Poultry Digest December/January 2015 by Rosemary Embery

poultrydigest www.primarymedia.com.au

Volume 30, Number 3

December/January 2015

Nuffield Scholar adds innovation to a Lilydale broiler farm

Presan-FY for bird health and well being

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Volume 30, Number 3

Bernadette Mortensen (left) with her extended family

December/January 2015

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

SUBSCRIPTIONS Features Page 8: Nuffield Scholar adds innovation to a Lilydale broiler farm by Peter Bedwell

Page 38: Presan-FY for bird health and well being by Harun Rasid

News Page 4: 20th AECL Industry Forum held in Canberra Page 16: Sunshine Meats, award winning gourmet smallgoods maker, extends poultry range Page 20: Highly accredited global cleaning enterprise contributes to better food safety Page 28: Egg Farming Certificate III course making inroads for Australian egg farmers Page 32: Solar power makes the difference for Cliff Davis Page 42: ACCC takes action against Darling Downs Fresh Eggs

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ENQUIRIES OFFICE ADDRESS: 250 Hawthorne Pde, Haberfield NSW, 2045 Mob: 0419 235 288 Production: 0409 944 472 Email: primarymedia@bigpond.com or ilvaril@iinet.net.au Poultry Digest consists of a bi-monthly management magazine and an annual industry review, Poultry Industry Yearbook Published by CD Supplies Pty Ltd trading as Primary Media (ACN 091 560 557) All material copyright (editorial and advertisements) and may not be reproduced without the written consent of the publishers. Whilst every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the contents of POULTRY DIGEST, the publishers do not accept any responsibility or liability for the material herein.

NEWS

20th AECL Industry Forum held in Canberra The Australian Egg Corporation Limited (AECL) held its 20th Industry Forum at the QT Hotel Canberra on November 19-20, 2014 and just short of 200 delegates attended. This is a record for the event and demonstrates the enthusiasm producers and their suppliers have for an industry that, despite formidable challenges, continues to grow along with egg consumption in Australia. The opening session of the Forum was opened by AECL Chairman Jeff Ironside who introduced the first speakers Kai Ianssen and Yeli Kruger from AECL who jointly delivered, ‘Eggsellent Stories: Promoting Australia’s egg farmers’. Kai introduced the topic by stating that “there was a crying need for the egg farmer story to be properly told and that there was a clear requirement to invest serious money into promoting egg farmers and bridging the city/ country divide.” “In 1900, 39% of Australia’s population lived in capital cities but by 2011 this proportion had risen to 66% and is almost certainly still rising. “Vast numbers of Australians have lost touch with agriculture. Farming today is not the idealised idea of city dwellers and pressure from around the world, particularly in developed economies like the EU and US, is increasing to change established and successful farming methods. “Animal activist have put big money into campaigns discrediting egg farmers and now it’s time to fight back,” he said. Yeli spoke about building consumer trust in egg farmers. “Consumers want farmers to share their beliefs and values. “To build trust, we have to demonstrate that while systems have changed and the use of technology increased, the commitment to do what is right has never been stronger,” she said. “The objective is to make consumers understand that egg farmers do the right thing and that they share consumers’ values and beliefs. “We must instill confidence about where the egg comes from, the quality of the eggs they buy and the integrity of the farmer who is responsible for the hens. “The key messages needed to address the three major concerns on consumers minds are: the profit driving

motives of farmers, where there is concern that profit takes precedence over ethics and integrity; animal welfare issues, and lack of trust around labeling,” Yeli explained. “Can such a campaign be successful? Yes,” stated Yeli pointing to the result achieved in promoting egg consumption. After discussion of a campaign to alter consumer conceptions of egg production, the next paper delivered by Martin Kneebone, the Managing Director of Freshlogic, was ‘How do or eggs get to consumers and what influences buying behaviour’ revealed some interesting facts. On distribution, Mr Kneebone revealed that 65.5% (or 228 million dozen) are sold through supermarkets, 19.4% through specialist retailers, foodservice 15.1% (2.5 m doz from retailers) and home production 14.3 m dozen. “In total 383 m dozen are available of which 91% (348m) go to fresh markets while 9% (35m doz) go to the processing sector which now faces competition from imports,” he said. One of the most interesting statistics revealed in the paper was the discrepancy between what consumers stated as their preferences and what they actually purchased. “While the mix of retail sales has altered, there is a gap between stated purchase preference and actual buyer behaviour,” Mr Kneebone pointed out. “Eggs are a mature fast moving consumer goods category, with deep household penetration and regular shopping patterns. Growth is most likely to come from product attributes valued by consumers. “Reconciling preferences for eggs from different product systems looms as a challenge. “Gaps remain between consumer aspirations and purchase behaviour and supermarkets dominate retail but specialist distribution remains an option. “The number one priority is price (70%) with welfare considerations back at number 2 and 35%. Despite the high visibility and persistent endorsement by celebrity chefs this only influences 15% of buyers. “Finally, as the economy improves, eating breakfast away from home has increased,” he concluded. Matt Perry, Chief Strategy Officer w

4 1. AECL Chairman Jeff Ironside. 2. First speakers Kai Ianssen and Yeli Kruger (3), both from AECL. 4. Martin Kneebone, Managing Director of Freshlogic.

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at Ikon Communications spoke about ‘Marketing communication in the connected age: How to navigate today’s media landscape’. He opened his paper by stating that “In a world of media scarcity we could rely on pushing messages to consumers via mass media channels. However now ‘pay per view’ is the new watching, reading and listening currency: we are slowly being trained to pay for all and any content,” Mr Perry said. “Netflix made $66 million in one day for downloads of ‘House of Cards (Series 2). “Without purpose, a brand is just another billboard,” he warned. Geoffrey Annison (Director of Health, Nutrition and Scientific affairs, Australian Grocery Council, spoke about the importance of front of pack labeling and suggested a ‘Health Star Rating System’. In the second Forum session chaired by Kai Ianssen, Pete Wilson, Managing Director, GA Research, spoke about ‘Egg labeling consumer research findings’. ‘Building trust with improved egg labeling’ was his topic. “Key questions were, what information do consumers want on egg cartons to help with their purchase decisions and to what extent can this information provide confidence that the consumer is getting what they paid for? “How can this help build trust in the egg industry more generally,” Mr Wilson asked. A slide displayed showing ‘Egg purchasing decision’ matched Martin Kneebone’s findings. On the question of ‘attitudes towards and trust in egg labeling information, 60% agreed with the statement that , “egg carton labels give me enough information to make my purchase decisions” and 9% disagreed and 30% responded ‘neither’. In answer to the statement that, “I find the information on egg carton labels confusing” 43% disagreed, 18% agreed and the rest said ‘neither’. On the question of quality assurance, this was strongly supported, stated Mr Wilson with 36% of respondents stating QA to be an excellent initiative and 47% a good initiative. Preferred QA characteristics were firstly ‘safe food standards for human consumption, followed by hen welfare, farm hygiene, hen health, biosecurity and quarantine. Labelling standards for egg cartons and environmental sustainability for egg farms were other considerations.

