IN BRIEF
IN BRIEF
FOOD hygiene regulations and medicine use will increasingly affect the poultry industry, warned Hillsdown vet Paul McMullin. The BSE legacy meant poultry producers would face more stringent controls. Microbial resistance in human medicine was often blamed on misuse in animals, which could lead to the loss of more products, he cautioned.
FORCED ventilation during broiler transport reduces heat stress and mortality, according to Richard Hunter of the Roslin Institute. Air does not penetrate the centre of transport lorries, and many broilers suffer heat stress. A ventilated curtain-sided transporter developed in conjunction with Silsoe Research Institute is on trial with a commercial company.
WINNER of the innovation award in the poultry sector was the Xpelair XPC temperature and humidity controller with spray fan system. The system is a simple method of introducing and distributing water droplets into a poultry house at a given rate. This allows better humidity control and evaporative cooling, said Xpelair.
SUMMER heat stress in broilers can be reduced by adding the sodium bicarbonate product Alkacarb to drinking water, said ICI Nutrition. Trials showed that feed conversion efficiency also improved, increasing income by 2.7p a bird. The cost of Alkacarb was 0.23p a bird, giving an improved margin of 2.47p a bird, said the company.
A PROFESSIONAL diploma in poultry management has been launched by Harper Adams college. Aimed at people with substantial industry experience, the course can be tailored to exact requirements.