The Poultry Informed Professional is published by the Department of Avian Medicine of the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. © 1999 Board of Regents of the University
System of Georgia except for: United States Government Publications:”Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Situation and Outlook” (Economic Research Service, U.S.D.A); “Broiler Hatchery” and
“Chicken and Eggs” (National Agricultural Statistics Service, Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S.D.A.) © 2003 Primary Breeder Veterinarians Association. Articles may be reprinted with
permission. For information or permission to reprint, contact Sue Clanton, (706) 542-5645.
November
December 2003
Issue 75
Published by the Department
of Avian Medicine, University of Georgia
Editors: Charles Hofacre and Pedro Villegas,
Department of Avian Medicine
Phone (706) 542-5645
Fax (706) 542-5630
e-mail: sclanton@uga.edu
Principles of Successful
Wintertime Broiler House Ventilation
The principles of successful poultry house ventilation during winter are very different from those applied during summer. Under hot weather conditions, maximum airflow through the house is normally required to directly contact birds for
cooling. Ventilation is regulated on and off by thermostat or controller according
to house temperature. During cold weather, cool outside air should be prevented
from contacting birds. Additionally, to minimize heating costs, ventilation fans are used minimally.
Jim Donald
Professor and
Extension Engineer
Auburn University
Keeping birds warm enough with good air quality is the primary goal in cold weather ventilation.
Wintertime ventilation also aims to remove moisture from the house to maintain good litter condition.
Reprinted with permission from Aviagen™ North America, AviaTech
Technical information for the broiler industry. Vol. 1, No. 4
Contents
Broiler Performance Data (Region)
Live Production Cost
Feed cost/ton w/o color ($)
Feed cost/lb meat (¢)
Days to 4.6 lbs
Chick cost/lb (¢)
Vac-Med cost/lb (¢)
WB & 1/2 parts condemn. cost/lb
% mortality
Sq. Ft. @ placement
Lbs./Sq. Ft.
Down time (days)
SW
Midwest
Southeast
MidAtlantic
S-Central
156.76
14.46
42
3.84
0.04
0.17
3.47
0.82
6.82
16
144.22
13.12
42
3.90
0.02
0.16
3.37
0.74
7.10
14
160.17
14.68
43
4.10
0.05
0.18
4.13
0.75
7.15
16
159.36
15.50
42
3.50
0.06
0.19
4.73
0.80
7.73
14
157.03
14.35
42
4.05
0.05
0.12
3.53
0.79
6.78
16
Data for week ending November 29, 2003
Page 1 of 14
Principles of Successful...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 1-6
PCR-based scheme...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 7-8
Broiler Performance Data
(Region)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 1
Broiler Performance Data
(Company)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
Broiler Whole Bird
Condemnations (Region)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
Broiler Whole Bird
Condemnations (Company)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 9
Excerpts..“Broiler Hatchery”
“Chicken and Eggs” and
“Turkey Hatchery, ...
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 10-11
Meetings, Seminars and
Conventions
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pages 12-13
October Charts
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 14
During very cold weather, minimum ventilation
fans should be controlled by a timer to ensure sufficient ventilation occurs to maintain air quality
and to remove moisture.
Following are some key points outlining successful wintertime broiler house ventilation based on
poultry industry experiences and university
research findings.
(3.8mm) in a newer house. If the house doesn’t
pass this test, too much air is coming in through
leaks and cracks. In other words, the higher the
number measured from the static pressure test,
the tighter the house.
2. Insulate before you ventilate.
All air must come in through inlets — not leaks
and cracks. Cold air falls, so cold outside air leaking through cracks, curtains, holes and other
unwanted openings drops to the floor. This results
Good growing conditions cannot be maintained in
a poultry house during cold weather if heat isn’t
kept in. Ceiling insulation should be approximately R-19 for southern USA to R-28 for Canada.
Insulation should be routinely inspected for tears,
holes, places where it may have shifted or areas
where there is no insulation at all. Consider insulating end walls, end doors and other house areas
that are not currently insulated.
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2
The most important principle of winter ventilation is to bring air into
the house high and at high velocity to get good air mixing. Cold air must
not be allowed to drop onto birds.
Warm air can hold a lot more moisture than cold air. This explains how
proper minimum ventilation airflow can help remove moisture from the
house even when a cold rain is falling outside.
in condensation, causing wet litter, litter “cake”
and poor bird performance. Test house “tightness” by measuring static pressure. If all house
doors, curtains and inlets are closed and one 48inch (122cm), 20,000 CFM fan is turned on, you
should be able to pull a negative static pressure of
0.12 inches (3.1mm) in an older house and 0.15
3. Set the fan timer for proper minimum ventilation rate — according to bird age.
1. Seal all house air leaks. A house with many air
leaks cannot be properly ventilated.
