Poultry Digest December/January 2016 by Primary Media

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December/January 2016

Volume 31, Number 3

Broiler farm design suits all seasons and reasons Probiotic helps layers

AECL Industry Forum held in Hobart

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Volume 31, Number 3

December/January 2016

EDITORIAL & DESIGN EDITOR: JOURNALIST/PHOTOGRAPHER PRODUCTION EDITOR

Peter Bedwell Alex Bedwell Rosemary Embery

ADVERTISING Peter Bedwell Mob: 0419 235 288 Email: primarymedia@bigpond.com or ilvaril@iinet.net.au Chris and Michael Hampel and their sons Mitch and Jacob on their property at Blanchetown in South Australia.

Features Page 10: Broiler farm design suits all seasons and reasons by Peter Bedwell

Page 20: Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all about relative humidity: The interaction between brooding, ventilation, litter quality and gut health by Trisha Marsh Johnson

Page 26: Probiotic helps layers by Rick Carter

News Page 4: AECL Industry Forum held in Hobart Page 22: Egg Farmer of The Year for 215 announced Page 32: Locally produced vaccine to curb widespread HE virus in turkey population Page 36: The continued rise of chicken meat sales New Products Page 34: Grando Castle: the best nest since the middle ages Page 41: Maintaining freedom of birds while meeting demand Page 46: Fantura air inlet system: no more cold air drop

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NEWS

AECL Industry Forum held in Hobart The 22nd Australian Egg Industry Limited (AECL) Forum was held in Hobart, Tasmania at the Wrest Point complex from November 18-19, 2015. AECL’s JoJo Jackson introduced AECL Chairman Jeff Ironside who opened the event. The first speaker was Steve Wiederman, Senior Agricultural Scientist from FSA Consulting with a paper entitled ‘Less rotten gas; how the egg industry can lower greenhouse gas from manure production’. Steve opened his paper by asking the question “Is greenhouse gas/climate change still a hot topic?” “It’s lost the hot air and become the new normal as global pressure over GHG targets remain in place. “The Australian government has made a $2.5 billion investment in the Emission Reduction Fund (ERF) to reduce GHG,” Steve explained. “The vast majority of the $1.2 billion spent to date has gone to landholders with $8 million and to a number of pig producers. “GHG may be less of a threat and more of an opportunity for the egg industry. “Australian eggs are a low carbon product. One year’s consumption equals a 20km drive in the family car. “Manure emissions from stockpiling are lower than previously thought and opportunities exist to further reduce GHG. “They are, changing manure management practices, energy generation, nutrient recovery and a continued focus on efficiency which equals a lower carbon footprint,” Steve concluded. Dr Peter Scott introduced and explained the ‘National Farm Biosecurity and Technical Manual for egg production’ an initiative driven by Peter’s Scolexia Animal and Avian Health Consultancy for Animal Health Australia and AECL. Dr Scott explained various aspects of the publication and recommended that it be read and workshopped with staff. “You will be surprised by the ‘find outs’ and it should promote interaction resulting in sensible ideas. “It will help all involved in the business to understand what a disease breach can do,” Dr Scott said. “Don’t just keep it on the shelf – revisit and reinforce.

“Use it in compliance requirements,” he recommended. Phil Glatz and Geof Runge both have long associations with the layer industry and they introduced ‘A best practice guide to assist egg producers and breeders manage feather pecking and cannibalism in layers’. The contents of the guide are comprehensive as would be expected from two of the longest serving and most experienced scientists working with the layer industry. Amongst the many critical questions that farmers need to consider in order to minimise feather pecking were, “Does the genetic strain have a high propensity for feather pecking and cannibalism,” Geof asked. Summarising the presentation, Geof stated that “ The ‘Managing Feather Pecking and Cannibalism Handbook’, provides egg producers and breeders w

3 1. Jeff Ironside, AECL Chairman. 2. Steve Wiederman, Senior Agricultural Scientist from FSA Consulting. 3. Phil Glatz, Senior Research Scientist, Adelaide Uni. 4. Kat Mason, Nuffield Scholar. 5. Senator Fiona Nash.

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NEWS v

with a resource to combat cannibalism and feather pecking. “It can be used by farm managers as a ‘benchmark’ tool, and provides management strategies that do not require any ‘tipping’ at all,” he said. AECL has a particular focus on the next generation of egg farmers and that was the theme of the next session introduced by AECL’s Kai Ianssen. Jack Mooney has a Horizon Scholarship and is studying at the University of New England. The Horizon Initiative, he explained, “is a Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation initiative, supported by industry and involves a $5000 bursary per annum, relevant animal industry placement along with networking opportunities and professional development workshops and mentoring”. His path to this achievement is novel to say the least. In his early teens he started a small egg farm on his parent’s property in northern NSW . Today Jack’s Free Range Eggs is a thriving business but in order to complete his studies Jack had to turn the business over to his parents. This is a novel concept and one that Poultry Digest would like to examine in more detail. To date he has industry placements with Hy-Line (day old /breeding flocks) and Altona Hatchery (cage, barn and free range systems). His confidence as a speaker matches his already demonstrated drive and initiative. “I dream of a world where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned,” he concluded. Rob Peffer is a Nuffield Scholar and he spoke about the opportunities the scheme offered to young people who are 28 to 40 and are owners or senior operatives in a farming business. He outlined the history of the ‘Nuffield’ started by William Morris, who later became Lord Nuffield (his company built all those little grey Ferguson tractors) in 1947 in response to chronic food shortages post WWII. Once limited to the UK, its dominions and former African colonies, it has now expanded into Ireland, France, Holland and Brazil with possible growth into the USA and Japan. “The Australian Nuffield Scholarship involves 16 weeks of international travel, learning about key aspects of global agriculture and exploring a topic of interest to the scholar’s own industry,” Rob said. “In promoting the ideals of the

scheme, Rob advised “take a long view: Nuffield Scholars are in it for life and we don’t know what the future might bring,” he said. Nuffield Scholar, organic crop grower and free range egg farmer from WA, Kate Mason is no stranger to AECL Forum audiences, with a 6 volt body powered by a 12 volt battery she has been named Egg Farmer of the Year for 2015. The focal point of her Nuffield Scholarship was originally to work to help the consumer better understand farmers, like her, and their challenges. While travelling in Canada she met a grower, Hugh Martin who offered her this advice. “You will never educate the consumer: there are too many with a vested interest in confusing them,” he told Kate. So Kate changed her tack to look at ways to offer the consumer egg products grown in ways that they could relate to, but also insured reasonable returns to growers. She went to the Netherlands to inspect the Rondeel System, a unique layer hen housing concept that combines many of the animal welfare aspects associated with production systems like free range but in a safe climate controlled environment. Poultry Digest hopes to be able to bring readers more information on this initiative started by Wageningen University and Vencomatic back in 2004 and now an established reality in Europe. The fact that Kate Mason found this as a topic for study comes as no surprise. Senator Fiona Nash is Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate and Deputy Minister for Health in the current coalition Federal Government. She spoke next about her love of farming and its important place in the Australian economy. Senator Nash is passionate about two key issues that trouble our population in both major cities and regional areas. The first is healthy eating and reducing obesity. “Obviously Australian farmers have a role to play in that they grow or raise the healthy foods that we should be consuming,” Senator Nash said. The second issue that deeply concerns the senator is what has become known as ‘the ICE epidemic,’ which has become as much of a problem in regional towns as it is in the major centres of population. Recently the coalition government CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 w

1. AECL Managing Director, James Kellaway. 2. AECL Communications Manager Kai Ianssen. 3. Ron Eek, Lohmann Middle East/Oceania. 4. Gary Humphries, the new Chairman of the RSPCA.

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Exterior of shed showing rigid side flaps and large access/exit flaps for birds to get out onto the range.

Broiler farm design suits all seasons and all reasons

By PETER BEDWELL

ichael Hampel and his family own and operate an RSPCA code free range broiler farm at Blanchetown on South Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Murray River. The farm, contracted to Inghams, consists of 2 x 6 shed sites located in an area that is ideal for biosecure broiler

farming if not much else. Completed in July 2014, the operation works well in what can be a very harsh climate. Winter nights can be cold â&#x20AC;&#x201C; minus 5 Celsius not being uncommon. On the day Poultry Digest visited in mid January it was 45 degrees on arrival and hotter when our crew, Paul Evans of B&M Slots plus Steve and Ron Sanday (R & DG Sanday), left after lunch. So we are looking at a broiler farming operation that in the planning phase, had to consider a number of key issues that have developed as a result of retail pressure on production methods (i.e. free range preference), welfare considerations, range, environmental management and steeply rising energy costs. Last but not least, has been the intervention of regulators and consumer action groups into free range production methods and management,

considerations about bird access to the range while maintaining shed performance in a region with a 50 degree plus variable temperature range. Not much pressure there then! The result has been one of the most innovative broiler farms that Poultry Digest has ever visited. So how has this been achieved? Ron Sanday has amassed close to half a century of experience in poultry shed design and construction and the Sanday company is well known for its clean interior shed design that has helped to significantly improve the performance of tunnel ventilated sheds. There were plenty of conventional curtain sided Sanday sheds erected before tunnel ventilation began to dominate the market in the 1980s and 90s and there are plenty of these early sheds still operating well into 2016! Working with Paul Evans and Evo Slots of B&M Slots, Ron used a combination of technologies and designs to achieve a site specific product that satisfied a bewildering array of imperatives. In considering ventilation, the single critical issue in Ronâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mind, there were four levels of technology available,

