Poultry Digest February/March 2017 by Rosemary Embery

poultrydigest February/March 2017

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Volume 32, Number 4

Polytex and ProTen work together to reduce gas cost shock Australian Poultry Science Symposium 2017 Are avian influenza viruses in Australia sprinters or runners ? Print Post Approved PP243096/00007 ISSN 1444-8041

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Volume 32, Number 4

February/March 2017

EDITORIAL & DESIGN EDITOR: JOURNALIST/PHOTOGRAPHER PRODUCTION EDITOR

Peter Bedwell Alex Bedwell Rosemary Embery

ADVERTISING Peter Bedwell Mob: 0419 235 288 Email: primarymedia@bigpond.com Rod Martin from Polytex (right) with Etienne from ProTen.

Features Page 10: Polytex and ProTen work together to reduce gas cost shock by Peter Bedwell

Page 18: Are avian influenza viruses in Australia sprinters or runners? by George Arzey

Page 26: Strategies for alleviating coccidiosis with a microencapsulated blend of organic acids + essential oils or with microencapsulated blend of essential oils for broiler by K. Sary, M.Lemos De Morales, S. Benaben and G. Mathis.

News Page 4: Australian Poultry Science Symposium 2017 Page 22: Biomin to participate in project for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation Product News Page 36: Mundigo to distribute Magfan – an extraordinarily efficient fan – now in Australia Page38: Breakthrough ‘Clip On’ power technology. Page 39: Roxell introduces a new Infrared Heat Experience with the Quad-Glow 100 Page 40: Spiraflex finned pipe heating from SKOV Page 42: New concepts in trace mineral nutrition

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NEWS

Australian Poultry Science Symposium 2017 The 28th Australian Poultry Science Symposium (APSS), held in February 2017, broke with a long tradition and was held off the Sydney University Camperdown campus. The Sheraton on the Park Hotel opposite Hyde Park in central Sydney, proved to be an excellent venue and an ideal replacement for the Sydney University Camperdown facilities as they are still being renovated and expanded. Judy O’Keeffe, President of the Poultry Research Foundation (PRF) and Dr Peter Groves, Director of the PRF, opened proceedings. Gut Health and Physiology was the topic and Professor Mingan Choct (UNE) was in the chair for the first session. Professor Todd Applegate, a department head at the University of Georgia USA, was the first speaker and his topic was ‘Amino acid’s influence on physiological, immunological and microbiological responses in the broiler’s intestine’. “The broiler industry has experienced significant improvements in the past decade,” he said. “Even though the intestinal tissues represent a small fraction of the body weight in broiler chickens, its requirement for energy and nutrient is high,” Prof Appelgate said. “The broiler’s intestine has a well coordinated immune system, in association with its commensal microbiota, to avoid the colonization of harmful pathogens. “However, in commercial situations, due to the modern poultry industry characteristics, there is a high sanitary pressure that may exacerbate the development of diseases, such as coccidiosis and nectrotic enteritis. “The incidence of these diseases may increase worldwide, due to the increasing pressure to limit the use of antibiotic growth promoters in the diets of broilers,” he said. “For this reason, higher concentrations of some amino acids, known as trophic amino acids, may be beneficial to modulate the intestinal physiology, immunology and microbiology. “Trophic amino acids, such as threonine, arginine and glutamine, play a very important role on the intestinal mucosa, and may increase the intestinal turnover rate in cases of tissue damage, helping to heal the tissue after an injury.

“On the other side,they may help to control the over stimulation of the innate immune system (the most expensive in terms of nutrients) and modulate the intestinal microbiome. “The objective of this review is to give an insight into the role of trophic amino acids, and report on studies of their use in broiler chickens’ diets. “The rapid broiler growth, as well as environmental and management stressors, as well as immunological challenges (vaccination and infection) may modify the requirements for essential nutrients.” Summing up a wide ranging subject Prof Appelgate concluded that, “in relation to Argenine there was a need for additional work into IBDV in relation to the immunosuppression model and into the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model, also the Coccidiosis model,” he said. Professor Robert Moore, a biotechnology expert from RMIT University, spoke about ‘Microbiota studies in poultry: the ‘Black Hole’ of complexity.’ “Why study gut microbiota?” Prof Moore asked. “In the gut microbiota there are thousands of different types of microbes and the gut microbiota has a profound effect on the host. “It has a big impact on gut health and gut health directly correlates with heath and productivity,” he said. Speaking about the manipulation of microbiota, he said, “probiotics attempt to change the composition of mature microbiota, and that most probiotics are poor at infiltrating the microbiota. “There are big opportunities to use microbiota knowledge to screen and select for more intervention strategies.” Professor Yuming Guo from The China Agricultural University, Beijing is one of that nation’s leaders in poultry nutrition. ‘Modification of the chicken intestinal physical barrier in poultry by dietary factors’ was his topic. “The small intestinal epithelial physical barrier of broiler chicks hasn’t developed well until 21-18 days of age; the early life of birds is the critical period to modulate,” he said. Explaining the molecular mechanism for Zn nutrition he stated that, “zinc plays roles in the methylation of the A20 gene and H3K9 acetylation on the promoter region of the A20 gene, and w the up regulated expression of A20

3 4

1. Associate Professor, Peter Groves, Sydney University. 2. Professor Todd Applegate, University of Georgia, USA. 3. Professor Yuming Guo, China Agricultural University, Beijing. 4. Nick Hudson, University of Queensland.

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protein attenuates the pro-inflammatory cytokines production through NF-kB signaling pathway, and then improves the gut health of he bird,” he explained. On the subject of arginine Professor Gua stated “dietary L-arginine could inhibit the overgrowth of C. perfringens in the gut of broiler chickens and maintain the intestinal integrity by modulating innate immune response and producing NO. “Dietary 1.90% of L-arginine fed for the whole growth period could be an effective measure to alleviate the intestinal injury of birds with C. perfringens,” he said. Professor Todd Applegate delivered his second paper of the session ‘Effects of realistic concentrations of mycotoxins on the function and response of the chickens intestine’. “Do mycotoxins affect the GIT?” was the question posed. “Yes, but it depends on which mycotoxin, its concentration (realistic, occaisional, unrealistic), and the route of effect,” he said. “It’s not easy to elucidate as research is inherently confounded by issues such as changes to nutrient and energy content of feedstuffs, also changes to feed intake and metabolism. “Particular unknowns are the interactive effects of multiple mycotoxins and the interactive effects of DON/FUM with intestinal pathogens,” he concluded. The third session of the day with Professor Wayne Bryden from University of QLD in the chair, started with a paper by Nick Hudson (Uni Qld), ‘Molecular approaches to improving feed efficiency; role of mitochondria’. Research was conducted using Cobb Vantress birds, “a genetic strain that account for around 50% of the global supply of broiler birds,”Dr Hudson stated. In summarizing Cobb Vantress research he said that, “there appears to be a systemic regulation of muscle mitochondrial content in chickens. “A bird with low value for thigh, will also have low value for breast: a bird with low breast mitochondrial content tends to be more muscular with high abdominal fat. “A bird with low thigh mitrochondrial content tends to be more likely to express ‘bow out’ leg pathology. “Future possibilities for research included “connecting mitochondrial content variation to feed efficiency in addition to the other performance traits tested, also to develop circulating biomarkers for mitochondrial content”.

“Also can muscle progesterone be modulated for commercial gain? “For example feeding plant matter such as the yam family which contain progesterone-like steroids. “In summary there is a substantial variation in muscle mitochondrial content in broilers and it associates with performance phenotypes. “Patterns of gene expression indicate more efficient broilers have altered muscle structure and mitochondrial metabolism,” Dr Hudson concluded. Ha Hong Truong (Uni of Sydney) has become a regular presenter at poultry related scientific seminars and ‘Starch digestive dynamics in broiler chickens’ was her topic for APSS 2017. Amy Moss, another post grad PhD student from Sydney Uni followed, expounding on ‘Pre and post pelleted grain additions to poultry diets investigated via nutritional geometry.’ From Jefo Nutrition Canada, Kathleen Sary spoke about ‘Strategies for alleviating coccidiosis with a microencapsulated blend of essential oils for broilers.’ We have run Kathleen’s paper in full within this issue of Poultry Digest. Matt Bekker from Novus International (Australia) spoke about ’Improving gut health by reducing undigested protein.’ “The modern poultry diet has become more complicated with increased by-product inclusion, a greater impact from pathogenic bacteria, and a new ers, reduced crude protein, zero antibiotics and a further tightening of feed costs.” Matt summarised his paper by stating “exogenous proteases decrease the amount of undigested protein and can assist in the reduction of proteolytic bacteria in the hind gut. “Precise formulation using exogenous protease allows the gut to develop and function closer to potential,” he concluded. Matt also contributed a poster in the Gut Health section ‘Increased bioavailability of copper results in greater intestinal health and production than copper salts’. As the second Poultry CRC draws to its conclusion, CEO Prof Mighan Choct delivered an overview of that organisation’s achievements. The number of post grad students attending the APSS in recent times is a testament to the depth of science produced by CRC support of research not only at its base at UNE, but also at other universities. w

1. Ha Hong Truang, Sydney University. 2. Amy Moss, Sydney University. 3. Kathleen Sary, Jefo Nutrition, Canada. 4. Dr Mike Persia, Iowa State University USA. 5. Dr Linda Browning, Sydney University.