Ensure all fans are controlled by a single timer.
Proper ventilation rate usually ranges from 0.10
CFM/bird in week 1 to 0.90 CFM/bird by week 8.
Continued on page 3
Broiler Performance Data (Company)
Live Production Cost
Broiler Whole Bird Condemnation (Region)
% Septox
% Airsac
% I.P.
% Leukosis
% Bruise
% Other
% Total
% 1/2 parts
condemnations
SW
MidWest
S.
East
0.161
0.042
0.063
0.001
0.005
0.008
0.282
0.283
0.047
0.028
0.003
0.003
0.003
0.368
0.193
0.077
0.026
0.003
0.007
0.016
0.322
0.222
0.110
0.021
0.005
0.011
0.013
0.383
0.122
0.040
0.047
0.001
0.005
0.023
0.238
0.462
0.356
0.401
0.357
0.270
Average
Co.
MidS.
Atlantic Central
Top
25%
Feed cost/ton
157.31
141.62
w/o color ($)
Feed cost/lb meat (¢)
14.45
13.21
Days to 4.6 lbs
41
42
Chick cost/lb (¢)
4.04
3.30
Vac-Med cost/lb (¢)
0.05
0.05
WB & 1/2 parts
0.16
0.17
condemn. cost/lb
3.84
% mortality
3.16
0.78
Sq. Ft. @ placement
0.78
6.91
Lbs./Sq. Ft.
7.45
15
Down time (days)
17
Data for week ending November 29, 2003
Data for week ending November 29, 2003
Page 2 of 14
Continued from page 2
EXAMPLE: During week 1, with 24,000 birds, you
would need 0.10 CFM x 24,000 = 2,400 CFM on
average. We say “on average” because you can’t
run a 2,400 CFM fan. Use a timer, for example, to
run two 10,000 CFM 36-inch (91 cm) fans for the
percentage of time needed to average 2,400 CFM.
Find the percentage of time needed by dividing the
CFMs needed by the CFM capacity of the fans you
will be running. In this example, 2,400 CFM/20,000
fan CFMs = 0.12. Multiply this number x 5 minutes
(timer cycle) = 0.6 minutes or 36 seconds run-time
out of a 5 minute cycle (36 seconds on-time out of
300 seconds = 0.12).
Never ventilate with less than two 36-inch (91cm)
fans. Single 36-inch (91 cm) fan ventilation will not
typically yield sufficient static pressure to ventilate
properly. Heat moves toward fans, so ventilating
with a single 48-inch (122 cm) fan concentrates heat
at that end of the house. Running two or more minimum ventilation fans helps maintain temperature
uniformity. This in turn will boost flock performance.
FIGURE 3
Good static pressure is critical for proper airflow. Too wide air inlet
openings cause static pressure to drop and allow air to drop onto birds.
Too narrow openings cause static pressure to rise too high and choke off
airflow.
FIGURE 4
A rule of thumb is to unlatch about 15 inlets for every 48-inch fan that
will be brought on. At the beginning of a growout, half of the inlets in
the brood chamber and all inlets in the growout end may be latched
closed.
5. Maintain minimum ventilation settings regardless of outside or inside conditions.
Without minimum ventilation, inside air quality
will deteriorate and create litter moisture and
ammonia problems. The amount of house heat loss
with minimum ventilation is small, and economically justifiable to avoid moisture problems.
Remember, minimum ventilation must be practiced
even if a cold rain is falling outside. Heating cold air
increases its moisture holding capacity. When air is
heated 20°F (11°C), its relative humidity will be
reduced by about one half; therefore, its ability to
pick up water roughly doubles. Cold air entering
the house in wintertime gets warmed and dried.
Thus, this “conditioned” air is able to carry excess
moisture out of the house through ventilation fans.
Ventilation is the only way to remove moisture from
poultry house litter.
FIGURE 5
4. Increase fan timer settings (minimum ventilation rate) each week.
Fan run-time must be increased weekly to handle
the increased moisture that birds respire as they
grow. As noted in point 3, the rate needed typically
increases from 0.10 CFM/bird to 0.90 CFM/bird
over an eight-week period. Note that having a
properly set minimum ventilation timer is as
important at the end of the growing period as it is
in the beginning. During the latter part of the growing period, the thermostat control usually overrides
the timer. However, the minimum ventilation timer
must remain properly set to maintain air quality
when higher temperatures no longer trigger the
thermostat control.
Air leaks around top and bottom of curtains lower static pressure and
allow cold, wet air to contact birds and litter.
Page 3 of 14
Continued on page 4
Continued from page 3
6. Bring cool outside air into the house high above
the birds, with enough velocity to mix with warm
inside air before contacting birds.