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starting with the earliest innovation curtain sides for natural ventilation. In a region where the temperature regularly hits the high 40s, evaporative cooling was essential as are the bank of main fans to make the pads do their job. For the periods where temperatures are more moderate, mini vents and smaller stirrer fans combined with the ability to open up the sheds, keeps the shed environment optimal for bird rearing. Ron explained to Poultry Digest that the key challenges in a free range shed, where adequate access to the range was part of the requirement, was the pop door shed wall design, typical of many free range sheds in operation. But this was less than helpful when the need for efficient tunnel shed negative pressure was required. “The whole process of building this farm at Blanchetown started when Michael approached us with his own ideas about how you could effectively rear free range birds in an environment like the Blanchetown region. “We looked at his ideas and worked out how we could make them reality, it’s as simple as that,” Ron said. “Though it is possible to achieve some tunnel shed efficiences with soft sided curtains, it’s difficult and in general, curtains aren’t as thermally effective as solid composite walls,” Ron explained. “So that’s when we considered the benefits of each aspect of shed ventilation that have emerged in the last 50 years and looked at how we could combine them in a new shed design. That’s when we got together with Evo Slots to look at some feasible engineering based solutions.” The simple answer was solid thermally efficient and rigid shed wall flaps raised and lowered by the same winch and a toothed rack system B&M Slots has used on evaporative cooling pad covers. “Then we considered a similar idea in the design of long solid metal flaps instead of pop doors which are also winch/rack and pinion powered,” Ron said. “These innovations, when the shed side shutters and bird access flaps are closed, achieve effective shed sealing, creating the necessary static pressure to get the evaporative pads going quickly when needed. “Once the bird access flaps are opened and negative press is lost, the climate control system changes over to run the mini vents and stirrer fans to control temperature. “The flaps, instead of pop doors, allow the birds quick access to the range without the crowding that can occur with conventional pop door designs.

Top: Rack and pinion driven wall fans and exit doors. Above: Stirrer fans and mini vents. “When the weather turns nasty like today, the birds can just as quickly seek shelter in the shed through the wide wall openings,” Ron said. It is interesting to note in the shed wall design, that the base of exit/entry wall takes into account the deeper litter requirements of RSPCA code broiler sheds. “Achieving the necessary sealing properties with two sets of movable flaps in the shed side walls meant building the shed to very accurate dimensions and some precise engineering in the construction of the flap actuating systems.” Another particular aspect of the Sanday tunnel shed design is the shed front access doors. “The need for wide access at pick up and for clean out tasks, means that the door design is critical to shed sealing when the housing needs efficient negative pressure. “In winter, poor design can result in heat loss so in an area like

Blanchetown, thermal insulation is important at minus 5 degrees C, just as it is at 45 degrees C,” Ron said. “The doors are specifically fabricated using high grade thermally insulated panels and the door sealing design ensures a ‘tight shed’ during the growing period. Paul Evans from B&M Slots explained some of the clever engineering detail that has made, what is quite a complex engineering exercise, all function. “The solid drive shafts that power the rack and pinion to open and close the ventilation flaps and bird access doors, have to run across entry doors so they included universal joints fitted at four points per door (see photo). “There are winching requirements for feeder and drinker lines as well as operating the minimum ventilation flaps. Instead of using a different type of motor and gearbox for each requirement, we have designed a

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 w

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system where a single motor and gearbox combination can fulfil more than one of the vital shed equipment functions. This reduces the number of spare parts the farmer needs to carry. “It’s detail stuff but it can save time and money for the grower,” Paul said. Key to integrating the various ventilation innovations, is of course the shed controller, which on this farm is a B&M Slots supplied Hotraco Orion unit, purpose built for this particular application. “The Orion controller software was updated specifically to run a combination of minimum vent, free and full tunnel mode,” explained Evo Slots who put a lot of effort into achieving the variable system to achieve optimal growing conditions for free range birds reared in a harsh, arid climate. “The Orion unit in Michael’s sheds uses static pressure control and can adapt to progressive opening of side flaps and bird access doors as well as climate guide (wind conditions in particular) statistics,” Paul explained. Apart from responding to in-shed conditions, Michael chose to add a weather station, so that the sudden changes in climatic conditions which are so prevalent in the Blanchetown area, could be factored in so that his shed’s climate control systems could respond to the best options for maintaining the optimal growing conditions for his birds. Quick reaction is critical in an area where temperatures can rise or fall by 10 degrees C in the time it takes to down a beer. Other features of the sheds, Paul pointed out, were the Italian Codaf feeder pans. “The pans are designed to prevent young chicks getting trapped or crowding into the pan itself; it’s a detail but it does matter,” he said. As we conclude our inspection of Michael’s sheds, the rising temperatures are joined by a searing wind and that gets Ron onto one of his favourite topics, which is structural integrity . “We use all Australian rollform steel and the structural steel component has a wind loading around the 450 grade,” he said. There are other options but we prefer to stick to Australian product because it is certified to withstand known Australian climate conditions and supply is reliable. “It may involve an increased cost factor but for our peace of mind as a company and for the grower’s sake we stick with what we know,” Ron stated. Job done we get out of the heat and wind to enjoy a great lunch prepared by the Hampel family. Poultry Digest asks Michael “how

did it all start – the farm that is?” “Well some time ago I realised that there was the potential for removing chicken litter from farms near Adelaide and delivering it to the variety of growing crop based enterprises that were in desperate need of fertiliser. “Composted broiler shed waste works so well on many of the things

we grow in South Australia and as fertiliser costs started to rise we saw an opportunity and took it. “As the business grew we got to know the broiler industry better and seven years ago acquired our farm site at Blanchetown. “The area isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but its great for rearing chickens and as 1

1. Clever solution to doorway and drive shaft for flap actuation. 2. The Hampel family’s connection with chicken rearing started with waste collection. 3. Purpose built Hotraco Orion shed climate control system. 4. The range area recovers from the last batch very quickly. The shelters and fast growing trees encourage the birds to make full use of the range.

its turned out ideal for free range. “We are isolated from other livestock farming and though the cold winters and hot summers might not endear themselves to humans, it suits safe and sustainable broiler rearing if you use the right technology and we believe that we have achieved that. “Even restoring the range areas quickly in an area with less than seven inches of rain a year is possible thanks to the fact that we have the River Murray in our back garden,” Michael pointed out. Certainly Poultry Digest noticed that the range areas where in remarkable condition not long after cleaning out from the last batch of birds. “The low, hoop type shelters encourage the birds to roam beyond the sheds and the quick growing trees we planted are doing well despite the harshness of our climate – chook poo and water – works every time! “Our farm is the realisation of a long held dream and is a great family business. Our sons Mitch and Jacob enjoy working on the place and are a great asset,” Michael said. Ron and Steve Sanday are the second and third generation of a family business that half a century ago was a key contributor to the growth of the modern broiler industry with their shed designs and building capability. “Our business has grown considerably in recent times and we are committed to some ambitious building programs as the broiler industry continues to grow. “Steve, whose background was in IT before joining us full time, has valuable skills that we need in co-ordinating complex shed building programs. He has developed an app that we can use on smart phones to keep track of material supply and construction progress. This has been a great help in keeping us on track and on time,” Ron explained. “With the help of B&M Slots, we are really pleased to have successfully completed a farm like Michael’s that satisfies the needs of a changing industry. “We can argue all day about free range and whether it’s a good idea or not but both consumers and retailers want it so the chicken meat industry has to do what its been doing for more than fifty years and that’s giving the customer a choice while maintaining a viable long term return for growers and their integrators like Inghams. “Another key component of the success of this farm has been Michael himself who embraced our ideas and let us ‘future proof’ his farm. “It’s not only a preference for free range and third party codes like the RSPCA broiler protocols that have

become part of the industry. “Once, and not that long ago, Australia had amongst the world’s cheapest energy, but not any more. “We still need those big fans and a tight tunnel shed on days like today but at other times using simple natural ventilation or just stirrer fans and mini vents, we can achieve efficient and safe production.

“The question was how to manage the variability of climate using current technology, and I think with a bit of imagination and innovation, we have achieved that goal,” Ron concluded. Poultry Digest would like to thank the Hampel family, Paul Evans from B&M Slots, as well as Ron and Steve Sanday for demonstrating some outstanding ideas and technology. 1

2 3

4 1. Steve Sanday, Paul Evans, Ron Sanday and Michael Hampel. 2. Manitou front end loader is ideal for floor waste collection. 3. App designed by Steve Sanday for shed build scheduling. 4. Drive winch/gearbox for rack and pinion flap control.

