laying location and

egg quality.

Research was carried out in furnished cages, each

housing 60 beak–trimmed ISA Brown hens. Four dif-

Feature Article

French Study Investigates CageHygiene, Laying Location and Egg Quality

17

FEATURE ARTICLE

-ferent treatments were compared in a factorial

arrangement, including two different nest linings (ar-

tificial turf versus plastic mesh), either used alone or

combined with the use of litter (wheat bran) spread

over the rubber mat in the pecking and scratching

area (PSA). An additional treatment, using artificial

turf mat in the PSA and nests – as commonly used

in commercial flocks – was used to compare the ef-

fect of PSA lining in the other treatments.

The researchers observed laying location, the num-

ber of dirty and broken eggs, the microbiological

contamination of eggshells according to laying loca-

tion, and general cage hygiene.

The use of nests for laying decreased when they

were lined with plastic mesh. Eggs laid outside the

nest were of lower quality than those laid inside it,

and this was particularly true for eggs laid in the PSA.

Although hygiene was low on artificial turf mats, eggs

laid on PSA covered with a rubber mat were dirtier

and had a higher count of mesophilic bacteria on the

eggshell than those laid on PSA covered with an ar-

tificial turf mat. Rubber mats in the PSA were rapidly

destroyed and proved to be unsuitable.

The provision of litter had no effect on cage hygiene

but substantially increased wear on mats.

This study shows nest lining and litter provision meth-

ods to be key factors that need to be taken into ac-

count to encourage the use of nest boxes for laying,

and hence, to ensure good egg quality, concluded

Guinebretière and her colleagues. They add that fur-

ther research into new linings for PSA is needed for

the future improvement of egg-laying conditions.

REFERENCE

Guinebretière M., A. Huneau–Salaün, D. Huonnic and V.

Michel. 2012. Cage hygiene, laying location, and egg

quality: The effects of linings and litter provision in fur-

nished cages for laying hens. Poult. Sci. 91(4):808-816.

doi: 10.3382/ps.2011-01881

FURTHER READING

You can view the full report (fee payable) by clicking

here.

Poultry Industry News

NEW INSIGHTS INTO CAMPYLOBACTER FOOD POISONING BUG

UK - Researchers at the Institute of Food Research

have discovered why the micronutrient selenium is

important to the survival of Campylobacter bacteria,

which are responsible for an estimated half a million

cases of food poisoning annually in the UK alone.

Knowing how and why Campylobacter uses selenium

could help develop ways of controlling it, benefitting

public health and the food industry.

Converting nutrients into energy is essential to all

forms of life, and without this process, known as res-

piration, life would not exist in harsh and hostile con-

ditions. This holds true for the foodborne bacterial

pathogen Campylobacter, which colonises the intes-

tines of poultry. In this environment it uses organic

acids produced by other bacteria to respire and

thrive.

Read More...

ADVICE ON CONTROLLING SALMONELLA IN LAYING FLOCKS

UK - A series of leaflets has been produced by the

Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency in

the UK for the poultry industry on major issues re

lating to Salmonella control in laying hens.

The aim of the leaflets is to highlight the various Sal-

monella control interventions that are currently avail-

able.

Many of the measures identified may also help reduce

other diseases that affect poultry and the costs of

production.

The Agency says that Salmonella is the second most

common cause of bacterial food poisoning in humans

worldwide, causing thousands of cases in the UK

every year.

Although Salmonella Enteritidis is largely under control

in the egg industry, it can still be found in humans and

some foods, so is a constant threat.

Read More...

19

Biosecurity & Hygiene

ANALYSIS - Campylobacter is the most common

source of food poisoning in humans and poultry is

one of the most prevalent sources of the pathogen,

writes Chris Harris.

In the EU in 2010, there was a total of 212,064 re-

ported cases of poisoning through Campylobacter -

a rise of seven per cent on the previous year.

This was the fifth successive year that the number of

cases in the EU rose and the European Food Safety

Authority is concerned that the rise is continuing.

The cost of campylobacteriosis to public health sys-

tems and to lost productivity in the EU is estimated

by EFSA to be around €2.4 billion a year.

Raw poultry meat is often contaminated with

Campylobacter since the bacterium can live in the

intestines of healthy birds. It is also found in pigs and

cattle.

Eating undercooked chicken, or ready-to-eat foods

that have been in contact with raw chicken, is the

most common source of infection.

In its assessments, EFSA has found that chickens and

chicken meat may directly account for 20-30 per

cent of human cases.

Johan Giesecke, Chief Scientist at the European Cen-

tre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC),

said: "The increasing trends in human cases of

Campylobacter highlight the need of further joint ef-

forts. For this, EFSA and ECDC will continue to

strengthen their links with all important partners and

foster collaboration in order to decrease the occur-

rence of these diseases in the EU."

EU FARM TO FORK APPROACH

The EU has adopted a farm to fork approach to tack-

ling the threat of Campylobacter to humans with a

programme that consists of both risk assessment and

risk management measures.

The European Commission is at present carrying out

a cost benefit analysis of control measures for the

bacteria at different stages of the food chain.

The European Food Safety Authority has supported

this research with an analysis across the EU of the

prevalence of Campylobacter in chicken and by pro-

viding advice on possible reduction methods.

The results of an EFSA survey that were published in

2010 showed that the bacterium was found in 75 per

cent of chickens.

Advice from EFSA's Panel on Biological Hazards

said that pre-slaughter measures could reduce the

amount of contamination by 50 per cent and meat

production measures could reduce the public health

risk by 90 per cent.

A coordinated approach by the EU and Member

States helped to reduce human Salmonella cases by

almost one-half over a five-year period (2004-2009),

from 196,000 cases in 2004 to 108,000 cases in 2009.

Now the EU is looking at a similar approach to re-

duce the number of cases of Campylobacter.

The 2010 study showed that 29.6 per cent of the

fresh broiler meat sampled at slaughter, processing

Tackling the Threat of Campylobacter

20

Poultry Industry News

and at retail in 2010, in the EU was contaminated

with Campylobacter. As in previous years, the pro-

portions of Campylobacter-positive broiler meat

samples, at any sampling level varied widely among

the EU states with Austria, Hungary, Ireland, Luxem-

bourg, Poland, Slovenia and Spain recording very high

or extremely high proportions of positive samples -

either more than 50 per cent to more than 70 per

cent.

The data reported in 2010 revealed a large variation

in proportions of positive samples at all three sam-

pling stages. At the slaughterhouse, the level ranged

from 8.5 per cent in Estonia to 63.4 per cent in Ire-

land; at processing, from 8.9 per cent in Belgium to

90 per cent in Austria; and at retail, from 3.1 per cent

in Austria to 58.8 per cent in Luxembourg.

The survey also showed that four out of 11 states

that reported incidence in poultry flocks recorded

occurrences of more than 72 per cent although the

Baltic countries of Estonia, Finland and Norway had

low incidence in their flocks of under six per cent.

Denmark Finland, Sweden and Norway have all had

flock monitoring systems in place for several years.

However, the highest number of cases was reported

from Spain, with more than 82 per cent of flocks hav-

ing Campylobacter - a rise from the 59 per cent of

flocks reported by Spain in 2009.

UK FOODBORNE DISEASE STRATEGY

In the United Kingdom, a Foodborne Disease Strat-

egy 2010-2015 has been developed by the Food

Standards Agency with the desired outcome that

"food produced or sold in the UK is safe to eat".

Tackling Campylobacter in UK-produced chicken is

the main priority of the strategy.