Achieving this goal requires a tight house operating
at a static pressure of around 0.10 inches (2.5mm),
and properly designed and adjusted air inlets. A
static pressure of approximately 0.10 inches (2.5
mm) moves air 20 feet (6.1 m) toward the center of
the house. Static pressure controlled vent boxes do
the best job. A good “jetstream” of incoming air
along the ceiling avoids chilling birds. In addition,
the mixing action improves heating fuel usage efficiency by preventing warm air produced by birds,
furnaces and brooders from rising to the ceiling and
staying there. Mixing fans can also help promote
temperature uniformity and reduce fuel usage.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 7
If a squeezed handful of litter sticks together in a lump or ball, it’s too
wet.
8. If increased minimum ventilation rate does not
solve a wet litter problem, add a small amount of
heat.
Sometimes when a house has “slick” litter, more fan
run-time may not solve the problem. This usually
means the house needs a little more furnace or
brooder heat to help lower humidity and facilitate
moisture. It may be possible to dry out a house by
slightly increasing fan run-time during the warmest
part of the day when humidity is low. If this does
not work, heat must be added.
FIGURE 8
Curtains nailed to kneewall and with flaps at top prevent air leakage
into house.
7. If wet litter and/or ammonia become a problem,
increase the minimum ventilation rate (fan timer
settings).
This means increasing the fan run-time. Birds
deposit about 2 pounds (0.9 kg) of water into the
house per 1 pound (0.45 kg) of feed eaten. Thus, a
lot of water is deposited into a poultry house during the growing period. Fecal material plus excessive moisture causes ammonia, and this worsens
when litter moisture is high. Proper ventilation is
the only way to remove moisture from litter.
Growers who have tried to operate minimum ventilation fans by using a humidistat to turn fans on
and off have found this does not work. Humidistats
can’t hold accuracy in the environment of today’s
poultry houses. A practical measure of litter moisture content is to squeeze a handful of litter. If it
sticks together tightly and remains in a ball, it is too
wet. If it sticks together only slightly, it has the
proper moisture content. If it doesn’t hold together
at all, it is too dry.
In new construction, foam sealing strips can be used to stop air leaks; in
existing houses, use smoke bombs to find leaks and seal them with caulking or expandable foam sprays.
9. If the house gets too dusty and litter is too dry,
reduce the minimum ventilation rate.
This situation usually signals over-ventilation, and
calls for lowering the fan on-time setting.
10. If a house gets too warm, look at the thermostat
setting, not the fan timer setting.
The minimum ventilation timer setting is for moisture removal and air quality, not temperature control. To make the house cooler, a thermostat or con-
Page 4 of 14
Continued on page 5
Continued from page 4
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 11
Wet kneewall (left picture) indicates air leaks, usually through unsealed
sill plate and/or curtains not nailed to kneewall. Properly sealed and
caulked house will have dry kneewall and litter, as in right picture.
Paddle-type “Casablanca” fans can help mix warm air near the ceiling
with cooler air at bird level, which can save fuel costs and help ventilation air remove moisture. Paddle fans are most useful in high-ceiling
houses.
troller temperature set-point is used to override the
ventilation timer and add more ventilation. In this
mode, we are now ventilating at a higher rate for
temperature control purposes and fan operation is
determined by the thermostat or controller setpoint.
Do not confuse this with minimum ventilation,
which is timer-operated.
FIGURE 10
Recirculating Fans Can Assist Ventilation and
Save Fuel.
In addition to the principles outlined above, growers might also consider using stirring or paddle fans
as a way of improving wintertime in-house conditions and saving on heating costs. Field studies over
the last two years have shown that recirculating
fans can significantly help prevent temperature
stratification (i.e., warm air staying near the ceiling
and cold air collecting at bird level).
FIGURE 12
Unsealed carpentry joints are another source of air leaks that spoil ventilation airflow and cause wet litter.
11. Adjust and reset backup thermostat settings,
curtain drops and alarms from day 1 to catch.
It is possible, even in wintertime, to lose birds due
to high heat and high humidity if the power fails or
fans fail to operate. With larger birds, just a few
minutes in a totally enclosed house with no ventilation can elevate temperatures as much as 20°F
(11°C), causing suffocation and death. Protection
from this situation can be achieved by maintaining
recommended backup settings throughout the
grow-out. A good rule to follow is to set backups
and alarms at 10°F (5.5°C) above and below target
temperature.
Vane axial stirring fans can be pulled up to the ceiling to allow pace for
machinery operation in low-ceiling houses. Although these fans blow air
horizontally, they will assist in-house air mixing just as paddle fans do,
with the same potential for fuel savings and moisture control.