HEALTH FEATURE

It’s all about relative humidity: The interaction between brooding, ventilation, litter quality and gut health By TRISHA MARSH JOHNSON, Athens GA USA*

s veterinarians, we can often get too focused on looking for a specific causative agent that might be responsible for what we are seeing in a flock in terms of respiratory or gut health or a loss of performance. While pathogens viral, protozoal and otherwise can be responsible for a specific disease condition we have encountered, quite often it is the husbandry within the house that is the root of the problem. One of the husbandry parameters that can be overlooked but whose impact is far-reaching is the relative humidity (RH%) within the house, particularly at the air/litter interface in the first week to 10 days after bird placement. The preparation of a house for brooding, the amount of space each chick actually utilises once placed, and the style and accuracy of ventilation within a house all determine if the relative humidity within the house will be within the desired range of 50-65% at the air/litter interface or not. Relative humidity that is too low results in dehydrated chicks and too little cocci cycling when using coccidiosis vaccines. RH% that is too high will result in caked litter, too heavy a cocci challenge as well as increased clostridial counts as spores hatch due to the higher humidity. As the poultry industry throughout the world moves away from the use of preventive antibiotics including ionophores, understanding and controlling relative humidity in the production environment becomes critical. Controlling relative humidity throughout the brooding period is essential to prevent a bloom of clostridium, coccidia and other unwanted organisms during the brooding period when ventilation needs are low. Houses should be ventilated for

relative humidity and directional air flow maintained to keep the litter dry. Allowing the floor to get damp and tacky will cause changes in the litter microflora and thereby the intestinal microflora of the birds in a way from which it is often difficult to recover. The main role of minimum ventilation strategies is moisture control. Because of that, the most important factor in monitoring air quality and ventilation success during the cooler parts of the day is relative humidity. Poultry houses are designed to be ventilated for relative humidity and moisture control. Doing so requires not only sufficient fan run-time but also proper directional airflow within the house so that all the air entering a house goes across the ceiling, both warming and drying. In cold weather or in ‘thinning’ production systems that have a very high density at bird placement, growers tend to under-ventilate and a slick forms over the litter. In ‘free range’ houses, air enters through the bird doors when the fan turns on, resulting in air that neither gets warmer or drier before contacting the litter. Amonia must also be controlled in order for a house to be ventilated properly for relative humidity, otherwise excess ventilation is needed to exhaust the ammonia. The best time to measure the relative humidity is in the mornings during brooding. After 14 to 21 days the need to vent heat from the house becomes the dominant factor in ventilation, regardless of the time of year. It is important to keep relative humidity between 50-65%. If it is above 70% for more than 24 hours the house will begin to become damp and the litter will slick over. Once this happens, the damage is done and is difficult to correct. The litter will begin to generate

greater amounts of ammonia and this, combined with a high humidity, will burn up a litter treatment within a matter of hours and cause a grower to burn more fuel later on to rid the house of excess ammonia. The increase in litter moisture will also allow for a bloom of bacteria, fungi, viruses and coccidia which can overwhelm even the best health programs. Drying the litter out then disseminates a large number of fungal and clostridial spores throughout the house. If the relative humidity is below 50%, the dry air will begin to dehydrate the young chicks and will dry out their mucous membranes. This makes them more susceptible to respiratory disease and is similar to what happens to humans on a long plane trip. The core temperature of the litter (or the surface concrete temperature) at placement should ideally be 32 degrees C and the surface temperature at 34 degrees C at the time the chicks are placed. It’s important that actual litter temperature be observed and not air temperature. In houses that are not properly preheated, litter core temperature can be as much as 10 degrees lower than air temperature, which provides a perfect way for chicks to be chilled. Chicks that are placed on a cold floor spend more time trying to keep warm than eating or drinking. Numerous studies have shown that birds placed on floors even as little as 3 degrees cooler than the optimal temperature gain significantly less weight than chicks placed on warm floors. Litter temperature also plays a large part in bird distribution during brooding. Uneven bird distribution will cause uneven cycling and coverage of coccidia vaccines, transient areas of wet litter due to increased relative

CONTINUED ON PAGE 46 w

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NEWS

Egg Farmer of The Year for 2015 announced The Australian Egg Corporation Ltd (AECL) congratulates Kate Mason, the 2015 Egg Farmer of the Year. AECL Managing Director James Kellaway said that Kate Mason is a Western Australian free range egg farmer who has impressed the industry by the way she has seized an opportunity and started from scratch to become a successful free range egg farmer. “During that time, she has highlighted that she is an astute businesswoman who manages to juggle family life, her business and industry activities,” Mr Kellaway said. “Kate has been a constructive participant in the Australian egg industry for a number of years now and was even a recipient of a Nuffield Scholarship recently,” he said. The award was one of nine Kondinin Group/ABC Rural Australian Farmer of the Year Award winners announced at a gala function at The Intercontinental Hotel in Sydney on September 9. The Egg Farmer of the Year award was open to egg farmers from all production systems around the country. The finalists were Kate Mason from Western Australia, Joyce Chapman from

Kate Mason, who won the 2015 Egg Farmer of the Year award Western Australia and Madelaine Scott from Victoria. “AECL is very pleased to sponsor the Egg Farmer of the Year award because it is open to egg farmers from all farming systems who might not otherwise get a chance to be recognised for their good work,” Mr

Kellaway said. “I would also like to congratulate the other finalists too as it is a great achievement for them,” he said. The inaugural Egg Farmer of the Year award in 2014 was won by Danny Jones, the Managing Director of Pure Foods in Tasmania.

Raymond Chia appointed R&D Manager AECL AECL has announced the appointment of Raymond Chia as the new R&D Project Manager and he has been working with the organisation since late October. “By any measure, I have been on a steep learning curve and I am deeply grateful to the many whom I have met for their understanding, acceptance and encouragement,” Mr Chia said. “I have already, very fortunately, developed some important and mutually respectful professional relationships which I am sure will prove to be enormously beneficial for our industry.” Mr Chia was born in Malaysia but moved to Singapore as a child with his parents and siblings. He was educated in Singapore gaining a B.Sc from the National University of Singapore majoring in microbiology in 2001 and also spent a compulsory two and a half years in the Army.

Here he worked as a microbiologist in a water testing laboratory. In 2003, he came to Australia to do a Master of Food Studies degree at the University of Queensland and graduated in 2004. Subsequently he worked as a Quality Assurance person in the poultry and meat industries, gaining several promotions until he accepted a PhD scholarship from the University of

Tasmania’s Centre of Excellence for Food Safety. He undertook research into Salmonella at the then CSIRO laboratory in Brisbane and was awarded his doctorate in 2010. He then accepted a position as Manager, Quality Assurance at a major meat processing plant in Brisbane and was there for more than five years before joining AECL.

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HEALTH FEATURE

Probiotic helps layers By RICK CARTER, Ph.D, Kemin

ike us, animals also co-exist with communities of microorganisms in their gastro-intestinal tract. These microbial communities are affected by many factors including the changing conditions in different parts of the intestinal tract, the quantity and rate at which feed passes through the gut, stress impositions, along with health and gut immunity challenges. The microbes in the bird’s gastro-intestinal tract are the first line of defence against potentially pathogenic bacteria. Hence the balance of intestinal micro-organism communities is considered to be a critical factor in determining the bird’s productivity and health, although Dr Peter Scott (Scolexia; personal communication) suggests that ‘compliant’ may be a more appropriate word than ‘balanced’ to describe the requirement of the bird’s intestinal microflora. The word pro-biotic is derived from the Greek language meaning ‘for life’, as compared with ‘anti’- biotic. Probiotics can be defined as ‘viable, non-pathogenic micro-organisms which are considered to confer health benefits … through their interactions with the gastro-intestinal microflora and directly with the immune system’ (Adams, 2010). Laying hens have a relatively long life during which the compliance of their intestinal microflora is challenged and disturbed by many stresses including, but not limited to – • feed changes and feed ingredient changes • bird to bird interactions that can impact on gastro-intestinal equilibrium • changes to the bird’s physical environment including temperature and access to a free range area with associated changes to the bird’s intestinal environment • gut immunity and health challenges including from potentially pathogenic bacteria such as E.coli and Clostridia Production systems, nutrition and stress management, all become key factors that impact on the equilibrium of intestinal microbial communities and their compliance to challenges • early establishment of a healthy intestinal microflora in young birds is important in order to help them resist intestinal colonization with undesirable bacteria such as Salmonella • microbial communities within the intestinal ecosystems change with age of the bird • micro-organisms interact with the bird’s intestinal lining and affect immune responsiveness – negative interactions may disturb the important barrier function of the gut • sound physical integrity of the small intestinal lining and highly digestible feed will help to ensure nutrient absorption and minimise the overgrowth of un-favourable bacteria For various reasons, the use of antibiotics is now either minimal or absent, and so probiotics are increasingly being used to help adjust and ‘buffer’ the bird’s intestinal microflora balance to cope with intestinal challenges and stress impositions. Indeed, an estimate of the global animal feed probiotic market is US$580 million and growing at 10% per year (Feedinfo, June, 2015). Probiotics can help laying hens in a number of ways including – • improved efficiency of feed utilization for egg production • increased egg production

Clostridium perfringen

Figure 1: Vertical streak is C.perfringens; PB6 is the specific B. subtilis strain in CLOSTAT; ATCC 633 PB6 is a B.subtilis strain obtained from the ATCC American Type Culture 6633 Collection (ATCC).

• reduced incidence of wet litter and ammonia related issues • less dirty and second grade eggs • improved egg shell quality CLOSTAT CLOSTAT is a probiotic containing a specific strain (PB6) of Bacillus subtilis of avian host origin, having been isolated from the intestinal tract of a healthy chicken during a thorough and exhaustive screening process. This particular strain was found to inhibit the growth of Clostridium perfringens (a gram positive bacteria causing enteritis in poultry). This is shown in figure 1 with C. perfringens unable to grow alongside the B. subtilis PB6 strain compared with a B. subtilis sourced from a bacteria culture collection (Teo & Tan, 2005). Using an electron microscope, clear damage to C. perfringens cells was seen in the presence of B. subtilis PB6 compared with untreated C. perfringens (figure 2). This cell damage is achieved by B. subtilis PB6 producing specific bacteriocins that puncture the Clostridia cell walls causing the cell contents to leak out that results in death of the bacteria. Inhibitory effects of B. subtilis PB6 on Salmonella and Campylobacter species have also been shown in laboratory studies (Kemin Technical Literature, 2015). Furthermore, B. subtilis PB6 was found to reduce intestinal epithelial inflammation and other inflammatory measures in mice that had been induced to have colitis (Foligne et al, 2012) - this response may help ensure the w barrier function of the gut wall.