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Speaking about the “next generation leaders”, Professor Choct revealed that the Poultry CRC program had generated 77 research projects and the same number of postgrads (22 in industry, 18 in academia, and with another 30 completing their research. “No single institute in Australia has the full complement of expertise and facilities to deal with the increasing complexity of problems hindering future production gain. “Such a network is crucial for addressing the unique challenges faced by the Australian poultry industries and communication must be regarded as an integral part of farming in the future. Events like The Ideas Exchange are vital for two way communication between researchers and industr,” he said. “Poultry Hub Australia will build on the achievements of the Poultry CRC. It will be a semi-autonomous entity with its own branding, financial, personnel and contracting powers. “It does not need a board as it will work under UNE governance framework and there will be no need to sign up research providers. It will fund any area of research prioritised by the industry committee,” Prof Choct explained. This year’s group of post graduate students and researchers were introduced, many have already become familiar presenters at scientific and industry conferences, and there were plenty of new faces in the 2017 line up. The new venue for APSS presented an ideal opportunity to expand the posters session. The categories were: Gut Health, Layer Nutrition, Layer Health & Welfare, Meat Chicken Nutrition and Meat Chicken Management and Health. The Best Student Poster Presentation, a prize donated by Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, was presented to Nisha Sharma from UNE for her research on ‘The Effect of Ascardia Galli on Performance and Egg Quality of Free Range Laying Hens.’ Dr Peter Groves presented the award. Of the 40 posters, many were highly specific while others had broad application throughout industry. ‘Broilers perform better with Intermittent Lighting Programs’ was the work of Ines Rodrigues from UNE. On Day 2, JoJo Jackson (AECL) Chair of the ‘Enrichment of eggs for human health’ Hot Topics session, introduced the first Director of the Poultry Hub, Dr Tamsyn Crowley. Dr Crowley is already well known in the poultry research sector and her

research projects were presented at Poultry CRC Ideas Exchange events. Invited speaker Dr Mike Persia from Iowa State Uni, USA was the first to present in this session:’ Vitamin D in laying hens: how much is enough? Dr Persia defined Vitamin D as a hot topic, particularly in regard to its health benefits, which include, maintaining normal blood levels of Ca/P and bone density, and modulating cell growth, neuromuscular and immune finctions amd reducing inflammation. “Vitamin D also offers protection from osteoporosis, hypertension, cancer, and several autoimmune diseases. “Adequate intake of Vitamin D in Australia (low when compered to Northern Europe/USA) is 1-50 years 5.0 international units a day, rising to 10 iu for 51/70 and 15 iu over 70,” he added. “The objectives of his study were to look at the effectiveness of Vitamin D transfer and the quality of doseresponse relationship. The idea was to document the performance and egg quality changes while evaluating the safety of feeding high concentrations of vitamin D (100,000 IU/kg) for long periods (40 weeks). His conclusions were that “there was a linear increase in egg vitamin D with increasing concentrations of dietary vitamin D. The transfer rate appears to be relatively conserved (15/17%)< and there was no evidence of either positive or negative health effects. “A high concentration of vitamin D feeding has no apparent adverse effect on hen performance or egg quality. “100,000 IU/Kg feed enrichment shows much higher transfer efficiency, dis-metabolism and soft tissue calcification,” Dr Persia concluded. The next invited speaker, Dr Linda Browning is no stranger to both local and international audiences as she presents her research on ‘Vitamin D enrichment for human health.’ Dr Browning enjoyed a long career in feed additive marketing (including vitamins) before taking up the challenge of PhD studies with Sydney University Poultry Research Foundation on Vitamin D supplementation to improve human health. Her work is not only significant to human health as populations become subjected to a variety of problems due to vitamin D efficiency, but also to the egg industry which has a fabulous opportunity to value add to an already great nutrition source. CONTINUED ON PAGE 44 w

4 5

1. Valeria Torok, SARDI Food Safety and Innvoation. 2. Professor Rob Gous, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. 3. Dr Peter Selle, Sydney University. 4. Professor Michael Kidd, University of Arkansas, USA. 5. Dr David Isaacs, BEC Feed Solutions.

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LtoR: Rod Martin from Polytex with the team from ProTen, Shane, Etienne, Jessica and Daniel.

Polytex and ProTen work together to reduce gas cost shock

By PETER BEDWELL

nless you’ve been on another planet (or a media-free desert island) you will be aware that Australia faces an energy supply crisis and a key element of that mess is a shortage of gas and therefore huge cost increases. The irony of this situation is that Australia will soon become the world’s

greatest source of natural gas. Why then the shortage? As a result of major incompetence at both State and Federal Government levels, we just don’t have enough gas to supply export demand and local needs of both householder and industry gas requirements. Governments seeking the benefits of revenues from gas have allowed the owners of the natural gas supply to export the gas rather than sell it into the domestic market. The WA Barnett government would have been seen as business friendly and aware that any curb on gas sales would not be seen as investor friendly, yet they foresaw the potential shortage situation and reserved at least 15% of reserves for their own domestic and industry use. Failure to do this in other jurisdictions has resulted in a shortfall and thus serious price hikes. As often happens in critical material

shortages other events contributed to greater problems. The meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear power stations caused not only Japan to turn to natural gas but also countries like Germany whose voters wanted to abandon nuclear energy. The much trumpeted trade deal with Japan, negotiated by the Abbott government, in simple terms of guaranteed supplies of gas – we simply don’t have sufficient quantities to satisfy both overseas and domestic demand. Governments here have pointed to farmer driven campaigns (like Lock The Gates) as a cause of the shortage but while the reluctance of farmers to have their land used by energy companies to supply overseas markets is not helping, it’s not the major culprit. Even within the coalition ranks there is division over what to do, and in effect a government with a majority of just one, seems to be frozen like a rabbit in the headlights – aware of disaster but

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incapable of doing anything about it. ProTen, which is constructing new sheds in the Riverina at the rate of more than one a week, has taken simple but logical steps to minimise its exposure to skyrocketing energy prices. The chicken meat industry is one of those industries for which there are few alternatives to gas for heating their sheds. LNG & CHG have proven, through using modern and efficient heaters, in equally modern and well designed sheds, to be the best method of keeping birds in optimal growing conditions. In simple terms, during the winter months in the Riverina, the minimum temperatures often fall to 20 degrees C + less than that required for bird growth. The new ProTen sheds in the Riverina have many features that keep heat in or out when required. High levels of thermal efficiency through wall and roof design, doors and flaps that seal well and thick concrete flooring generating thermal mass are all key features of efficient design. However the team which runs the sheds recognise that by the simple measure of using Polytex curtains to establish dedicated brooding areas, and fan covers, they could extract more value from their ever more costly gas supplies. In an industry where a margin of a cent on a kg of production is significant, the use of curtains and covers will be a vital contributor to production efficiencies. Poultry Digest joined Rod Martin from Leeton based Polytex to look at a newer sample of a curtain to be installed and an enhanced fan cover design. This is the second visit made by Poultry Digest to ProTenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Riverina farms, and this time itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interesting to see sheds in the construction phase as well as complete and occupied sheds. The attention to detail is simply staggering. All shed functions have been designed not only to maximise growing efficiencies and bird welfare, but also to reduce labour input to the minimum. Wherever automation and powered assistance can be used, and it has been. Australian made Grifco winches, supplied by Patarker are used to lift and lower the Polytex fabricated shed curtains along with the operating of feeder/drinker lines and Skov based minivents. The winching set up has its own dedicated and easy to use electronic control system. Before fabricating quantities of curtains, Rod wanted to make sure that the improved sample suited all of ProTenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s requirements. CONTINUED ON PAGE 16 w

1. R&DG Sanday-designed sheds being built at a rate of one a week. 2. Patarker supplied fans. 3. Neat door design ensures best possible sealing. 4. SKOV minimum ventilation equipment and lots of it. 5. Serious evaporative cool pad capacity.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 12 The curtains have played an integral part in minimising energy consumption, a couple of simple improvements have made the final production item even easier to handle by the ProTen farm staff. The curtains have reinforced drinker, perch and feeder line slits that allow them to be raised and lowered with ease. The central section of the curtain has a personal access door fitted with Velcro to seal the curtain when lowered. Following onsite discussions, it was suggested that if all the smaller slits were fastened it would form a greater seal, for maximum effectiveness and make for an easier raising and lowering of the curtain when not in use or required. “This is why we ‘test and prove’ a prototype on any site in which quantities of curtains are to be used,” Rod said. “Every curtain design is site specific and apart from shed measurements, operators all have their own requirements when operating the curtains, here at Polytex we fabricate to the exact requirements of growers and their staff. All our curtains are C.A.D. drawn before being cut and marked using state of art computer plotting technology. “Working with ProTen has been great because their staff are highly trained and know how best to run the sheds for maximum efficiency. We enjoy working with clients who are confident in what they do and are keen to identify what level of results they require from our products,” he added. On the fan cover design, ProTen staff pointed out that strong winds over the flat Riverina landscape have even at times previously distorted the steel mesh/fan guards on the outer shed walls. As a result of this, Rod was able to educate the staff as to a newer and more secure method of fastening the fan covers to the fan cowling. “If we can identify and foresee issues, we can then come up with solutions and in this case the most secure design of fan cover ties are the answer to the wind problem,” he said. ProTen Farm 76, (the one we visited), already had 3 of the 12 sheds occupied with 44,000 birds each, now growing to RSPCA broiler protocols. Watching the building process is fascinating as pallets loaded up with fans and all other related equipment are placed next to each shed as the construction process proceeds like a well organised production line. The R&DG Sanday sheds, with their uniformity of smooth interior design and standardised equipment, greatly aids the rapid ‘shed a week’ build schedule. However, it’s not just about v

3 1. Rod Martin from Polytex discusses the best method of securing fan covers in high wind environment. 2. This is what ProTen wants to save by best practice shed management. 3 & 4: Patarker supplied digital automated winch (Grifco) control system. equipment and shed design. The ProTen staff are all genuinely enthusiastic about their work, be it looking after the birds, or speeding up the construction process. It was interesting to see how, in their discussions with Rod over the final production design of the curtains, that they all got involved in how they could make the curtains absolutely efficient. Obviously, they all get it, that in an industry where the tiniest improvement translates to helping the very thin margins that exist in modern livestock production, their intellectual as well as physical input helps. While our current political classes

haggle over energy solutions, the Polytex team along with the ProTen Riverina farm managers and staff truly respond to the call for ‘attention to detail, innovation and agility’. Polytex’s attitude is a classic case of concentrating on what they can do to save their clients energy costs, rather than worrying about the stuff up created by years of bad decisions in how to manage Australia’s abundant supplies of natural resources. Poultry Digest thanks Rod Martin from Polytex and the crew from ProTen for their time and help in understanding one of the great challenges that face the broiler industry – energy costs.

