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
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.
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
The latest technology providing access to feed and water in hatcheries could change how vaccinations and other general practices are conducted. Katherine Schaefbauer, Jennie-O Turkey Store, led a research trial with a coccidiosis vaccine administered to fed and non-fed turkey poults in the hatchery, and presented the results at the 2025 AAAP Meeting.
Lameness in poultry, characterized by impaired mobility or abnormal gait, is a major concern in fast-growing birds such as broilers and turkeys. Intensive genetic selection for rapid body weight gain and increased breast muscle mass can result in disproportionate growth between the muscular and skeletal systems, predisposing birds to locomotor problems. Stephanie Kulbacki, University of Georgia, provides an overview of lameness and ways to assess gait.