Figure 2. Transmission electron micrographs (29,500x magnification) of C. perfringens after exposure to B. subtilis PB6 compared with untreated C. perfringens

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HEALTH FEATURE v

Laying hen responses to CLOSTAT Early lay: A farm trial was conducted in Dekalb White laying hens in Belgium (30,000 birds per group) with figures 3 and 4 summarizing the results for egg production and feed conversion ratio (Kemin Technical Literature, 2014). Figure 3: Effect of CLOSTAT on laying % by flock age in weeks

Table 2: Trials commenced at 18-22 weeks and continued for 24 weeks (wheat based diets) Trial Bird 1 2 3

Treatment Rate of lay % Control 91.1a Hyline CLOSTAT 92.4b 90.8a LohmannBrown Control CLOSTAT 94.0b 85.9 Lohmann Brown Control CLOSTAT 85.2

Av egg weight, g 63.5a 62.7b 62.6 63.4 56.3a 56.8b

kg feed;kg egg ratio 2.26 2.24 2.02a 1.93b 2.75 2.74

(different letters after values in a column/trial means that values are statistically different) Note: Trial 2-cracked eggs reduced from 2.4% in control to 1.5% in the CLOSTAT group (statistically significant)

Hen age

Figure 4: Effect of CLOSTAT on FCR (Feed Conversion Ratio, ie. kg feed consumption/kg egg production) by flock age in weeks

Late lay: Another trial was done in Belgium with birds in late lay in which CLOSTAT was added to the feed from 48 to 69 weeks (birds then molted). The results are shown in table 3. Table 3: CLOSTAT responses: laying %, egg weight and egg mass (grams) and FCR (Feed Conversion Ratio; kg feed/kg eggs) Group

Bird number Lay %

Control 53,000 CLOSTAT 54,000 Difference

In this farm trial, the inclusion of CLOSTAT in feed resulted in improved rate of lay and an improved efficiency of feed conversion to eggs. A study was recently conducted in Poland in which Lohmann Brown laying hens were fed a wheat based mash diet with or without CLOSTAT from 18 weeks to 42 weeks with significant improvements in egg quality recorded as shown in table 1 (Sobczak & Kozlowski, 2015). A significant increase in hen body weight at 42 weeks and in weight gain from 18 to 42 weeks was also found with CLOSTAT compared with the control birds. Table 1: Effect of CLOSTAT on egg quality Measure Egg weight, grams Egg mass, grams Shell thickness, mm Shell strength, Newtons Egg shell, % of egg weight Yolk fat cholesterol, mg/g

Control 61.3 56.5 0.355a 45.12a 9.79a 28.1a

CLOSTAT 61.8 57.5 0.365b 47.63b 10.04 24.8b

(different letters after values in a row means that values are statistically different)

Results from other trials conducted in the European Union are summarized in table 2 showing a range of positive responses including increased rate of lay, increased egg weight, reduced cracked eggs, and improved efficiency of feed conversion to eggs (EFSA, 2015).

Egg weight, Egg g mass, g

86.06 64.7 88.02 65.1 +1.96% +0.4 g

55.6 57.3 +1.7 g

FCR 2.12 2.05 -0.07

In another late lay study, CLOSTAT significantly reduced the counts of Clostridia and coliform bacteria in the bird’s intestinal contents, and in turn increased calcium retention and improved egg shell quality in white Lohmann Selected Leghorn Classic laying hens from 64 to 75 weeks of age (table 4; Abdelqader et al, 2013). Probiotics may create conditions in the intestinal tract that increase calcium solubility and absorption which would explain the improvements in egg shell quality. Table 4: Responses in 64-75 week old laying hens to CLOSTAT Control

CLOSTAT

7.14a 6.73a 8.06a 7.94a

6.33a 6.17b 7.40b 7.44b

Calcium balance – calcium intake, g/day – calcium excretion, g/day – calcium retention, g/day – calcium in egg shell, g – calcium balance, g/day

4.80 3.13a 1.67a 1.73a -0.07a

4.77 2.03b 2.73b 2.07b 0.67b

Egg shell quality measurements – egg shell weight, % of egg weight – egg shell thickness, mm – egg shell density, mg/cm2 – unmarketable eggs %

6.9a 0.33a 72.2a 8.4a

8.4b 0.36b 75.5b 3.5b

Measure Microflora composition (log10cfu/g of fresh digesta – ileal Clostridia – ileal coliforms – caecal Clostridia – caecal coliforms

(different letters after values in a row means that values are statistically different)

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HEALTH FEATURE In a similar study with the same bird genetics, CLOSTAT again improved egg weight and egg shell thickness when included in diets of laying hens from 64 to 73 weeks of age (figures 5 & 6; Abdelqader et al, 2013). Figure 5. Egg weight by age for hens supplemented with different levels of CLOSTAT (B. subtilis PB6); graph from the journal of Trop. Anim. Health & Prod. (Elsevier B.V.); (points on the graph with different letters for each week means the values are statistically different)

Figure 6. Eggshell thickness by age for hens supplemented with different levels of CLOSTAT (B. subtilis PB6); graph from the journal of Trop. Anim. Health & Prod. (Elsevier B.V.); (points on the graph with different letters for each week means the values are statistically different)

shapen, poor shell quality) ranged from 3.8 to 10.8% for the 4 weeks prior to molting, but molting and the introduction of CLOSTAT were associated with a reduction and stabilization of the percentage of second grade eggs to between 3.1 and 4.8%. Whilst the relative effects of molting and CLOSTAT on % seconds cannot be determined from this farm trial, the removal of CLOSTAT in week 82 was followed by more instability in second % eggs than when the probiotic was in the feed (fig. 7, top graph; reason for the very low value at 89 weeks is unknown). By way of comparison, an identical shed of the same bird strain and with the same in-line collection system to the egg grader, were molted at 59 weeks but without CLOSTAT. The % seconds in this shed (fig. 7, bottom graph) were clearly less consistent and had higher % seconds values compared with the shed of birds receiving CLOSTAT. This onfarm observation trial provided some practical support for the results obtained from the published scientific studies. Figure 7. Second grade egg % by flock age (weeks): top graph – data points prior to molting at 58 weeks (blue), during CLOSTAT inclusion in-feed (red), & then after CLOSTAT removal (blue): bottom graph – molted at 59 weeks, no CLOSTAT used

CLOSTAT in

molt % seconds

This study also reported favourable changes to microbial populations in the contents of the caeca of laying hens with CLOSTAT™ supplementation (table 5), ie. increased counts of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria and decreased counts of Clostridia and coliform bacteria. Table 5. Caecal bacterial counts (log10 cfu/g) in 73 week old laying hens Bacteria

Control

Lactobacillus Bifidobacterium Clostridia Coliforms

7.26a 8.08a 9.25a 9.03a

in-feed level of CLOSTAT 500g/tonne

1kg/tonne

8.86b 9.16b 8.80b 8.43b

9.31c 9.74c 8.20b 8.12b

(different letters after values in a row means that values are statistically different)

Local observation farm trial: CLOSTAT was included in feed at 500g/tonne on an Australian egg farm in a shed of caged brown egg laying hens. The birds were molted at 58 weeks of age and CLOSTAT was included in-feed during week 64 and fed continuously until week 82. The percentage of second grade eggs (ie. cracked, mis-

CLOSTAT out

molt

hen age

Summary • the varied and fluctuating challenges experienced by laying hens requires a constantly compliant intestinal balance of micro-organisms. • probiotics (‘for life’) help support a favourable gut microbial balance to ‘buffer’ these intestinal challenges • probiotics are used in young birds as well as hens in ealry and late lay • CLOSTAT is an in-feed, avian host origin probiotic containing a specific strain (PB6 of Bacillus subtilis isolated from the intestinal tract of a healthy chicken • published scientific experiments and farm trials have shown that CLOSTAT can improve a range of production parameters in laying hens Dr Carter is a Technical Services Manager for Kemin Industries (Asia) Pty Ltd and can be contacted in Sydney (phone 0298445700 or 0412-888485); references available from the author.

NEWS

Locally produced vaccine to curb widespread HE virus in turkey population Australia’s turkey producers could soon benefit from a new vaccine against hemorrhagic enteritis virus (HEV), developed specifically for local turkey production. There is no vaccine available in the country to protect turkey flocks against HEV, in part due to quarantine restrictions and concern over introducing new strains, but also because of the small market size. While there have been few diagnosed outbreaks of acute hemorrhagic enteritis (HE) in Australia’s turkey flocks, the virus is now thought to be widespread, having first been reported in the 1980s. The exact costs to the Australian poultry industry are unknown as, rather than causing clinical disease, HEV is thought to cause immunosuppression. There may be sporadic outbreaks of disease in the country, but the more likely effect of the virus is increased mortality, reduced performance, and an increase in other diseases due to infection making birds more susceptible to other organisms. Secondary infections, for example severe colibaccilosis, can be treated, but there is no specific treatment for HEV infection. The situation in Australia’s turkey sector is quite complex as, not only are birds serologically positive, they actually carry the virus. There would appear to be a lot of persistent infection in Australia’s poultry flocks, and when birds recover, they continue to harbor the virus in significant amounts. Professor Steve Walkden-Brown, of the University of New England (UNE), together with industry colleagues, has been determining how widespread the disease is with the aid of Poultry CRC funding and has started work on developing an Australian vaccine. HEV diagnostics now available The project has already developed new molecular tests for the virus, both a standard PCR and a real-time quantitative PCR test, which can indicate the presence of the virus and the number of copies of the virus. A commercial ELISA kit from the US has also been brought in to detect

Hemorrhagic enteritis has reduced the performance of Australia’s turkey sector, but a locally produced vaccine will give turkey flocks protection that has, to date, been unavailable.

antibodies. Previously, there were no readily available diagnostic tools available in the country to detect HEV. However, progress on HEV vaccine development has not been easy, and the team hit a stumbling block when it was unsuccessful in growing the virus in cell culture or chick embryos. The virus, unlike many other adenoviruses, does not grow well in cell culture, and the one cell line in which it is known to grow, and which is used in vaccine production outside of Australia, cannot be used for this purpose in the country because of quarantine regulations. The researchers found that they could, however, grow the virus in SPF chickens, and UNE has a isolator in which this can be done. The team will use the SPF chickens to produce a master seed for the vaccine, and then the virus dose will be titrated and safety and efficacy trials undertaken following Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) guidelines. Finally, a production run will take place, and an AVPMA minor use permit sought. Walkden-Brown, commenting the project, said: “We are 100 percent confident that we will be able to produce a viable vaccine. “We have a good local candidate strain of HEV. We have shown that we

can grow it. We’ve done experiments in turkeys and chickens. “We know we can grow it to high titre, and we know that we can extract it from infectious material, so there is little risk of not being able to produce a vaccine. “We have another 12 months to run on our project, and plan to have a viable product available for the project stakeholders by December 2016.” Australia’s turkey industry at a glance The Australian turkey industry processes approximately five million birds annually, generating in excess of AUS$200 million (US$146.4 million). There are three main turkey producers. Inghams Enterprises dominates the turkey market with a 60-65 percent market share, processing an average of 46,000 turkeys per week. The other two main producers process 15,000 and 10,000 birds each week. These large producers work with contract growers, but there are also a number of smaller turkey producers, all of whom grow their own birds. Free-range turkeys are produced on a few small farms. There are five dedicated turkey processing plants in Australia, while there are thought to be six that process turkeys and chickens.