A Campylobacter Risk Management Programme has

been developed, encompassing a range of projects

targeted at different points across the food chain,

from farm to fork. The Programme aims to reduce

Campylobacter to a specified target: a reduction in

the percentage of chickens that have the highest level

of contamination (i.e. those with more than 1,000

cfu) from a baseline of 27 per cent to a target of 10

per cent by April 2015.

FSIS GUIDELINES FOR CONTROLLING

CAMPYLOBACTER

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Pre-

vention estimates that Campylobacter is present in

about 47 per cent of raw chicken breasts.

It is estimated that about 2 million cases of campy-

lobacteriosis occur each year in the US and the cost

of Campylobacter infections to the US economy, in-

cluding medical care, lost work hours, and pain and

suffering for its victims is estimated at $18.8 billion

every year.

The CDC has been carrying out surveys on the

prevalence of the disease since the 1980s and the

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has pub-

lished a set of guidelines for controlling both salmo-

nella and campylobacter in poultry.

The guidelines say: "FSIS expects plants to have food

safety systems designed to ensure birds are

processed in a manner that reduces possible contam-

ination during slaughter and dressing.

"FSIS expects plants to have treatments in place to

reduce the level of incoming contamination on the

exterior of the birds throughout the operation. The

procedures and treatments the plants use to reduce

contamination should be documented as part of their

food safety systems."

The strategies used to reduce the incidence of

Campylobacter contamination within the poultry

plant are an essential part of the processor's Hazard

Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan.

Last year, FSIS also established new sampling criteria

in the plants to screen for Campylobacter contami-

nation. At the time of publishing new criteria, it was

estimated they could reduce the number of Campy-

lobacter poisoning incidence by 20,000 a year. This

has now been reduced to 5,000.

Campylobacter is present inabout 47 per cent of rawchicken breasts.

21

Biosecurity & Hygiene

The Campylobacter sample set criteria for tracking

and reporting 1-mL results are eight positive samples

acceptable per 51-sample set for young chickens and

three positive samples acceptable per 56-sample set

for turkeys.

DEVELOPMENT OF VACCINE

Now, however, a vaccine could be developed to tackle

Campylobacter in chickens.

Scientists at Washington State University are studying

the maternal antibodies that are passed from hens to

their chicks.

The antibodies protect chicks from becoming

colonised by Campylobacter in the first week of life.

"Our group has now identified the bacterial mole-

cules that these antibodies attack, which has given us

a starting point for a vaccine against Campylobacter,"

said Professor Michael Konkel, leading the research.

"We have already found that chickens injected with

these specific molecules - found on the surface of

Campylobacter jejuni - produce antibodies against the

bacterium. This response partially protects them from

colonisation."

The research team hopes to test a vaccine for chick-

ens that will reduce Campylobacter colonisation lev-

els. There's still a long way to go, but I'm confident

our lab and others are moving in the right direction."

Controlling food-borne illness through vaccination

would have a significant impact both in the UK and

globally in the next six months.

"A safe food supply is central to human health. If we

can decrease the load of human pathogens in food

animals, then we can reduce human illness," said Pro-

fessor Konkel.

HALAMID STAMPS OUTCAMPYLOBACTER

GLOBAL - Bacteria and viruses that may cause poul-

try diseases are not only a direct concern in view of

animal welfare and maximizing broiler production.

Campylobacter, Salmonella and Listeria - often pres-

ent in poultry meat – also directly affect consumer

safety and cause millions of incidents of human dis-

eases annually.

The awareness that production of safe poultry meat

does not start at the processor but at the farm has

been generally adopted. Disinfection of meat – often

illegal – is fighting the symptoms, not the cause. Also

more recent research into “disinfecting” live animals

by feeding broilers certain non-antibiotic bacterial

killers shortly before slaughtering falls into this cate-

gory and can give rise to objectionable residues in

food. The only acceptable way forward is a clean and

sound farm to fork approach with a focus on biose-

curity. This begins with a strict hygiene management

and disinfection program at...

Read More...

22

Poultry Industry News

CLEANING AND DISINFECTION OFLAYER HOUSES

BELGIUM - The poultry industry is a dynamic one

and the egg producers, who are part of it, are no ex-

ception to the rule, according to CID LINES.

The traditional cage ban that was introduced in EU

at the beginning of 2012 is a prime example of how

the poultry production industry needs to be flexible

and ready for changes in order to be sustainable

today and in the future.

The main goal of the ban of traditional cages is to

raise the hen welfare standards but what about the

hygiene standards in the alternative layer housing sys-

tems? The cages scored well on egg and hen hygiene

and had relatively less dust flying around in them.

Because the hens are occupying the layer house up

to 58 weeks, a high level of soiling (manure, feed, dust,

scale, etc.) can be expected.

Read More...

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SALMONELLA NATIONAL CONTROLPROGRAMMES IN POULTRY

UK - The UK poultry industry has an excellent

record of Salmonella control and one of the lowest

Salmonella prevalence levels of all the large poultry

producing countries in the EU.

Since the 1990s, Government and industry-led initia-

tives, especially those linked to industry assurance

schemes in the broiler and layer sectors, have put the

UK in a very good position in terms of Salmonella

control.

This has been demonstrated in recent years through

the implementation of the Salmonella National Con-

trol Programmes (NCPs) in the breeding chicken, lay-

ing chicken, broiler and turkey sectors and the very

encouraging results from the monitoring carried out

under these programmes.

The primary emphasis of the NCPs...

Read More...

23

Biosecurity & Hygiene

FOODBORNE PATHOGENS REVEALEDIN MALAYSIAN DUCK SURVEY

MALAYSIA - On average, more than half of ducks

were positive for Campylobacter and the figure for

Salmonella was 20 per cent, according to a review by

scientists in Malaysia.

Ducks are more frequently contaminated with

Campylobacter than Salmonella, and the bacteria ex-

hibited varying resistance to multiple antibiotics, ac-

cording to Frederick Adzitey and colleagues at

Universiti Sains Malaysia in Pulau Pinang in the journal,

Foodborne Pathogens and Disease. There was very little

information on Listeria contamination in ducks, they

said.

The researchers’ survey examines the prevalence and

antibiotic resistance of Campylobacter, Salmonella

and L. monocytogenes isolated from ducks.

The observed prevalence of these pathogens and

their resistance to various antibiotics varies from one

study to the other, they said.

Read More...

AUSTRALIA BOOSTS BIOSECURITYMEASURES

AUSTRALIA - A A$524.2 million investment in Aus-

tralia’s biosecurity system included in the latest Fed-

eral Budget will deliver a state-of-the-art quarantine

facility and strengthen Australia’s defences against

pests and diseases.

This new funding will see more than A$1.6 billion in-

vested in biosecurity by the Federal Government

since 2009, safeguarding the agricultural sector and

underpinning Australia’s strong reputation as a reli-

able exporter of high-quality food and fibre.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Sen-

ator Joe Ludwig said A$379.9 million has been allo-

cated over seven years for the construction of a

state-of-the-art post-entry quarantine facility in Mel-

bourne.

“This facility will mean Australia will have the newest

and most advanced technology available to manage

the import of high-risk plant and animal material,”

Read More...

PCS POULTRY OFFERS EASIERTREATMENT SOLUTION AGAINSTRED MITE

UK - Signs of red mite can include bird restlessness,

pale combs, loss of feathers and blood spots on eggs.

With a risk of egg production being affected, there

would undoubtedly be an economic loss.

Some poultry farmers regard treating red mite as an

expense to be avoided. Perhaps because they think

they won’t get red mite, or they haven’t quantified the

potential economics losses.

If, for example, 1 egg per week per bird at peak pro-

duction was lost due to the effect of red mite, the

cost per egg on average was six and a half pence; a

typical 12000 free-range layer unit could lose just

under £800.