“Consistency breeds trust,” Mr Wilson concluded. Clare Hamilton-Bate, Executive Officer of Freshcare spoke about ‘On farm assurance – the road ahead’. “Freshcare Certification involves food safety and quality and environmental aspects of operations: the scheme has more than 5000 participating businesses,” Ms HamiltonBate explained. Challenges for the egg industry were firstly, “multiple drivers, their scope and scheme requirements,” she said. Then there was, “the consideration of training and support infrastructure both face to face and online. “Creating program formats with a trend towards prescription based and objective auditing, and finally participant numbers in what is a small industry,” she concluded. Senator Richard Colbeck, a senator for Tasmania and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture as the official ‘event opener’ spoke next. His enthusiasm for Australian agriculture was obvious and hardly surprising given that his constituency is Tasmania, a state that benefits greatly from a strong farming sector. He stressed the importance of his government’s white paper on agriculture and how the Coalition saw agriculture as one of the ‘five pillars’ of the Australian economy. “Export opportunities were plentiful given the recent trade negotiations held with numerous important countries including Japan, Korea, China and more recently India,” he said. The dinner at the Old Parliament House (sponsored by Vencomatic Group and Quantum Power) was truly fabulous and guests were entertained by corporate impersonator Homer Papantonio who, in his role as pseudo philosopher/futurist Dr Giovanni Allissi, pushed all the buttons! The revelry continued in the Old Member’s Bar with cheese and port (sponsored by Moba). The next day Forum 3, chaired by AECL’s JoJo Jackson, opened with Dr Kylie Hewson, AECL’s R&D Project Manager who introduced ‘The Salmonella initiative’. Kylie spoke about the reputational damage if eggs are implicated in any outbreak and the costs of change. “However a new attitude to reducing human salmonellosis involving the industry taking charge of an issue could improve information flow, improve the reputation of the sector, reduce risk,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 w

1. Matt Perry, Chief Strategy Officer, Ikon Communications. 2. Pete Wilson, MD of GA Research. 3. Clare Hamilton-Bate, from Freshcare. 4. Senator Richard Colbeck.

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It’s a family affair at the Mortensen’s broiler farm at Mangrove Mountain in NSW.

Nuffield Scholar adds innovation to a Lilydale broiler farm

By PETER BEDWELL

ernadette Mortensen lives on a two shed broiler farm at Mangrove Mountain in NSW with her husband Ned and their three children. Bernadette was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship for 2015, suppported by Woolworths. She is interested in how other countires manage agricultural land and its development. She will investigate the issues of urban encroachment, unfavourable public perception and legislative changes on agribusiness by visiting countries around the world with high urban populations. Her husband Ned is a qualified engineer, has just completed his law

studies, and holds a commercial pilot’s license. Bernadette’s parents, Joe and Carmen Galea and her sister Andrea operate a free range broiler farm nearby, and have recently planted 600 avocado trees on an adjoining property; truly a diversified family operation! Poultry Digest got involved as a result of a call from Liz Roan, the Poultry CRC’s Education Officer. “Do you have any decent pictures of broiler chickens on an outdoor range?” she asked. The simple answer was that despite nearly 15 years of visiting farms, the ones we reported on with outdoor ranges were either unoccupied (as the new sheds were the story) or the range areas were a bit of a mess. So no! Given the recent controversies over free range definitio, we had reluctantly steered away from the whole sector in recent times. Liz told me about Bernadette and her interesting operation growing birds for Baiada’s well known Lilydale brand. There are two sheds with a combined 37,000 bird capacity and the range areas are in good condition due to careful management. “The temperate climate provides lush range areas for the chickens

to access and allows for a quick recovery during the break,” Bernadette explained. I arrived at the farm just as Ned and Bernadette were packing the eldest two off to school and we got down to the sheds not long after the pop doors had been opened and the range was well occupied by the 35 day old birds exploring their outdoor environment. The first thing that strikes a visitor to this small family farming operation is that this ‘little slice of heaven’ is green and lush after frequent summer rains. There are plenty of trees from recently planted saplings to mature and also well-established ones. “The trees planted on the range near the sheds are fast growing Tallowoods which provide shade and shelter for the birds as they feel safest under cover,” Bernadette explained. “The sheds are about 50 years old, and conventional. We get a good breeze through the area and these old curtain sided units work well, summer and winter. “We approached the tasks of managing our farm from two different perspectives. “Firstly we recognised that growing for the Lilydale brand, where birds must have access to a range area,

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means that we need to create a farm environment that will appeal to the consumer. “Then we have to make sure that we are viable within the parameters of what our integrator, Baiada expects in terms of performance. “In the five years that we have been running the property we replaced many things to automate and mechanise as many systems as possible to make it safe, easy and efficient to operate,” Bernadette said. “In particular we have tried to make the range attractive and safe for the birds to go out and explore their outdoor environment. “The birds like the spreading trees near the sheds but also make use of the shelters we provide. “My father came up with a shadecloth shelter which is low to the ground and overhangs the frame so the birds feel safe while the trees were growing large enough to provide shade. “Baiada has since supplied the larger hoop style shelter,” she said. While the trees and shelters provide sanctuary from the odd swooping sea eagle, the high fence topped with a ‘hot’ wire keeps feral pests like cats and foxes at bay both day and night. Poultry Digest then asked the question, “We know about the benefits perceived by consumers about birds being able to roam outdoors but are there any real benefits in terms of measurable performance?” “My measurable performance to date has been pleasing with average live weights, weights for age and FCR performance being above average, with mortality as low as 2.5% at 54 days,” she said. Poultry Digest observed the birds for over an hour, and even as the day warmed up more and more left the shed to explore their range. The estimate of both of us was that in an hour of early morning access to the range at a high percentage of the birds would have ‘a grand day out’. During a full day in good conditions it would be fair to assume most of the birds would have had to opportunity to spend time out of the shed. The hay bales under the large trees were certainly an attraction as were the shelters as the temperatures climbed. Certainly the farming history of two generations working on the family farms has seen severe challenges – Newcastle disease, drought and the ever present threat of bush fires. However with diversified activity including an efficient broiler farming operation supplying chicken meat that consumers want and a working engineer with legal skills and a pilot’s ticket this farm is just about as future proofed, as it is possible to be. The endless discussion that has w

1. The Mortensens have tried to make the range attractive and safe for the birds to explore their outdoor environment. 2. Nuffield Scholarship winner Bernadette Mortensen. 3. There are two conventional sheds which are about 50 years old. 4. The hay bales under the trees are attractive to the birds particularly on a hot day. 1

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occurred recently between grower groups, regulators, social action groups, animal liberationists and even politicians over what ‘free range’ means, has lead us into a complex argument over what are essentially ‘consumer perceptions’. We talk, often in the context of politicians, of ‘the pub test’ i.e. what would the average citizen make of a particular concept or statement. Poultry Digest in the context of our industry, considers the ‘primary school kid and parent test’. In the case of my visit to the Mortensen Lilydale broiler farm would I be happy to take a local primary school group and parents to sit as I had and observe the birds on Bernadette’s family farm? The answer is – yes. The balance between what we do as an industry and what consumers expect is difficult to achieve but this Lilydale contract grower operation ticks the boxes. Having survived fire, flood, and pestilence over the last little while, the many farmers of the area in which the Mortensens live and thrive may soon face their biggest challenge – urban sprawl. Currently Australia has a population of 23.7 million but to adequately fund all the things Australians want including better health, education, roads and services, it’s unavoidable that we need a bigger population – how big that will be is anybody’s guess. Initially new migrants tend to go to the big cities and that encourages existing city dwellers, wanting more space, to move out into areas presenting what they may see as a better lifestyle. The Central Coast of NSW has it all – proximity to Sydney, beautiful beaches and a relaxed lifestyle and now good services including freeways, a fast rail service to Sydney and good schools – all magnets for those with money seeking a better way of life. Predictions are that the combined population of the Central Coast and Lower Hunter (both major regions for broiler farming and other forms of agricultural activity) will grow to more than 1.1 million by 2031. A lot of these people may choose to live in medium and high density housing but if the recent past is anything to go by, many will cash in their expensive inner city dwellings and buy acres on which to construct the dream home with swimming pools, tennis courts and the odd horse or two. Recently Poultry Digest took friends on a tour of possible spots to buy land and housing suitable for a hobby farm near beaches and the other essentials of life. Pickett’s Valley for instance, less than 5 km from Terrigal and Avoca

1. The birds make use of the hoop style shelters provided. 2. They also use the the simpler flat design – it’s a flat frame covered in mesh just 250 mm off the ground. The birds need to feel safe as well as being shaded. 1

beaches, was farming land less than a generation ago. Today it is occupied by a relatively small number of massive homes on 3.5 to 5 acres. It’s a similar situation at Matcham and Holgate in the same area. As we said, Ned and Bernadette’s farm is a little slice of heaven and if we think that, you can bet lots of others will too. In other words, I’ll have what they’re having! Neither will the transition from largescale commercial farming to lifestyle or hobby farms necessarily save the area for serious agricultural production. The motivating factor for Bernadette’s Nuffield studies comes from personal experience of the creep of urban encroachment. An application for four additional free range sheds on the 31 acre property was denied in 2011 due to the residential development of neighbouring properties. The fact that the farm was in operation before the residential houses were built was not factored into the decision making process. Bernadette’s interest in researching how farming land can be preserved for farming while facing the growing need to accommodate more people with more requirements, is indeed a critical question for all forms of agriculture but poultry production in particular.