‘Sustainability – Key concepts for our future’ WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2016 •Three day program filled with the latest in innovation and information, from Australian and International speakers •Program streams such as chicken meat, eggs production, free range and organic farming, flour milling and feed milling •Workshops on numerous special interest areas •Australasian Veterinary Poultry Association (AVPA) scientific meeting •The industry’s largest and most extensive trade display •Availability of private meeting rooms

LOCATION: GOLD COAST PIX/AMC 2016 is being held at the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC), Queensland, and is only 500 metres from the white, sandy beaches of Broadbeach. The GCCEC is perfectly located in the heart of Australia’s most popular tourist destination, surrounded by chic boutiques, al fresco cafes and Surfer’s Paradise’s renowned night life. The centre is convenient to all the Gold Coast attractions including numerous international golf courses, shopping malls and theme parks.

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REGISTRATION Early Bird OPENS 21 January 2016 Early Bird CLOSES 31 March 2016

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NEWS

New report: Enriched broiler meat may lower heart disease and diabetes Meat production may hold the key to reducing the impact of both diseases and improving human health, according to a report from the Tamilnadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Namakkal. Broiler meat, which is low in carbohydrates, rich in protein and low in cholesterol, can be enriched with certain nutrients to minimise the occurrence and ill effects of heart disease and diabetes. With the increasing global prevalence of heart disease and diabetes, meat production may hold the key to reducing the impact of both diseases and improving human health, the report says. This trend of nutritionally enriched or ‘designer meat’ is evolving in both the industry and consumer market. Feeding specific feed supplements to broilers to increase omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and other nutrients in the meat, offers consumers an easy way to increase their intake of these useful nutrients without altering their diet. Adding the following feed supplements to broiler diets provides heart-healthy omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and other dietary enrichments to broiler meat: • Flax seed. Flax seed is a good source for increasing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in poultry meat because of the high content of alpha-linolenic acid. • Fish oil. The polyunsaturated fatty acids including docosehexonic acid (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) are present in fish oil. • Dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS). Including DDGS at above 20 percent in broiler diets increases total omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic and oleic acid) and decreases the saturated fatty acid level in the finished product. The recommended inclusion level of DDGS varies from country to country based on the quality of the raw material and processing technology. • Chromium. Chromium is provided to broilers in the form of chromiumenriched yeast. In human nutrition, chromium is used as a nutritional supplement recommended in impaired carbohydrate metabolism characterized by reduced

glucose tolerance and impaired insulin action; for weight reduction; and in the prevention of the formation of atherosclerotic plaques in blood vessels. Fortification of broiler diets with chromium decreases the concentration of serum total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglycerides. • Vitamins. Dietary antioxidants such as vitamin E, carotenoids, herbal extracts and selenium are beneficial in preventing the detrimental effects of omega-3 fatty acid-enriched diets in broilers. Vitamin-E and selenium are key components of the antioxidant system, reducing lipid peroxidation.

Supplementation of vitamin E in broiler diets improves the meat stability against oxidative deterioration. Vitamin E is the primary lipid-soluble antioxidant found in foods and human blood and tissues. Diabetes mellitus is a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. Its global prevalence was about 8% in 2011, and it is predicted to rise to 10% by 2030. Asia and the Eastern Pacific region are particularly affected. In 2011, China was home to the largest number of adults with diabetes (90.0 million, or 9% of the population), followed by India (61.3 million, or 8% of the population) and Bangladesh (8.4 million, or 10% of the population).

Grando Castle: the best nest since the middle ages Vencomatic has introduced its new nest system, the Grando Castle. This new nest provides a solid base which is built to last and ensures a long lifetime of the nest, the company says. The Grando Castle has a modular design, offering maximum flexibility and providing an optimal fit to every poultry house. One and two tiered nests can now be altered over the length of the house, exactly matching the desired nest space. The first Grando Castle houses were installed in the US, and customers are very happy with the results according to Harry Luimes, Sales Director Americas of the Vencomatic Group “The development of the Grando Castle is a big leap forward, and has the capability to supply every house with sufficient nest space, as well as achieve the highest egg quality,” he said. “High egg quality is achieved by reducing floor eggs, but also by providing a clean nesting site. “Birds are expelled from the nest at night with the tipping floor system, which automatically cleans the nest. Our floors are closed under a 90 degree angle, to ensure that any possible contaminants fall down.”

“The Grando Castle utilises the well-known sidebelt configuration. This concept has been utilised in floor layer houses for many years across the world. The floors of the nest are provided with a Vencomat, designed by Vencomatic for good bird comfort and egg roll-off. “The Grando Castle has the option to be supplied with a flat roof, providing extra living surface for birds, or it can have the traditional points roof. Furthermore, the nest can be supplied with integrated drinker lines. “Vencomatic Group is known for its innovative and sustainable systems for the poultry industry. “Combining three well-known brands, Vencomatic, Agro Supply and Prinzen, it offers a full range of innovative systems for all types of poultry farms worldwide,” Mr Luimes said.

NEWS

Jefo reveals its new philosophy Jefo is a global leader of non-medicated performance feed additives and was founded in Canada in 1982 by Jean Fontaine, B.Sc Agr. It has grown exponentially over the years with its products now sold in 57 countries. “From the beginning, Jefo has concentrated on innovation and understanding and contributing to the science, economics and practices of livestock production and management,” said Jefo President, Mr Fontaine. “Today, Jefo is a world leader and global partner in the field of food additives with its pioneering, cost-saving and efficient solutions that also promote sustainable development,” he said. “Our new global corporate philosophy is based on our company’s history and strong corporate values. It is ‘Life made easier’. We’re convinced it was time to step up and differentiate ourselves,” said Mr Fontaine. “This means nutrition delivered as it should be, through vitamins, minerals, yeasts and organic acids. It’s better balance, better metabolism and a little more comfort. “It’s a promise of health solutions that are easier to deliver. Right in the feed as it should be without fuss or pain or risk to the animals. “It’s a promise that with better nutrition, animals are more comfortable and easier to raise and that each stage of life is just a little less complicated with a lower risk of disease, weight loss and mortality due to stree and malnutrition. “It’s also a promise that Jefo is constantly searching for solutions to animal nutrition challenges, offering a full range of products and programs to satisfy the needs of the different life stages of each species. It’s a lot more confidence and a true partnership. “This philosophy is a promise of excellent service and expert technical support. It’s a promise that doing business with Jefo is easy with immediate response and efficient communication. It’s an entire solutions-orientated team at your service. “It means programs and solutions for real-life situations, for different life stages and challenges. “It means that through its scientific research, Jefo continues to innovate and develop additives that take into account genetic make-up, physiology and metabolism of each species as well as the varying requirements of the market. “Jefo Matrix Technology means safe and targeted delivery of active compounds and nutrients, enzymes for improved feed conversion and increased body weight and liquids for optimal animal performance. “It’s about timely technical support and practical advice worldwide. It’s experienced, dependable and friendly professionals at your service. “This new positioning is sustaining the idea of the rationale of our logo: a natural circle, an easier continuity of life. Both humans and animals are part of this cycle and the interaction is an example of balanced responsibility; giving the best to animals which is given back to us. “The new philosphy encompasses two elements, the world of nature and the world of science, coming together in an expressive way,” Mr Fontaine said. Visit www.jefo.com for more information.

Aviagen Management Essentials De Wet Nortje Technical Service Manager, Aviagen Australia, New Zealand and Asia De Wet has 23 years experience in the poultry industry with a large integrated company in South Africa, before joining Aviagen ANZ in 2012. “Monitoring your flock and noticing early changes in feed and water consumption along with other external signs can be valuable in detecting the early onset of disease” commented De Wet.

