Pathogenic Enterococcus cecorum is proving to be a growing problem on broiler farms, and infection extends beyond bird-to-bird contact to the farm environment, according to a study led by Martine Boulianne, DMV, PhD, DACPV, at the University of Montreal.
A “Viewpoints” article
by Michael Czarick
Extension Engineer – Poultry
University of Georgia
Department of Poultry Science
By W.A. Dozier, III, PhD
Department of Poultry Science
Auburn University and Alabama Cooperative Extension System
There is a buzz about emerging technologies to monitor layers and nudge their behaviors. But, according to Janice Siegford, PhD, from Michigan State University, more “ground truthing” by testing new tech in real commercial conditions is needed to establish whether they will deliver promised advantages for producers.
Eric Shepherd, DVM, MS, MAM, DACPV, poultry veterinarian, and Brian Fairchild, PhD, Extension Poultry Scientist and Professor, University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science, recently offered practical advice for reducing disease risk in poultry environments. Both spoke in a webinar sponsored by the Poultry Science Association and American Association of Avian Pathologists.
The shift to cage-free layer housing opened the door to poultry diseases that disappeared during the years of cage housing. At the Devenish Symposium held during the 2025 PEAK conference, Dan Wilson, DVM, Wilson Vet Co., discussed the return of several diseases from the past that affect today’s egg layers.
Layer hens in cage-free housing systems have freedom of movement, but they also encounter high levels of dust and airborne bacteria. Feed, litter, manure and bodily shedding all contribute to dust within the rooms, which challenges the hens’ health and well-being. Could spraying acidic electrolyte water on the litter floor be a solution?
Bird health and production are significantly impacted by air quality, humidity and temperature. Mechanical ventilation systems play a crucial role in maintaining indoor air quality and disease control, but the current systems have limitations, particularly in caged-layer facilities. Researchers from The Ohio State University have designed an innovative ventilation system that addresses health and heat concerns.
Maintaining indoor air quality is a constant concern for poultry producers. In particular, ammonia levels within houses are a health concern for poultry and workers. But what about the ammonia in exhausted air? Researchers from the University of Georgia are using a novel approach to remove and recover ammonia from large layer-poultry facilities.
Dust particles in poultry houses can exacerbate the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), with the virus on dust particles remaining infectious for up to 17 hours. By the birds’ activity, it can easily be aerosolized into the environment and, by the ventilation system’s airflow, can be transmitted within the barn and from barn to barn.
By Alexander W. Strauch, DVM
Poultry Veterinarian
Four Star Veterinary Service, LLC
Minton Veterinary Service Office
Chickasaw, Ohio, USA
Studying genetic material from the air in layer poultry-production facilities has shed new light on potential opportunistic pathogens with antibiotic-resistance genes.
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