This problem is not unique to Australia. In Europe, and the UK in particular, the pressure on what little land they have is immense. Even in the US where land is relatively plentiful the ‘dude ranch’ or the equivalent of our ‘acres’ is eating into land resources in critical areas of agricultural production. Bernadette may need to learn a lot more about how to preserve her family’s occupation and lifestyle so her Nuffield studies will be well worthwhile. In the future Australia’s farmers will need to be more assertive about making sure consumers understand the importance of a reliable and safe food supply. A five acre ‘dude’ ranch may give its owner great satisfaction but lawn clippings have little nutritional value. We have learnt over other issues like animal welfare that we can’t just keep farming the way we have and expect nothing to change. It will take the skills of articulate and smart people like the Mortensens to help us to not only to adapt to consumer demand, but survive as viable farmers in a world that needs more food, not less. Poultry Digest looks forward to reporting on Bernadette’s findings as we have with other Nuffield scholars in recent issues.

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Sunshine Meats, award winning gourmet smallgoods maker, extends poultry range Back when Poultry Digest still had hair and was living in inner city Sydney, there was a small butchers shop up the road that created the best smallgoods from pork and chicken meat: We enjoyed their products then and 25 years or so on, we are again. Today that business run by Jose Pereira and his wife Maria, has grown into one of Australia’s top manufacturers of smallgoods, using Australian pork, poultry, beef and lamb combined with traditional Portuguese recipes, they offer world class meat products. Now they are located at their facility in Milperra which includes a fabulous deli and café bang in the middle of one of Sydney’s biggest industrial areas. We visited the factory just before Christmas 2014 to run a story for our sister publication Pork Journal as Sunshine meats had won the Australian Pork limited award for the best ham made from Australian sourced meat. Yes the ham was fabulous but the range of innovative products based on chicken, turkey and duck certainly excited the taste buds. Sunshine Rashers (Bacon) made from chicken, turkey and beef are very popular and deliver a vast market both at home and potentially overseas for which pork based products are not an option. In the Sunshine Ezy Slice range of chicken and turkey products, a new chicken and truffle product is just delicious. No deli should be without the comprehensive range of sliceable chicken breast products or the chicken Salamini. The chicken chorizo in both hot and mild varieties is one of Sunshine’s founding products. Isabelle O’Brien, who has recently completed her communications degree and worked with leading lifestyle magazines on recipe creation and cooking, was given some of the chicken based products to try. (See page 41 for one of recipes she prepared for Poultry Digest over the summer break.) Long long before James Cook and his sailors claimed Australia for the British Crown, the Portuguese were well familiar with much of the Australian

Left: The Pereira family who own Sunshine Meats: Maria, their daughter Selina and Jose. Below left: Some of the innovative products like Lemon pepper chicken breast, Chilli chicken breast and Smoked chicken breast. Below: Joe and Maria in the early days in the butchers shop in the inner west of Sydney. Bottom: Joe with his delicious chicken truffle.

coastline and had established European settlement in numerous of Indonesia’s many islands including Timor. Instead of occupying the vast land of Australia, the Portuguese concentrated on their colonies located in South America and Africa as well as the Far East (Macau). It is interesting to speculate what the Australian diet might have been like if they had had expanded their colonies to the north of this continent. Given that Portugal and Britain were allies long before Cook arrived it would have been feasible for both powers to share the continent. Today, however Australians can enjoy at least some of the rich cuisine of Portugal and the Island of Madeira where Joe Pereira was born. Go to www.sunshinemeats.com.au for more information on the full range of innovative deli delights.

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New research to be presented by AB Vista at APSS in February Two new sets of research data are to be presented by Dr Mike Bedford, AB Vista’s Research Director, during the 26th Australian Poultry Science Symposium (APSS) at the University of Sydney on February 8-11. The first highlights further beneficial effects of phytase superdosing, while the second explores the impact of trial methodology on the determination of standard ileal digestibility (SID) values for amino acids (AA). A key theme at this year’s event will be emerging technologies in poultry research, and phytase superdosing – defined as the use of high doses of phytase to eliminate the anti-nutrient effects of phytate – has grown rapidly since its introduction during 2012. The trial results to be presented by

Dr Bedford as part of Session C on the afternoon of February 10, demonstrate the potential for superdosing to also improve litter quality and foot pad lesion score in addition to the already proven gains in broiler growth and feed conversion ratio (FCR), either in the presence or absence of a xylanase. “The trial compared both standard (500 FTU/kg) and superdosing (1500 FTU/kg) levels of Quantum Blue phytase, coupled with Econase XT xylanase addition at either 0 or 16,000 BXU/kg,” Dr Bedford explained. “Not only did the superdosing improve broiler performance, but the water:feed intake ratio tended to be lower, with subsequent gains in litter quality and foot pad score.” Dr Bedford will also present a

paper on the morning of February 10 comparing AA SID values generated using either semi-synthetic or wheatbased broiler diets supplemented with Econase XT xylanase. The results showed that the semisynthetic diet produced significantly lower SID values for a range of AA, and suggested that other nutrients, such as phosphorus and calcium, might be similarly affected. “These results have potentially far-reaching implications for the currently accepted SID values for all key nutrients,” stated Dr Bedford. “If replicated, then these results suggest that data derived from trials using cereal-based diets is more relevant to the commercial situation, and that caution is needed when interpreting results generated using semi-synthetic diets,” Dr Bedford concluded. For more detailed information, you can contact AB Vista by phoning +44 (0)1672 517 650 or by email at: info@abvista.com.

Flockman customer gets high EPEF with meal-time system Harry Shepherd, (pictured) ex-Harper Adams student and new to broilers, was featured by Poultry World in ‘Sky’s the limit for 25-year-old’s broiler ambitions’ last year. After three crops feeding his birds in the conventional ad-lib way, he installed the Flockman meal-time system. The system gets feedback from the birds to automatically decide how much to feed them depending on their age, breed, sex and genetic potential. Harry got over 400 EPEF on his next crop and became a member of the prestigious Aviagen ‘Ross 400 Club’. A further three crops later, he has had a total of three flocks exceeding 400 EPEF and the latest was 430, which is the third highest of any recorded in the Ross 400 Club. Harry explaines the details are as follows: Harry said “It basically keeps an edge on the appetite and trains birds to eat when food appears, so feed intake is kept up closer to slaughter weight. I believe there have probably been 60% fewer heart attacks since we’ve begun using it. “And there have been big reductions in feed consumption, combined

with lower mortality and better feed conversion.” David Filmer, former Agriculture Director to Dalgety Agriculture and developer of Flockman will present a paper at the Global Forum for Innovation in Agriculture in Abu Dhabi in March. Everyone will be welcome to Stand D 270 where David can discuss its principles and background R&D, and Harry can talk about the practice of using the system. For further details contact harryshepherd@hotmail.co.uk, Tel +44 7725899716 or Darrell Wilson info@ energywisegroup.com.au, Tel (07) 3147 8290 or visit www.flockman.com. Latest results: Ross 308: Dec 2014 Days 42.46 Age (days) 33 (female) 41 (female) 47 (male) Average 42.46

