

The starter-phase duration for broiler breeders can affect their reproductive performance later, including development, fertility and hatchability, according to a study led by Artur De Freitas Ribeiro, North Carolina State University.

The starter-phase duration for broiler breeders can affect their reproductive performance later, including development, fertility and hatchability, according to a study led by Artur De Freitas Ribeiro, North Carolina State University.

The starter-phase duration for broiler breeders can affect their reproductive performance later, including development, fertility and hatchability, according to a study led by Artur De Freitas Ribeiro, North Carolina State University.
[random-sponsor]

The poultry industry has spent decades chasing infectious bronchitis virus, adjusting vaccination programs and developing new vaccines as new variants emerge. Yet despite those efforts, the cycle continues. However, Mark Jackwood, PhD, one of the world’s leading IBV researchers, says that’s not a sign that vaccination has failed. It’s simply the nature of the virus.

Poultry researchers use ‘affective valence’ — a positive or negative emotional response — as a measure of animal welfare. Tom Smulders, PhD, an evolutionary neurobiology researcher from Newcastle University, has studied whether hippocampal neurogenesis can be a marker of affective valence in poultry.

A university challenge study has examined how recombinant HVT-ILT vaccines used at the hatchery affect the response to live, chicken-embryo-origin ILT vaccines applied later as part of a dual infectious laryngotracheitis vaccination program.

Raised to maximize meat production, commercial turkey toms are bred to grow quickly and gain weight in a short time. This begs the question whether the bird’s skeletal system meets that developmental challenge.

By researching the impact of ectoparasite infestations in laying hens through a behavioral lens, Purdue University doctoral student Haley Sutherland aims to identify characteristics or heritable traits that help hens resist mite infestations.

Gut health is often discussed in poultry production. But according to immunologist Michael Kogut, PhD, lead research microbiologist at the USDA-ARS, College Station, Texas, the term is really about gut homeostasis, which enables birds to maximize performance and reach their full potential.

The Turkey Industry Annual Report, which gathers perspectives from producers and veterinarians working in the US industry, ranked aMPV, lack of efficacious drugs and HPAI as the top three management concerns among 39 reported issues. Report author Steven Clark, DVM, said he was not surprised by the trends.

Gut inflammation is common throughout poultry production, but its effects are not always visible. Birds deal with stress every day through changes in environment, feed adjustments, handling and exposure to coccidiosis and other intestinal diseases. All of these changes trigger the immune system to send a response to manage the inflammation.