There are many red mite control products on the

market, however, FOSSILSHIELD is a non-toxic di-

atomaceous earth and is unique...

Read More...

BIOSECURITY FOR THE MODERNPOULTRY FARMER

UK - Biosecurity is a term that has been discussed

for many years but the goalposts keep moving. From

initial concerns that the problem was caused only by

the feed Optivite now realises that feed is not the

source of the problem with just 1.3 per cent of poul-

try meals and 1.1 per cent of poultry extrusions test-

ing positive in the UK in 2010.

At the same time there were 474 Salmonella inci-

dents in broilers reported in 2010 – up by 7.2 per

cent from 2009 accounting for 73 per cent of the in-

cidents with layers testing positive at 21.7 per cent.

It is clear that feed can be a source of disease but it

is not the only one and any biosecurity programme

needs to encompass all sectors of poultry production

and finally help realise the importance of the intestine

of the chicken as part of the immune system.

Read More...

Poultry Industry News

WORLD POULTRY 2012: FOCUS ONWELFARE, CONSUMER SAFETY

BELGIUM - The main focus of the second and final

day of the World Poultry 2012 conference in Brussels

was on the broad themes of welfare regulations and

consumer safety, reports senior editor, Jackie Linden.

In his summing up of the second day of the World

Poultry 2012 conference, session chairman, Cees Ver-

meeren singled out the presentation by José Manuel

Arana of Mexico as one that points to a right future

for the sector. Mr Arana is President and General

Manager of Tyson de México. He described how he

was managing and driving the business there, high-

lighting the importance of people and their passion

for the business as well as the opportunities offered

by alliances with other food processors.

Turning the attention of the audience to regulatory

issues, Agnetha Norgren of the DG for Health &

Consumers of the European Commission outlined

the current status of the broiler welfare regulations

in the EU from the regulators’ point of view.

Read More...

TREATING POULTRY DISEASESWITHOUT ANTIBIOTICS

US - Identifying antimicrobial proteins in chickens

that kill pathogens is one method being used by US

Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists to find

alternatives to the use of antibiotics to control infec-

tious poultry diseases.

Each year, poultry diseases such as coccidiosis cause

losses of more than $600 million in the United States

and $3.2 billion worldwide.

Molecular biologist Hyun Lillehoj, at the Agricultural

Research Service (ARS) Henry A. Wallace Beltsville

Agricultural Research Center (BARC) in Beltsville,

Maryland, has dedicated her career to discovering

how to produce poultry without using drugs. Her re-

search includes enhancing innate immunity through

genetics, and examining molecules produced by birds

in response to enteric or intestinal pathogens.

Read More...

25

Health & Welfare News

ANIMAL HEALTH ACT TO IMPROVEDISEASE CONTROL

CANADA - Don McRae, Minister of Agriculture for

British Columbia clarifies provisions within the new

Animal Health Act and allays concerns expressed by

some, specifically around privacy issues and disclosure

of disease outbreaks.

"To be clear, the rules on reporting news of a disease

outbreak do not change with the new Animal Health

Act. As soon as a disease is actually confirmed, that in-

formation would be made public just the same way it

has always been, typically through the Canadian Food

Inspection Agency (CFIA), Fisheries and Oceans

Canada or the Province’s chief veterinarian.

"What the new Animal Health Act guards against is in-

complete or unconfirmed information being made

public that would unfairly harm the reputation and

livelihood of the families that make their living as farm-

ers. We recognize that upon confirmation of a disease

it is essential the public receives complete, accurate,

and consistent information and advice on how they

can protect their health.

Read More...

CUTTING VACCINATIONS COULDPROVE A COSTLY MISTAKE

UK - Poultry producers that are facing expensive

feed and fuel costs shouldn’t be tempted to cut cor-

ners when it comes to vaccines, according to Merial

Animal Health Avian Manager, Helen Houghton.

She says: “Prices are rising and people are looking to

cut costs, but it’s a risk if you cut out vaccines.”

Helen advises producers that most respiratory dis-

eases are best treated with vaccines via spray appli-

cation. Gut-borne diseases should be prevented by

the vaccine being added to drinking water.

Producers can get the most out of spray vaccinations

for respiratory diseases like Infectious Bronchitis and

Avian Metapneumovirus (TRT) by following a few

simple steps.

For broilers, protection from good spray vaccination

reduces the possibility of economic losses caused by

diseases that enter...

Read More...

NEW TECHNIQUE USED TO DISCOVER NEW VIRUSES IN POULTRY

US - In a search to find better ways to control viral

enteric diseases in birds, US Department of Agricul-

ture (USDA) scientists have unearthed a treasure

trove of previously known and unknown viruses in

poultry by using a powerful new molecular tool

called metagenomics.

Each year, disorders like poult enteritis mortality syn-

drome, poult enteritis complex, and runting-stunting

syndrome cause diarrhea in turkeys and chickens, re-

sulting in decreased weight, mortality and increased

production costs. Several viruses have been associ-

ated with enteric or intestinal diseases, but no single

causative agent has been found.

Unlike traditional sequencing that characterizes

genes in a single organism...

Read More...

CUTTING ANIMAL TRANSPORT TIMEJUST THE START

EU - The welfare of animals in transport must be im-

proved, but cutting transport time to eight hours must

be supplemented by other measures, such as support

for local slaughterhouses and meat processing plants,

upgrading transport vehicles and full and uniform con-

trol of compliance with existing rules throughout the

EU, said many Agriculture Committee MEPs in a de-

bate.

The problem is serious but also complex, noted rap-

porteur for the own-initiative report Janusz Woj-

ciechowski (ECR, PL).

"We should insist on limiting such transport for all

types of animals," he said, adding that the solution

should not be limited solely to cutting animal trans-

port times - a view echoed by many other MEPs.

Read More...

Poultry Industry News

26

VETERINARIANS DEMAND FASTERDIAGNOSTICS

FRANCE - Speed and accuracy are the key features

that veterinarians and farmers want from diagnostic

tests, a new Europe wide survey has revealed.

More than 334 individuals from 8 countries were

asked about their current usage and knowledge of di-

agnostics, and asked what they would like to see in

the future. Greater accuracy was the number one

need among veterinarians, mentioned by 37 per cent,

followed by more speed (22 per cent); cost savings

(16 per cent) and greater confidence in the results

(8 per cent) were other features that they would like

to see improved.

The survey, which was commissioned by global

biotechnology company Life Technologies, showed

that most test results are currently available in one

to three days, but still a significant proportion have

to wait three to six days for results (39 per cent) or

even more than six days (20 per cent).

Read More...

LISTENING TO CHICKENS COULD IMPROVE POULTRY PRODUCTION

US - Chickens cannot speak but they can definitely

make themselves heard. Most people who have vis-

ited a poultry farm will recall chicken vocalisation -

the technical term for clucking and squawking - as a

memorable part of the experience.

Researchers now believe that such avian expressive-

ness may be more than idle chatter, according to Sci-

enceDaily. A collaborative project being conducted

by the Georgia Institute of Technology and the Uni-

versity of Georgia is investigating whether the birds'

volubility can provide clues to how healthy and com-

fortable they are.

And that could be valuable information. Economically,

chickens rule the roost in Georgia, where poultry is

the top agricultural product with an estimated annual

impact of nearly $20 billion statewide. There is indus-

try concern about the welfare of the animals they

raise; anything that helps growers...

Read More...

ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES FORKEEPING ANIMALS HEALTHY

GLOBAL - The general public needs to know more

about the importance of preventing and controlling

livestock diseases and the financial impact they would

have on our lives and food supply if left unchecked,

writes Cyril G. Gay, of the USDA Agricultural Re-

search Service (ARS).

