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.
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.
A “Viewpoints” article by
Jon L. Schaeffer, DVM, PhD
JLS Research
Raleigh, North Carolina
The 2026 USPOULTRY Feed Mill Management Seminar will be held March 19-20 at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Downtown in Nashville, Tennessee.
Those who work in poultry welfare should focus on “progress, not perfection” when designing and implementing ways to improve birds’ quality of life, according to industry expert, Kate Barger Weathers, DVM, KB Welfare Consulting, South Carolina.
