Ventilation shutdown with heat and humidity may be superior to other methods of broiler depopulation under controlled environmental conditions, but this method requires further study under industry-like conditions, according to researchers at North Carolina State University.
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.
As resistance continues to erode the effectiveness of traditional anticoccidial programs in turkeys, veterinarians are increasingly focused on strategies that protect birds while preserving available tools. A multi-year field experience with a US heavy tom producer suggests that coccidiosis vaccines can play a practical role in conventional rotation programs.
A “Viewpoints” article by
Greg F. Mathis, PhD and
Brett Lumpkins, PhD
Southern Poultry Feed & Research, Inc, Athens, Georgia
In some regions, the threat of infectious bronchitis virus flare-ups has shaped a long-held industry mindset: when bronchitis pressure rises, it may be safer to pull back on live Newcastle disease vaccination to avoid “stacking” respiratory vaccines. However, Roy Jacob, DVM, PhD, senior key account veterinarian at Boehringer Ingelheim, says this need not be the case.
Abstract: Sample to vaccine via an integrated cross-functional NGS network
Broiler welfare assessment has moved beyond a framework based solely on minimizing harm to one that incorporates opportunities for positive affect. Jenna Boewe, graduate student, and Marisa Erasmus, PhD, Purdue University, explore this new paradigm in animal welfare as it applies to today’s broilers.
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.
Manuel Da Costa, DVM, PhD, Director of strategy and innovation, Cargill, takes an interesting look at coccidiosis programs and how the company’s feed additive, Biostrong™ Dual, can impact broilers’ gut health to defend against this disease.
Research from Ceva Animal Health suggests that eggshell rinses may be a viable, accessible way to detect infectious bronchitis virus infection in layer flocks experiencing egg quality abnormalities.
Research led by Chloe Phelps, a graduate student in the Virginia Tech School of Animal Sciences, evaluated poultry behavior and its impact on birds’ emotional state and subsequent welfare.
One Newcastle vaccine strain drawing renewed attention is VG/GA. Long valued for being gentle on young chicks, VG/GA works differently from traditional respiratory Newcastle vaccines. And according to Chuck Hofacre, DVM, PhD president of the Southern Poultry Research Group and a longtime consultant to the broiler industry, that difference is worth a closer look.