Identifying Disease Early Objective Identify a potential disease threat early. Key Points 1. Water intake is essential to the flock. A drop in “normal” intake levels can be an early warning sign of a disease challenge. Recommendation - install a water meter in each house and record daily water intake. 2. A drop in daily feed intake can also be an early warning sign of a disease threat. Recommendation - install feed scales or meters to record daily feed usage. 3. The water/feed ratio is normally between 1.8 - 2.0 for a flock at 21°C. A sudden change in this ratio can be a sign of a disease challenge. Recommendation - measure and record water/feed ratio daily. 4. Daily house inspections are crucial to monitor bird health. Use stockmanship skills: • Sight - check flock spread, feathering, droppings etc • Smell - ammonia etc • Touch - litter conditions etc • Listening - for snicks and sneezing 5. Bird Conformation - check individual birds for the following on a daily basis: • Size and Shape - are the birds too light, have swollen joints or abdominal swelling - ascites • Position - are the birds in a normal stance? Look for signs of dropping wings etc • Heat - inspect the legs of the birds. Hot hocks can indicate a disease challenge • Soiling - accumulation of feces and urates around the vent can indicate an enteric problem • Discharges - check eyes, ears, nostrils and oviducts for abnormal discharges • Stance - a crouched or huddled stance can indicate general illness e.g. cocci challenge • Alertness - look for active birds. A depressed or lethargic bird or slow to react can be a sign of a disease challenge • Vocalization - What is a normal level of noise in the house? Listen for any changes and whether it is too quiet or excessive. Use all your skills as a Stockman - See below

NEWS

The continued rise of chicken meat sales Chicken meat remains Australia’s favourite protein as consumption rises to over 47 kg per person per annum and that popularity seems set to continue. The problem is that while consumers tell us they want more than just an affordable and safe product, the growing and management of the broiler chicken meat supply chain has become increasingly more complex. Without doubt the drivers of the move towards what big retail describes as welfare friendly chicken, has resulted in the deviation from production methods that delivered the inexpensive, nutritious and safe product in the first place. Fifty years ago, and more, the industry through improving technology, genetics and yes, the arrival of supermarkets into Australia, was able to turn chicken meat production from a luxury item to an everyday meal at what has proved to be ludicrously low cost. Then in 2009 Wesfarmers acquired Coles, then very much the also ran in big retail, when compared to Woolworths. Wesfarmers with the advantage of booming energy resources and industrial divisions as well as the startling growth of the Bunnings ‘big box’ stores, was well placed to pour resources into their Coles acquisition. With sharp management hired from the incredibly competitive UK retail sector the competition for both market share and profitability between Coles and Woolies has put big pressure on suppliers. The perceived need to turn a low priced commodity into a more attractive product that was able to generate both higher sales volume and profitability, has resulted in increased demand to produce chicken meat in ways that abandoned many of the technological benefits developed over the last half century. Free range is now a significant proportion of total sales but without doubt the single most significant development has been the almost universal adoption of the RSPCA broiler code. While the aim of that code has been to make chicken meat production appear more ‘welfare friendly’ to consumers it has without doubt generated a good revenue stream for the ‘big two’ who have both generated private label RSPCA badged chicken

meat products. Unfortunately the chicken meat industry seems to have become victims of collateral damage from struggles between the consumer regulator (the ACCC) over ‘truth in labeling’ issues. At this stage the layer industry seem to be in the most difficulty with what the regulator sees as acceptable claims for ‘free range’ production protocols but when a central argument for what free range means focuses on how many birds leave their sheds on any given day, there is the potential for problems in the future. Though there may be many in the broiler industry who have reservations about the adoption of the RSPCA broiler codes, at least their production protocols are clearly defined and audited by a third party. This gives the supermarkets what they regard as a more acceptable product: as the RSPCA audit process has become more refined and consistent, growers at least know what is expected of them, and finally the regulators like the ACCC and consumer groups have less opportunity to create difficulty under ‘truth in labeling’ issues. The good news is the growth of larger highly efficient corporate owned and run contract grower farms like those operated by Proten. Also there are other investor groups emerging looking to build large sale farms as part of long term business strategies. The initiative earlier this year to produce pre-prepared and packaged meals by Cordina which opened a $10

million state of the art processing plant at Wyong, can only be regarded as positive for the industry as it transforms a basic protein source into a more valuable product. What the absolutely spectacular reversal in fortune for Woolies in late 2015 and early 2016 will mean is hard to predict. The collapse of the Masters business with massive losses means an absolute free kick for its rival Coles. The attitude and growth of Aldi is also going to be of interest. While the big two have gone all out on ‘welfare friendly’ with their RSPCA and free range product lines, Aldi may choose to cater to the more than 50% of consumers who want the best product at the least price: certainly in the layer sector Aldi has given cage laid eggs equal status on its egg supply shelves. It will be interesting to see if Coles and particularly Woolies persist with their ‘cage free’ egg sales policy. Other developments of potential sharp focus could be the fact that in the UK from January 1, 2016 thinning of broiler flocks over the grow out period will no longer be permitted as it is thought that the practice has contributed to an increased risk from rising levels of campylobacter contamination. This is a complex issue which involves some of the changes demanded by big retailers who have, along with industry, farmer groups and integrators now signed up to a campaign to reduce campylobacter risk from chicken meat production.

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NEWS

Guest speakers announced for ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak and former Ford CEO Alan Mulally will be guest speakers at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference to be held in Kentucky in May. Additional special guests include Seth M Siegel, businessman, activist and author of ‘Let There be Water’; John Calipari, coach of the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team; and a live performance by Riverdance. The king of design and innovation, Apple has technologically set the tone for the world, and its global revolution began when Steve Wozniak, a young engineer with a penchant for computer tinkering, met an even younger guy named Steve Jobs who was interning at his company, Hewlett-Packard. It was a fortuitous meeting of complementary geniuses, computer wizardry and business acumen. In 1975, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak respectively sold off their Volkswagen microbus and HewlettPackard calculator for a little more than $1,000 in capital funds. They set up shop in Jobs’ parents’ garage, effectively launching the company that would forever change the world through personal computers, tablets, iPods and iPhones. Alltech will welcome Mr Wozniak to its main stage on Tuesday, May 24, 2016, at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, an event dedicated to inspiring innovation. The annual international conference, now in its 32nd year, traditionally draws nearly 3,000 attendees from more than 60 countries to network with peers and discuss world-changing ideas. “When you think about the power of innovation, you think of Apple. Few companies have had a more profound effect, and so it is a real treat for me personally, as an entrepreneur who also started my business in a garage, to announce that Steve Wozniak, Apple’s co-founder, will be joining us for ONE,” said Dr Pearse Lyons, founder and President of Alltech. Wozniak has been awarded the National Medal of Technology, the highest honor bestowed on America’s leading innovators, and was inducted into the Investors Hall of Fame. He also received the prestigious Heinz Award for Technology, the

Economy and Employment for his role in single-handedly designing Apple I, the world’s first personal computer, and for dedicating himself to inspiring innovation through education, particularly at the grade school level. Through the years, he has been involved in numerous business and philanthropic ventures that focus on encouraging creativity in young students through hands-on learning. In particular, Mr Wozniak has adopted the Los Gatos School District, donating state-of-the-art technology equipment, and he founded the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and was the founding sponsor of the Tech Museum, Silicon Valley Ballet and the Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose. Currently, Wozniak is the Chief Scientist at Primary Data. He is also the author of the New York Times bestselling autobiography, ‘iWoz: From Computer Geek to Culture Icon’. Wozniak will be preceded on the main plenary stage by the former President and CEO of Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally. Mr Mulally will join author and businessman Seth M Siegel and title-winning University of Kentucky Men’s Basketball Coach John Calipari as the opening keynote speakers on Monday, May 23, at the conference. Mr Mulally led Ford’s transformation into the number one automobile brand in the United States. He guided the company through implementation of the One Ford plan, a compelling vision and comprehensive strategy to deliver profitable growth for all of the company’s stakeholders. Prior to joining Ford, Mr Mulally served as Executive Vice President of The Boeing Company, President and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and President of Boeing Information, Space, and Defense Systems. Throughout his career, Mr Mulally has been recognised for his contributions, industry leadership, and service, including being named third on FORTUNE’s ‘World’s Greatest Leaders’, one of the 30 ‘World’s Best CEOs’ by Barron’s magazine, one of ‘The World’s Most Influential People’ by TIME magazine and ‘Chief Executive of the Year’ by Chief Executive magazine.

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak He was also honored with the American Society for Quality’s medal for excellence in executive leadership, the ‘Automotive Executive of the Year’, and the ‘Thomas Edison Achievement Award’. After serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of The Ford Motor Company and as a member of Ford’s board of directors for nearly eight years, Mr Mulally was named to Google’s board of directors in July 2014. He is now a director at Carbon3D, Inc., a 3D printing company that recently introduced an innovative approach to polymer-resin-based 3D printing. Mr Mulally serves on the President Obama’s United States Export Council. He served as Co-chairman of the Washington Competitiveness Council, President of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Aerospace Industries Association and has served on the advisory boards of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the University of Washington, the University of Kansas, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the United States Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Engineering and also a fellow of England’s Royal

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NEWS v

Academy of Engineering. Seth M Siegel is a businessman, activist and writer. He is a forward thinker on the coming global water crisis, and what to do about it. Siegelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s essays on business, political and cultural issues have appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and other publications around the world. Siegel has often appeared on television and radio and has been widely quoted in major print media around the world. He is the author of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Let There Be

Water: Israelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Solution for a WaterStarved Worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, which has been featured on the New York Times and LA Times Bestsellers lists. Siegel has spoken extensively on water issues, including at the United Nations and the Council on Foreign Relations, where he is a member. With a JD from Cornell Law School, Siegel, a successful serial entrepreneur has co-founded numerous companies. He has also produced on Broadway, and has served as branding agent for many celebrities and corporations. The Alltech Ideas Conference

closing ceremony will feature Riverdance in a special live performance on the morning of Wednesday, May 25. Since a first performance as the interval act at the Eurovision Song contest in 1994, the international Irish dance phenomenon Riverdance has been seen by more than 25 million people in 46 countries. Experts and industry leaders from around the world will convene in Lexington, Kentucky in the USA from May 22 to 25 for ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference. For more information or to register, visit one.alltech.com.