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Highly accredited global cleaning enterprise contributes to better food safety With nearly 25 years of experience, Ecowize is a leading provider of cleaning services to the food industry with operations in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. In Australia the company is trusted by well known and recognised brands in the food industry including key operators in the broiler meat industry. Recently Poultry Digest was invited to speak to Ecowize Australia’s Business Development Manager David Clark and Marketing and Sales Executive Milos Glisic on the practice of internationally recognised cleaning and food safety programs. “Just having industry experience is not enough, our practices and services have to comply with globally recognised certification programs,” David said. “We work with industries whose products are sold in key export markets and our customers need to demonstrate to their customers that the highest standards are established and recognised. “Food safety must be the foundation and objective of any cleaning program. “The standard of cleaning in the food industry has risen significantly over the last few years,” David said. “This means that there are now increasing challenges for food production facilities to meet the requirements relating to hygiene and sanitation in order to pass audits, especially export (United States Department of Agriculture), Coles, Woolworths and other standard audits. “To ensure that strict hygiene and sanitation requirements are consistently met, Ecowize Group has become the first cleaning solutions provider in the food industry to be accredited with Food safety ISO 22000. “The standards, processes and procedures which we abide by ensure that our client’s facilities are always audit ready. ”For a cleaning program to be successful it must be effective and consistent. “A successful cleaning program designed to pass audits must have systems, processes and procedures that ensure it is successful every time,” David said. “Certification with ISO 9001 is testament to the fact that Ecowize Group has in place systems that ensure

1. Ecowize Group Australian Business Development Manager, David Clark. 2. Managing Director Peter Maibom with certifications. the cleaning program specifically designed to the requirements of our clients facilities is efficient and effective every time. “Workplace safety, particularly in food processing plants is of critical importance both to us and our customers and is amongst the first concerns expressed by existing and potential clients,” Milos said. “The Ecowize Group takes workplace safety very seriously and that is why we are accredited with AS/NSZ 4801 in addition to OHSAS 18001/2007. “Workplace accidents resulting in injuries and associated lost time have an enormous emotional as well as financial impact on any business,” he pointed out. “The workplace standards the Ecowize Group abides by, ensure that any workplace we operate in is a safe environment. “We proactively manage workplace risks, minimising the chances of injuries occurring and protecting our client’s facility from loss of production, financial loss and emotional trauma. “Apart from demonstrating through our internationally recognised accreditations that Ecowize ‘can do the job’ as required by our customers we have to make sure that they remain satisfied. “In March 2014 Ecowize engaged

The Market Intelligence Co. to independently conduct the globally recognised Net Promoter Score survey. “The results were positive and the positive feedback from clients was complemented by identifying areas for improvement,” Milos explained. As to the question “How can you specifically help companies involved with poultry production seek new markets?” David pointed out that Ecowize had already proved itself working with beef industry processors who had to comply with the demanding standards of the USDA. “If export opportunities arise, possibly for specialist niche market products like duck for instance, or pre-prepared packaged products using poultry meat, our accreditation standards combined with an internationally recognized track record will deliver confidence to overseas buyers. “Food safety has become a critical issue, if not the critical issue in major potential markets, particularly those located in the growing Asian economies,” David replied. “We think that we can help our clients not only maintain food safety in the domestic market, but also use our multiple accredited skills as a tool to develop overseas sales,” David concluded.

NEWS

Rohde Farms installs the new model Riva Selegg S151 egg grader Rohde Farms at Tarlee in South Australia has installed the new Riva Selegg S151 model with auto vacuum loading and semi-auto egg packers. The Riva Selegg S151, with capacity of 15,000 eggs per hour, was supplied with semi-auto egg packing lanes, which enables operators to pack graded eggs into 30, 10 or 12 egg tray/cartons. The semi-auto egg packers each have six lines of eggs, with 95-98% of all eggs being presented with air cell up. To change one of the semi-auto packers to have five lines of eggs (instead of six lines) it is very simple to just quickly and easily move a slide across. To pack eggs of the same grade into a 30 egg tray, you close one line of eggs and use the hand vacuum lifter for 15 eggs (3 x 5). To pack eggs of the same grade into a 10 egg box, you close one line of eggs and use hand vacuum lifter for 12 eggs (2 x 6). To pack eggs of the same grade into a 12 egg box, you open all six lines and use the hand vacuum lifter for 12 eggs (2 x 6). The S151 can be supplied with four semi-auto egg packers already assembled on the machine on the egg outfeed /collection table. The four semi-auto egg packers can easily be worked by just two operators positioned on the outfeed/packing table. Two operators working on the outfeed/packing table are capable of handling all eggs with no difficulties. Each operator handles two semiauto egg packers plus one hand collecting table. Each operator is capable of packing up to 10,000 eggs per hour. The empty trays are stored on the tray shelf above the packing table. Once loaded by the operator, he or she stacks the loaded trays, to a maximum of six high on the packing table shelf, after which they need storing on a nearby pallet at the rear of egg grader (the same technique used in full automatic egg graders). The Riva Selegg egg grader can be situated in-line to an egg cross conveyor from cages or nests, or full automatic loading can be setup whereby a round table loader with

Top: Only two operators are required to work on the outfeed/packing table and can handle all the eggs with no problems. Above left: The semi-auto egg packers which have a hand vacuum fitted for transferring the eggs. Above right: The Rhode farm which has installed the new Riva Selegg S151. Left: LtoR: Gianni Cristofoli (Technician); Rob Duns, (Dunogan Farm Tech); John Rohde (Rohde Farms); Denis Zampese from Riva Selegg. eight trays with loader, loads 30 eggs per time onto infeed rollers into the machine. Riva Selegg egg graders have been available in Australia for 25 years and are distributed by Dunogan Farm Tech Pty Ltd. Rob Duns from Dunogan Farm

Tech says Riva Selegg egg graders have proven egg grader technology, are compact in design and have the smallest possible layout footprint. The egg graders can be supplied with ink-jet egg stamping included. For more information contact Rob at robduns@dunoganfarmtech.com.au

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Taking poultry production to another level The equipment of a poultry house plays an important role in producing good results. Systems should contribute to the performance of animals, ensure convenience in working methods and be labor saving. A long life-time of systems also ensures maximum results for the long-term. In addition, all systems should reinforce and connect with each other. The complete picture has to be right. Jansen Poultry Equipment supports poultry farmers with the complete design of its houses and shares its knowledge about poultry and technology. The company says it helps farmers to take their poultry production to another level. Applying knowledge about poultry on technique Systems that support the natural needs of animals and used in the right way, increase performance. The design of housing systems which includes materials, shape and arrangement of parts must be developed on the basis of poultry knowledge. The questions to be asked are: What is the behaviour of poultry? Which materials do poultry prefer? How can behaviour be influenced in a positive way? These and other crucial questions are being answered by Jansen Poultry Equipment during the development of new systems. Take for example the design of a laying nest. Hens prefer to lay their eggs in a shielded and dark environment. By taking this and other knowledge into

account, Jansen Poultry Equipment says it designs comfortable and attractable laying nests. These nests affect the nesting behaviour in a positive way. Knowledge about the vulnerability of eggs has contributed to sanitary nests and an exact measured roll distance from the eggs to the egg belt. The nest therefore maintains the sanitary condition and quality of eggs. The results for poultry farmers that produce using Jansen’s systems show that this design works, the company said. This means the quality of eggs is excellent, the hatchability of eggs is very high and hens prefer to lay their eggs in the nests. Managing systems on the basis of animal knowledge Also responsible for the behaviour and performance of poultry are the drinking and feeding lines, ventilation and light. Incorrect placement of feeding and drinking lines for example may lead to an increased amount of floor eggs. Feeding lines in front of the laying nest block the access to the laying nest during feeding. Drinking lines in front of the nests on the other hand, attract birds to the nests. Also ventilation is of great importance for performance. Drafts in the nests do not benefit the nest visit. Also the lighting scheme plays an important role in daily routine and the laying behaviour of poultry. There are many other factors that determine the performance of poultry.