Part of our mission at the USDA Agricultural Re-

search Service is to conduct research to protect the

safety of our nation’s agriculture and food supply

through improved disease detection, prevention and

control, writes Dr Gay, ARS National Program Leader

for Animal Health and Safety in Beltsville, Maryland

in the latest issue of Healthy Animals from the USDA

ARS.

Antibiotics are recognised as one of the most impor-

tant biomedical discoveries for treating infectious dis-

eases of animals and humans.

Read More...

EIMERIA ACROSS AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA - Dr Jess Morgan, University of Queens-

land Research Fellow and Poultry CRC sub-project

leader, is currently working towards characterising

Australian strains of Eimeria, which cause coccidiosis.

Within Australia, each species of Eimeria may be rep-

resented by one large inter-breeding population,

where outbreak strains sweep the country each year

like a flu epidemic. Alternatively, strains may be spa-

tially diversified, with geographic barriers helping to

maintain their unique genetics.

Using neutral genetic markers (DNA markers not

under selection pressure), this research will provide

information about how strains relate to one another.

Understanding the relatedness of strains will indicate

how Australian strains of Eimeria have spread over

time through the continent.

Dr Morgan explains her interest in this field of study:

“I find molecular parasitology rewarding...

Read More...

27

Health & Welfare News

IS ETHANOL PRODUCTION LINKED TOANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE?

US - Two US congressmen have written to the Food

and Drug Administration (FDA) to ask what the

agency is doing to ensure appropriate use of antibi-

otics in food-animal production.

Representatives Edward J. Markey and Louise Slaugh-

ter ae concerned that corn-based livestock feed could

be linked to a sharp rise in antibiotic resistance.

They say that the same antibiotics that are used in an-

imal agriculture, such as penicillin and erythromycin,

are also used by ethanol producers to prevent bacte-

rial growth during the corn-based ethanol fermenta-

tion process.

Producers then sell the byproduct of ethanol produc-

tion as livestock and poultry feed, a use that...

Read More...

HEALTHY ANIMALS MAKE CONFIDENT CONSUMERS: REPORT

US - Many groups in society, including politicians, ac-

tivists, scientists, and stakeholders, are advocating sig-

nificant changes to livestock production practices.

According to the Council for Agricultural Science and

Technology, these changes include modification of

stocking densities, limitations on antimicrobial use,

and requirements for outdoor "experiences." Such

changes may affect animal health. Simultaneously, con-

sumers are demanding virtually risk-free food, and

they think food safety should be addressed on-farm

as well as during processing. Understanding the com-

plex relationship between animal health and food

safety is critical.

Led by Task Force Chair Scott Hurd, the authors of

this new CAST Commentary will...

Read More...

Poultry Industry News

POULTRY FARMS SHOW INTEREST INAUSTRALIAN EMUS

INDIA - Australian Emu birds are becoming popular

among households in the south Indian state of Kerala

with more families showing interest in rearing the

birds as a supplementary income.

In view of increased interest among domestic poultry

rearers, government agencies have drawn up plans to

popularise rearing of the bird, reports Bernama.com,

citing Press Trust of India.

State-run company Meat Products of India (MPI) is

establishing a 100-bird farm at Koothattukulam near

Kochi primarily for its meat, while the State Animal

Husbandry Department is planning to launch various

schemes this year to popularise the exotic bird.

The Kerala State Poultry Development Corporation

(KEPCO), meanwhile, has said it will go into emu

farming after a careful study of the market.

Read More...

SUCCESSFUL HUBBARD GRANDPARENT FORUM 2012

US - In 2012 Hubbard recently held a successful GP

Forum for some of their Classic and H1 customers

from the Americas, Asia and the Middle East. This year

Hubbard LLC hosted this important event between

23 to 27 April at its USA production centre and the

Sheraton Read House Hotel in Chattanooga.

Each morning presentations were given on different

aspects of the management of Hubbard Grandparent

Stock and technicians presented their individual ex-

periences from around the world. On the final day

there were presentations on nutrition, hatchery and

hatch day breakout.

The afternoon sessions were conducted at Hubbard’s

production facilities, which included visits to rearing

and production Grandparent farms and to the Hub-

bard Grandparent hatchery in Pikeville, Tennessee

with a capacity of 12 million breeders per year.

Read More...

29

Breeding & Genetics

AVIAGEN DEVELOPS NEW TECHNIQUE TO IMPROVE HATCHAFTER LONGER EGG STORAGE

GLOBAL - Aviagen’s specialist hatchery team sup-

ports customers to get better results from their

hatcheries. Part of the team’s remit is to investigate

and evaluate better ways of handling, storing and in-

cubating eggs.

One of the challenges many GP customers face is

how to achieve the best possible hatch and chick

quality from stored eggs. Tests in the USA, Europe and

Australasia have demonstrated big improvements in

hatchability and chick quality when stored eggs are

given short periods at incubation temperature during

storage (SPIDES).

Dr Dinah Nicholson, Aviagen Global Manager -

Hatchery Development and Support, said: “The im-

provement in hatchability we see when we use SPI-

DES on stored eggs is a fantastically...

Read More...

COBB AFRICA TECHNICAL SCHOOLHOSTED BY IRVINE’S ZIMBABWE

ZIMBABWE - More than 100 delegates from nine

African countries took part in a three-day Cobb

technical school organised by Cobb Africa and run at

Irvine’s Zimbabwe at Harare.

Twenty international parent stock customers from

countries stretching from Senegal to Mauritius were

joined by customers from Zimbabwe, contract grow-

ers for Irvine’s Zimbabwe and technical staff.

“There was excellent participation from all delegates

making the school a huge success,” said Patrick Mur-

phy, general manager of Cobb Africa. “The school

provided very useful training with guest speakers

from four countries.

“The delegates told us afterwards what a great help

and good experience it was meeting all these Cobb

customers, adding up to a really memorable event.”

Read More...

AVIAGEN.COMAVIAGEN BRANDS

Aviagen leads with better birds and better products, investing aggressively to ensure you are getting the best chicken today and tomorrow. By committing 10% of annual revenue to our breeding program we produce genetic improvements in feed efficiency, growth, fertility and bird health that can be quantified in our three leading commercial brands, year after year. When you partner with Aviagen you share in unrivalled innovation, the largest network of 15 global supply locations and the expertise of accessible, regional teams serving 130 markets worldwide. Aviagen is the future of chicken. 

W E D O N ’ T J U S T G R O W CHICKENS.WE BREED SUCCESS.

G L O B A L L E A D E R . L O C A L PA R T N E R . R I G H T C H O I C E .

Poultry Industry News

VISTACELL BAGS NEWDISTRIBUTOR IN ITALY

ITALY - AB Vista has announces a new distribution

partner in Italy for Vistacell. From April, Mazzoleni

Prodotti Zootecnici will be the sole distributor of

this popular live yeast product for use with a wide

range of animal species to the Italian market.

Based in Cologno al Serio, Bergamo, Mazzoleni

Prodotti Zootecnici has worked with feed additives

and premixes since 1984 and have recently invested

in a new premix production plant in Cappella Can-

tone (Cremona). The Italian company is well focused

and skilled in yeasts and yeast based products and

provides an extensive range of other services and

products.

Currently worth around £80 million in total sales and

growing by 5-10 per cent year on year – Vistacell is

used mainly in dairy feeds but increasingly for other

species. It helps improve fibre digestion and dry mat-

ter intake, resulting in improved productive and re-

productive performance – and, ultimately, financial

gain for livestock producers.