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HEALTH FEATURE

Are avian influenza viruses in Australia sprinters or marathon runners? By GEORGE ARZEY, Poultry Veterinarian

vian influenza viruses H5 and H7 subtypes, once they enter a poultry flock need to change from the low pathogenic (LP) virus – the virus form in wild waterfowl in Australia, to the highly pathogenic (HP) form in order to cause a significant disease event in poultry flocks. In the mild pathogenic form they can remain clinically undetectable while cycling in a flock. The length of time required for the change would influence the potential spread of the virus to other flocks and therefore has a pivotal role to play in the biosecurity strategy. The longer the undetected circulation of LP viruses in a flock, the higher are the chances that the virus will spread to other flocks in the vicinity, or to flocks in indirect contact with the infected flock. Sprinters or marathon runners The mechanisms by which LP viruses change to HP viruses could involve a slow process when the molecular components at the critical structure of the virus (the cleavage site) change slowly through a single substitution of existing building blocks (nucleotides) with other building blocks resulting in a structure that enables the virus to infect the host organs and become an HP virus. A very long time is required for the single building block substitution to be successfully completed in a way that would result in a structure that renders the virus highly pathogenic. However, a much faster process that achieves the same results is the ability of the virus to duplicate an entire panel of building blocks and insert this panel as one unit into existing structures of the virus. This is called ‘tandem duplication’ and it enables an LP virus to change rapidly to an HP virus. The difference between the required time for substitution of one building block at a time and a panel of building blocks at once could be perhaps better understood if we think of the length

of time it takes to build a house using small and different size bricks and the time it takes to build the same house using pre-fabricated panels. Australian outbreaks where the mechanisms have been elucidated and reported (1976 and 1997 outbreaks), it is the tandem duplication (prefabricated panels) that was found to be the mechanism that lead to an LP virus acquiring HP characteristics (Perdue, Avian Diseases 2003 and Suarez and Perdue, Vet Microbiology 2000). This finding and other features of Australian outbreaks; single farm outbreak or spread limited to contact/ vicinity farms, the appearance of clinical signs in flocks two - five weeks prior to the diagnosis and the antibody profile of flocks (e.g. 1994 and 1997 outbreaks) indicate short circulation of LP avian influenza virus in the flocks. These viruses were sprinters rather than marathon runners. The mechanisms for other outbreaks in Australia have not been reported but the justification to assume that these other outbreaks were a result of a mechanism utilizing the slow single nucleotide substitution or to extrapolate from outbreaks in other countries is questionable. This is especially so since the Australian H5/H7 viruses form a unique branch of avian influenza viruses, distinguishable from overseas viruses. Assume that the virus is already in your flock Regional biosecurity workshops recently conducted across Australia advocated a biosecurity culture that assumes that “LP avian influenza viruses are already in the flock”. This biosecurity approach is influenced by the highly questionable assumption that in Australia LP viruses cycle undetected in flocks for long period, thus leaving a wide window of opportunity for a spread between farms. It is also founded on the assumption that biosecurity has failed – allowed the entry of LP avian influenza

Dr George Arzey. viruses into the flock. A failure to prevent virus entering a flock does not abode well for the ability of biosecurity on the infected farm to prevent its spread to other farms. Nevertheless, to practise biosecurity under the assumption that “the virus is already in the flock” would require a consistently very high level of compliance (if this compliance was achieved on this farm, the virus should not have entered the flock in the first instance). The ability to sustain a high level of biosecurity indefinitely is questionable and time-fatigue is a significant obstacle for success. The failure of biosecurity on highly biosecured breeder farms is demonstrable when it is considered that in the last 16 years, 25% of the primary outbreaks in chicken flocks in the Americas. Europe, Middle East and Australia have been reported in breeding flocks. A Canadian study (Racicot, Preventive Vet. Med. 2012) demonstrated that even when staff on breeder farms were aware of the presence of monitoring cameras, following the initial stage of high

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HEALTH FEATURE v

compliance, as time progressed, compliance levels dropped. Another significant problem with a biosecurity approach that assumes that “the virus is already in the flock” is that while it is preached to individual producers, for the concept to have a reasonable chance of success, it must be adopted by all players in the industry and extend beyond the farm level. It must include all service providers, pick up crews, vaccination crews, government and Work Health Safety policies as well as long term policies about distances between farms and distance to roads. For example, applying this assumption to chickens delivered to the processing plant would require workers to wear special protective equipment so they would not be subjected to the risk of avian influenza infection (now assumed to be hiding in each flock). This is likely to impact on the pace and the comfort of workers. It may require re-negotiation of industrial contracts. It may also require that all poultry before leaving the farm must be tested. The insistence of NSW Health that ducks in the north of NSW that recovered from avian influenza infection (2012) be transported to the processing plant under special conditions and be processed under special conditions attests that once such an assumption is made, it has significant potential consequences beyond the farm level. Imagine not only NSW Health approach but also the processing plant workers fear and concern once such an assumption (that the virus is already on the farm) became the norm. Imagine the time it would take for service personnel to disinfect themselves getting off the farm and the

down-time required between visits to two farms. Consider vaccination crews and pick-up crews operating under this assumption and the difficulties the industry will face continuously operating under the assumption that avian influenza is already in the flock in an undetectable form. Consider the government policies that could require a complete overhaul, including, for example, guidelines for the biosecurity distance between farms and the biosecurity distance to public roads. Imagine truck upon truck loaded with chickens passing near other poultry farms or through townships leaving behind a cloud of feathers and feather dust (dander). Based on the assumption that the virus is already in the flock, it is unrealistic not to consider that the virus is in the feathers and the feather dander. While avian influenza is not known to infected humans by this route, nevertheless, imagine the reaction of these communities and the political fallout. Perhaps those who advocate this type of biosecurity approach believe that it is unlikely to become public knowledge that the industry is operating under this assumption? Perhaps this could have been kept a secret in the 20th century but not in the information and communication highway century. Conclusion The concept is based on the premise of biosecurity failure – inability to prevent entry of the virus into the farm. Even if such sub-optimal biosecurity

practices do not transcend across to other operational activities on the farm, there are unintended consequences that are associated with the assumption that “the virus is already on the farm”. A culture of biosecurity that assumes that AI viruses can be kept out of farms is much more productive than a culture that assumes failure. Nevertheless, provided a high level biosecurity could be sustained indefinitely, spread could be curtailed if all industry sectors adopt the biosecurity culture that assumes - ”LP avian influenza virus H7 or H5 is already in the flock”. However, there is also pain to be considered as this assumption could carry with it significant logistic and strategic consequences. These could perhaps be justified if indeed there was evidence that Australian LP avian influenza H7 viruses (No H5 highly pathogenic outbreaks ever reported in Australia) are marathon runners rather than sprinters, or indeed if there was a shred of evidence that LP H7 viruses have been “hiding” in chicken/turkey flocks in Australia. The intensive surveillance within 10 km radius of infected farms during seven outbreaks of highly pathogenic viruses in Australia (and further monitoring of distant contact flocks), the numerous yearly submissions to laboratories around Australia of even remotely suspected cases, the 2006 Australia-wide industry avian influenza surveillance, all failed to detect even one flock with LP H7 avian influenza virus. Mere speculations are not a sound justification for biosecurity programs that are unlikely to be sustained yet have far reaching collateral consequences. Wild waterfowl in Australia, like this Australian shelduck, carry the low pathogenic virus which needs to change to a highly pathogenic form in order to cause a significant disease event in poultry flocks.

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NEWS

Biomin to participate in project for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation Biomin has announces its participation in €16M Project for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation (FFoQSI). A total of 40 organizations, including six scientific and 34 company partners from five countries, are taking a farm-tofork approach to addressing food safety and food security issues, in the form of the new K1 Center for Feed and Food Quality, Safety and Innovation (FFoQSI) in Austria. The goal of the four-year, sixteen million euro project is to make feed and food production better, safer and more sustainable, and to drive further innovation through basic and applied research. ”FFoQSI would create a unique hallmark of food chain integration in Europe for countries—particularly where small and medium size food supply chains are essential,” said Project Coordinator, Professor Martin Wagner of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. The effort spans 12 projects that address specific issues relating to the production of food of plant and animal origin, intertwined with an overarching innovation platform that bundles cuttingedge technologies for use in either pre-harvest or post-harvest quality assurance. “Novel technologies such as nextgeneration sequencing and advanced physico-chemical analysis are going to revolutionize the fields of molecular biology and sensing technology in the very near future. These technologies can be used in plant science and animal science but also in food and consumer science,” explained Prof Wagner. “Biomin has been the strongest company-based supporter of FFoQSI since the days when the idea was generated,” commented Prof Wagner. “As a key player in developing innovative solutions for the feed and food industries, we see a clear rationale for employing our extensive research & development capabilities here,” noted Dr Gerd Schatzmayr, Research Director at the Biomin Research Center. “It affords us a chance to further develop our longstanding R&D partnerships with leading institutions in Austria and beyond.” Specifically, Biomin will take part in

3 distinct projects, related to mycotoxin detection, phytogenic feed additives and antibiotic resistance in livestock. The first project, conducted in cooperation with the Center for Analytical Chemistry at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), aims to improve detection of mycotoxins and other contaminants in crops, and builds on the state-of-the-art liquid chromatographytandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technology. “Sophisticated multi-mycotoxin methods, such as Spectrum 380, allow the identification of over 400 mycotoxins and metabolites in one go,” explained Dr Schatzmayr. “This has really opened the door to understanding emerging potential threats to animals and humans. We hope to widen the scope in order to be able to detect hundreds of additional toxins.” The second project further explores the effects of Digestarom, a phytogenic feed additive (PFA), on swine gut health, in cooperation with the Institute for Animal Nutrition, Livestock Products and Nutrition Physiology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU). “Research has already revealed anti-inflammatory and gut protective properties of plant-derived substances that improve gut performance,” stated Dr Schatzmayr. “Our aim is to further elaborate the mode of action of PFAs.”

The third project addresses antibiotic resistance in livestock. It will more closely examine the resistome – the full set of antibiotic resistance genes – of poultry and swine, and how it is affected by feed additives. “For several years now, we have been conducting research into the mode of action of antibiotic resistance using advanced tools such as high throughput gene sequencing and bioinformatics,” detailed Dr Schatzmayr. “Thus far, results have shown that the replacement of in-feed antibiotics by application of novel feed additives can reduce the presence of antibiotic resistance genes. Our aim is to gain further insight on the implications closer to farm level.” The Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) has approved the Austrian Competence Centre for FFoQSI to operate from 2017 through 2020 as a Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies (COMET) program initiative. It entails 12 projects with involvement from six scientific and 34 company partners representing five countries. The commitment of company partners includes the financing of a center of excellence in agri-food chain research. The K1 Center is seated in Tulln, Austria and has satellite locations at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna) and the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria.

Professor Martin Wagner, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (left) and Dr Gerd Schatzmayr, Research Director at the Biomin Research Centre, Austria.