Sally Pines joins Novus Nick Nettle, who heads up Novus operations for Australia and New Zealand, told Poultry Digest in early January that Sally Pines had joined the Novus team. Sally, who has a Bachelor Animal Science (Hons), and has worked in the nutritional field for some time, was considering returning to academic studies, but jumped at the chance to work for Novus in the position of Regional Sales & Technical Support

(Aust/NZ). “I am really enthusiastic about the prospects for advancing monogastric nutrition our region,” she told Poultry Digest when we visited the Novus offices in Drummoyne. Speaking at the recently held Novus seminar at the Sydney University Camden campus, Nick revealed that 2015 was definitely going to be a big year for Novus and that means that Sally will be busy.

Efficient production Excellent performance of poultry is one important aspect for success. Another success factor is the efficiency of the production. For example, a solution for efficient processing of eggs is an egg transport system with egg packer and palletising or setter tray robot. The egg transport system brings eggs safely out of the house and transports them to the central packaging area. Here the eggs are packed into trays or setter trays. A palletising or setter tray robot places trays accurately onto pallets or into containers. The quality of the eggs is preserved and more eggs can be produced per hour. Labor saving, quality eggs and fast processing are the results. By approaching poultry production with the overall view you can take it to another level. Make sure your equipment and management skills are not good but excellent, says Jansen. For more information about optimizing your poultry production or seeking advice on the most appropriate equipment for your poultry house, you can contact one of the poultry specialists at Jansen Poultry Equipment. Go to www.jpe.org . For direct contact call +31 342 427 000 or mail info@jpe.org

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NEWS

Egg Farming Certificate III course making inroads for Australian egg farmers There is growing demand for a Certificate III in Agriculture (Poultry) course that covers hen welfare, food safety and other important elements of egg farming. The winner of last year’s Poultry Student of the Year, Darron Wand, a graduate of the course from NSW, was presented with his award at a dinner at Old Parliament House in Canberra in November 2014, as part of the 20th Australian Egg Corporation Ltd (AECL) Industry Forum. AECL Managing Director, James Kellaway, said it was great to see the growing demand for the courses, designed and run by the Australian Egg Corporation Ltd and CHM Alliance, that have core subjects covering hen welfare and food safety outcomes on-farm as well as providing crucial skills for those new to egg farming. “Darron is a worthy recipient of the award and will no doubt put his new knowledge to good work. AECL, CHM Alliance and the course trainers congratulate him on his award,” he said.

“There are many people in the community concerned about hen welfare but the people who can really do something about improving it are those working with hens every day on egg farms across Australia – and improving the skills of those people is one of the benefits of AECL’s Certificate III in Agriculture (Poultry),” he said. Twenty one egg farm staff from across Australia graduated from the Certificate AECL Chairman Jeff Ironside presents the III in Agriculture (Poultry) Student of the Year award to Darron Wand course in October 2013. with James Kellaway (left) MD of AECL. Last year, the student numbers increased, with 27 egg farm staff enrolled. They are now committed competency units that are selected to to increasing their skills and knowledge meet industry needs. to utilise in their workplace. Darron Wand and his wife, Jodie, The Certificate III in Agriculture purchased their farm in Dyers Crossing, (Poultry) is delivered by specialist in NSW in 2001. They set up their first trainers and industry experts over the free range poultry shed in 2011 with the course of a year and are developed first batch of hens arriving in February from registered VET qualifications and 2012.

Cargill sees $1 billion investment in Indonesia and eyes poultry sector Cargill Inc may invest $1 billion in Indonesia over the next three to four years, with a focus on entering the poultry sector and expanding its palm business in the Southeast Asian country, the company announced recently. Earlier this year, Indonesia entered talks to resume poultry shipments to Japan after a 10-year stoppage, with any agreement likely to be worth an estimated initial $200 million per year. These government discussions followed soon after a food safety scandal involving Chinese meat suppliers. Cargill, which already has a presence in Indonesian palm oil, cocoa and animal feed sectors, sees great potential in the country’s poultry industry. “Japan is looking closely at Indonesian chicken and part of it is to replace volume that has fallen off

from China through various industry issues that China has had,” Cargill CEO David MacLennan announced during a roundtable discussion. “That is a good place for us to play in Indonesia.” Poultry demand in Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous nation, is also growing due to more affluent Indonesians turning away from rice, once the staple diet, towards more bread and meat-based foods. MacLennan, who met with the new Indonesian President Joko Widodo and other senior government officials on Monday, said part of the future investment in Indonesia would be aimed at expanding Cargill’s palm business in the country. The firm owns palm oil plantations covering about 40,000 hectares in Indonesia, the top producer of the edible oil.

Cargill has already invested about $700 million in the country over the past four years, the chief executive said. He was speaking to reporters ahead of the official opening of Cargill’s cocoa processing plant in East Java later this week. Cocoa processing capacity in Indonesia, the world’s third-largest cocoa producer, is rising as new facilities are being built by multinational companies such as Olam International Ltd and top chocolate maker Barry Callebaut. Cargill has invested $100 million in its cocoa processing plant, which has an initial capacity of 70,000 tonnes. “It’s early days,” MacLennan said when asked if there is scope to increase capacity at its cocoa processing plant. “Given the demographics of the country and changing trends in chocolate consumption I would be optimistic.”

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Expansion forces Potters Poultry to move head office and main manufacturing site Potters Poultry – the UK-based manufacturer and world-wide supplier of poultry house equipment – has moved its Head Office and main manufacturing site to keep up with everincreasing demand for its products and services. The company has relocated from its existing site, where it had been based for the past 21 years, to a large modern unit on an industrial estate in the town of Rugby, in the UK’s Midlands region. The move is a sign of further investment by the British manufacturer. The new site - when fully operational - will increase capacity and storage by around fivefold compared to the previous site at Willey Fields. Said Justin Potter, company director: ‘This new site reinforces our UK Midlands base, and offers easy access to both road and rail networks, and was an easy transition for our staff, being only 7 miles from our former site, and – significantly - provides us with infinitely better modern communications capability. ‘We will not only have our new

Head Office here, but are installing a mezzanine floor in the unit to increase floor space, and allow us to expand our warehousing, stockholding and distribution activities, as well as our manufacturing side. ‘It will also allow us to hold more lines in stock.

We expect to double the number of lines we hold when fully operational. This new site will further increase our capability to service the growing global market for poultry farming equipment that responds to changing consumer expectations about poultry health and welfare.’

Avian influenza detected on farms in British Columbia The H5N2 avian influenza outbreak in the Canadian province of British Columbia has continued to spread, as the virus has now been detected at seven farms. A total of 155,000 birds have died of the virus or will be culled, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) on December 3 reported that avian influenza had been confirmed in two British Columbia farms. One was a turkey farm in Abbotsford and the other was a broiler breeding facility in Chilliwack. Since that time, avian influenza has been detected at five other nearby farms, bringing the total to seven. Each affected farm has been placed under quarantine. “The identification of additional

farms is not unexpected, given that avian influenza is highly contagious,” Harpreet Kochhar, Canada’s Chief Veterinary Officer said. The cause of the outbreak has not yet been determined, but officials are looking into the possibility that it may have been started by migrating birds. The outbreak has prompted a number of countries to put trade restrictions on Canadian poultry and poultry products. Among those countries are the United States, Mexico, South Africa, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. Avian influenza has been a big concern for the poultry industry within the past three months, with other outbreaks occurring in The Netherlands, UK, Germany, Japan, India and Vietnam.