Ari Kiviniemi, Sales Director, AB Vista, said: “I am de-

lighted to confirm the name of our...

Read More...

UNLOCKING HOME–GROWN FEEDPROTEINS

UK - A key element of animal feed is protein and

much of the world’s animal diets include soya.

Often imported from Brazil, there are many concerns

about soya production and its environmental impact.

FAI is taking part in trials to evaluate home grown

proteins for poultry and pig diets. This season spring

beans and peas are being tried, but the project will

also look into the opportunities for algae.

The project is funded by the EU Commission and FAI

will be working with 15 other research bodies across

the continent.

Read More...

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Poultry Industry News

32

PHYZYME XP: DOSE FOR PROFITAND COMBAT THE PHYTATE EFFECT

GLOBAL - Optimising the use of phytase, to counter

the anti-nutrient effects of phytate in the diet, can

considerably increase the energy and protein value

of feed ingredients and reduce the need for phos-

phates in diet formulations, leading to substantial feed

cost savings.

Not all phytases are equal when countering the costly

‘phytate-effect’ in the diet of animals, as confirmed by

new research1 published in the international journal,

Analytical Biochemistry.

THE PHYTATE EFFECT

Not only is phytate the principal storage form of

phosphorus in many raw materials such as cereals,

seeds, vegetables and legumes, it also reduces the

availability of a range of nutrients to the animal.

Read More...

NOVUS COMMITTED TO LOCAL, SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FORGROWING PROTEIN DEMAND

GLOBAL - The worldwide demand for protein has

risen rapidly over the past decade and will only con-

tinue to grow as economies strengthen. Novus rec-

ognizes the opportunities and challenges this demand

presents and is working to provide solutions that re-

sult in affordable, wholesome food.

"It is our mission at Novus to make a clear difference

in sustainably meeting the growing global needs for

nutrition and health. We foster this mission by helping

produce a sustainable, wholesome food supply

through localized animal nutrition solutions," says

Novus President and CEO, Thad Simons. "Although

we operate in a global marketplace, we know that

our customers' needs vary based on their location.

By actually living and working in their specific geog-

raphies, we are able to contribute to an improved

quality of life through food, nutrition and supplemen-

tal innovation."

Read More...

POULTRY FEED PRODUCT PRICESDECLINE

INDIA - Despite some recovery in soyameal, prices

of poultry feed products decreased by Rs 10-20 for

a 30-kg and 50-kg bag.

Artificial scarcity created by traders and stock hold-

ers in the domestic market is the prime reason be-

hind the recovery in soyameal prices, said Mr Subhash

Sharma, Financial Head, Sarvottam Poultry Feed Sup-

ply Centre Pvt Ltd.

Prices of feed products have been slashed because of

the continuous fall in the prices of maize and bajra,

he said. There is too much volatility in the soyameal

market and this is the prime reason behind the nom-

inal decline in the prices of feed, said market sources.

Demand of poultry feed products in domestic market

and from other States is good and prices may rule

around current levels for next 10-15 days, said Mr

Sharma. .

Read More...

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Poultry Industry News

34

OPTIVITE LAUNCHES ULTRABOND:NEW, EFFECTIVE PROTECTIONAGAINST MYCOTOXINS

UK - A new mycotoxin binder called Ultrabond has

been launched by Optivite; uniquely, it has high bind-

ing ability not only against the most common myco-

toxins but also against many of the most dangerous.

No region or country is immune from mycotoxins

and the risk of contamination is growing. Mycotoxin

binders are recognised as being hugely valuable in

preventing them from being absorbed through the

gut and into the blood circulation. Mycotoxin binders

are especially effective when feeds and feedstuffs can-

not be checked on a regular basis and other preven-

tative methods have failed.

Ultrabond has a dual-action activity, which involves a

combination of immune-supportive agents that em-

power the hepatic detox processes, by aiding health

and liver function, together with an optimum balance

of aluminosilicates - the surface area and structure

of which maximise the absorption and retention of

mycotoxins.

Read More...

ASSESSING SAFETY OFENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM IN FEED

EU - The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has

developed pioneering guidance for the safety assess-

ment of one of the most common probiotics used in

animal feed, Enterococcus faecium.

The guidance provides a new methodology for dis-

tinguishing between safe and potentially harmful

strains of E. faecium in animal nutrition. It is intended

for use by feed additive producers submitting appli-

cations to EFSA for safety assessment.

Enterococci are well-known bacteria and are found

in abundance in the gastrointestinal tract of both an-

imals and humans. They are often used in the produc-

tion of feed additives as a probiotic to prevent

diarrhoea or to improve growth in animals. The effi-

cacy of the feed additives is assessed by EFSA’s ex-

perts together with their safety. Over the last 20

years, certain antibiotic-resistant, infectious strains of

enterococci, including E. faecium, have been identified

in hospital patients. Outside healthcare settings, en-

terococci very rarely present a risk of infection for

humans.

Read More...RECORD FEED GRAIN PRODUCTIONPROJECTED FOR 2012/13

US - Feed grain production for 2012/13 is projected

at 390 million metric tons, up from 324 million the

previous year.

An anticipated large corn crop in addition to a re-

covering production for sorghum, barley, and oats

boosts the production outlook. According to the

USDA's Feed Outlook report for May 2012, with the

exception of barley, acreage is projected higher for

the four feed grains, and yields are projected up.

For corn, sorghum, barley and oats combined, US

planted area is up 5.6 million acres. Harvested area

is projected at 98.3 million acres, up from 91.1 million

last season.

2012/13 beginning feed grain stocks are projected at

24.2 million tons, the...

Read More...

BIOMIN.NET NOW AVAILABLE INSLOVAK

SLOVAKIA - Biomin has now launched a Slovak ver-

sion of the corporate web site, www.biomin.net.

Already available in 10 languages (English, German,

Mandarin, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, Japan-

ese, Czech and Vietnamese) the web site offers its

visitors extensive information about animal health

and nutrition as well as solutions to the challenges

associated with this topic.

Like all other language versions, the newly launched

Slovak site is fully integrated into the web site’s

framework and as such offers useful features like the

multimedia platform called Knowledge Center which

provides technical articles, trial reports, magazines,

picture galleries, videos and more.

Read More...

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Poultry Industry News

VENCOMATIC WINS KONINGWILLEM I AWARD

NETHERLANDS - On Tuesday evening, 8 May, Ven-

comatic received the prestigious ‘Koning Willem I’

award 2012, in the category Small and Medium Sized

Enterprises. During a festive award ceremony, at the

Floriade in Venlo, Cor van de Ven received this pres-

tigious award for entrepreneurship from the hands

of His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange.

The ‘Koning Willem I’ award is the Dutch award for

outstanding entrepreneurs, and often reflected upon

as the Oscar for Dutch entrepreneurs. Every two

years the award is granted. The objective of the ‘Kon-

ing Willem I’ Foundation is to provide the national

economy with new impulses and to subsequently im-

prove the image of the Dutch business industry. The

assessment of the jury focussed on the following as-

pects; guts, drive, sustainability and perseverance.

In the report of the jury the board of the ’Koning

Willem I’ Foundation expresses its appreciation of

the fact that Vencomatic is conscious of its footprint

on this earth.

Read More...

EGG FARMERS WELCOME NEWANIMAL WELFARE LEGISLATION

US - The Association of California Egg Farmers an-

nounced its support for the Egg Products Inspection

Act Amendments of 2012 introduced by Senator

Diane Feinstein.

Among the bill's provisions, it would establish a na-

tional housing standard for egg laying hens. It pro-

poses similar requirements to a bill introduced

earlier in the year in the House of Representatives,

HR 3798, and it is jointly supported by the Humane

Society of the United States (HSUS) and the United

Egg Producers (UEP).