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Strategies for alleviating coccidiosis with a microencapsulated blend of organic acids + essential oils or with microencapsulated blend of essential oils for broilers. By K. SARY1, M. LEMOS DE MORALES1, S. BENABEN1 AND G. MATHIS2

occidiosis, a parasitic disease, continues to siphon the financial benefits in commercial poultry farming due to its adverse effects on animal performance. Two experiments were conducted to 1) assess the efficacy of in-feed supplementation of a microencapsulated blend of organic acids + essential oils (MOA + MEO; 300 g/t) and of a microencapsulated blend of essential oils (MEO; 500 g/t) in alleviating the impact of coccidiosis and 2) to investigate the potential of an anti-coccidial program based on a combination of in-feed MEO (300g/t) with an ionophore (salinomycin â&#x20AC;&#x201C; SAL; 66 ppm) for broiler chickens. In the first trial, the chickens were challenged with a mixture of E. acervulina, E. maxima and E. tenella by oral gavage and in the second trial, by contaminated mixed feeds. Zootechnical performance, lesionscores for each intestinal segment corresponding to each Eimeria strains (Johnson and Reid,1970) and total oocysts counts in feces were analyzed for both experiments. In experiment 1, birds supplemented with MOA + MEO and MEO had lower (P < 0.05) coccidiosis lesion scores for each intestinal segment and lower (P < 0.05) oocyst counts compared to the challenged control birds. Average weight gain of birds with MEO supplementation was higher (P < 0.05) than the challenged control and similar (P > 0.05) to MOA + MEO birds. Microencapsulated essential oils improved (P < 0.05) feed conversion by 18 points compared to the challenged control but was similar (P > 0.05) to the MOA + MEO group from the time of the inoculation to end of rearing. In experiment 2, average lesions scores were similar (P >0.05) between birds supplemented with SAL, MEO + SAL,

MEO but also lower (P < 0.05) than the challenged control. Birds receiving MEO + SAL obtained the lowest total oocysts counts followed by birds with SAL although similar but SAL group was also similar to birds with MEO and with trial product Rx compose of plant extracts, essential oils and organic acids. At end of rearing, birds with MEO + SAL improved (P < 0.001) feed conversion and body weight gain compared to all other treatments. However, SAL ranked second followed by MEO and Rx, which were similar for feed conversion and body weight gain as well as statistically improved compared to challenge control (P < 0.001). In conclusion, both studies demonstrated the efficacy of MOA + MEO, MEO and MEO + SAL in alleviating the negative impact of coccidiosis on intestinal health and broiler performance. The anticoccidial properties of these products may form basis for their use as part of an effective anticoccidial strategy in commercial broiler farms. Introduction Coccidiosis continues to be recognized as one of the most expensive enteric disease of the poultry industry worldwide, and was estimated to an annual cost of USD$1.8 billion (Zhang et al., 2013) in terms of prevention, treatments, and loss in productivity. Moreover, the industry is changing: new anti-coccidials are scarce; resistance to coccidiostats is taking over (Chapman 1997); vaccination has its load of management concerns for producer; and performance boosters, like 3-nitro, are being banned. With the global chicken industry moving toward using fewer drugs and

complied to please the 21st century consumer, alternatives that will provide a certain control over this parasite alone or with other medication are in-demand. The objective of experiment 1 was to evaluate the anticoccidial efficacy of an in-feed microencapsulated blend of organic acids + essential oils and a microencapsulated blend of essential oils. Experiment 2 was conducted to investigate the efficacy of a microencapsulated blend of essential oils as a performance enhancer when in combination with an ionophore. Materials and methods Two experiments were conducted in the same research center, the Southern Poultry Research (SPR) in the UnitedStates. For both trials, the chickens were challenged with a mixture of E. acervulina, E. maxima and E. tenella (challenge model proprietary to SPR) administered either orally by gavage or mixed with feed. The experimental design was done according to randomized complete block design for the two trials. Table 1 details the parameters for each experiment. In experiment 1, a total of 320 offsex male (byproduct from broiler female line) chicks were distributed in each battery cages. Cages were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments in 8 replicates: 1) an unchallenged control (UNC), 2) a challenged control (CC), 3) CC supplemented with microencapsulated blend of essential oils at 500 g/t of feed (MEO) or 4) CC supplemented with microencapsulated blend of organic acids + essential oils at 300 g/t of feed (MOA + MEO). Birds and non-consumed feed were weighed at day 0, 14, 20 and 28. In experiment 2, a total of 2400

HEALTH FEATURE birds (mixed-sex Cobb x Hubbard) were allocated to one of the 6 treatments in 8 replicates: 1) unchallenged control (UNC); 2) challenged control (CC); 3) CC with trial product Rx (Rx) compose of plant extracts, essential oils and organic acids at 700 g/t; 4) CC with a microencapsulated blend of essential oils (MEO) at 500 g/t; 5) CC with MEO at 300 g/t and salinomycin 66 ppm (MEO + SAL); and 6) CC with salinomycin 66 ppm (SAL). Birds were reared in floor pens on a 10 cm built-up dirt litter separated by curtain sidewalls and reaching a density of 0.07 m2/bird to mimic commercialconditions. Birds and unconsumed feed were weighted at days 14, 23 and 35. Birds received the routine vaccination at the hatchery and were provided with feed and water ad libitum. Cages or pens were checked twice daily, unusual observations and mortality in addition to most probable cause of death were recorded. Temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting were controlled according to age and rearing environment in order to maximise birds’ comfort. Data for performance parameters, mortality, intestinal lesions score and oocysts count per gram of fecal material were compiled and analyzed by ANOBirds received the routine vaccination at the hatchery and were provided with feed and water ad libitum. Cages or pens were checked twice daily, unusual observations and mortality in addition to most probable cause of death were recorded. Temperature, humidity, ventilation and lighting were controlled according to age and rearing environment in order to maximise birds’ comfort during time of trial. Data for performance parameters, mortality, intestinal lesions score and oocysts count per gram of fecal material were compiled and analyzed by ANOOVA (using Random Complete Block Design) and compared by Tukey’s test or Fisher’s LSD test when ANOVA P values were significant (P < 0.05). Results and discussion In experiment 1, the challenge model applied was successful, supported by the superior results in performance, OPG counts and lesion scores of the unchallenged treatment (Table 2). Comparing the treatments challenged with coccidiosis, birds supplemented with MOA + MEO and MEO had lower (P < 0.05) coccidiosis lesions score for each intestinal segment corresponding to an Eimeria species and also had lower (P < 0.05) oocysts

Table 1: Detailed parameters, days and action taken for each experiment Parameters

Days

Experiment 1 Action

Rearing period Supplementation Inoculation Lesions scores Feces collection2

28 D0-28 D14 D20 D19

Cages 35 Additives through out D14-35 Individual gavage D17 4 birds necropsied1 D23 Mixed feces D23 & 35

Days

Experiment 2 Action Floor pens Additives from D14 Mixed with feed 5 birds necropsied1 Mixed feces

Humanely euthanised and scored according to Johnson & Reid (1970) method. Feces were collected and quantified by fecal flotation for coccodoa per gram of litter (OPG)

1 2

Table 2: Performance at 28 days, total oocysts counts and lesions score for Exp 1 Treatments UNC CC MEO MOA+ MEO

Lesions score2 ileum ceca

BWG1 (kg)

OPG

duodenum

0.631a 0.355c 0.430b

1.665c 2.502a 2.231ab

0c 164477a 63533c

0c 3a 2.6b

0c 2.2a 1.7b

0c 2.1a 1.7b

0.406b

2.318b

43014c

2.5b

1.7b

1.1b

BWG: body weight gain; FC: feed conversion; OPG: oocyst per gram of feces; MEO: microencapsulated esential oils; MOA: microencapsulated organic acids. 2 Each intestinal segment is related to the lesion score of one of the Eimeria species: duodenum (E.acervulina), ileum (E.maxima) and ceca (E.tenella). abc Means within a column with different superscripts differ (P<0.05; Tukey test). 1

counts than the challenged birds. The average body weight gain of the MEO and MOA + MEO groups were higher (P < 0.05) than the challenged control group. Birds receiving MEO had the best (P <0.05) feed conversion followed by MOA + MEO when compared to the challenged control at 14-28 days. These results suggest that the lower lesion score and reduction in excretion of oocysts is able to give an edge to birds and translate in enhanced performance for birds supplemented with MEO and MOA + MEO. Although feed conversion was numerically better but not significant, treatments with MEO had better weight gain than CC with no differences with the MOA+MEO treatment. The microencapsulated essential oils blend in this study had the greatest protection effect for coccidiosis, as similarly observed by Remmal et al. (2013) and Giannenas et al. (2003) in poultry. The industry is in great need of an effective anticoccidial, which should demonstrate a broad-spectrum of activity as well as enhance performances in broilers as pointed out by McDougald (1982). In experiment 2, the challenge model applied was also successful and the unchallenged birds presented

superior results in performance, OPG counts and lesion scores. Comparing the treatments challenged with coccidiosis, birds receiving SAL, MEO + SAL and MEO had similar average lesions score (P = 0.37), however lower (P < 0.05) than the challenge control. In addition, MEO and Rx treatment groups were similar. Total oocysts counts at D23 revealed that birds supplemented with MEO + SAL provided the lowest (P <0.001) counts followed by SAL group, which were statistically similar. Total oocysts counts for MEO, Rx and SAL birds group were also similar. At day 35, birds with MEO + SAL presented best result for feed conversion (P < 0.001) and body weight gain (P < 0.001). Birds receiving SAL ranked second with 4 points on feed conversion difference with MEO + SAL, 5 points with MEO and 6 points with Rx (P < 0.001). MEO and Rx birds were similar for feed conversion and body weight gain. However both were better (P < 0.001) than challenge control for feed conversion only, not for body weight gain. These results suggest that MEO at 500g/t or MEO at 300g/t combined to SAL can be part of a strategy as an aid to coccidiosis challenged by reducing CONTINUED ON PAGE 46 w

Highly effective against Avian Influenza including H7

NEWS

Modern poultry industry taking shape in Africa Africa is ready to take its place on the world stage, as the poultry industry is evolving, from a national and regional basis to a more global platform, according to RaboResearch’s latest report ‘Time for Africa: Capturing the African Poultry Investment Opportunity’. The year-on-year growth in the global poultry markets is set to continue: a demand growth of more than 60% is expected over the next 20 years. This leads to significant global investment streams in an industry that is evolving, from a national and regional basis to a more global platform. Most recent investments have focused on Europe, the Americas and Asia, driven by bullish market circumstances. Africa has attracted relatively limited investor interest. But this is changing. “Driven by a rising middle class and rapid urbanisation, a more modern poultry industry is taking shape in Africa,” according to Rabobank Senior Animal Protein Analyst Nan-Dirk Mulder. “The growing middle class is changing its consumption patterns, moving from vegetable-based consumption to a more protein-rich diet. In this shifting diet, poultry and eggs are the protein of choice for African consumers – as these protein sources are affordable and available, but also because consumers prefer the taste of chicken and eggs over other proteins. “Poultry availability is supported by the short payback times for poultry and egg production, making poultry production easier to start up and expand. “Furthermore, many Sub-Saharan African countries like Nigeria, Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe have the potential to further increase their feed ingredient supply, which could support a more competitive supply of poultry in these countries, as feed costs make up around 70 percent of total costs. New investments “Supermarkets and quick-service restaurants have responded to the opportunity of a rising African middle class and are expanding across the continent, pulling new investments into the region. “Modern poultry supply chains are attracting investors – with companies usually starting with feed mills and hatcheries, and building from there.