One analogy that helps us understand the idea of
temperature stratification is to think of taking a
leisurely warm bath. After a while the water cools
off, so you turn on the hot water at the front of the
tub to warm things up. The rear of the tub still
remains cold while the water at your feet can be
very warm or even scalding hot. The only way to
make the water uniformly warm is to stir it.
Page 5 of 14
Continued on page 6
Continued from page 5
Similarly, mixing or stirring the air in the broiler
house produces less of a temperature difference
from ceiling to floor and more uniformity from
wall to wall. The result: lower fuel usage, drier litter, less cake under waterers, less cake removal
between flocks and a better environment for
growing birds.
Even with the best minimum ventilation management and vent boxes to provide good air mixing
in a house, minimum ventilation fans will be running only a fraction of the time. Recirculating fans
provide a continuous way of mixing air in the
house without running an exhaust fan and without chilling birds.
Many years ago, an attempt to recirculate air was
made by hanging 36-inch (91 cm) fans up high in
houses and blowing them horizontally in a racetrack pattern. There were problems with this concept in that 36-inch (91 cm) fans move a lot of air
which chills young birds. Running several 36-inch
(91 cm) fans in a house provides more air velocity
than needed for mixing during cold weather or
brooding.
ing fans used in the updraft mode. Pulling air up
through the fan directs ceiling air out toward the
house sidewall, instead of blowing air directly
down on birds. Air velocity measurements on the
floor should be minimal (less than 50 ft/min; 15.2
m/min). Application of the results of these field
studies has led to significant fuel savings and represents a toll that improves house environmental
quality.
In summary, both new approaches have proven
effective. Since both approaches work well, deciding whether to go paddle or vane axial is up to the
broiler grower.
For more information on poultry housing and
ventilation management, please contact Aviagen
North America’s technical service department at
1-800-826-9685 or www.aviagen.com. You may
also visit Auburn University’s Poultry Housing
and Ventilation Web site: www.poultryhouse.com
Paddle-type recirculating fans for cooling and
recirculating air were also tried, but with mixed
results when paddle fans were used for recirculating air, they they were commonly used in the
down-draft mode — resulting in too much air
being blown down. when this occurs, young birds
scatter and move away from areas under fans.
With the advent of tunnel ventilation, interest in
paddle or recirculating fans subsided. However,
during the last four years, new approaches to
achieving air-mixing with recirculating fans have
been developed.
One new approach is the use of 18- to 24-inch (4661 cm) vane axial fans. These run horizontally in
the house in much the same way as 36-inch (91
cm) fans, but provide a better air-mixing pattern.
Chicks aren’t chilled since they don’t move as
much air. These fans are also available in variable
speed models. Being able to vary fan speed can be
useful, especially for 24-inch (61 cm) models,
ensuring fans do not create cold drafts on young
birds. A second approach now becoming popular
is using paddle fans in the updraft mode, as has
been practiced for some time in very cold or
mountainous areas. A couple of years ago,
Auburn University and some integrators began
experimenting with paddle type agricultural ceil-
Page 6 of 14
Jim Donald
Professor and Extension Engineer
Biosystems Engineering Department
Auburn University
PCR-based scheme for identifying Salmonella serotypes:
bringing bacteriological serotyping into 21st century.
John J. Maurer, Yang Hong,
and Charles L. Hofacre
Dept. of Avian Medicine,
The University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Foodborne illness caused by non-typhoid challenges associated with classical serotyping proSalmonella is a significant public health problem cedures.
worldwide. In the United States, Salmonella is the
leading cause of foodborne outbreaks and second A multiplex PCR was developed to identify gene(s)
only to Campylobacter in total number of foodborne or gene sequence unique to O, and phase 1 gene
illnesses. Most human Salmonella infections occur alleles associated with Salmonella serotypes comfrom the ingestion of contaminated foods, primari- monly isolated from poultry: Enteritidis; Hadar,
ly of animal origin. Salmonella contamination can Heidelberg; and Typhimurium. Because PCR is speoccur at any point along the food chain, from farm cific to targeted gene allele, additional Salmonella
serotypes can be identified, provided this initial
to fork.