"We thank Senator Feinstein for her leadership and

we are pleased to support this bill. Most importantly,

we welcome the recognition by the Senator and the

HSUS that California's use of the enriched colony

system is indeed a safe and superior...

Read More...

37

Housing & Equipment

FLICKERING LIGHTS CAN BADLYAFFECT POULTRY PRODUCTION

UK - The UK Pig and Poultry Show was a great suc-

cess for Agrilamp this year with customers comment-

ing on how well the Agrilamp lights behaved, "No

Flickering".

This is due to five years of constant research and im-

provement into the development of a lighting solu-

tion specifically for Poultry production. Not least as

important is the advances seen in British developed

cost effective dimmer technology from Agrilamp and

the further development of retrofit equipment that

deals with the issues found when combining old tech-

nology dimmers with new technology Agrilamp.

While Agrilamp functions normally with most dim-

mers on the market, some very old technology dim-

mers expect to see a heavy workload and when it's

not there they respond by switching themselves on

and off rapidly, giving the impression of a flickering

light.

Read More...

Energy

Saving bulbs

www.agrilamp.com

© Copyright Greengage Lighting Ltd 2012. All rights reserved.

Contact

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LTP – LIGHT CONTROL UNITS

ITALY - If light control and management is important

to your production, then the performance of the

Pericoli LTP (Light Trap) units are worthy of a closer

look.

The NEW double wave shape, structure and pitch as-

sembly create an optimal combination of light reduc-

tion (elimination) with a minimal pressure drop.

• Light Reduction from 58,259 lux to 0.0291 Lux*

• Pressure drop of 10pa @ an air speed of 2 m/sec*

The vanes – with a tapered leading edge – are sup-

plied flat packed to reduce shipping volume/cost and

are easily and simply assembled on site in sturdy and

durable galvanized steel frames. The vanes are ex-

truded from virgin PVC materials with a UV stabilizer

and are fully recyclable with an extended life span.

These LTP units can be fitted (original or retro) to

the inlet side of the full range of...

Read More...

ANDRÉ VAN RIJ JOINS PETERSIMEAS AREA SALES MANAGER

GLOBAL - On 1 May, André van Rij (43) joined the

Petersime sales team as the new Area Sales Manager

for The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Austria

and some Asian countries, including PR China.

André van Rij lives in The Netherlands and has a mas-

ter’s degree in International Business and Export

Management. He has been working in the interna-

tional poultry industry for more than 12 years now

and has extensive experience in poultry housing

equipment and breeder and broiler management.

Petersime wishes Mr van Rij all the best in his new

position. He can be contacted at andre.vanrij@pe-

tersime.com.

Read More...

Poultry Industry News

CEVA ASIA PACIFIC HOLDS 1STHATCHERY VACCINATION SUMMIT

SOUTH KOREA - Ceva Animal Health Asia Pacific

held the first “Hatchery Vaccination Summit Asia -

The Future is Today” on Jeju Island, South Korea from

26-17 April 2012. The conference attracted more

than 150 professionals from 10 different Asian coun-

tries who collectively produce over 3 billion broilers.

"Creating platforms such as this to share experiences

in hatchery vaccination is vital if we are to success-

fully meet the needs of future generations for safe

poultry protein,” said Mr Ruud Aerdts, Director of

Ceva Animal Health Asia Pacific, when opening the

conference. “Ceva is committed to continue investing

in developing innovative hatchery solutions that will

make poultry production easier and more effective,”

he insisted.

Mr Gordon Butland, from G&S Agriconsultants ana-

lyzed the “Effects of the current financial crisis on the

global poultry industry” and stressed the challenges

that the Asian poultry industry will face to remain

competitive in the coming years.

Today 60 per cent of all broilers are vaccinated in the

hatchery; a figure that Ceva expects will reach 80 per

cent to 90 per cent over...

Read More...

39

Incubation & Hatching

HY-LINE CELEBRATES OPENING OFNEW PEDIGREE HATCHERY

US - The new Hy-Line International Pedigree Hatch-

ery in Perry, Iowa was recently inaugurated with a

Grand Opening Celebration.

Specifically designed for Hy-Line’s Research and De-

velopment Pedigree Program, the hatchery repre-

sents a significant investment to continue the high

quality standards set by the company. With industry-

leading incubators and equipment coupled with strin-

gent biosecurity measures, the hatchery is the most

up-to-date facility in the industry. The Hy-Line Inter-

national Pedigree Hatchery will be under the direc-

tion of Production Director Dr Antonio Paraguassu.

The two-day celebration allowed employees and local

development officials to tour the new facility before

operations began and biosecurity measures were ac-

tivated. Among those attending were members of the

Perry city government, Perry Chamber of Com-

merce, city, county and regional development officials

and other invited guests.

Read More...

'RED DOT' AWARD FOR DESIGNQUALITY

GERMANY - Pas Reform’s SmartPro™ incubator has

been awarded a prestigious international ‘red dot

award’ for high design quality.

In a statement from the awarding Jury, Pas Reform’s

latest development in single-stage incubation was

highly praised: “The SmartPro™ incubator manifests

a clear, comprehensible design and fulfils the highest

demands expected of technologies for incubation in

terms of reliability and user-friendliness.”

The red dot design award dates back to 1955 and is

now one of the world’s largest and most distin-

guished design competitions, attracting more than

4,500 nominations from 58 countries in 2012.

Pas Reform’s award is for “product design” in the ‘In-

dustry and crafts’ category, emerging as a winner out

of more than 1,800 entries from renowned designers

and emerging international talent.

Read More...

EGGTESTER.COM RENEWSWEBSITE!

US - ORKA Food Technology - better known as

“EggTester.Com” - has updated its website.

The new website is based on the Joomla platform and

the company says it is much more user-friendly and

easier to navigate.

The new website can be found at

www.eggtester.com.

The current range of ORKA comprises:

• The Egg Analyzer; this instrument determines the

weight of eggs, albumen height, Haugh units, yolk

color and USDA grade for routine quality control and

regulatory compliance

• The Egg Force Reader; this device measures the

force required to crush a shell and is a direct meas-

ure of marketability

Read More...

FSIS ISSUES PROPOSED RULE FORMEAT, POULTRY PRODUCTS

US - The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

published in the Federal Register a proposed rule,

Food Ingredients and Sources of Radiation Listed and

Approved for Use in the Production of Meat and

Poultry Products, that would remove sodium ben-

zoate, sodium propionate, and benzoic acid from the

list of substances prohibited from being used in cer-

tain ready-to-eat (RTE) meat or poultry products.

Under the proposed rule, the Food and Drug Admin-

istration would continue to approve for safety uses

of these substances in meat or poultry products and

FSIS would determine their suitability for use in meat

and poultry products. If finalized as proposed, FSIS

would add approved uses of these substances to the

list of approved substances that are in the agency's

Directive 7120.1.

Read More...

Poultry Industry News

MANDATORY WELFARE TRAININGFOR ABATTOIRS

AUSTRALIA - The New South Wales Government

has announced a tough new animal welfare package

to lift animal welfare standards in all domestic abat-

toirs.

The new animal welfare package is part of the NSW

Government’s review of domestic abattoir opera-

tions following the incident at Hawkesbury Valley

Meat Processors in February this year.

“Under the new requirements, each abattoir will be

required to designate an Animal Welfare Officer to

be present on the premises to monitor and take re-

sponsibility for the welfare of animals," said Minister

for Primary Industries, Katrina Hodgkinson.

"Only employees that have undertaken specific ani-

mal welfare officer training will be eligible to be des-

ignated”, Ms Hodgkinson said.