Trend reveals increase in global feed tonnage As global disposable income increases, consumers have developed a palate for protein, and, over the past five years, the feed industry has delivered. Results from the 2016 Global Feed Survey released by Alltech estimates international feed tonnage now at 995.5 million metric tons, a 1.5% increase over last year and a 14% increase since Alltech first published Global Feed Survey results in 2011. The analysis of five-year trends showed growth predominantly from the pig, poultry and aqua feed sectors and intensification of production in the African, Middle Eastern, Latin American and European regions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The feed industry is an excellent barometer of economic health and, based on our five years of data, predicts economic growth more accurately than many other indices,â&#x20AC;? said Aidan Connolly, Chief Innovation Officer of

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Alltech, who headed up the initiative to conduct the survey. The Global Feed Survey assesses the compound feed production from more than 130 countries through information obtained in partnership with local feed associations and Alltechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sales team, who visit more than 32,000 feed mills annually. The 2016 survey showed poultry feed has the market share and is growing faster than any other species, with 46% of total global feed manufactured specifically for broilers, egg layers, turkeys, duck and other fowl. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s survey also confirmed that corn and soybean meal are the standard feed ingredients globally. The top 10 feed producers in the world remained the same: China, the United States, Brazil, Mexico, India, Spain, Russia, Germany, Japan and

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France. As a region, Europe saw the most growth, up 13 million tons over last year, with the largest contributions coming from Russia, Turkey, Belarus and Poland. Down 2% from last year, China still holds the title of leading feed producer in Alltechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual Feed Survey with 179.930 million tons manufactured throughout the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 8,550 feed mills. However, this is the third year the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leader has reported a consolidation of its feed tonnage production into a smaller number of feed mills. The number of feed mills in the United States and Brazil, the second and third largest markets, also declined. The US produced 172.730 million metric tons from 6,012 feed mills (6,718 mills in 2014) and Brazil manufactured 68.7 million metric tons from 1,556 feed mills (1,698 mills in 2014). According to Connolly, the consolidation of feed production into fewer mills is driven by many factors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Chinese, in particular, see a benefit of having fewer feed mills â&#x20AC;&#x201C; lower cost, more efficient and easier to control from the perspective of traceability and food safety,â&#x20AC;? Connolly said. Other notable statistics from the 2016 Feed Survey are: â&#x20AC;˘ Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 5,545 feed mills, with Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contributions, augmented their production by 22% in 2015 compared to the previous year. The Middle East demonstrated a 17% increase with 21.438 million tons from the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 719 mills. Africa, Asia Pacific and Latin America were up 5, 4 and 3% respectively while North America remained flat. â&#x20AC;˘ Poultry feed production continues to surge with a 5% increase, now at a total 463.69 million metric tons.

PRODUCT NEWS Maintaining freedom of birds while meeting demand Across Europe when conventional cage housing for layers was banned most producers responded by going to colony cage housing enriched with nests, perches and scratching areas that allow birds to better express their natural behaviors. Rondeel hen houses have been responsible for a number of innovations in the Dutch egg industry, including the round egg carton that holds seven eggs — emphasizing an ‘eggper-day’ message. Niels Geraerts, Marketing Manager for the Venco Group, noted that conventional cage housing was first introduced in the US in the early 1930s and had become the dominant kind of housing in the world by the 1960s, with 75% of hens worldwide housed in conventional cages by 1990. When the European Union began expressing reservations about cages and their effect on hen health and welfare by the mid-1970s, it passed a directive on minimum space in 1986 and the directive banning conventional cages in 1999. He pointed out that Switzerland banned conventional cages in 1992 and that Germany banned cages of any kind, including colonies and enriched colonies. There are 31 million layers in the Netherlands, Geraerts said, and just 16 million people. Those consumers are concerned for hen welfare, and animal activists are becoming more organised and stronger, Geraerts said. Accordingly, policymakers are seeking to define activist and consumer priorities into law and regulations, and supermarkets are increasingly stocking eggs from hen housing systems that fall only within those consumer and regulatory schemes, he said. Producers, therefore, have had to adopt housing that captures the best of the efficiencies of cages and the permissibility of alternative, more open systems, he said. Geraerts acknowledged that these alternative systems increase production costs, but he said these costs can be offset with higher prices and/or fewer or lower discounts. Dutch egg producers are required to number stamp each egg as to the production system – 0 for organic, 1 for free range, 2 for barn and 3 for cage – and the lower the number, the higher the price. (Eggs also are stamped with a number that identifies the farm on which they were produced.) Like production anywhere, he added, rationalisation has been going on since the 1940s. He said the average flock size in the country is 40,000-45,000 hens, but a few producers do have operations with 500,000 birds. Consolidation is raising some discussion about how large a farm can be and still be sustainable, Geraerts noted, and Dutch lawmakers are considering legislation that would cap a farm’s size. “Mega-farms have a negative public image,” he said. Colonies are a positive alternative to conventional cages, Gloudemans said, “but colonies are still cages, and when you step inside a barn, you still see bars.” A Rondeel house provides birds with day sections where they can scurry around on artificial grass and bark, in with trees on which to perch and in sunlight that comes through clear, tarp-like blinds. It also provides birds with a night section where they can drink water, eat, rest and lay eggs. Obviously, birds in this kind of environment expend far more energy than birds in colonies, which means that they need more nourishment, Gloudemans said. They also need more management, which he referred to as ‘training’. He explained that this training can be done through genetics and rearing. He said the house manager needs to

spend time in the house to observe hen activities and to position feed and water lines, nests and perches to where they merge with bird behavior. This will result in a minimum of antisocial behaviors such as feather pecking, eliminating the need for beak trimming, he said. This training is not difficult, he said, pointing to how “birds have lived in the forests for years and like to go up (to perch) and look down”. A Rondeel house “brings out this natural behavior,” he said. A Rondeel-Vencomatic poultry specialist stays on site with the manager of a new Rondeel until the producer is confident in his ability to manage the flock. There are 4,000 egg producers in Holland although that number is decreasing as producers elect to exit egg production and expand farms in other directions or retire, which means that egg production in Holland — like agricultural production anywhere — is consolidating into fewer farms with larger flocks.

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Management Feature Preventing cross-contamination in the hatchery By GERD DE LANGE, Senior Poultry Specialist, Pas Reform Academy Due to its central position between breeder farms and poultry production houses for meat and eggs, optimised hatchery hygiene plays a crucial role in preventing the spread of pathogens in the poultry value chain. Optimised hygiene in the hatchery is dependent on three key areas: 1. Preventing pathogens from entering the hatchery, ie. maintaining bio-security; 2. Avoiding cross-contamination or the transfer of pathogens within the hatchery; 3. Inhibiting further pathogenic development in the hatchery ie. cleaning and disinfection. This article focuses on the prevention of cross-contamination from relatively ‘dirty’ rooms in the hatchery, such as the chick processing room, to what should be the cleanest room, the setter room. To prevent cross-contamination, it is important to clearly demarcate the different hygienic zones in the hatchery: egg arrival area; setter room; candling/transfer room; hatcher room; chick handling and despatch room. In a well designed hatchery, the practical implementation of the ‘clean should never meet dirty rule is easily achievable.

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For example, eggs being transferred to the hatcher do not cross the path of chicks just being pulled. After being washed and disinfected, hatcher baskets do not pass through the chick room or any area where processing takes place, on their way to the transfer room. And importantly, hatchery staff, including the technician responsible for maintenance, do not walk from the chick processing room to the setter room on a hatch day. Differently coloured hatchery clothing and shoes, as well as tools like floor rubbers, greatly help to enforce hygieneresponsible behaviour by hatchery personnel. Exploders, often caused by Pseudomonas spp, are an important source of cross-contamination between batches within the same setter. To reduce this risk, batches with an increased incidence of exploders should be transferred to the hatcher last. Strictly applying the ‘one batch per hatcher’ rule, enabled by limiting the capacity of the hatchers, greatly prevents the risk of cross contamination, for example from older to younger batches. In a well designed hatchery the number of hatchers per hatcher room is based on the daily production of chicks. This prevents recontamination after cleaning and disinfection, so minimising the risk of contaminating tomorrow’s hatch. Chick down, also a potential contaminant, is easily airborne. Its movement must therefore be controlled to prevent cross-contamination. The setter room, to be maintained as the cleanest room in the hatchery, should be kept overpressure in relation to the hatcher rooms. The accumulation of down in air ducts should be avoided, because this forms breeding grounds for moulds like Aspergillus spp. Air leaving the hatcher - and ideally also the setter – should be brought directly into exhaust plenums that can easily be cleaned and disinfected. The use of air ducts should be restricted for clean, unused air only. In the hatcher, condensation on the cooling surface is normal and the majority of fluff will be caught by this moisture if the surface is large enough. The integration of cooling pipes inside the wall panels creates a large surface area that significantly minimises the risk of cross contamination, while at the same time greatly reducing cleaning time and promoting excellent disinfection results. Advice • Organize regular hygiene-awareness training for hatchery staff; people are often the weakest link in the “hygienic chain”. • Apply the rule ‘clean should never meet dirty’ strictly, for eggs, people, air and items such as trolleys and trays. • Maintain setter room in overpressure in relation to hatcher rooms to avoid the entrance of fluff. • Transfer batches with an increased risk of exploders to the hatcher last. • Plan daily chick production based on the number of hatchers per hatcher room.

