UK orders avian influenza prevention zone as bird flu detections rise

 

UK orders avian influenza prevention zone as bird flu detections rise

by Sarah Mikesell

4 November 2021, at 12:00am

 

According to the UK government, following a number of detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (bird flu) in wild birds across Great Britain, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole of Great Britain to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds.

 

 

According to the UK government, as of November 3, 2021:

·         An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been declared across Great Britain effective from 5pm on 3 November 2021 - see the AIPZ section for further information

·         Avian influenza H5N1 has been confirmed in birds at a premises in the Angus constituency in Scotland. Further testing is underway to confirm the pathogenicity of the strain. 3km and 10km Temporary Control Zones have been put in place surrounding the premises

On November 2, 2021:

·         The Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales confirmed a case of H5N1 Avian Influenza at a premises near Chirk, Wrexham, Wales. Further testing has confirmed this to be a highly pathogenic strain (HPAI H5N1). Following confirmation of the pathogenicity, the Temporary Control Zones have been revoked and replaced by a 3km Protection Zone and 10km Surveillance Zone in the relevant areas of England and Wales

·         3km and 10km Captive Bird (Monitoring) Controlled Zones remain in force surrounding a rescue centre near Droitwich Spa, Wychavon, Worcestershire

·         There have been multiple findings of HPAI H5N1 in wild birds from sites across GB. See the UK government Wild birds in England section for further information

Slowing broiler growth under special circumstances using feed/nutritional interventions

Slowing broiler growth under special circumstances using feed/nutritional interventions

 

According to the National Chicken Council, the United States poultry industry processed over 9.22 billion broilers in 2020. To accomplish this feat, the poultry industry relies on a vertically integrated production system (Figure 1) to secure the seamless flow of poultry products from the breeder farm, through the hatchery, to the broiler farm, and to the processing plant. The logistics for each step are tightly coordinated so that when product is moved from one link in the supply chain, the next link is ready to receive the product. This not only secures the welfare of each bird, but it also improves the efficiency of a system that operates on razor-thin margins. Problems arise when disruptions in the supply chain occur. Quick action and decisive decisions from a competent team will solve supply chain disruptions, but the solution will often require scheduling changes. This article will focus on how to respond to disruptions that delay flocks leaving the farm and entering the processing plant.

Figure 1. A diagram of the supply chain and production continuum for broiler chickens.

Is a brown egg healthier than a white one?

by Wageningen University & Research

2 August 2021, at 12:30am

It is a well-known food myth that brown eggs are healthier than white eggs.

 

Poultry expert Ingrid de Jong of Wageningen University & Research gets the question regularly, and most often around Easter. De Jong is a senior researcher at Wageningen Livestock Research and knows a lot about chickens and their eggs. She immediately sets us straight: "A white egg is not healthier or unhealthier than a brown egg. They are exactly the same inside."

Food Myth

So where does this myth come from? "Free-range eggs used to be brown, so people associate that with a healthier egg. Nowadays, free-range eggs can also be white, so that association no longer holds true either," says De Jong.

Yet there actually is a difference between the eggs, says the researcher. "Roughly you can say that brown chickens lay brown eggs and white chickens lay white eggs. White chickens are slightly smaller than brown chickens and therefore need less feed to produce an egg. Less feed and therefore less manure means that a white egg is slightly more climate friendly. And with 30,000 hens in one barn, that adds up quickly."

In short, it doesn't make any difference to the taste. Do you want to make a conscious choice? Then choose good animal welfare and the smallest possible climate footprint.

 

PALSAFRICA VIRTUAL EXPO 2021 UPDATES

Dear Sir/Madam ,

PALSAFRICA, the international exhibition for animal production, will take place on the 28th October, 2021.The show will be held online on a virtual platform. An unmissable event in 2021 for all livestock professionals (cattle, poultry, pigs, sheep, goat, rabbit and aquaculture).
Do you have an investment proposal? Perhaps you want to find out about the latest innovations in the animal production sector? Or maybe you want to find a new product to retail or even look for different suppliers? Sign up to PALSAFRICA 2021 today!
More than 50 international exhibitors from different countries around the world and over 20 exhibitors from Ghana, get together every 2 years at this key gathering of the new season.

Top-level content awaits you there:

  • A wide variety of exhibitors: all industries are represented (animal feed and nutrition, livestock equipment, animal health, genetics, buildings, organic farming, energy, aquaculture suppliers, and more).
  • A place of learning and discovery: Three seminars as well as one to one interactions with top industry movers on key issues pertaining to the industry.

Women in Poultry: Dr. Kate Barger-Weathers

WOMEN IN POULTRY: DR. KATE BARGER-WEATHERS

by Sarah Mikesell

8 April 2021, at 11:17am

 

Dr. Kate Barger-Weathers, veterinarian and director of world animal welfare with Cobb-Vantress, is responsible for providing direction for Cobb’s internal teams with the company’s program for animal welfare. This involves development of training materials, audits, guidelines and research projects to help verify their program and to advance awareness and understanding of poultry welfare and management practices.

Dr. Barger-Weathers is also Cobb’s liaison with external colleagues in animal health, welfare and veterinary sectors. Communication, research and strategic planning are key facets of her role when she’s in the office. And she spends time “in the trenches” visiting farms, hatcheries, and other agriculture facilities to verify what is happening in the industry and how to contribute to improvements.

What’s unique about your role?

As director of world animal welfare, my role is relatively new for Cobb. While Cobb and most animal agriculture companies have demonstrated a commitment to health and welfare for years, having a dedicated person in animal welfare was not a common role eight to 10 years ago in the poultry industry or other sectors of animal agriculture. I was the first person in this new position for Cobb in 2011, so I had no proverbial shoes to fill and no roadmap to follow. As a result, both my role and daily focus were and continue to be unique as I’ve helped develop our strategic plan and expand the company program for animal welfare. My focus on welfare science and our understanding of what is best for poultry continues to evolve. It is this uniqueness and emphasis on continuous improvement that motivate me each day.

Dr. Kate Barger-Weathers, director of world animal welfare with Cobb-Vantress

Attention

ATTENTION ! ATTENTION !! ATTENTION !!!