PCR screen identified the other O antigen or phase
The genus Salmonella encompasses more than 1 antigen gene alleles. We have observed excellent
2,500 different serotypes based on the Kauffmann- correlation between PCR and conventional serotypWhite serotyping scheme of Salmonella O, phase 1 ing in correctly identifying Salmonella serovar
and phase 2 antigens. Salmonella serovar or (Table 1). With the multiplex PCR, our diagnostic
serotype is defined by the unique O, phase 1 and lab has been able to identify serotypes for 83% of
phase 2 antigen combinations. For example, anti- Salmonella submissions with this method alone.
genic formula: B i 1,2; and D1 g,m -; defines the From a pure culture, we can obtain results in 1⁄2
biphasic and monophasic serotypes Typhimurium day. We have also been able to use multiplex PCR,
and Enteritidis, respectively. Although all along with Salmonella-specific invA PCR (Liu 2002;
Salmonella serotypes must be considered potential Hong 2003a) in PCR screens of environmental samhuman pathogens, only a limited number are rou- ples, identifying Salmonella serotype(s) prior to its
tinely associated with human infections. The top isolation and confirmation. What our multiplex
two, Salmonella enterica serovars reported by the PCR misses, we can identify by restriction fragment
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) length polymorphism (RFLP) PCR of phase 1 and
are Enteritidis and Typhimurium, the same phase 2 antigen, gene allele. RFLP PCR has excelserovars isolated from poultry. Therefore, serotyp- lent agreement with the gold standard, serotyping
ing Salmonella plays an important role in epidemi- (Hong 2003b). However, turnaround time for
ology because it is often used to identify the source RFLP-PCR is 2 days, again starting with pure culture.
of Salmonella contamination.
Salmonella serotyping is based on identification
of the variable cell surface lipopolysaccharide (O
antigen) and flagellar proteins (Phase 1 and 2 antigens). It can be a formidable task due to the numerous antisera required, reading and interpreting
ambiguous tube H antigen agglutinations, and isolating the phase 2-expressing variant of the biphasic
salmonellae. Since the antigenic composition of
Salmonella O, H1 and H2 antigens are ultimately a
reflection of the unique DNA sequences; we developed, validated and implemented a PCR-based
approach that could solve a number of logistical
Conventional serological serotyping scheme is a
time-consuming, labor-intensive and expensive
procedure. With our PCR based typing scheme,
serotyping can be done in less time, 3-4 days,
including the time required for the enrichment,
selection, and extraction of DNA template from
pure culture or enrichment broth. The method is
also cost-effective and needs little technical training. Inclusion of this multiplex PCR with a general
Salmonella specific PCR and culture enrichments
would also not only decrease time it takes to identify samples with Salmonella but identify the serotype
Page 7 of 14
as well, without culture. Another advantage of our
PCR based typing scheme is that large service laboratories can rapidly identify major Salmonella
serotypes Enteritidis, Hadar, Heidelberg, and
Typhimurium in a screen of Salmonella isolates and
focus their efforts to serotyping the remaining,
serotypes not covered by the multiplex PCR assays.
Ultimately, we envision this assay as the second
part of a general, Salmonella-specific PCR screen
that provides laboratories with preliminary results
as to the presence of S. enterica serotypes that are
generally associated with human illness. We are
currently working to further expand the repertoire
of phase 1 antigen gene alleles recognized by multiplex PCR as well as develop simple and safe filter
transport medium for mailing Salmonella cultures
or enrichments to our diagnostic lab for testing.
Table 1. Application and validation of molecular-typing for identifying S. enterica serotypes
Serotypes
(number of
isolates)
O
serogroup
identity
Flagellar
antigenic
formula
O group and flagellar
typing
(O; phase 1; phase 2)
phase 1
phase 2
PCR-typing
Serotyping1
Method
Correlation
(Kappa test)
Kentucky
(n=74)
C2
i
z6
C2; i; z62
(n=74)
C2; i; z6
(n=74)
1.0
Heidelberg
(n=27)
B
r
1,2
B; r; 1,2
(n=27)
B; r; 1,2
(n=27)
1.0
Montevideo
(n=10)
C1
g,ms
none
C1; g,ms2
(n=10)
C1; g,ms
(n=10)
1.0
Typhimurium
(n=5)
B
i
1,2
B; i; 1,2
(n=5)
B; i; 1,2
(n=5)
1.0
Mbandaka
(n=4)
C1
z10
Enteritidis
(n=3)
D1
g,m
e,n,z15 C1; z10; e,n,z15 C1; z10; e,n,z15
(n=4)
(n=4)
none
D1; g,m
(n=3)
D1; g,m
(n=3)
1.0
1.0
1Serotyping results for these Salmonella isolates were provided by the National Veterinary Service Lab.
2z and g,m were detected by PCR-RFLP.
6
s
Hong, Y., M. Berrang, T. Liu, C. Hofacre, S. Sanchez, L. Wang, and J. J. Maurer. 2003a. Rapid detection of
Campylobacter coli, C. jejuni and Salmonella enterica on poultry carcasses using PCR-enzyme-linked immunosorbent
assay. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69:3492-3499.
