Nearly 800 poultry health professionals from more than 25 countries will gather in Orlando, Florida, from July 28 to 30 for the 2026 conference of the American Association of Avian Pathologists (AAAP).
According to Steven Clark, DVM, Huvepharma’s veterinary technical services manager, paying attention to changes in turkey barns is key to successfully using ionophores, which remain the industry’s most common option for controlling coccidiosis.
By Guillermo Zavala, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACPV
Avian Health International, LLC
Brazilian researchers conducted a two-part epidemiological study to determine the serological, molecular and pathological status of ILT in two regions. The team described their findings and what they mean for poultry producers.
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.
The International Poultry Welfare Alliance brings together expertise from across the value chain to develop Key Welfare Indicator Reference Guides for broilers, turkeys and layers, which align measurements and communications of welfare outcomes.
Feed efficiency is one of the most important factors influencing profitability in broiler production. Production managers and nutritionists balance nutrition, genetics and housing conditions to help birds convert feed into growth as efficiently as possible. There’s one other variable often overlooked: the bird’s immune system.
Research has uncovered much about how welfare impacts broilers’ physical and functional traits, but less is known about their mental state. A doctoral student at Virginia Tech studied fear and anxiety in fast- and slow-growing broilers, as well as the impact of environmental complexities.
Turkey producers should not avoid using chemical anticoccidial products for fear of resistance, but they do need to use them strategically. In an appearance on the Iowa Turkey Federation’s Turkey Talkshow podcast, Steven Clark, DVM, Huvepharma’s veterinary technical services manager, said new evidence suggests there is “minimal risk” with common products, providing farmers rotate when necessary.
Temperature and moisture levels influence the survivability of Campylobacter jejuni in used broiler litter, according to a study led by Matthew Bailey, PhD, postdoctoral fellow at Auburn University.
Boredom may be a welfare concern for poultry that are raised in barren conditions. However, researchers have conducted few investigations into this emotional state. Approaches to detect boredom in other species may provide practical methods for quantifying boredom in poultry.
Rodney Johnson, hatchery specialist with Boehringer Ingelheim, says managers who prioritize strong communication, well-defined processes and consistent monitoring of key indicators often see improvements not just in hatchability and early livability, but also in team morale and operational efficiency.
