Good composting procedures eliminate odors and reduce the number of flies, rodents, predators and scavengers attracted to the bins. Additionally, when done properly, composting is a cost-effective method of biosecurity.
Good composting procedures eliminate odors and reduce the number of flies, rodents, predators and scavengers attracted to the bins. Additionally, when done properly, composting is a cost-effective method of biosecurity.
Lameness in poultry, characterized by impaired mobility or abnormal gait, is a major concern in fast-growing birds such as broilers and turkeys. Intensive genetic selection for rapid body weight gain and increased breast muscle mass can result in disproportionate growth between the muscular and skeletal systems, predisposing birds to locomotor problems. Stephanie Kulbacki, University of Georgia, provides an overview of lameness and ways to assess gait.
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Extreme weather events, such as heat waves, droughts, freezing conditions, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, can affect poultry flocks in many ways. The severity of their impact depends on both the type of event and the geographic location.
By W.A. Dozier, III, PhD
Department of Poultry Science
Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System
Abstract: A field study of Clostridium perfringens enumeration methods in the broiler house environment
A new rapid testing method is helping poultry producers detect Salmonella faster and more efficiently than ever before. The method, developed by Ceva Animal Health, dramatically shortens turnaround time while reducing testing costs by nearly two-thirds, according to James Mills, scientist at Ceva Animal Health.
Adding organic acids to poultry drinking water has been suggested as a potential intervention in managing Salmonella, but research by Auburn University scientists showed otherwise.
Recently, Campylobacter hepaticus was identified as the causative agent for chicken spotty liver disease (SLD), an illness which manifests as acute infectious hepatitis and causes a significant drop in egg production and high mortality in layer chickens. Researchers from Iowa State University, led by Orhan Sahin, DVM, PhD, are studying Campylobacter bacterins in the control of SLD.
A precision poultry-feeding system developed by University of Alberta scientists has the potential to bring improved fertility, better flock uniformity and significant savings for broiler breeder producers.
Post-mortem exams help determine mortality causes and which health challenges birds are encountering. But conducting necropsies on healthy birds can also provide the perspective needed to distinguish between what’s normal and abnormal for a particular flock.
