Consistent surveillance and analysis of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) at poultry production facilities can guard against “overvaccination” — where too much vaccine virus in the environment causes a rolling reaction in flocks.  That’s the view of Rodrigo Gallardo, DVM, PhD, professor of poultry medicine at the University of California–Davis. 

Producers should play close attention to insect control in their poultry houses to avoid cases of turkey coronavirus enteritis (TCE). That’s the view of Eric Orozco, DVM, a veterinarian at Butterball in North Carolina, based on his recent experiences with the disease.  The most recent outbreak he dealt with began in June 2021, with previous breaks in 2018-19, he told Poultry Health Today. The disease was detected in 8-week-old finishers on two farms through routine polymerase chain reaction...

A disease commonly seen in turkey and broiler flocks can also affect layers, meaning that producers should look out for its distinctive signs.  Clostridium septicum dermatitis was recently found across multiple sites of a single company, Michaela Olson, DVM, of Wilson Veterinary Care, told Poultry Health Today. The diagnosis began with a mortality spike and unusual feedback when dead birds were sent for further analysis. 

Using key welfare indicators (KWIs) can help fill a communication gap around welfare progress in the US poultry industry. That’s the view of Ken Opengart, DVM, PhD, vice president, animal welfare and international sustainability for Tyson Foods. 

Producers need to be alert to the dangers of drinking-water toxicity issues, according to a senior industry veterinarian.  Speaking to Poultry Health Today, Kurt Dobson, DVM, director of veterinary services for George’s, Inc. in Arkansas, said that a recent case of salt toxicity at an eight-house broiler farm underlined the need to not dismiss water on the list of vital components affecting bird health. 

Labor shortages in hatcheries mean that to ensure appropriate levels of sanitation in “no-antibiotics-ever” (NAE) production, wholesale automation is likely to be required, according to an industry expert. Automation began in hatcheries around 30 years ago, when labor started to become an issue, said Scott Martin, an independent poultry consultant. The labor shortfall is even more acute today, especially when considering newer methods of production such as NAE. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11...

Footpad dermatitis causes significant foot problems for broilers, which adversely affects bird welfare and the market for broiler paws, according to Zoie McMillian, graduate research assistant, University of Maryland.  Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Zoie McMillian, University of Maryland 0:26 Footpad dermatitis in broilers 1:06 Benefits of circulation fans NOTE: 1:35 Super: last line says: foot pad. Should be: footpad 2:30 Evaluating broiler footpad health 4:07 Footpad dermatitis: Severity vs....

Environmental enrichments in broiler houses may improve bird welfare by increasing natural behaviors, according to Heidi Rinehart, a student at the University of Maryland. Rinehart has studied broiler behavior and welfare for several years at the university. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Heidi Rinehart, University of Maryland 0:23 Broiler welfare: Environmental enrichments 1:42 Enrichments: Hay bales, ramps, boxes, spotlights 3:10 Broiler natural behaviors 4:40 Enrichments encourage natural...

Poultry producers with cage-free pullet systems should go back to the basics of bird management to keep their flocks healthy and productive, reported Darrin Eckard, Hy-Line cage-free specialist. This is a change from flocks kept in cages that may face less disease and fewer parasites. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Darrin Eckard, Hy-Line 0:30 FLAW: Feed, light, air, and water 1:23 Coccidiosis control in cage-free layers 2:55 Worm infections in cage-free layers 4:37 E. coli issues 5:49 Vaccine...

Recombinant vaccines are not a silver bullet, but they are “very helpful for our goals in the poultry industry, whether you produce meat-type chickens or commercial table eggs,” said Guillermo Zavala, DVM, PhD, with Avian Health International. To maximize their effectiveness, Zavala said producers need to follow a number of protocols when using recombinant vaccines. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Guillermo Zavala, DVM, PhD, Poultry Consultant    0:30 Recombinant vector vaccination mistakes 2:07...

The COVID-19 pandemic had far-reaching effects on poultry companies, said Bruce Stewart-Brown, DVM, senior vice president of technical services and innovation at Perdue Farms. “It affected nearly every part of the company,” he told Poultry Health Today, from the supply chain through production. While it was a difficult situation, companies learned a lot about crisis management and how to improve bird health and welfare. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:10 Bruce Stewart-Brown, Perdue Farms 0:24...

Extended day length during the brooding period is thought to benefit broilers’ long-term performance and well-being. However, a University of Georgia study has re-evaluated that idea and found no detrimental impact of dark periods applied during that early production phase.   Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:10 Brian Fairchild, PhD, University of Georgia 0:23 Does adding a dark period help baby chicks? 2:47 4-hour dark period evaluated 4:14 No disadvantage in providing chicks a dark...

Almost 25% of US foodborne illnesses continue to be linked to poultry products. To get an accurate measure of product contamination, USDA is evaluating the poultry supply chain, including interventions on the farm, said Sandra Eskin, USDA’s deputy undersecretary for food safety. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Sandra Eskin, USDA, Food Safety 0:22 Salmonella foodborne infections 1:59 Salmonella prevention at the poultry farm   NOTE: 2:36 Super – Slaughterhouse is misspelled 3:38 More data needed...

