Breeding for increased appetites and fast growth has resulted in meatier birds. But these heavier birds experience health complications and decreased reproduction. Feed restrictions are used to maintain the lower bodyweight required for broiler breeders. University of Arkansas graduate student Allison Weaver is researching how feed restrictions affect bird welfare.
In December 2025, US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) released an updated report quantifying the US poultry industry’s on-farm antibiotic use.
In this Q&A, Daniel Maekawa, DVM, PhD, technical services veterinarian with Merck Animal Health, discusses how producers can approach aMPV with a practical, integrated mindset — bringing together biosecurity, vaccination and management to reduce complex-level impact.
Heat stress affects poultry farms everywhere — even in Canada, where poultry producers battle hot, humid conditions in the summer. Deborah Adewole, PhD, associate professor, University of Saskatchewan, has focused her recent work on nutritional strategies to reduce heat stress and discussed her research in a webinar hosted by Canadian Poultry.
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.
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.
A “Viewpoints” article by
Jon L. Schaeffer, DVM, PhD
JLS Research
Raleigh, North Carolina
The composition and functionality of the gut microbiota are increasingly recognized as critical determinants of poultry performance. The Galleon™ microbiome intelligence platform was developed to help identify the most important gut biomarkers linked to performance and health.
New research suggests that probiotics can help protect broilers against gut diseases, such as necrotic enteritis. Increasingly, probiotics serve as a substitute for antibiotic growth promotants, which are no longer used.
A “Viewpoints” article by Michael Czarick. Extension Engineer – Poultry, University of Georgia, and Connie Mou, PhD, Technical Services Manager, Poultry Guard
Commercial trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Avert® NE from Huvepharma against necrotic enteritis in commercial broiler facilities. David Smith, DVM, MS, director of poultry technical services at Huvepharma discussed these trials, which evaluated livability and zootechnical performance of birds given the vaccine, pointing to improvements in vaccinated flocks compared to unvaccinated birds.
A “Viewpoints” article
by Allison Pullin, PhD
Prestage Department of Poultry Science
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
