Fishmeal could be part of solution to hatchability decline in broiler breeders
Adding fishmeal into the diets of broiler breeder roosters could improve egg hatchability, North Carolina State University research suggests.
Adding fishmeal into the diets of broiler breeder roosters could improve egg hatchability, North Carolina State University research suggests.
Continuous lighting is commonplace in commercial broiler houses, but is that what’s best for the birds?
Fowl cholera is a bacterial disease of poultry that commonly affects chickens around 15 weeks of age and older, but it can impact birds as young as 6 weeks, cautions Charlie Broussard, DVM, Merck Animal Health.
Utilizing postbiotic feed additives in poultry diets could help producers find customized solutions to challenges facing the poultry industry, according to an expert in poultry gut health.
By Don Ritter, DVM
Poultry Business Solutions LLC
Norfolk, Virginia
The National Chicken Council recently developed a Q&A on vaccines to help veterinarians, producers and others involved in live production educate their families, friends and communities about their usage in poultry production.
Vaccination is key to managing fowl cholera in poultry. For a program to be successful, however, it’s critical to train vaccination crews to monitor vaccine “takes” or major cutaneous reactions within a flock — no easy task with today’s employee shortages and rotating vaccination crews.
Egg-drop syndrome 1976 (EDS 76) was diagnosed in US broiler breeders — possibly the first incidence of its kind in the country.
Developing a thorough vaccination strategy for fowl cholera — one that includes selecting the right vaccine strain for the field challenge that the birds are facing and proper vaccine administration — is critical when managing this bacterial disease.
Selecting broilers for water-conversion ratio has no effect on other economically important traits, potentially paving the way for a route to greater sustainability in production.
Even with the best flock-management and vaccination protocols, fowl cholera can occasionally find a crack in the system. Chronic, low-grade cholera problems can materialize, or occasional breaks in breeder flocks can suddenly appear.
Smart ag technologies offer production and research benefits by providing real-time data on individual birds and at the flock level to optimize production, animal health and well-being, food safety and the environment.