Getting the correct lighting is important in poultry houses to help maximize the birds’ genetic potential; however, too often there’s a disconnect between the LED lamps and the dimmers in service. Tom Tabler, PhD, poultry specialist, University of Tennessee Extension, offered points to consider. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Tom Tabler, PhD, University of Tennessee 0:22 Issues with LED lighting for broilers 2:18 Trailing edge dimmers for LED lamps 4:20 LED lamps: Ghosting and dead travel 5:40...

A higher risk of bacterial challenges in cage-free egg production means a live-vaccination program against E. coli is a “must-have minimum” for flocks reared in alternative systems, said Dan Wilson, DVM, PhD, of Wilson Veterinary Company, Indiana. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Dan Wilson, DVM, Wilson Vet Co. 0:20 E. coli bacteria in egg layers 2:45 Properly diagnosing E. coli 4:24 E. coli vaccination protocols 6:40 Alternative layer production...

Coccidiosis in broiler houses remains a nagging challenge.  “It’s the same old problem and it’s a moving target at the same time,” said Phil Stayer, DVM at Sanderson Farms. What’s important is to have a strategy, be flexible and willing to test treatments to find what works best and what may need to change.   Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Phil Stayer, DVM, Sanderson Farms 0:27 Subclinical coccidiosis affects feed efficiency 2:03 Coccidiosis vaccination management 3:44 Good animal husbandry is...

Next year marks a big change for the American Association of Avian Pathologists (AAAP). It will hold its first independent meeting, according to current president Louise Dufour-Zavala, DVM, executive director of the Georgia Poultry Laboratory Network.  Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Louise Dufour-Zavala, PhD, President, AAAP 0:30 AAAP: American Association of Avian Pathologists 1:23 AAAP Women’s Network 2:08 Avian Diseases journal 3:59 Post pandemic opportunities for...

Birds can move freely and out of the reach of the workers’ hands in a multi-tier aviary system, so employees have to climb into the system to get to the hens. A team of researchers, led by Andrea Mendoza, at graduate research assistant at Michigan State University, studied light variation to see if it could help move hens onto the floor area, making them easier to reach. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Andrea Mendoza, Michigan State University 0:22 Aviaries for egg layers are difficult to manage...

Research at the University of Arkansas suggests broiler breed could affect birds’ immune response to Salmonella exposure. Research groups have looked at environmental and management factors for decades…but the factors that contribute to the prevalence of Salmonella inside of the bird are less well-known and less defined, said Shawna Weimer, PhD, director of the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Shawna Weimer, PhD, University of Arkansas 0:25 Salmonella prevalence...

A technology called CRISPR-SeroSeq, which amplifies a section of the Salmonella genome, is helping paint a clearer picture of the serotypes circulating in breeder flocks. The knowledge gained may help poultry producers design more targeted control measures. Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Nikki Shariat, PhD, University of Georgia 0:22 Salmonella isolation techniques in poultry 1:59 Salmonella Kentucky prevalence 3:19 CRISPR-SeroSeq: Whole genome sequencing 4:56  S. Kentucky prevalence: Growout vs...

Biosecurity is not sufficient to control avian coronaviruses like infectious bronchitis in commercial poultry, no matter how good it is, said Mark Jackwood, PhD, a molecular virologist and professor of avian medicine at the University of Georgia. “It takes a combination of vaccination as well as biosecurity in order to effectively control the disease,” he told Poultry Health Today.  Chapters: 0:00 Intro 0:11 Mark Jackwood, PhD, University of Georgia 0:30 Coronavirus control: Biosecurity and...

Feed conversion takes a bigger hit in birds with higher Salmonella exposure, while Salmonella Reading outlasts other serotypes through the grow-out period, suggests new work from the University of Georgia.  Chapters: 0:00 Intro - The University of Georgia conducted a study on the effect of Salmonella on broiler performance 0:40 Davis Fenster, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Georgia 0:45 Study description 1:11 Numerous Salmonella serotypes tend to circulate concurrently 1:24 Study...

Part 2 It’s imperative for poultry producers and companies to know what strains of Salmonella may be circulating in their flocks, said Chuck Hofacre, president of the Southern Poultry Research Group in Georgia.  Chapters: 0:00 Intro - The prevalent serotypes of Salmonella that cause illness in humans are changing 0:40 Chuck Hofacre, President, Southern Poultry Research Group 1:08 Monitoring programs for Salmonella 2:28 Boot socks use in testing the environment for Salmonella shedding 3:35...

Part 1 Live vaccines for Salmonella have been found to start offering protection within a few days of administration, acting “almost as a [form of] competitive exclusion,” said Chuck Hofacre, president of the Southern Poultry Research Group.  Chapters: 0:00 Intro - a recent paper looked at a modified-live Salmonella vaccine 0:40 Chuck Hofacre, President, Southern Poultry Research Group 0:50 Competitive exclusion 1:15 Efficacy of modified-live vaccines against Salmonella groups 1:55...