The new animal welfare package announced today by

the NSW Government will ensure the following

measures will be imposed as a...

Read More...

41

Processing & Packaging

AGREEMENT SIGNED FOR TURKEYCOMPLEX

RUSSIA - An agreement to build an integrated turkey

production complex was signed in Tambov last week

between Cherkizovo Group and Grupo Fuertes, a

large agro-industrial company and the leading pro-

ducer of turkey in Spain.

More than €100 million will be invested in the devel-

opment of the project.

As part of the agreement, a turkey meat production

joint venture between Cherkizovo and Grupo

Fuertes has been set up called Tambov Turkey LLC.

Hannes Snellman acted as a legal advisor to Cherki-

zovo Group.

Oleg Betin, Head of Administration of the Tambov re-

gion, Igor Babaev, Chairman of Cherkizovo Group,

Sergey Mikhailov, CEO of Cherkizovo Group, Tomás

Fuertes Fernández, President of Grupo Fuertes, and

Jose Fuertes Fernández, CEO of Grupo Fuertes, took

part in the signing ceremony.

Read more...

CTB NEW LONG TERM OWNER OFMEYN

NETHERLANDS - CTB, Inc. has reached an agree-

ment to acquire Meyn Holding. B.V., a parent com-

pany to Meyn Food Processing Technology B.V., the

global leading poultry processing equipment com-

pany, from Altor 2003 Fund.

Headquartered in The Netherlands, Meyn is the

global market leader in poultry processing equip-

ment, serving industrial poultry processors world-

wide through its offering of full “wall-to-wall”

solutions. Meyn develops, manufactures, markets and

distributes its poultry processing solutions globally

to over 90 countries.

Han Defauwes, President and CEO of Meyn, com-

ments, “Meyn has under the ownership of Altor, be-

come the global leader in poultry processing

solutions. Meyn has successfully developed its serv-

ices to encompass the entire poultry processing

value chain, providing market...

Read More...

QUALITY IN MEAT-BONE SEPARATION

ALGERIA - At the DJAZAGRO exhibition in Algiers

recently, French company LIMA, promoted their RM

70 S model, which is mainly dedicated in the North

African market to the poultry industry.

It can process at high yield up to 600 kg/input per

hour (1.300 lbs/h) of whole birds or carcases and

parts such as chicken necks, chicken legs or wings.

The recovered meat has a good fibrous meat texture,

ideal for further processing in patties, hamburgers,

sausages etc.

Over the years this model has become one of LIMA's

best sellers worldwide.

Their offer includes several different patented mod-

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Each month we bring you the most important poultryindustry events taking place around the world

For more events please visitwww.thepoultrysite.com/events

42

INDUSTRY EVENTS

INDUSTRY EVENTS

Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting Athens, Georgia, US, July 9th to 12th

The meeting will be hosted by the University of Georgia's Department of

Poultry Science.

UFAW Animal Welfare Conference 2012York, UK, June 21st

The field of animal welfare is a cross-disciplinary area of study that is attracting increasing interest

and funding and being asked to guide and inform legislation and practice relating to the use of an-

imals, says the organisation, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW). Much, however,

still remains to be understood.

As part of its on-going commitment to improving the way we understand and care for animals,

UFAW is holding the third of a series of one–day conferences on ‘Recent advances in animal welfare

science’.

This regular meeting aims to provide a forum at which the broad community of scientists, veterinary

surgeons and others concerned with animal welfare can come together to share knowledge and

practice, discuss advances and exchange views.

43

INDUSTRY EVENTS

AGRENA Middle East Cairo, Egypt, June 28th to 30th

AGRENA has stood the test of time to register itself as the Middle Eastern region’s largest & most pres-

tigious Poultry, Livestock & Fish Show.

Targeting the flourishing industry in Middle East & North Africa, the event emphasises on giving the possible

opportunities to broaden your horizons & to see the latest technology, products and services. Organized

annually for 3 days, the last edition in 2010 featured 690 brands (480 international) from 21 countries.

Also, over 16,000 international visitors from Arab & other countries benefited. Organised by Crose Fairs

Organisers, Egypt, Agrena 2011 is spread over 28000 sqm spread over 5 halls.

International Symposium on Protozoal Infections in Poultry Vienna, Austria, 6th to 7th July

The University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna is co-hosting this international symposium with the

UK's Royal Veterinary College.

The aim of the symposium will be to provide a timely focus on the biology; diagnosis; treatment and

prophylaxis of protozoal infections in poultry during a time of great scientific and technical innovation.

Looking for a company to fulfil your needs? Here is a comprehensivelisting of poultry industry companies sorted into market sectors.

For more businesses please visitwww.thepoultrysite.com/directory

BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS

44

BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS

HEALTH & WELFARE

CEVA Santé Animale is a global veterinary

health company focused on the research,

development, production and marketing of

pharmaceutical products and vaccines for

pets, livestock, swine and poultry.

Ceva Animal HealthTel: +33 (0) 557 554 040

Fax: +33 (0) 557 554 198

www.ceva.com

info@ceva.com

Areas:Pharmaceuticals

Vaccines

Equipment: Vaccination

and Medical)

Feed: Additives

MSD Animal Health offers veterinarians,

farmers, pet owners and governments the

widest range of veterinary pharmaceuticals,

vaccines and health management solutions

and services

MSD Animal HealthTel: +31 485 587961

Fax: +31 485 587643

Fredric.David@merck.com

marc.Coulier@merck.com

www.msd-animal-health.com

Areas:Feed: Safety Products

Feed: Additives

Feed

Cleaning/Disinfectants

Pharmaceuticals

Pfizer Animal Health had developed and

launched 18 new veterinary drugs since

2000, including several flagship products

today considered indispensible.

Pfizer Animal HealthTel: +1 919 941 5185

pgp.marketing@pfizer.com

animalhealth.pfizer.com

Areas:Pharmaceuticals

BREEDING & GENETICS

The Aviagen Group is the global market

leader in poultry genetics. As the world’s

premier poultry breeding company, Aviagen

develops pedigree lines for the production

of commercial broilers and turkeys.

AviagenTel: +1 256 890 3800

Fax: +1 256 890 3919

info@aviagen.com

www.aviagen.com

Areas:Breeding

Genetics

45

BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS

Cobb broiler breeding stock has the sus-

tained advantage of the most efficient feed

conversion and highest potential for prof-

itability for the company’s global customers.

Cobb VantressTel: +1 479 524 3166

Fax: +1 479 524 3043

info@cobb-vantress.com

www.cobb-vantress.com

Areas:Breeding

Genetics

Grimaud Fréres are a multi-species selec-

tion and breeding operator in the service

of the watefowls and festive poultry field.

Grimaud Fréres SelectionTel: +33 (0)2 41 70 36 90

Fax: +33 (0)2 41 70 31 67

grimaudfreres@

grimaudfreres.com

www.grimaudfreres.com

Areas:Breeding

Genetics

Hubbard provides solutions that focus on

the economic performance, health and

well-being of breeding stock. Hubbard spe-

cializes in state-of-the-art selection pro-

grams to improve the performance of their

pure lines.

HubbardTel: +33 296 79 63 70

Fax: +33 296 74 04 71

contact.emea@

hubbardbreeders.com

www.hubbardbreeders.com

Areas:Breeding

Genetics

Hy-Line International is a world leader in

poultry layer genetics with a rich history of

innovation. Hy-Line was the first poultry

breeding company to apply the principles

of hybridization to commercial layerbreed-

ing.

