Interrupting dark periods improves eggshell strength, bird welfare
Alternative lighting strategies that allow hens additional feeding opportunities during scotophase, or dark periods, can go a long way toward improving egg quality and bird welfare.
Alternative lighting strategies that allow hens additional feeding opportunities during scotophase, or dark periods, can go a long way toward improving egg quality and bird welfare.
When we think of flickering light, our minds conjure images of candles casting fitful shadows or perhaps the occasional power outage dimming our surroundings. Yet, in the realm of lighting technology, this phenomenon goes by a more precise name: temporal light modulation (TLM).
A novel automated gel-beadlet system for vaccinating chicks proved successful in providing uniform coverage against coccidiosis.
Conventional diagnostic methods for detecting Salmonella in live poultry production typically rely on analyzing isolated bacterial colonies from enriched samples. Recent evidence, however, suggests these methods can overlook the presence of certain strains and serotypes.
A successful coccidiosis-vaccination program starts with proper vaccine handling and uniform application at the hatchery. Charlie Broussard, DVM, Merck Animal Health, offers several areas to monitor to determine whether the vaccination program is on track to protect the flock.
By Catherine Fudge
Graduate research assistant, poultry science
University of Georgia
Anxiety is the most common mental health disorder in people. Chickens may also experience anxiety, but it is difficult to measure and research has been mainly focused on assessing fear. However, we can get insight into their mental state based on observations of behaviors.
Light and dark cycles within a 24-hour period play a crucial role in maintaining physiological and behavioral rhythms in animals.
Modern Poultry, a news website focused on live production, is celebrating “day 365” serving the global poultry industry.
Getting chicks off to a quick start in the brooder house is always a priority, but it is especially critical when birds have been vaccinated for coccidiosis.
By Sara Throne, DVM, MAM, Dipl. ACPV
Simmons Foods, Inc.
Siloam Springs, AR, USA
Avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) has swept through production facilities across the US since its initial appearance in late 2023. aMPV infections can result in mass morbidity, significant egg drops and, in the most severe cases, mortalities.