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Solar power makes the difference to Cliff Davis Cliff Davis, who owns Toorbul Chicken Farm located in Toorbul in Queensland, initially had some concerns about the costs associated with installing solar to his site and what the actual energy savings and return on his investment would be. But after installing 2 x 30kw systems on his farm he says he saw a better than expected result across the board within the first 30 day billing period. “The most dramatic and unexpected change was the 15% to 20% reduction in my peak demand charges which is the largest portion of my bill,” Cliff said. “I have since looked at energy bills and growing cycles from previous years to establish the results and have found that my day time demand is now the same as my night time demand, even though I use more power during the day because of the heat. “This means the solar has reduced my day time demand, significantly reducing my operating costs and green house gas emissions,” Cliff said. “I found my bank was very receptive to reducing operational costs at my farm and so the finance for the installation of the solar system wasn’t an issue. “Energy Wise Group (EWG) designed the system for me

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and me and explained it. What impressed me was that the same people who designed it, then installed it and that gave me confidence in knowing I was dealing with the same people from start to finish,” Cliff said. Darrell Wilson from EWG explained that the solar system designed for Cliff Davis used the latest in PV components with an average expected Kwh production of 45,990 Kwh annually, seasonally adjusted. “The Trina Honey tier 1 solar panels were used in conjunction with Solaredge inverters which employ a unique optimising technology on each panel which are used to achieve a higher than standard output by controlling the output of each individual panel in the system,” said Darrell. “The average solar system uses a central inverter with multiple strings of solar panels which are limited to the

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weakest solar panel. If at any point one panel has a fault or low power output due to shade, every panel within that string will perform to the same level as the weakest link,” he explained. “The Solaredge inverters have optimisers installed at each panel which removes the risk of damaged solar panels or shading and increases the overall efficiency as a result. “Not all panels are made equal. If

a panel operates at 10% less power than the others (even though it meets expected standards) you have just reduced your potential by 10% overall. Our system design removes that risk,” Darrell said. “Cliff Davis had restrictions placed on his installation by the energy provider, Energex, which prevented him from exporting any power to the grid. The optimisers and the correctly

fitted inverter allowed EWG to control the energy produced to directly match the demand so there was no over production or export to the grid. “At any point this can be changed if Energex approves further export. “The installaion of the sytem takes about four days and this should be done when the sheds are empty to avoid any stress to the chickens,” Darrell said.

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AAS now distributor for Potters Poultry Australasian Agricultural Services Pty Ltd (AAS) has been appointed as the Australian and New Zealand distributor for the UK based Potters Poultry company which manufactures a broad range of poultry housing systems. The announcement was made by Potter’s Export Manager Mike Button at the AECL Forum held in Canberra in November 2014. Mike told Poultry Digest that he was very pleased that AAS, a company with long established links to the Oceania regions poultry industry, would be distributing their products in the future. Peter Mathews, Managing Director of AAS was also looking forward to being involved with Potters whose products suit the changing nature or the industry and particularly the needs of layer farmers. Potters, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, has established expertise in building aviary systems that suit both barn laid and free range operations. The products that have been developed over the last 25 years to suit both changing consumer and regulatory trends are finding favour in key markets like the USA and Australia as well as Europe and the UK.

Aviagen Management Essentials De Wet Nortje Technical Service Manager, Aviagen Australia, New Zealand and Asia De Wet has 23 years experience in a large integrated company before joining Aviagen ANZ in 2012. “Mixing sexually males and females in the correct mating ratios is important for fertility and egg production.”

Mixing Males and Females Objective Provide the optimum number of sexually mature males and females to maximize reproductive performance throughout the laying cycle. Key Points 1. 2. 3.

Both males and females should be close to standard body weight and be uniform Mating up should be started from 21 weeks (147 days) of age. Males and females must be sexually mature before mating-up occurs. (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Male and Female Synchronized at Sexual Maturity.

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Immature males should not be mated with mature females. Mating-up should be postponed by 7-14 days if sexual maturity is delayed. This will give the birds more time to become sexually mature and allow better control over feeding. Mating ratios should be between 9.5-10% at mating up (Table 1). If males and females are synchronized in sexual maturity, surplus males may lead to over-mating and mating damage and should be removed. If males are more sexually mature than females, or there is poor uniformity of sexual maturity, then males should be introduced to females gradually. Monitor feeding behavior carefully after mating-up to make sure both sexes are feeding separately.

Table 1: Recommendations for mating ratios (Parent Stock Handbook 2013).

Age

Number of good quality males per 100 Females

Days

Weeks

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24-30

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30-35

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WVPA Young Poultry Veterinarian of the Year Nominations are now open for the World Veterinary Poultry Association (WVPA) Young Poultry Veterinarian of the Year 2015 Award, sponsored by Zoetis. The award, now in its fourth year, is open to qualified poultry veterinarians who are under the age of 35 on January 1, 2015. The winner will be selected by a global panel of judges and will receive a USD$5,000 contribution towards attending international scientific or continued professional development meetings. The WVPA is calling for nominations to be made on behalf of young veterinarians who have excellent poultry diagnostic and advisory skills, are

effective communicators and transferors of their knowledge and can demonstrate a real passion for their industry. “We continue to be impressed by the calibre of entries for this award, and we are confident that this year will be no exception,” said Nigel Horrox, Vice President of the WVPA. “We are looking for an individual who is not only invaluable to their local poultry industry, but who consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty and is a credit to their profession.” Hector Badillo, Group Director of global marketing at Zoetis, said the contribution made by young poultry veterinarians is vital to the future of the industry.

“We are proud to support this award, which recognises top new talent in the global poultry industry and the outstanding contribution made by an individual.” Entries for the award are to be made via the dedicated website. Go to www.wvpa-award.com. Nominees/ applicants are asked to describe in 500 words or less their role and achievements in the industry and why they feel they should win the award. The award will be presented at the XIX Congress of the World Veterinary Poultry Association, Cape Town, South Africa, September 7-11, 2015. The closing date for entries is March 31, 2015.

Exciting year ahead announces Santrev Over the next 12 months Santrev will commence and resume construction projects across numerous states, incorporating the full spectrum of poultry farming needs, all while continuing the monumental Blanchetown free range facility, according to Santrev Director Richard Sanday. “This will not only see the company covering all the bases of poultry farming (broiler, breeder and layer) over the 2014-2015 period, but will make this

year one of the most productive yet,” Richard said. “Even without the Blanchetown project, Santrev is still having its busiest year to date. It’s a testament to our wide range of skills and experience. “Growers know we can build the whole range of sheds. “Santrev’s home state of Queensland is keeping the local crews busy with free to range and conventional rearer projects commencing in the Scenic Rim and

Darling Downs regions. Last year saw the construction of several free to range broilers in the Scenic Rim Area, including free range sheds with the ability to be used conventionally. “Projects in Victoria are continuing to go from strength to strength with many new and return customers looking to build with Santrev in the New Year. “Having completed a high rise layer shed in Bendigo for Hazeldene’s in 2014, we have now been engaged to extend the farm further. “While the high rise layer shed was a first for Santrev, we have been building for Hazeldene’s for four years, completing various free range, layer and rearer sheds in Victoria. The Mornington Peninsula is also seeing increased development, with a free range project being completed in 2014, another currently underway and prospects to build more over the next year. “Meanwhile, construction is rolling on at the Blanchetown free range facility in South Australia; with Farm Two completed and birds in on time. It’s an exciting achievement for all of the team,” added Richard. The remaining five farms (totalling seven farms and 42 sheds on completion, Santrev’s largest project to date) are expected to be completed by September 2015.