Hong, Y., T. Liu, C. Hofacre, M. Maier, S. Ayers, D. G. White, L. Wang, and J. J. Maurer. 2003b. A restriction fragment length polymorphism based polymerase chain reaction as an alternative to serotyping for identifying Salmonella
serotypes. Avian Dis. 47:387-395.
Liu, T., K. Liljebjelke, E. Bartlett, C. L. Hofacre, S. Sanchez, and J. J. Maurer. 2002. Application of nested PCR to
detection of Salmonella in poultry environments. J. Food Prot.65:1227-1232.
Page 8 of 14
Broiler Whole Bird Condemnation
(Company)
REMINDER
All previous issues of the
Poultry Informed Professional
are archived on our website
www.avian.uga.edu under the
Online Documents and
The Poultry Informed
Professional links.
Average
Co.
Top
25%
0.190
0.062
0.039
0.002
0.007
0.013
0.312
0.364
0.344
0.044
0.086
0.001
0.003
0.008
0.488
0.267
% Septox
% Airsac
% I.P.
% Leukosis
% Bruise
% Other
% Total
% 1/2 parts condemnations
Data for week ending November 29, 2003
The Ontario Association of Poultry Practitioners is hosting a technical symposium for poultry veterinarians on
May 13th - 15th, 2004 to be held at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario.
Previous OAPP technical meetings have been very successful and afforded attendees excellent opportunities for
learning more about important disease and industry issues. The symposium will feature several internationally
recognized speakers. The first day and a half of this workshop will offer an excellent opportunity for general
pathology review for poultry veterinarians as well as for candidates preparing for the American College of Poultry
Veterinarians board exam. The last day will focus on major causes of immunosuppression and respiratory disease
encountered in the field using a case study approach.
This meeting qualifies for a maximum of 6 Continuing Education credits by the American College of Poultry
Veterinarians.
Please contact Hill Taglietti, Elanco Animal Health at 800-265-5475 or 519-821-0277 or by email at
jill_taglietti@elanco.com for registration information.
COBB-VANTRESS
Primary
Breeders
Veterinary
Association
The University of Georgia is committed to the principle of affirmative action
and shall not discriminate against otherwise qualified persons on the basis
of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, physical or mental handicap,
disability, or veteran’s status in its recruitment, admissions, employment,
facility and program accessibility, or services.
The Poultry Informed Professional Newsletter is published with support from The Primary Breeder Veterinarians Association.
Page 9 of 14
Excerpts from the latest USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS) “Broiler Hatchery,” “Chicken and Eggs” and
“Turkey Hatchery” Reports and Economic Research Service (ERS)
“Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Situation Outlook”
Broiler Eggs Set in 19 Selected States
Up 2 Percent
Broiler Hatch Up 2 Percent
According to the latest National Agricultural Statistics Service
(NASS) reports, commercial hatcheries in the 19-State weekly
program set 207 million eggs in incubators during the week
ending November 29, 2003. This was up 2 percent from the
eggs set the corresponding week a year earlier. Average hatchability for chicks hatched during the week was 83 percent.
Average hatchability is calculated by dividing chicks hatched
during the week by eggs set three weeks earlier.
Broiler Chicks Placed Up 2 Percent
Broiler growers in the 19-State weekly program placed 165
million chicks for meat production during the week ending
November 29, 2003. Placements were up 2 percent from the
comparable week a year earlier. Cumulative placements from
December 29, 2002 through November 29, 2003 were 7.98 billion, down slightly from the same period a year earlier.
October Egg Production Down Slightly
U.S. egg production totaled 7.39 billion during October 2003,
down slightly from last year. Production included 6.34 billion
table eggs and 1.06 billion hatching eggs, of which 1.00 billion
were broiler-type and 57.0 million were egg-type. The total
number of layers during October 2003 averaged 333 million,
down 1 percent from a year earlier. October egg production
per 100 layers was 2,218 eggs, up one percent from October
2002.
All layers in the U.S. on November 1, 2003, totaled 335 million,
down 1 percent from a year ago. The 335 million layers consisted of 277 million layers producing table or commercial type
eggs, 54.7 million layers producing broiler-type hatching eggs,
and 2.48 million layers producing egg-type hatching eggs.
Rate of lay per day on November 1, 2003, averaged 71.9 eggs
per 100 layers, up 1 percent from a year ago.
Laying flocks in the 30 major egg producing States produced
6.90 billion eggs during October 2003, down 1 percent from a
year ago. The average number of layers during October, at 311
million, was down 2 percent from a year ago.
Egg-Type Chicks Hatched Up 9 Percent
Egg-type chicks hatched during October totaled 35.0 million,
up 9 percent from October 2002. Eggs in incubators totaled
29.5 million on November 1, 2003, down 2 percent from a year
ago.
