HEALTH

Research sheds light on how chicks develop immunity after DOA vaccination

Hatchery day-of-age vaccination has been a cornerstone of broiler health for decades, but new research is shedding light on the mechanisms that help it protect chicks despite the immaturity of their immune systems. The findings are significant because it is widely used throughout the poultry industry, yet relatively little is known about how newly hatched chicks develop protection following vaccination.

HOUSING

Chronic stress decreases neurogenesis in poultry

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.

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

WELFARE

FOOD SAFETY

BROILERS

Kogut: What ‘gut health’ really means for broiler performance

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.

TURKEYS

Photoperiod lengths affect both turkey and broiler behavior

Research on broilers is often applied to commercial turkeys, as is the case with many studies on photoperiod lengths. At the 2025 Poultry Science Association annual meeting, Karen Schwean-Lardner, PhD, University of Saskatchewan, presented results of her study that were specific to turkeys.

FEED