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HEALTH FEATURE

Presan-FY for bird health and wellbeing By HARUN RASHID, Auspac Ingredients Feed products designed for intestinal health have emerged to contribute to health management practices, generally focusing on promoting the growth of beneficial microbiota, and reducing pathogens. Recent insights demonstrate that the efficeacy of a gut health concept can be markedly improved by optimising both microbiota and gut barrier function. This integrated approach includes stabilisation of the microbiota and enforcing the mucosal barrier properties (Smits, 2011). Damaged gut and wet litter Wet litter is a significant challenge in the poultry industry. It not only causes production losses but is also a factor in poor welfare. A damaged gut is one of the challenges recognized by nutritionists and producers. Damage to the gut wall is usually caused by a inflammatory response to mild to severe gastroenteritis, which further increases water output to the gut. Damage to the gastrointestinal tract reduces the surface area for nutrient absorption and creates the opportunity for pathogens to proliferate, colonize and potentially become invasive and disease causing. Inflammation of the gastrointestinal lining negatively affects digestion. The reduction in nutrient and water absorption causes increased faecal water output. The disturbance in nutrient assimilation (intake, digestion and absorption) will increase nutrient through flow. Altering the microbial population of the distal gut causing wet litter. Altered microbial population or dysbiosis in the gut ultimately negatively affects the overall health of the bird. As a result, feed efficiency is reduced, litter mopisdtyure content increases, footpad lesions are increased and the birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s welfare is compromised. Managing the stability of the gut microbiota as well as gut wall integrity becomes a priority when wet litter is a concern in poultry production. Managing wet litter When considering gut health, it is imperative to give emphasis to â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tight Junctionsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; located at the surface layer

Figure 1: Number of species observed in jejunal samples and pyrosequencing microbial community profile from birds subjected to diets with and without PresanTM-FY for 21 days. NIZO food research, the Netherlands and Nutreco PRRC, Spain 2011.

Figure 2: A clear reduction in total counts in the jejunum and E. coli in the caecum were observed in 3 weeks time. Nutreco Poultry Research Centre (PRRC) Spain 2011. of the gut (Collett, 2007). Tight junctions are made up of protein complexes and their function is to work as a barrier. One of the main roles of tight junction is to prevent bacteria entering into the system. Tight junctions may be compromised due to imbalance in the gut microbial community. It has been previously demonstrated that a well established gut microbial community can reduce the prevalence of wet litter by making it more difficult

for pathogens to infiltrate (Collett, 2007). Organic acids have been established as a crediable tool to manage healthy gut populations. Meta analysis and literature reviews show that water and feed acidification have a significant role to prevent wet litter (Butcher, 1999). The restricted use of antimicrobials in food producing animals has driven the industry to seek alternative means of controlling pathogenic organisms. As a result, organic acid use is increasing in the

HEALTH FEATURE v

poultry industry as a means of reducing dependence on antibiotics (Smits, 2011). PresanTM is one of the successful products developed by Selko. PresanTM-FY is a synergistic blend of phenolic compound, (patented) slowreleased C12, target-released butyrate, MCFAs and organic acids. Trails show that PresanTM-FY stabilizes microbiota and boosts gut barrier function. Benefits of target-released butyrate, slow-released C12 and phenolic compound: The main function of butyrate for the animal is (1) a good energy source for the intestinal cells and (2) support the mucus secretion which is part of the defense mechanism in the intestine (Brassart and Schiffrin, 1997; Campieri et al.,2000; Gionchetti et al., 2000). For both purposes the butyrate must reach the target spot in the intestines (Thompson and Hinton, 1997). To

ensure this, the butyrate in PresanTM is protected (Brassart and Schiffrin, 1997; Campieri et al.,2000; Gionchetti et al., 2000). The slow release patented C12 ensures that it travels further down in the small intestine compared to other C12 forms(Van Immerseel et al., 2004). The slow release C12 also has better characteristics for water solubility, providing greater interactions with pathogenic bacteria in the gut (Thompson and Hinton, 1997). The phenolic compounds help in boosting the gut wall barrier (Boudet, 2007). They have been selected out of a long list of candidates after literature studies and further testing in vitro and in vivo. They are highly effective in controlling oxidative stress & inflammatory reactions in the gut and thus prevent damage to the gut wall (Boudet, 2007). At the same time it supports

Figure 3: PresanTM-FY improved feed conversion ratio during the complete period. Nutreco Poultry Research Centre (PRRC) Spain 2011. Project1:PoltexAd2 21/03/14 3:47 PM Page 1

Figure 4: PresanTM-FY increases the dry matter content of litter averaging a 5.0% improvement. The footpad lesions were scored on day 21 and 35. The use of PresanTM-FY resulted in a significant reduction of the footpad lesions. Nutreco Poultry Research Centre (PRRC) Spain 2011.

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maintaining the integrity of tight junctions (Horst, 2014). PresanTM-FY has been tested in several field trials and has shown consistent performance. The trial work below was conducted at the Nutreco Poultry Research Centre (PRRC) Spain. Digesta was taken from the jejunum and caecum. Samples were tested by qPCR and pyrosequencing. The pyrosequencing technique enables the user to make a complete overview of the intestinal microbiota population in one analytical run and can be used to study changes in microbiota assosicated with poor animal health. Trials show the benefits of using PresanTM-FY in poultry are: â&#x20AC;˘ Lower incidence of footpad lesions by improving litter quality â&#x20AC;˘ Improved welfare of birds â&#x20AC;˘ Strong technical performance and ROI References available by request from Auspac Ingredients.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Sunshine Meats chicken truffle recipe By ISABELLE O’BRIAN The star of this delicious and filling sandwich is the beautiful truffle chicken from the Sunshine Meats range of smallgoods. The cured chicken product is incredibly rich and robust in flavor, and as a result, needs to be paired with big flavor combinations. This recipe is a loose take on the famous ploughman’s lunch, and is definitely enough to fill the hungriest stomach.

Cut baguette into four pieces and slice in half lengthways. Butter one side of the inside of the sandwich and the other with one tablespoon of Dijon. Place three slices of the chicken

onto the mustard side of the bread, followed by three slices of the cheese. Dollop on one tablespoon of the onion jam onto the cheese layer and then finish with a few lettuce leaves. Repeat with each sandwich.

Ingredients: • Large crusty baguette (enough for 4 generous sandwiches) • Butter for spreading • 4 tbsp Dijon mustard • 12 thick slices of Sunshine Meats truffle chicken • 12 thin slices swiss cheese • 4 tbsp onion jam • Small cos lettuce

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NEWS

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The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has instituted proceedings in the Federal Court against R.L. Adams Pty Ltd, which trades as Darling Downs Fresh Eggs, alleging that it made false or misleading representations that its eggs were free range, in contravention of the Australian Consumer Law. The ACCC alleges that from December 31, 2013 to October 6, 2014, Darling Downs Fresh Eggs supplied eggs marketed and labelled as ‘free range’ when in fact the laying hens had been continuously confined to barns and had never had access to the outdoors. Darling Downs Fresh Eggs supplied eggs it represented were free range under its own ‘Mountain Range’ label and under the ‘Drakes Home Brand Free Range’ label. Darling Downs Fresh Range Eggs also supplied eggs it represented were free range to other producers who used them to supplement their own free range egg supply. “Consumers are entitled to rely on ‘free range’ claims made by producers,” ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. “The ACCC considers ‘free range’ eggs to mean that the laying hens can and do go outside and move around freely on an open range on most days. The ACCC considers that the alleged misrepresentations in this case are particularly serious, because it is the ACCC’s case that the Darling Downs Fresh Eggs hens were never given outdoor access,” Mr Sims said. The ACCC is seeking pecuniary penalties, a declaration, an injunction, an order for a compliance program to be established, a publication order and costs. Darling Downs Fresh Eggs supplies eggs from farms located in Queensland approximately 40km south west of Toowoomba.

NEWS

Elanco, Novartis combination brings value, more innovation to customers Elanco has finalised the acquisition of Novartis Animal Health, creating a new global leader in animal health focused on delivering increased value and innovation to the industry. The acquisition, announced in April, follows Elanco’s purchase of Lohmann Animal Health earlier in 2014. Both strategic investments position the company to offer a more diversified product offering and capabilities to help customers sustain and grow their businesses. This includes the flagship brands customers have come to expect from Elanco, but also a comprehensive portfolio of nearly 300 brands encompassing therapeutics, vaccines, parasiticides, antimicrobials, surgical, enzymes, food safety and more. “Elanco’s acquisition of Novartis Animal Health brings together two strong companies with a passion for serving the customer,” said Michele Genini, General Manager of Elanco for Australia and New Zealand. “We will continue to offer the products our customers’ trust, while significantly investing in the development of new solutions to our customers’ greatest unmet needs.” “Going forward, Elanco will significantly increase investment in research and development, bringing greater breadth and depth to an already strong pipeline. “The combined global organisation will have expanded capabilities and expertise with a broader portfolio of more than 100 product development projects focused on: “Enhancing care and extending quality of life of pets, while preventing disease and protecting from parasites “Protecting livestock from disease and parasites, improving animal wellbeing and reducing the environmental foot print of livestock production “Providing a broader set of solutions in areas such as enzymes, diagnostics, aquaculture and vaccines. “Elanco aims to help veterinarians help pets live longer, healthier lives, with pet ownership increasing as millions recognize the physical, social and emotional benefits of companionship,” Genini said.