Domestic placements of egg-type pullet chicks for future
hatchery supply flocks by leading breeders totaled 306,000
during October 2003, up 65 percent from October 2002.
The October 2003 hatch of broiler-type chicks, at 735 million,
was up 2 percent from October of the previous year. There
were 588 million eggs in incubators on November 1, 2003, up
2 percent from a year earlier.
Leading breeders placed 6.5 million broiler-type pullet chicks
for future domestic hatchery supply flocks during October
2003, up 4 percent from October 2002.
Turkey Eggs in Incubators on
November 1 Down 2 Percent
Turkey eggs in incubators on November 1, 2003, in the United
States totaled 29.8 million, down 2 percent from November 1 a
year ago. Eggs in incubators were 6 percent above the October
2003 total of 28.1 million. Regional changes from the previous
year were: East North Central, down 7 percent; West North
Central, up 6 percent; North and South Atlantic, down 2 percent; South Central, down 19 percent; and West, down 8 percent.
Poults Placed During October
Down 4 Percent From Last Year
The 22.9 million poults placed during October 2003 in the
United States were down 4 percent from the number placed
during the same month a year ago. Placements were up 3 percent from the September 2003 total of 22.2 million. Regional
changes from the previous year were: East North Central,
down 13 percent; West North Central, up 1 percent; North and
South Atlantic, down 6 percent; South Central, down 3 percent; and West, down 4 percent.
Third-Quarter Turkey Production
Declines Slightly
According to the latest Economic Research Service (ERS)
reports, U.S. turkey production in the third quarter of 2003
was 1.41 billion pounds, down 0.5 percent from the same
period in 2002. The decrease in production came as fewer
birds slaughtered (down 0.9 percent) offset an increase in
average weights (up 0.9 percent). Federally inspected
slaughter in the fourth quarter of 2003 is forecast at 1.48 billion pounds, slightly lower than during the same period
last year. The decrease in production is expected to again be
due to a combination of a lower number of birds slaughtered and higher average weights.
Third-Quarter Exports Higher Than Previous Year
U.S. turkey exports for the third quarter of 2003 were 130
million pounds up 33 percent from the previous year. This
places the estimate for annual 2003 exports at 467 million
pounds, an increase of 28 million pounds from last year, but
Continued on page 9
Page 10 of 14
USDA Reports continued from page 8
about 20 million pounds lower than in 2001. Exports in
September were 50 million pounds, up 38 percent from a
year earlier and the highest monthly exports so far in 2003.
The increase in exports in September was chiefly due to
higher exports to Mexico. Shipments to Mexico in
September were 28 million pounds, 89 percent higher than
a year earlier. Shipments to Russia and Canada were also
higher. The increased trade with these countries helped to
offset lower shipments to a number of other countries,
especially Hong Kong. Fourth quarter exports are forecast
to be slightly higher than the previous year, as U.S. economic growth helps to stimulate the Mexican economy, the
largest market for U.S. turkey exports.
Third-Quarter Ending Stocks Lower
Lower third-quarter production together with a modest
gain in exports pulled third-quarter ending stocks down.
Cold storage holdings of whole turkeys at the end of
September were estimated at 384 million pounds, an 8-percent increase from the same period last year. However, the
increase was offset by a strong decline in the cold storage
holdings for turkey parts. Stocks of turkey parts at the end
of September were estimated at 269 million pounds, down
15 percent from a year earlier. Total third-quarter ending
stocks for turkey were 653 million pounds, a decrease of
almost 3 percent from third-quarter 2002.
October Whole Bird Prices Higher
Slightly reduced domestic production and improving
exports pushed whole turkey prices higher in October. The
three region average price for whole birds was 64.4 cents
per pound, 3 percent higher than October 2002. The price
increase was attributed totally to whole toms, as whole hen
prices continued lower than a year earlier. Prices for whole
birds and parts are expected to gradually strengthen in the
fourth quarter as exports to Mexico increase, prices for competing meats are high, and production is forecast to be
below a year earlier.
Broiler Production Climbs in Third Quarter
U.S. broiler production in the third quarter of 2003 was 8.45
billion pounds, 2.4 percent above the same period last year.
The growth in production was attributed to a small increase
in the number of birds slaughtered (up 0.6 percent) and an
increase in their average weights (up 1.5 percent). Federally
inspected slaughter in fourth-quarter 2003 is forecast at 8.18
billion pounds, an increase of 3 percent over the fourth
quarter of last year. Increased fourth-quarter production is
again expected to come from gains in the number of birds
slaughtered and higher average weights. The weekly broiler hatchery report shows that over the last 8 weeks (Sept. 13
through Nov. 1), the number of broiler chicks placed for
grow-out has increased an average of 1.4 percent compared
with the same period last year. The data for eggs placed in
incubators over the last 3 weeks points toward continued
growth in chick placements--egg numbers placed have
averaged 2.9 percent higher than the same 3-week period in
2002.