“We see a trend of building a smarter poultry value chain, encompassing breeding, grow-out farms and processing facilities. “In some cases, companies are also investing in distribution, through butcher shops and restaurant chains. The African poultry and egg industry is in a fast growth mode, which offers various opportunities for international investors in several areas: • Meat processing: Developing a modern poultry value chain • Breeding: Establishing a modern breeding supply chain • Equipment: Supplying the right equipment for the growing, more modern, industry • Animal nutrition: Setting up feed mills to supply more modern compound feed, distributing premixes and additives • Grains & oilseeds: Developing adequate supply for local feed manufacturing “However, capturing this African poultry investment opportunity is not easy. It requires a pioneering spirit, a good market and risk assessment, capable local partners and patience, as investment risks can be high. “If done well, the rewards can be large, especially for companies that move early and are well prepared.” Regional overview “The South African industry is wellpositioned to benefit from the bullish industry in Sub-Saharan Africa, as many international retail and quick-service restaurant (QSR) investments in the region are of South African origin. “This could provide the industry with a good sales platform. The poultry industry has already started this movement but the focus so far has been on the southern region, with countries like Zambia, Mozambique and Botswana, and less on Western and Eastern Africa. “This is gradually changing though, and companies are moving further up north to capture untapped opportunities. The industry in Eastern Africa is located in the fastest-growing markets of Sub-Saharan Africa, like Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania, and this should be a good basis for further growth, especially as the impact of

imports from non-African countries has historically been limited. The Eastern African industry is expected to develop fast, and some countries like Uganda and Kenya have the potential to become a regional trade hub over the next few years. The rising ambition of WesternAfrican countries to become less dependent on trade is leading to additional growth opportunities for the industry. Nigeria and Senegal in particular have reduced their imports, which will impact the industry’s outlook, although some risk will be involved if strategies change. On the other hand, countries like Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana are some of the most bullish industries in the region, and this will lead to significant investments in the value chain. In addition, the countries share good conditions for feed grain production, an additional benefit for the poultry industry. The poultry industries in Central African countries like Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have traditionally been very much import-driven—especially Angola, which is changing its strategy and has strong ambitions to move to significantly high self-sufficiency rates. The availability of local feed production is an important prerequisite for local investments in poultry farms, and Angola has significant upside potential here. DRC is also gradually moving to more local production, although its infrastructure is still somewhat lacking.

NEWS

One: Alltech Ideas Conference will help poultry producers with new technologies and innovations The Alltech Ideas Conference will help poultry producers harness new technologies, discover smarter solutions and the Breakout Sessions will focus on innovations, genome modification and consumer trends The Conference (ONE17), to be held from May 21–24 in Lexington, Kentucky, is certain to inspire and motivate producers and agribusiness leaders, but more importantly, it will prepare them for the future, according to Dr Pearse Lyons, founder and President of Alltech. “The three-day conference will bring together industry experts from across the globe to share insights and solutions to today’s most pressing issues within agriculture,” he said. “To provide an opportunity for every corner of production agriculture to engage in disruption, ONE17 will include various tracks, including a focus session specifically dedicated to poultry production. “From topics covering in ovo techniques and the use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome modification to the effects of backyard farming and consumer meat preferences, ONE17 will give poultry producers real-life solutions. “We believe it’s important for everyone involved in agriculture to be inspired to harness disruption. “For poultry producers, however, we understand that innovation must be practical and profitable. Our poultry focus session will facilitate open discussions about what’s ahead for the poultry industry and will drive the disruptive thinking that could determine long-term success.” ONE17 poultry focus session • In Ovo: Counting your chickens before they hatch? Could in ovo techniques be the next disruption in the poultry industry, and what benefits could they deliver to the consumer? • Chickens by Design: What implications does CRISPR/Cas9 have for the world’s preferred protein? • Slow-Grown Disruption: Is the slow-growth movement a disruption? Is it sustainable?

• Chickens and Eggs: Two growing markets have emerged: backyard farming and large-scale consolidation. What are the opportunities?

Aviagen Management Essentials Judy Robberts Technical Service Manager, ANZ Judy graduated in animal and poultry science and has 11 years of experience with breeder and broiler production in South Africa and New Zealand. She spent an additional 7 years as a technical advisor for a poultry distributor company servicing Ross parent stock customers in South Africa. “Bird transfer must be managed as well and smoothly as possible to avoid a reduction in bodyweight and uniformity”, says Judy.

Transferring Birds from Rear to Production Facilities Objective Manage transfer as smoothly as possible to avoid losses in bodyweight and flock uniformity. Key Points 1.

Dim lights during catching so that the birds stay as calm as possible and any catching damage is kept to a minimum. 2. Move birds during the coolest part of the day i.e. at night or in the early morning. 3. If slats are being used, unload the birds directly onto them and keep them there during the first 12 hours using a temporary net. This ensures the birds know where to find feed and water before allowing them into the rest of the house. 4. For light proof production facilities, transfer should not occur later than 21 weeks. 5. For open-sided production facilities, transfer should be later than 21 weeks (depending on season and natural day length). 6. Regardless of what type of housing used, transfer should not be completed before 18 weeks (126 days) or after 23 weeks (161 days of age). 7. Transfer males at least one day prior to the females if possible, allowing them to find feeders and drinkers before the females arrive. 8. Birds should not be fed prior to transfer, an additional increase in feed quantity (approximately 50%) on the day before and the day of transfer is recommended. 9. Place steps at intervals along the length of the production house to give easy access to slats (where slats are used). 10. Minimize the difference in environment between the rearing and production house. House temperature should be 18-20°C. 11. Feeding space must not be reduced and biosecurity must be synchronized between rearing and production houses. 12. Check crop fill 30 minutes and then again 24 hours after transfer to ensure the birds have found feed and water.

• Disruption in Washington: What can we expect from the new leadership landscape? How could the food chain and global trade be disrupted? • The Biologist’s Toolbox: Precise gene editing technologies are the newest tool in the biologist’s toolbox, but are we pushing ethical limits? For more information on the ONE17 poultry focus session, visit: one.alltech.com/poultry.

NEWS

Exchange students collaborate on poultry nutrition project at University of New England Zafar is from Pakistan, Florian from Germany, and for the past few weeks they have been working at the University of New England in Armidale, Australia, on a joint project around their shared interest in poultry nutrition. Zafar Iqbal and Florian Metzger are together at UNE because of an exchange program run between Australian Universities and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) to encourage collaborative research. The studentsÂ are building careers in the nutrition ofÂ chickens, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most-consumed protein, and UNE is home to a world-leading team of poultry nutritionists and the poultry Cooperative Research Centre. This core of excellence persuaded Zafar, who has spent several years working in Pakistanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large poultry industry, to do his PhD in poultry nutrition at UNE. His supervisor, Dr Isabelle Ruhnke, suggested that he enter the DAAD exchange. Zafar travelled twice to the Freie UniversitĂ¤t Berlin in 2016, to work with veterinarian and doctoral student Florian Metzger, and in February it was Florianâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s turn to travel to Australia for two months at UNE. The pair are working together on a project around managing fibre intake in laying hens. Excessive fiber intake can be a major challenge in free range

production. Florian focuses on microbial utilisation of fibre (lignocellulose) in chickens; Zafar works on solutions for fibre digestion in laying hens.Â With the exchange almost over, both students say it has been invaluable for expanding their understanding of how research is conducted in different cultures, and for their scientific knowledge. Freie UniversitĂ¤t â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where Dr Ruhnke also took her veterinary degree and PhD â&#x20AC;&#x201C; employs the German crossdisciplinary system, where the work of poultry nutrition researchers is integrated with disciplines like human nutrition and agriculture. UNEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s researchers are focused wholly on poultry nutrition, but the team working on the area is one of the largest and most accomplished in the world. Both systems have their advantages, the exchange students have learned, and the exchange has taught them a lot about how to communicate with international teams. Zafar said his experience has taught him that there are many paths to the same destination. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If I was just working in Pakistan, Australia or Germany, I would only see one approach. This exchange has been a unique opportunity to see things from many sides, and that can only boost my skills and opportunities. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m trying to

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DAAD exchange students Florian Metzger from Germany and Zafar Iqbal from Pakistan. learn from everyone.â&#x20AC;? Florian found the Australian experience took him out of the lab, to field trials, chicken sheds and a big poultry conference in Sydney. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This kind of research environment is different to Germany, where it is more academic and structured. It has been an opportunity make connections with other researchers, other PhD students, and industry partners that could be important to me later.â&#x20AC;? Dr Ruhnke also acknowledged the value of the exchange as a way of introducing new knowledge and methods adding to the entire working group. DAAD is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest funding program for academic exchange, with an annual budget of 430 million Euro. UNE academics also won support in the last DAAD round. In 2017-18, Dr Nicolette Larder of UNEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences will investigate the role of finance in agriculture with researchers at the University of Leipzig, and Dr Nengye Liu from the School of Law is researching the conservation of living marine resources in the polar regions, in collaboration with colleagues at Trier University.