“Elanco is also committed to helping producers around the world produce more food using fewer resources to meet the growing demand for animal protein while protecting the planet and well-being of animals. “We’ll continually seek innovative ways we can support our customers’ business,” Genini said. “With increased technical services, that combine our analytic and benchmarking tools with on-the-ground support, we’ll be able to spend more time with individual customers seeking

innovative solutions that can make a difference in their business. “The complete integration of the businesses will take time, but Elanco will strive to make the transition seamless. “For the foreseeable future, business will continue in much the same way, including product ordering and customer support. “Availability and access to products will continue uninterrupted.” For more information about the transaction, visit www.elanco.com.

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NEWS v

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

and thus increase profitability. “Reducing unnecessary QA load and developing new markets while branding around a QA program directed specifically at Salmonella risk reduction,” Kylie suggested. An industry approach to the Salmonella issue would provide good value as a result of “through chain access to information and expertise to help reduce regulatory load”, she said. “Industry would be better placed to respond to biosecurity threats. “If a formalised QA program was in place to on-farm to manage Salmonella risk we would be better placed to respond to biosecurity threats and limit or negate the need for external intervention in case of an outbreak. “Such an initiative would improve the reputation, value, profitability and sustainability of an industry that provides a vital food resource,” she said. “If food service appear to be doing the right thing, then the focus in the aftermath of any outbreak falls on farm so the farm sector has to demonstrate the same or greater level of Salmonella

risk management,” Kylie concluded. Jean Loup Rault (Animal welfare Science Centre – Uni Melbourne) revealed results of research into the effects of time off water. In his paper, ‘The effects of time off water on the welfare of spent laying hens’ he said: “Behavioural differences reached a plateau at 24 hours with no differences between 24 hours and 32 hours, however changes were seen in some behaviours at 18 hours after removal,” he said. Jean Loup also pointed out that experiments conducted to gain relevant information had been conducted under favourable handling and climatic conditions. “Other factors can influence hen welfare from farm to slaughter including the health status of he hen prior to loading (for transport to a processing facility), body condition, stress of handling, duration of transport, and lairage,” he said. “Further research may be required in commercial settings to better determine what factors affect the welfare of spent hens during transport.

“Is there a welfare trade off of transport versus slaughter on farm?” he asked. The following paper partly addressed Jean Loup’s question as Dr Peter Scott (MD of Scolexia) spoke about ‘Hen euthanasia and what were acceptable outcomes’. He introduced his talk by pointing out that spent layer hens were the foundation of the broiler industry yet today due to small bird size (2 kg) transport and other costs, the spent layer was virtually valueless. “The need for industry compliance to satisfy animal welfare groups as well as consumers was clearly required,” Dr Scott said. “A CRC funded Spent Hen Euthanasia project had been initiated to help establish a sustainable, auditable repeatable and welfare acceptable process,” he reported. Various euthanasia strategies were discussed with a conclusion that the use of carbon dioxide was probably the optimal solution. The next stage he said, was to publish a final report, initiate CRC based workshops, and produce a

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NEWS manual for industry,” he concluded. Demonstrating that the egg industry is a leader in sustainable farming methods, Geoff Sondergeld, the CEO of Darling Downs Fresh Eggs in his paper , ‘Waste management –powering profitability, environmentally and financially’, described the course and philosophy behind his company’s major investment into a scheme to turn farm waste into usable energy. “Driven by not only the increasing consumption of electricity and its rising cost, we looked at our available fuel source, commercial benefits and the clearly definable environmental benefits. “We then decided to build a heated agitated covered anaerobic lagoon and install a biogas generator that coverts the methane gas into electricity. “Our project partners were RCM International, a leading global digester company providing anaerobic technologies worldwide. The company has installed more than 80 digester systems,” he said. “Quantum Power Limited is an Australia niche power business focused on the production of energy from biogas.

“The group is a developer, owner and operater of power stations generating electricity and co-generated heat from biogas.” Geoff also acknowledged the contribution from NAB’s Agribusiness division and the Australian Government Clean Energy Finance Corporation, in achieving a successful outcome to their energy strategy. In concluding his report Geoff stated that lessons learnt included, “You can never do enough research and to trust the people with the skills to deliver what you expect”. “Patience is your best friend as is keeping a good attitude while you wait, which can be a real challenge,” he said. From the 21st Century challenge of energy costs to another new technology challenge, Robbie Sefton, MD of Sefton Consulting spoke about how to deal with activists on social media. “The egg industry was at a fork in the road and had to choose and implement strategies to deal with perception of intensive animal and egg farming in Australia,” she said. “By 2005 the world had changed dramatically as we realised that people w

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know where food comes from. In 2015 we know that we have many opportunities for communicating good food stories to consumers,” she said. “Social media is not traditional and offers an opportunity to converse with an audience rather than send a one way message: we can start one which involves listening,” she said. “Ms Sefton concluded by revealing results of social media strategies conducted by MLA leading to 7885 click throughs from social media to website, 88993 page views on MLA Challenge Hub website, 88,887 unique users of online tools, and 8234 downloads of MLA materials – impressive results! The final speaker and arguably the one that caused the most joy for delegates was Dean Fleischmann, the Buying Director for Aldi who spoke about ‘The future of eggs and Aldi’. In his talk Dean gave a precise snapshot of the retail landscape, ALDI’s vision for the future, key imperatives, the egg proposition and Q&A policy. “Consumer confidence in Australia is at its lowest score on record and well below gobal averages,” he said. “Spending habits in 2012 indicated 44% of consumers felt that ‘it was a good time to buy the things I want’ but in 2014 that figure had dropped to 35%,” he said. Leading consumer concerns were increasing power bills (34%) followed by the economy (28%) jobs (26%) then increased food prices (18% up from 15% last year). “In 2009, 44% of peole weren’t aware of or take much notice of cost of grocery items but that figure had fallen to 29% by last year. “The Aldi vision is simply to enable Australian shoppers to live richer lives for less and partnerships are fostered by solutions not sales,” he said.

Above left: Dean Fleischmann, Buying Director from Aldi gave a precise snapshot of the retail landscape. Above right: Geoff Sondergeld, CEO of Darling Downs Fresh Eggs. Left: Aldi is promoting cage eggs as most people are concerned about price in these uncertain times.

“Quality could be achieved while maintaining value through design, functionality, R&D Innovation and investment. “Through a simple change in pack design in one of our Aldi brands we found that it outsold the established brand leader even though the prices of both products were the same,” he reported. On the topic of ‘offer considerations’ critical elements were, industry standards, consumer choice, industry sustainable investment, the activities of welfare groups and final long term contracted supply. The good news for delegates delivered by Dean was that Aldi,

Australia’s fasting growing retailer, would in the future stock cage laid eggs and also offer barn laid and free range. Dean explained Aldi growth strategies including a dramatic increase in stores throughout Australia and a move to increase store range so that shoppers could achieve a greater proportion of their total shop in Aldi stores. “Eggs, including cage laid, will be a key consumer attraction prominently displayed so they are easy to find as shoppers enter the store,” he said. Dean Fleischmann’s optimistic address was a high note on which to conclude the forum which was closed by AECL Chairman Jeff Ironside.

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