When it comes to resisting bird flu, chickens on poultry farms are like sitting ducks. Last year, a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, H5N1, ripped through poultry farms across the US, prompting farmers to cull tens of millions of chickens to contain the outbreaks. But far-UVC light may offer a safe and practical way to inactivate any type of virus in the air, reducing the chance of transmission.
In nature, fear protects animals from danger. In commercial settings, domestic laying hens are shielded from most fear-inducing stimuli, such as predators and unfamiliar situations. Therefore, fear serves as an aversive experience for the hens themselves and leads to undesired behaviors for producers.
Amino acid requirements for laying hens are not well understood, primarily because data are lacking for the pullet stage. This gap is increasingly important as the table-egg industry wants to extend the hen’s life cycle to 100 weeks or more. Jo Ann Chew, graduate research assistant, University of Alberta, investigated how amino acid levels during rearing might impact body fat and the onset of lay.
In the United States, the majority of laying hens are housed in conventional cages. However, there has been a shift towards cage-free systems. Cage-free systems can benefit laying hen welfare. Birds have opportunities to perform a full range of species-specific behaviors, including foraging, dustbathing, perching, and walking, which are restricted in conventional cages.
Poultry researchers use ‘affective valence’ — a positive or negative emotional response — as a measure of animal welfare. Tom Smulders, PhD, an evolutionary neurobiology researcher from Newcastle University, has studied whether hippocampal neurogenesis can be a marker of affective valence in poultry.
Brazilian researchers conducted a two-part epidemiological study to determine the serological, molecular and pathological status of ILT in two regions. The team described their findings and what they mean for poultry producers.
The International Poultry Welfare Alliance brings together expertise from across the value chain to develop Key Welfare Indicator Reference Guides for broilers, turkeys and layers, which align measurements and communications of welfare outcomes.
The USDA Center for Veterinary Biologics has granted Huvepharma approval for the manufacturing and sale of a new broiler-breeder coccidiosis vaccine, Advent P, which contains Eimeria necatrix and E. brunetti.
In December 2025, US Poultry & Egg Association (USPOULTRY) released an updated report quantifying the US poultry industry’s on-farm antibiotic use.
Research from Isabel Gimeno, PhD, DVM, North Carolina State University, is adding to the growing support of the role of in ovo vaccination in bolstering early immunity against disease risks both broilers and layers face in the field.
Field data from a large commercial layer enterprise confirm that Cargill’s Biostrong™ C-Protect — a postbiotic/phytogenic blend — supports improved livability in layers in the face of avian pathogenic Escherichia coli (APEC).
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.