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NEWS

Jefo announces appointment of Adam Naylor Jefo is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Adam Naylor to the Jefo team as Sales Director – South East Asia. Having started February 13 in this position, Adam will be supporting the local technical sales specialists in developing major accounts and strengthening partnerships with distributors. In his role he will collaborate with three colleagues: Mr. Supornchai Sri- Nhonghang (Territory Manager Thailand), Dr. Kabir Chowdhury (Global Technical Manager - Aquaculture) and Dr Glenmer Tactacan (Technical Specialist - Poultry). Adam will oversee all commercial activities in the poultry, swine, ruminant and aquaculture sectors. Adam’s background includes a Masters degree in poultry nutrition combined with more than 16 years of experience in sales and business management in the feed industry. Adam’s experience in supporting distributors and growing opportunities across the feed and food supply chain will make him a key asset for Jefo’s growth in Asia. Adam Naylor will be based in Australia, where he and his family resides. Jefo is a global leader in the field

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Adam Naylor, Wayne Bradshaw and Jean Fontaine from Jefo at the recent VIV Asia 2017. of non-medicated performance feed additives. Founded in Canada in 1982, Jefo has grown exponentially over the years, with its products now sold in 57 countries. “From the beginning, Jefo has concentrated on innovation – understanding and contributing to the science, economics and practices of livestock production and management, with its pioneering, cost-saving and efficient solutions, that also promote sustainable development,” said Jefo founder Jean Fontaine. “Jefo offers solutions backed by science: the Jefo Matrix technology for safe and targeted delivery of active compounds, and nutrients and enzymes for improved feed conversion and increased body weight.” For more information about Jefo, please visit: jefo.com

NEWS

RSPCA welcomes scrutiny of poultry welfare standards process In a statement releassed in March this year, the RSPCA says that it has welcomed the media coverage of concerns with the national poultry standards development process, and has reiterated its call for an independent scientific review. A recent front-page story in The Sydney-Morning Herald reported on the RSPCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s serious concerns about the integrity of the process to develop new Standards and Guidelines for the Welfare of Poultry. The RSPCA says these Standards will govern the way approximately 700 million layer hens, meat chickens, turkeys, and ducks are treated in Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s commercial poultry industries each year, for at least the next decade or more. Throughout the process, the RSPCA has repeatedly requested an

independent review, it says, of relevant scientific literature to inform the development of the standards, particularly those relating to layer hen housing systems. The organsiation says that independent scientific reviews are a routine practice in the development of equivalent standards internationally, and have led the governments of New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom and the entire European Union to conclude that battery cages cause hens to suffer, cannot provide an acceptable quality of life, and therefore have no place in farming. The statement went on to say that as a member of the Stakeholder Advisory Group, and with a reputation built upon science-based policy, the RSPCA is concerned its name may be used to lend credibility to what it

believes is a flawed process. The responsible government representatives are yet to address the RSPCAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s concerns, and the Draft Standards, which propose no changes to the continued use of battery cages for layer hens, are due to be released for public consultation in April, the RSPCA statement said. The RSPCA went on to say that currently it remains committed to the standards development process, but if concerns about the scientific integrity of the standards are not sufficiently addressed, the organisation will be forced to reconsider whether its ongoing participation is in the best interests of animal welfare. The RSPCA suggests that to find out more about layer hen welfare in Australia, visit https://www.rspca.org. au/layer-hen-welfare.

PRODUCT NEWS

Mundigo to distribute Magfan – an extraordinarily efficienct fan – now in Australia There is no doubt that keeping livestock healthy and content is the key to productivity, and air quality plays a major role in bird health. Adequately ventilating poultry housing is a vital part of achieving that outcome. But it is becoming an increasing cost as energy prices continue to sky rocket around Australia. Weather extremes and climate change compound the problem and in recent summers we have seen several producers across many sectors losing poultry and livestock to heat stress. With this in mind, Mundigo Pty Ltd has now begun distributing the Magfan in Australia. “Mundigo has always been a leader in ventilation design for intensive animal husbandry, so we believe that the Magfan product is a perfect addition to the range,” said Mike Anderson, Managing Director of Mundigo. “MagFan is the product of advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics design combined with full scale prototype testing in one of Europe’s most advanced test facilities,” he said. “The result is an extraordinarily efficient tunnel ventilation fan that has no equal in the industry. “Power consumption is 50 – 75% less than most comparable size fans on the market. “The fan is powerful enough to run continuously at static pressures exceeding 80 Pascal (0.32”) and will output up to 70,000 m³/h (41,200 cfm) at neutral pressure. “MagFan uses a dedicated Variable Speed Drive with soft start technology, so it starts slowly and quietly, then accelerates to the set speed.

1 2

PRODUCT NEWS 1. Magfan says approximately 80% of the efficiency gain comes from the advanced aerodynamics and the impellar design. 2. The level of testing and engineering used in the development of the Magfan has resulted in the world’s most efficient tunnel ventilation fan, say the manufacturers. 3. Graph showing fan efficiency of the Magfan.

“The direct drive motor also means there are no belts or pulleys to make noise, waste energy and require maintenance. “The motor also runs on varying voltages across 95% of the world’s power grid, so there are no problems with inconsistent power supplies,” Mike explained. “The direct drive and the in-built loss free speed control features bring you the exact air exchange required, and the advanced impeller will deliver plenty of thrust and airflow at high RPM and gentle air exchange and phenomenal savings at lower speed settings. “MagFan owes its extreme efficiency not so much to the high efficiency motor and drive, though they do of course count,” Mike said. “Approximately 80% of the efficiency gain comes from the advanced aerodynamics, and the impeller design in particular contributes significantly to the extreme efficiency of MagFan. “We are delighted to offer this leading edge product into the Australian market” said Mike. “Magfan represents a huge leap forward in fan technology and gives growers the opportunity to save money on power costs, that are only set to rise further into the future. When energy, maintenance and lifespan costs are factored in, the Magfan presents a compelling financial case for any poultry farm. “If you are limited by power capacity, Magfan gives you the opportunity to run more sheds with the available power. “For those establishing new poultry sheds, additional savings can also be made through smaller sized electrical supply services,” Mike concluded. If you would like more information on Magfan, contact Mundigo Pty Ltd on 1800 100 820.

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PRODUCT NEWS

Breakthrough ‘Clip On’ power technology The AgriLampTM Induction System (ALIS) is the very latest in LED technology developed to meet the lighting needs of the poultry industry. ALIS uses never seen before, breakthrough, light induction technology. The bulbs simply need to be clipped onto the wire to turn on. This cutting-edge solution allows for a state-of–the-art, poultry light control technology to be utilised in one of the user-friendly lighting systems available. The simplicity and flexibility of ALIS allows it to be universally accessible and affordable from small-medium sized farmers to large scale producers. ALIS enables poultry farms to better manage and control the bird’s environment and growth processes using safe, simple, and sustainable lighting. Sam Fessey, a broiler grower from South East Queensland, first trialled ALIS in mid-2016 when he replaced one broiler shed that had standard broiler lights with 11W ALIS lighting system. He was so impressed with the sheds performance he went on to replace five more sheds giving a total of approximately 1,000 lights on the farm. “It was an easy retrofit into existing sheds with electricians only required for the mains connection,” he said. “Installation of the system was relatively simple with a guide wire run and the induction cable just zip tied to this line. “Lights simply clipped on to the induction line and instantly lit up,” Sam explained. “They can be simply unclipped and moved along to another location or you can add extra lights along the line.” Sam said he was happy that there have been no light failures since they have been installed. ALIS has a two year guarantee and is rated for 60,000 hrs of continuous use, providing quality white light. The sheds are based on 60 lux in the brood section (5 rows of 20 lights) and 30 lux in the growing section (3 rows of 20). “The big advantage is they give excellent light with very even distribution throughout the shed and are fully dimmable,” Sam said. All-environment rugged build and design According to the manufacturer, ALIS can withstand the toughest of environmental conditions. They are humidity proof, dust-proof, and shatterproof. Also completely waterproof with an IP65 rating The ALIS LED lamps are being distributed by Stockyard industries and

Rick Bauerhuit, the Farm Manager for Sam Fessey’s broiler farm in South East Queensland. He was impressed with his sheds’ performance after trialling the lights. the comapny says they provide energy savings compared to alternate light sources It’s a simple Installation and they are re-usable and long lasting An electrician is only required for mains connection, anyone can install the system and only the very basic of tools

are needed. ALIS bulbs can last over 60,000 hours and are completely re-usable the company says. For more information or an onsite demonstration, contact Stockyard Industries on 07 4697 3344 or visit the website www.stockyardindustries.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Roxell introduces a new Infrared Heat Experience with the Quad-Glow 100 Roxell is introducing a new model, Quad-Glow 100, to its Quad-Glow heating lineup. The company says the Quad-Glow 100 is an important step in the product development strategy of Roxell. According to Michael Osterman, Product Owner at Roxell, outside of feed cost, fuel cost is the second largest cost for a poultry business. “Energy costs have increased in recent years, and that’s hitting poultry producers hard. “In order to meet the specific needs of the poultry farmers, Roxell has developed a new Quad-Glow 100 infrared heater with an enhanced Quadrangular heat pattern, resulting in greater fuel savings and improved bird performance.”

from 50°F to 90°F in 13 minutes or less. This translates to less operation time for the heaters and lower fuel consumption. “Further, the attained floor heat pattern of the Quad-Glow 100 is larger in size and gives more useable floor space. “Also the litter in the house is dryer due to heating this greater floor area,

Innovative design Mr Osterman said thatthe question that needs answered for any heating system is: “How quickly can you satisfy the temperature requirement at or near the floor surrounding the feeding and drinking lines, with as much surface area as possible? And how much time and fuel do you consume in accomplishing this.” “The Quad-Glow 100 heating system of Roxell uses fuel more efficiently by converting more of the thermal capacity of the gas to infrared heat and transferring more of that heat directly to the floor. “Roxell’s new Quad-Glow 100 is able to heat an expansive floor area

thereby lowering humidity and ammonia levels, giving better bird development. “All of this relates to increased savings, better bird performance and increased productivity. “This is how Roxell continues to lead the industry with superior products that give the livestock grower cutting edge performance and profitability.