NEWS Alarming anitbiotic resistance discovery in China

Polymyxin is the last line of defense Dr Paterson and Dr Harris note in their editorial that although new antibiotics have recently come into

the clinic, the drugs are not effective against all clinically important Gramnegative bacteria. “For this reason, the polymyxins (colistin and polymyxin B) remain the last line of defence against many Gramnegative bacilli,” they write. In 2012, the World Health Organization Advisory Group on Integrated Surveillance of Antimicrobial Resistance described colistin as an antibiotic of critical importance. “There have been previous calls for curtailing the use of polymyxins in agriculture. “We must all reiterate these appeals and take them to the highest levels of government or face increasing numbers of patients for whom we will need to say, ‘Sorry, there is nothing I can do to cure your infection,’ the report said. “In the absence of new agents effective against resistant Gramnegative pathogens, the effect on human health by mobile colistin resistance cannot be underestimated. “It is imperative that surveillance and molecular epidemiological studies on the distribution and dissemination of mcr-1 among Gram-negative bacteria in both human and veterinary medicine are initiated, along with re-evaluation of the use of polymyxins in animals.”

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Prevalence of E.Coli and K pneumoniae The researchers investigated the prevalence of mcr-1 in E. coli and K pneumoniae strains gathered from five provinces in China between April 2011 and November 2014. They found a high prevalence ofmcr-1 in E. coli isolates from animals, as well as isolates from retail meat. Overall, 78 (15%) of 523 samples of raw meat carried the mcr-1 plasmid, as did E coli isolated from 166 (21%) of 804 animals. Moreover, there was an increase in the proportion of mcr-1-positive E. coli during the study. In chicken, the percentage of positive samples was

4.9% in 2011, 25.0% in 2013, and 28.0% in 2014. Similar rates were found in pork samples, at 6.3% in 2011, 22.9% in 2014, and 22.3% in 2014. In 2014, China produced 17.5 million tonnes of poultry and 56.7 million tonnes of pork, making it the world’s largest producer of both products. Approximately 10% of the meat is exported. The researchers also report that 16 (1%) of the 1322 samples from inpatients with infection were positive for mcr-1 in 2014, the only year for which they report patient data. The authors said that the resistance gene may spread beyond China. “During the writing of this report, we noted that five E. coli DNA contigs containing mcr-1-like genes from Malaysia have been recently submitted to the European Molecular Biology Lab. Although no additional information is available, the possibility that mcr1-positive E. coli have spread outside China and into other countries in southeastern Asia is deeply concerning,” they write.

Polymyxins remain the last line of defense against antibiotic-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Now, researchers report that a gene that confers resistance to these drugs is found in a growing number of bacteria from meat samples in China. More worrying is that the gene, mcr-1, is found on small pieces of DNA called plasmids that easily spread between bacteria. “The implications of this finding are enormous,” write David L Paterson, MD, from Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Campus in Australia, and Patrick N. A. Harris, MBBS, from Wesley Hospital, also in Brisbane, in an accompanying editorial. The editorial and research paper, by Yi-Yun Liu, from the College of Veterinary Medicine, National Risk Assessment Laboratory for Antimicrobial Resistance of Microorganisms in Animals, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China, and colleagues, were published online on November 18. The researchers found that in 2011, more than 5% of Escherichia coli isolates from retail chicken and pork meat from China tested positive for the colistin (polymyxin E) resistance gene mcr-1. By November 2014, the percentage of positive isolates had increased to approximately 25%. Thus, not only have microbes now achieved resistance to polymyxin, but the resistance is spreading quickly. The rapid spread is a result of the fact that mcr-1 is not located on the chromosome, as has been the case for previously identified polymyxin-resistant genes, but is found on plasmids that bacteria exchange regularly.

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NEWS v CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 has promoted more women into prominent positions yet the Nationals often, and possibly incorrectly, seen as the most conservative of our major political parties has had the good sense to place a woman with obvious talent and drive into a position where she can achieve desirable economic and socially beneficial outcomes. AECL Forum social programs including the dinners have become a vital and enjoyable part of the overall event. The 22nd AECL Industry Forum Dinner involved a cruise (sponsored by Hy-Line Layers & Lohmann Layers) to the Peppermint Bay Restaurant – what a spot! Pre-dinner drinks courtesy of Big Dutchman were followed by a truly fabulous meal with the wine sponsored by Moba. AECL Managing Director, James Kellaway again took on the role of raffling off prizes (enjoy the single malt Brian). A remarkably well rested group was present for the third session on day two hosted by James Kellaway with opening remarks by AECL Chairman Jeff Ironside. Introducing the ‘Unbeatable Egg’ marketing initiative, the first slide of the presentation ‘Cracking 240 (egg consumption p.a.p.p.)’ set the scene for an optimistic session. David Mogford – Program Manager Marketing AECL, went into further detail of the forthcoming initiative ‘Making Eggs Unbeatable’. By tackling the breakfast, snacking and dinner meals with catchy slogans like ‘That’s Dinner Cracked’ in targeted marketing campaigns, the drive toward 240 eggs per person

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4 1. Judy O’Keeffe, DSM Nutritional Products and Rick Carter from Kemin. 2. LtoR: Lachlan Green, Green Eggs; Robert Peffer, Nuffield Scholar ; Jack Mooney, Jack’s Free Range Eggs. 3. Stuart Wilkinson, Sydney University, Elise Davine, Ridley Agriproducts. 4. Greg Ferrera and Steven Ligoli from Hy-Line Layers Australia. 5. The outdoor EGGMOJIS campaign is in all capital cities. 6. Richard Beevis from Potters Poultry with Peter Mathews from AAS Pty Ltd. 7. LtoR: Steve Davis, Agricultural Automation, Chris Hauck, ebmpapst and Luke Colla from HMI Electric.

NEWS per annum (P.P.P.A) from the current 217 eggs P.P.P.A, is well under way. “In the near future we will target breakfast, back to school, dinner, snacking (a healthy addition to the lunch box for kids and tradies), while continue to focus on healthcare professionals and food service,” David said. Amanda Shannaham-Moore, Deputy Managing Director of Pulse Communications, spoke about engaging the media, consumers and influencers in the ‘Unbeatable Eggs Story’. “We have taken our outdoor EGG-MOJIS campaign to all capital cities and it has raised the already well established awareness of the value of eggs to new audiences,” Amanda said. Clare Hamilton-Bate, Executive Officer Scheme Support and Abe Moses Farm Services Manager AECL, outlined the initiative to ‘re-birth’ the QA Program. In the final session Kai Ianssen, Communications

Manager at AECL spoke about a new initiative ‘Laid in Australia’, harnessing new technologies to tell the real stories behind Aussie egg farming. The program, Kai said, would improve trust and awareness of the importance of Australian grown eggs and those that produce them and we look forward to reporting on this initiative as it is rolled out in 2016. The next speakers were Ron Eek, Regional Area Manager, Lohmann Middle East/Oceania, and Wim Janssen, Senior Technical Specialist Tee Heerdt. This hatchery is the distributor of Lohmann genetics in the Netherlands and Belgium. Their topic was ‘Breeding for Free Range and Aviary Systems’. Poultry Digest will be producing a major article on the Lohmann initiative in Australia and will combine aspects of their papers in that story later in 2016. The final speaker was Gary Humphries the new Chairman of the RSPCA in Australia who spoke about, ‘The RSPCA working with industry to improve animal welfare’. He explained some of the protocols required for RSPCA approved layer hens (eg cage free, the ability to dust bath, perching, egg box design etc). Perhaps predictably there was ‘lively’ discussion following his paper. After closing remarks by Jeff Ironside the 2015 AECL Annual General Meeting took place followed by a meeting of The Egg Farmers of Australia chaired by NSW Farmers Federation President (and Tamworth based layer farmer) Bede Burke.

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HEALTH FEATURE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12

humidity at the air/litter interface and areas of increased bird density, all of which can wreak havoc in an antibiotic free program. Sometimes it only takes an additional degree of floor heat to be enough to drop the relative humidity below the breakpoint for litter caking. The easiest way to measure relative humidity is with a simple digital humidity meter or hygrometer. These are available from a large variety of sources and range from $15 to $100. Simply place the hygrometer on the feed line when you enter the house in the morning and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes and take a reading. The hygrometers should not be left in the house because they easily become clogged with dust. If the relative humidity is above 70%, increase fan time by 15-30 seconds and make sure that there is sufficient house tightness and air speed to get the incoming air to move across

NEW PRODUCTS the ceiling of the house before falling to the floor. If the relative humidity is below 50%, decrease the fan time by 15 to 30 seconds. It is that simple. Stationary humidity sensors connected to the house’s controller do not work well for a number of reasons and are not recommended. Attention to keeping relative humidity in the correct range through proper house preparation prior to brooding and appropriate ventilation strategies during brooding pays dividends in maintaining bird performance, litter quality and gut health in all types of poultry production environments. *Trisha Marsh Johnson, DVM, MAM DACPV, is from Veterinary & Environmental Technical Solutions, Athens, Georgia, USA and this paper was recently presented at the Australsian Veterinary Poultry Association Conference held in Queenstown, New Zealand.

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Fantura air inlet system: no more cold air drop Fancom is launching a unique air inlet system that the company says ensures a constant, even supply of fresh air into the poultry house in all conditions. “It puts an end to cold air dropping down onto your animals. Your animals stay healthy and grow better, and the consistent growth conditions improve uniformity,” a spokesperson said. The Fantura air inlet system consists of an air inlet valve, an intelligent actuator and a smart control computer. A conventional air inlet valve set for minimum ventilation creates a long, narrow opening. So the cold, incoming air has too little mass, decreases in speed too rapidly and drops down on the animals. The special jet stream of the Fantura air inlet valve bundles the incoming air, creating a better throw, and directs the air to the ridge of the house where it can mix with the warm air inside the house. The aerodynamic housing is equipped with an air entry cone that reduces air resistance, which is energy saving. In combination with the jet stream, the Fantura inlet valve delivers 30% more capacity. So you can cut down on the number of air inlet valves. The Fantura system works with a combination of the Fancom climate computer and the intelligent iM.60 or iM.125 actuators. Based on the capacity required, the actuator determines the ideal position of the air inlet valve and guarantees the correct volume of fresh air in any conditions.

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