Hy-LineTel: +1 515 225 6030

Fax: +1 515 225 6030

info@hyline.com

www.hyline.com

Areas:Breeding

Genetics

NOVOGEN offers a new alternative giving

the egg producers more choice and possi-

bilities to fit their specific market require-

ments.

NovogenTel: +33 296 58 12 60

Fax: +33 296 58 12 61

contact.novogen@

novogen-layers

www.novogen-layers.com

Areas:Breeding

Genetics

Started off as a Broiler breeding company,

with pure line birds developed and bred

under Indian Climate, feed & management

since 1990.

Indbro PoultryTel: +91 (40) 241 5594

drkotaiah@

indbropoultry.com

www.indbro.com

Areas:Breeding

Genetics

BIOSECURITY & HYGIENE

CID LINES offers VIROCID, the most pow-

erful disinfectant, which is part of a hygiene

program for poultry, written by hygiene

specialists. VIROCID has a proven record in

preventing and fighting disease outbreaks

for many years.

CID LINESTel: +32 5721 7877

Fax: +32 5721 7879

info@cidlines.com

www.cidlines.com

Areas:Biosecurity

Cleaning

Feed: Additives

Health and Safety

Pest Control

Welfare

FOSSIL SHIELD + PCS Poultry, the solution

to your red mite problem. Unique

professional on-site electrostatic applica-

tion with Fossil shield, a non-toxic natural

diatomaceous powder.

PCS Poultry ServicesTel: +44 (0) 1386 701 812

Fax: +44 (0) 1386 701 376

admin@pcspoultry.com

www.pcspoultry.com

Areas:Biosecurity

Hygiene

Cleaning Services

Pest Control

FEEDING & NUTRITION

AB Vista is an integrated international sup-

plier of new generation micro-ingredients

for animal feeds providing visionary solu-

tions for your agribusiness.

AB VistaTel: +44 (0) 1672 517650

Fax: +44 (0) 1672 517660

info@abvista.com

www.abvista.com

Areas:Feed

Feed: Additives

Feed: Nutrition

BIOMIN offers sustainable animal nutrition

products such as quality feed additives and

premixes, which include solutions for my-

cotoxin risk management, a groundbreaking

natural growth promoting concept as well

as other specific solutions

BiominTel: +43 2782 803 0

Fax: +43 2782 803 30

office@biomin.net

www.biomin.net

Areas:Feed

Feed: Additives

Feed: Nutrition

Danisco’s ingredients are used globally in a

wide range of industries – from bakery,

dairy and beverages to animal feed, laundry

detergents and bioethanol – to enable func-

tional, economic and sustainable solutions

DaniscoTel: +44 (0) 1672 517777

Fax: +44 (0) 1672 517778

info.animalnutrition@

danisco.com

www.danisco.com/

animalnutrition

Areas:Feed: Additives

Evonik is fully committed to be a reliable

partner in delivering feed additives for ani-

mal nutrition turning the knowledge of its

global team into intelligent solutions.

EvonikTel: +49 6181 59 6765

Fax: +49 6181 59 6734

feed-additives@evonik.com

www.evonik.com

Areas:Feed

Feed: Additives

Feed: Safety

BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS

46

Meriden Animal Health Limited is a British

company specialising in the production and

distribution of natural feed additives, as well

as Meriden-branded animal health prod-

cucts, specifically developed to maximise

performance and increase overall returns.

Meridan Animal HealthTel: +44 (0) 1234 436130

Fax: +44 (0) 1234 436130

sales@meridan-ah.com

www.meriden-ah.com

Areas:Pharmaceuticals

Feed: Additives

Feed: Safety

Feed: Nutrition

Cleaning/Disinfectants

Kerry Animal Nutrition aims to identify and

commercialise existing Kerry ingredients

and technologies to create potential world

beaters in animal nutrition and health

Kerry Ingredients& Flavours EMEATel: +31 36 523 3100

Fax: +31 36 523 3110

clive.girdler@kerry.com

www.kerry.com

Areas:Feed

Feed: Additives

Feed: Safety

Novus International is a global leader of an-

imal health and nutrition programs for the

poultry, pork, beef, dairy aquaculture and

companion animal industries.

Novus InternationalTel: +1 314 576 8886

Fax: +1 314 576 2148

contact@novusint.com

www.novusint.com

Areas:Feed

Feed: Additives

Feed: Nutrition

HOUSING & EQUIPMENT

AgriLamp™ is a leading LED manufacturer

with years of experience in designing and

manufacturing the world’s most innovative

LED (light-emitting diode) lighting solutions

for the agricultural industry.

AgrilampTel: +44 (0) 1332 547 118

Fax: +44 (0) 208 439 1538

info@agrilamp.com

www.agrilamp.com

Areas:Equipment: Lighting &

Electrical

The poultry equipment supplier for layer

management, breeder management, poultry

growing and poultry climate control.

Big DutchmanTel: +49 4447 801 0

Fax: +49 4447 801 237

big@bigdutchman.de

www.bigdutchman.com

Areas:Equipment: Breeding

Equipment: Drinking

Equipment: Egg

Equipment: Feeding

Equipment: Weighing

A global market leader specializing in cli-

mate technology since 1967 in design, man-

ufacture and distribution of efficient/quality

heating, cooling and ventilation equipment

and systems for the poultry industry with

a full range of products to meet all specifi-

cation and applications.

Termotechnica PericoliTel: +39 0182 589006

Fax: +39 0182 589005

termotecnica@pericoli.com

www.pericoli.com

Areas:Climate Control

Climate Management

Heating, Cooling and

Ventilation

Vencomatic is a global supplier of innovative

and welfare friendly housing solutions for

the poultry sector. The flexible and turn key

solutions of Vencomatic offer large possibil-

ities for a wide range of poultry production

concepts.

VencomaticTel: +31 (0) 497 517380

Fax: +31 (0) 497 517364

info@vencomatic.com

www.vencomatic.com

Areas:Equipment: Breeding

Equipment: Drinking

Equipment: Egg

handling and grading

Equipment: Nesting

BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS

47

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS

With 7 VIV exhibitions all over the world

VIV trade exhibitions are recognized for

high trade quality in the professional indus-

try. With over a 1,000 international compa-

nies exhibiting and visitors from over 140

countries the VIV-shows are also consid-

ered as very international.

VIVTel: +31 30 295 28 98

viv@vnuexhibitions.com

www.viv.net

Areas:Events & Exhibitions

Petersime is a world leader in the develop-

ment of incubators. hatchery equipment

and turnkey hatcheries.

PetersimeTel: +32 9 388 96 11

Fax: +32 9 388 84 58

info@petersime

www.petersime.com

Areas:Equipment: Hatching

Equipment: Incubation

Pas Reform is an international company,

which has specialized in the development

of innovative hatchery technologies for the

poultry sector since 1919. Products and

Services: Incubators, Hatchery Automation

Systems, Hatchery Climate Control Sys-

tems and Hatchery Management Training.

Pas ReformTel: +31 314 659 111

Fax: +31 314 652 572

info@pasreform.com

www.pasreform.com

Areas:Equipment: Incubation

Equipment: Egg

Equipment: Environment

Equipment: Hatching

Waste Handling

INCUBATION & HATCHING

EggTester.com (officially known as “Orka

Food Technology”) is a leading worldwide

manufacturer of egg-quality testing equip-

ment to be used extensively in QC labora-

tories operated by egg producers, packers,

universities, regulatory authorities, and pri-

mary breeders.

Orka Food TechnologyTel: +852 8120 9245

Fax: +852 2802 7112

info@orkatech.com

www.eggtester.com

Areas:Equipment: Egg

Equipment: Hatching

Equipment: Incubation

BUSINESS DIRECTORY LISTINGS

48