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Contact: Stockyard Industries 54 King Street, Clifton QLD 4361 Ph: 07 4697 3344 Email: sales@stockyardindustries.com

PRODUCT NEWS

Spiraflex finned pipe heating from SKOV By MIKKEL B OVERGAARD Temperature of air, litter and floor is the most important thing for a day old chick. The bird has not yet developed its thermo regulatory system. This means that the body temperature depends on the temperature surrounding the bird. For a day-old chicken, the ratio between surface and body weight is at its highest. This means that the risk of losing body heat is also at its highest. Poor temperature during the first three or five days will have a huge impact on the bird’s immunity, health, uniformity and FCR in the later stages of its life. The correct air temperature can be obtained within a few hours; however, it will take a long time for the walls and floor to be warmed up. Since everything surrounding the birds will influence the body temperature, it is important to ensure that both the temperature of air, litter and floor is right before stocking the day-old chickens. Multiple ways of heating Depending on where you are in the world, climate, tradition and energy prices are the main factors when choosing your heating system. Due to the high average temperature, places

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like Western Australia, the Pacific Islands, Africa and parts of Asia have very few hours of heating requirement per year. For example, Wyndham, West Australia has an average annual temperature of 29.4°C compared with Gris Fiord in Canada where the annual average temperature is only -16.5°C. These two places are more on the extreme side; however, there are poultry sheds at both locations. In February 2016 I flew out of Sydney on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the temperature was about 33°C, and 16 hours later I walked out of Saskatoon Airport, Canada to a numbing -30°C! This place was colder than anything I had ever experienced. When it is this cold, you can throw boiling water in the air, and it will freeze before hitting the ground. I guess you have to be tougher than the rest to settle down in a place like this. The point of the story is that there is not a one-fits-all solution for heating. People living in cold climates invest more in their heating equipment than those who live in warm climates. Unfortunately, heating is often one of the things that will have the absolute minimum spent on it, which is a shame, as it is such an important factor in the overall climate control. Currently, the trend in Australia is in-house gas heaters. These heaters are in general of a good quality, easy to service and efficient to run. The downside to any direct-fired gas heaters are the large amounts of CO2 and humidity blown into the sheds, meaning you have to ventilate more, having an overall uneconomical effect. Trends in Europe, South Africa and Canada are more hot-water heating using finned pipes. Investment is higher, but roughly, 30% cheaper running cost compared to gas heaters. Spiraflex finned pipes provide an efficient and economical heating of the air in the house. The heat emission of the Spiraflex pipe is approximately three times higher per metre than (the heat emission of) a smooth pipe due to the much larger surface area. The pipes are mounted below the air inlets. The finned pipes emit heat to the surrounding air through convection and to the surrounding area through radiation. The warm air rises and carries the cold air from the inlets further into the house, ensuring good circulation of the air. The positioning helps provide correct ventilation with optimum mixing of cold air from the outside and heated housing air so that the broilers are not exposed to cold air downdraught. At the moment there is currently no Spiraflex finned pipe heating in Australia, however, by the time you are reading this, I believe there will be a few 40ft containers on their way from SKOV A/S Denmark full of Spiraflex pipes. Additionally, in six months’ time there will be a number of broiler houses up and running with Spiraflex heating. I believe this will be the next big trend in Australia, as people focus more on long term investment over fast and cheap solutions.

NEWS

Roxell celebrates its 50th anniversary Roxell, a leading manufacturer of automatic feeding, drinking and heating systems for poultry and pigs, is celebrating 50 years of successfully serving the livestock industry around the globe. “This is indeed a happy occasion. It illustrates the will, determination and lasting success of a company which relentlessly strives for product innovation and quality,” said Gino Van Landuyt, Managing Director of Roxell. Throughout the year we will celebrate our anniversary with our valued customers and distributors, and of course, with all employees in Belgium, Russia, Malaysia and the US. After all the talent, efforts and commitment of our associates are the cornerstone of our success, past and future.” Back in 1967 Forrest Lee Ramser and Howard Brembeck, founders of Chore-Time in the USA, established a subsidiary in Sijsele, Belgium. They were convinced that the European livestock industry would also benefit from their inventions, a feeding pan for broilers and the Axle-less auger. Two years later the company moved to a new facility in Maldegem which also included a specialised development department. That was the starting point or a stream of new product introductions for poultry and pigs which continues with the same intensity to this very day. In 1990 the company changed its name and became known as Roxell. A year later Roxell established a subsidiary in the USA and expanded its reach to every major market in the world. In 1999 Roxell became a subsidiary of CTB Inc., a Berkshire Hathaway company. Further milestones include the establishment of a sales office in Russia in 2007 and a new plant in Malaysia in 2010. “Since its foundation Roxell has specialised in innovative solutions for the livestock industry. Many of the Roxell systems initiated trends or became standards in the market: Flex-Auger, MiniMax, Hoxline, KiXoo and Vitoo,” said Mr Van Landuyt. “The company is considered a worldwide authority in the field of feeding, drinking and heating systems for poultry and pig houses. “As I look back at the past 50 years, I am excited to welcome the next 50 years. “Roxell has always taken the lead and continues to do so by providing high quality and durable solutions which respond to new market trends and changing regulations. “This year brings, amongst other things, the introduction of the Natural Beak Smoothing concept that controls the beak growth of broiler breeders while they are eating. This new solution guarantees bird performance, feed saving and compliance with the upcoming animal welfare demands. “Roxell aims to further consolidate its position in the growth markets in the coming years. “This ambition translates into a new, larger factory for Roxell Malaysia and an expansion of the infrastructure of Roxell USA, both of which become operational in the first half of 2017. “After these expansions Roxell will have a total factory space of 39,000 m², of which 21,000 m² is in Belgium. “In this way, Roxell’s operational footprint is aligned with the growth in the global markets and we can provide the same support to all our customers, irrespective of their location,” said Gino Van Landuyt. Further initiatives, both in the area of sales and supply

chain, are underway in order to strengthen Roxell’s physical presence in large emerging markets. “Finally, the efforts of the Roxell distributors are extremely important as well. Just to give an example, together they sell over 1.5 million feeders per year, quite an impressive performance. The long-term indicators in the industry Gino Van Landuyt, MD Roxell. are largely positive. The world population continues to rise, as does the spendable income per capita. The combination of these two trends implies that the demand for animal proteins will further grow. Roxell is fully prepared to help its customers meet that increasing demand. Innovative products of superior quality and functionality remain the hallmark of the company. Its committed workforce and distributor network vouch for strong customer service and support.

PRODUCT NEWS

New concepts in trace mineral nutrition Selko IntelliBond is the first line of hydroxy trace minerals for use in animal feeds. Traditionally, minerals have been categorised as either organic or inorganic, based on whether or not they had a carbon-containing ligand. Selko IntelliBond Trace Mineral has a unique OH group that is covalently bound to the metal. This is what differentiates hydroxy trace minerals from other organic or inorganic minerals. These ‘smart bonds’ create minerals that avoid unwanted interactions, which can either oxidise or bind to other ingredients. Hydroxy trace mineral sources have a crystalline structure (like a 3D matrix). This delivers many beneficial characteristics compared to other mineral sources. Trouw Nutrition’s Trace Mineral Seminar – New Concepts in Trace Mineral Nutrition discussed the benefits of using Selko IntelliBond. “Practical insights into commercial poultry production,” was what Dr Mike Blair discussed. He is a principal in A&J Nutrition, a poultry nutritionist, formerly head of nutrition at Pilgrim’s Pride.

Dr Blair discussed broiler work in the USA and how Intellibonds have been incorporated into their rations. He shared simple insights into how they analyze, develop products and evaluate ingredients in formulations. In the USA they feed whole wheatup to 20% of the diet. The market is demanding animal ingredient free diets – poultry fat is the primary fat source from rendering (in the past). Now consumers are demanding veggie diets and this has changed the requirements of the diet. Dr Blair talked about the various feed ingredients like trace minerals and vitamins used in poultry production and how these effect nutrition. “Consider the economic validation by the bird! Consider what is the pay back? Evaluate what the feed cost per kg of mead/dozen eggs or is?” he said. “The USA measures an adjusted feed conversion to a common body weight. Trends in the USA are ABF, (antibiotic free) and NAE (no antibiotic ever). Veg and organic programs (there are organic producers increasing in the market in the USA) are consumer driven. “There is a lot of confusion around

Trace minerals

how to be different! Keep in mind the chicken tells you what is working, not a marketing program,” Dr Blair said Dr Ramesh Selvaraj, spoke about ‘Trace minerals impact on immune function’. He is an Associate Professor, Animal Sciences, College of Food Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Ohio State University, USA. “Minerals and immune responses – all minerals are important for ‘optimal’ immune responses. What is unique to the immune cell? And the form of the immune response?” he asked.

PRODUCT NEWS In his presentation he focused on iron, selenium, and copper/zinc/manganese and iodine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We should not limit the scope. We should talk about not just nutrition but immunology as the focus. There is synergistic effect of using both Zn/Mn.â&#x20AC;? Dr Selvaraj also discussed Iodine. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The mainstream idea is that the thyroid gland is the only organ that needs iodine but it has a large role in the immune function and ties into mineral importance. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Trace minerals are integrative components of antioxidant defense which is critical for immune cell survival and function. Trace mineral requirements for immune cells is shown and proven. Professor Leo Den Hartogâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s subject was â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A holistic approach for antibiotic reduction and the role of trace minerals. Dr Den Hartog is Director R&D, Nutreco, in The Netherlands. . â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is the responsibility of all those involved in animal production to reduce the reliance on AGPs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We need to face the challenge together and there are a variety of feed additives to assist in this,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A better understanding of the modes of action and targeted effects is required to continue to move forward together. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nutreco has developed a way to run in-vitro screening methods. Microbial activity screen, Cell integrity screen, Immunomodulation screen are the in-vitro methods to test a range of functional additives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The discovery of the mode of action in any feed ingredients is the key to understanding its success. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Without AGPs you can achieve the same and better results but this cannot happen overnight and requires a complete approach. For additional information please contact AusPac Ingredients, Distributor for Selko IntelliBond.

Tyson chicken to be raised AB free Tyson Foods will eliminate the use of all antibiotics from its chicken carrying the Tyson brand sold at retail from June, 2017. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This means that Tyson will sell more, will feed more people with more no antibiotics ever chicken than any other company in the world,â&#x20AC;? Sally Grimes, Tyson Foods Chief Global Growth Officer, said. The move follows a 2015 announcement that Tyson would eliminate the use of antibiotics also used in human medicine from its US broiler chicken flocks. It stated at the time that it would complete the transition by September 2017. Noel White, CEO for Tyson Foods, said the company has been considering the move away from antibiotic use for several years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a process that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working on actually for quite some time,â&#x20AC;? said Mr White. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We declared a year ago that we would eliminate the use of human use antibiotics by this fall, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ahead of schedule in doing that. We will be completely free of antibiotics in the Tyson brand by then. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been a learning process over the last couple of years. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not one singular thing that contributes to allowing us to do this. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a multitude of actions that we take that allow us to move to antibiotic-free.â&#x20AC;? Mr White added that there once was a major cost involved in raising chickens without antibiotics, but that cost has decreased in recent months, better enabling Tyson Foods to make the move.

Above: Dr Mike Blair, poultry nutritionist. Left: Prof Leo Den Hartog, Director, R&D, Nutreco.

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NEWS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 Using eggs to deliver this vital food component, Vitamin D, should be of interest all those involved with both egg production and marketing. In order to fully understand the significance of Dr Browning’s research and the potential it offers for both human health and value adding to a vital food source, we want to run this paper and its findings at length in a future issue of Poultry Digest. Valeria Torok, Sardi Food Safety and Innovation delivered her paper ‘Enriched value added eggs for improved human health outcomes’. In reviewing targets for functional egg development, Valeria pointed out that, “targets identified were eggs enriched with lutein, iodine and vitamin D – all of the above can deliver multiple health benefits,” she said. In concluding she said that “additional costs of functional egg production was from less than 1% in the case of vitamin D and up to 18% for a combination”. “Egg enrichment had no negative impact on egg production or egg quality and no detrimental impact on consumer sensory acceptability, but for attributes of appearance and aroma, enrichment increased consumer acceptability. “Nutrient content claims could be made for all enriched eggs while allowable health claims were restricted to the iodine and vitamin D enriched eggs. v

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“FSANZ currently doesn’t allow for lutein related health claims unless substantiated by a systematic review,” Valeria concluded. ‘Quantification of mitrochondrial count and protoporphyrin IX associated gene expression in relation to different stages of eggshell formation and nicarbazin challenge in the shell gland of laying hens’ was the last paper in the Hot Topic session delivered by Shubiao Wu from UNE. In the ‘Adult bird nutrition and management’ session with Dr Raymond Chia from AECL in the chair, the first invited speaker was Professor Rob Gous from the University of KwaZulu Natal S outh Africa who spoke about ‘Predicting food intake in laying hens and implications for improving economic efficiency’. He was followed by Dr Bob Hughes (SARDI) who asked the question ‘Flock uniformity – is it important and how is it assessed?’ ‘Investigation of variation in feed efficiency and egg quality in laying hens’ was the work of Shiva Greenhalgh, University of Sydney, and ‘Do we need to use meat and bone meal in layer diets?’ asked nutritionist David Cresswell. Reza Abdollahi from Massey University, NZ was the final speaker in the session with ‘Influence of class of birds on the apparent ileal digestibility of nutrients and energy utilization’. The Poultry Welfare session with

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Dr Wendy Muir presiding, introduced an interesting concept presented by Dr Jean –Loup Rault from the University of Melbourne and that was ‘Exploring stakeholder views toward poultry welfare using online forums’. Big retail as well as industry should be interested in that study. ‘On range choice feeding does not influence range usage of F/R laying hens’ revealed Dr Isabelle Ruhnke from UNE. Dr Mini Singh from the University of Sydney presented ‘The effect of range access and zinc bacitracin on ileal gene expression in broilers’ which is the subject of her latest research. Mandy Bowling from University of Adelaide is yet another talented young scientist working in the area of poultry welfare. ‘Effects of corticosterone injection at embryonic day eleven on broiler growth and tonic mobility’ was her report. ‘Effects of early enrichment on range use in free range laying hens’ by Dr Dana Campbell, CSIRO Armidale, was the final paper in the session. Meat Chicken Nutrition was the final session before the short walk from the Sheraton to the Symposium Dinner held at Doltone House. As is the custom, the Australian Poultry Award was presented to Dr Phil Glatz by Professor Juliet Roberts – another worthy recipient who has worked long and hard to achieve better outcomes for hens and their growers. In the Hot Topics-Health session the third speaker was Angela Scott from the University of Sydney. Her topic was the use of ‘Scenario trees to assess the risk of avian influenza exposure and spread within Australian commercial chicken farms’. Apart from her work in setting up her risk assessment model, Angela visited no less than 73 properties gathering the data necessary to place in her ‘scenario tree’: a heroic effort by any standard. She has already presented the results of her AI risk studies to industry and farmer groups at Sydney University organized industry seminars – it is vital work that will help the whole industry to reduce AI transmission risk. Angela was the winner of the CRC sponsored ‘Student award for the best oral presentation’ which was presented by Professor Mingan Choct at the end of APSS 2017. On the final day of APSS 2017 there was a single but significant topic – Low Protein Diets with Dr Kylie Hewson (RIRDC Chicken Meat) presiding.

NEWS The first speaker, Matthew Hilliar is yet another new face in poultry research from UNE. His topic was ‘The effect of glycine supplementation on low protein diets in broilers’. Christine Sydenham (University of Sydney) is another up and coming young researcher. ‘Fishmeal and corn starch inclusions in sorghum-soybean meal diets have differing impacts on the performance of broiler chickens, was her contribution to the session’. No APSS , or any other poultry related seminar in Oceania would be complete without an appearance by Dr Peter Selle. Not only has he achieved a simply staggering amount of research over a long period, he has been a guide for the new generation of super scientists that present at today’s poultry industry seminars, like APSS 2017. Beyond that he makes the microphone and its attached PA systems completely redundant. His paper was ‘Branched-chain amino acids: ringmasters of amino acid catabolism of enterocytes?’ William Lambert from Ajinomoto Eurolysine, France spoke next about ‘Digestible valine requirement of broilers by meta- analysis’, followed by SARDI’s Reza Barekatain, ‘Aamino acids and intestinal barrier function: a case to be studied in reduced protein diets’. The final and invited speaker was Professor Michael Kidd from the University of Arkansas USA. No stranger to Australian audiences, Dr Kidd is one of the USA’s most recognized and awarded poultry scientists.

Australian Poultry Award went to Dr Phil Glatz for 2017. His paper ‘Assessment of nutritional strategies to reduce dietary crude protein in commercial broilers’ was prepared with input from Professor Minghan Choct (UNE). In outlining his paper, Dr Kidd covered low protein diets for broilers, recent research and considerations for the future, marginal reductions in ‘less limiting amino acids’ and practical research. On ‘Food for Thought’ he mentioned feed cost and input savings and sudsequent performance and yields. “Less N could lead to less N deamination, less synthesis of uric acid and less water needed for excretion, also potential reduced NE and better litter quality,” Dr Kidd said In a comprehensive coverage of his topic he detailed associated trials using

popular broiler industry genetics. Obviously the whole question of reducing dietary protein has a way to go and the topic was an ideal one on which to conclude APSS 2017. Once again APSS has demonstrated its ability to reveal scientific issues of great importance to poultry production in our region. Research initiatives by the Poultry CRC and Sydney University’s PRF as well as Sardi and Melbourne University have produced not only some great science but a new crop of young and talented scientists whose work was presented at APSS 2017. The quality of both international and locally based invited speakers demonstrates the regard in which APSS is held by the global poultry science fraternity.

National Sales and Marketing Manager Specialised Breeders Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of Jonathan Leslie as National Sales and Marketing Manager Jonathan was selected from a strong field of candidates for this key position with Australia’s Leading Layer chick hatchery; suppliers of Hy-line Brown and Lohmann Brown to the Australian Egg Industry. Jonathan has held Senior Sales and Marketing roles in both Australia and New Zealand with Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, a leading supplier to the Veterinary community. Jonathan will assume full responsibility for the National Sales and Marketing role with Specialised Breeders Australia (SBA) from the 1st of May 2017. Prior to this, he will have an extensive transition period working in all aspects of SBA’s business. Proud suppliers of Hy-Line Brown and Lohmann Brown SBA_SalesManager_DisplayAd.indd 4

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HEALTH FEATURE v CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28 lesions scores and oocysts counts as well as improving the performance of chickens challenged with coccidiosis. Product Rx and MEO offer also a promising avenue to improve control of coccidiosis. In accordance with these findings, Bozkurt et al. (2014) observed that a mixture of essential oils was able to reduce the severity of lesions when compared to other feed additives in chickens, but was not tested with the SAL. In conclusion, the in-feed tested microencapsulated blend of organic acids + essential oils at 300g/t and the microencapsulated essential oils at 500g/t can be used as a strategy to diminish the negative impacts of coccidiosis in broiler chickens. In addition, the tested microencapsulated essential oils at 300g/t combined with an ionophore (salinomycin; 66ppm) can be used to prevent performance losses due to coccidiosis challenges. REFERENCES Chapman HD (1997) Avian Pathology 26: 221-244. Remmal A, Achahbar S, Bouddine L, Chami F & Chami N (2013) International

Table 3: Performance at 35 days, total oocysts counts and lesions score for Exp 2 Treatments

BWG1 (kg)

OPG

UNC CC Product RX MEO MEO+SAL SAL

1.818a 1.664cd 1.647d 1.665cd 1.747ab 1.729bc

1.660a 1.847e 1.800d 1.785d 1.700b 1.741c

812d 23425a 14171b 16834b 6298cd 11407bc

Average lesions score 0d 3a 2.5b 2.2bc 1.9c 1.9c

BWG: body weight gain; FC: feed conversion; OPG: oocyst per gram of feces; MEO: microencapsulated esential oils; MOA: microencapsulated organic acids. abc Means within a column with different superscripts differ (P<0.05; LSD test). 1

Journal of Veterinary Medicine: Research and Reports 2013: Art. 599816. Giannenas PM, Florou-Paneri M, Papazahariadou E, Christaki E, Botsoglou NA & Spais AB (2003) Archives of Animal Nutrition 57: 99-106. McDougald LR (1982) In: The Biology of the Coccidia (ed. Long PL) University Park Press, Baltimore pp. 373-427. Bozkurt M, Aysul N, Küçükyilmaz K, Aypak S, Ege G, Catli AU, Aksit H, Cöven F, Seyrek K & Cinar M (2014) Poultry Science 93: 389-399.

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