2003 Broiler Exports Decline
Slightly in Third Quarter
U.S. broiler exports in the third quarter of 2003 were 1.18
billion pounds, down 2 percent from the same quarter in
2002. This lowers the annual 2003 export estimate to 4.8 billion pounds about even with the previous year. Exports in
September were 374 million pounds, up 18 percent from a
year earlier. The increase in September exports was the
result of higher shipments to Russia, Mexico, and the NIS
countries. However, these increases were partially offset by
continued lower shipments to Hong Kong.
Third-Quarter Broiler Ending Stocks Decline
Although the third quarter of 2003 saw the first growth in
broiler output, stock levels have continued to decrease.
Stocks for broilers held in cold storage as of the end of
September were 599 million pounds, 28 percent lower than
the third quarter 2002. Broiler parts make up most of cold
storage holdings and were down 28 percent from the same
period last year. Cold storage holdings of whole broilers
were also lower, falling by 11 percent. Higher domestic production, stronger exports, and lower ending stocks combined to push October 2003 prices higher for most broiler
parts. Northeast breast meat prices were up 26 percent over
last year, while prices of leg quarters and wings increased
62 and 65 percent compared with October 2002. Prices for
whole broilers have also risen and are expected to remain
above last year for the remainder of 2003. Prices for broiler
parts are generally expected to remain higher through the
fourth quarter and into 2004, as stronger exports, a rising
economy, and high prices for competing meats are likely to
offset expected production increases.
Page 11 of 14
Meetings, Seminars and Conventions
2004
January
2004
April
Jan 28-30: 2004 International Poultry Exposition,
Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, GA
Contact: US Poultry & Egg Association, 1530
Cooledge Road, Tucker, GA 30084. Phone: 770-4939401; Fax: 770-493-9527.
Apr. 21-23: VIV China, Beijing, China, China
International Exhibition Center. Contact; CNAVS
Trade Fair Office, c/o Beijing Tech convention &
Exhibition Center, Rm 3011, Yuanliwuye Building,
No. 23, Hui Xin East Road, Beijing 100029-P.R.
China. Phone: +86 10 649 88 358; Fax: +86 10 649 50
374 or Email: fair@public.east.cn.net
Apr. 23-24: 5th Asia Pacific Poultry Health
Conference, “Harnessing Science for Poultry
Production”, Gold Coast, Australia. Contact: Dr.
Pat Blackall, (APPHC5), Animal Research Institute,
Locked Mail Bag No. 4, Moorooka, QLD 4105,
Australia. Fax: + 61 7 3362 9429 or
email: pat.blackall@dpi.qld.gov.au
Apr. 26-29: Middle East Poultry Show 2004, Dubai
World Trade Centre Exhibition Complex, United
Arab Emirates. Contact: Mediac Communications
& Exhibitions, PO Box 5196, Dubai, United Arab
Emirates. Phone: +9714 269 2004;
Fax: +9714 269 1296 or email:
mediac@emirates.net.ae.
Website: www.mediaccom.com
2004
February
Feb. 8-10: NTF Annual Convention, Westin
Savannah Harbor, Savannah, GA. Contact:
Kellye Moss, Phone: 202-898-0100, ext. 225
or Email: kmoss@turkeyfed.org
Feb. 9-11: 2004 Australian Poultry Science
Symposium, University of Sydney, Australia.
Contact: Poultry Research Foundation, University
of Sidney, Camden NSW 2570, Australia. Phone:
+61 2 46 550 656; Fax: +61 2 46 550 693 or email:
noelenew@camden.usyd.edu.au. Website:
www.vetsci.usyd.edu.au/foundations/prf.shtml
Feb. 23-25: 2004 Poultry Focus Asia 2004, Queen
Sirikit National Convention Centre, Bangkok,
Thailand. Contact: Positive Action Conferences,
P.O. Box 4, Driffield, East Yorkshire, Y025 9DJ,
England. Phone: +44 1377 256316; Fax: +44 1377
253640; Email: conf@positiveaction.co.uk;
Website: http://www.positiveaction.co.uk
2004
March
Mar. 7-9: 53rd Western Poultry Disease Conference,
Sacramento, California. Contact: Dr. R.P. Chin.
Email: rpchin@ucdavis.edu
Mar. 10-11: Nebraska Poultry Industries Annual
Convention, New World Inn & Conference Center,
Columbus, Nebraska. Contact: Nebraska Poultry
Industries, Inc., University of Nebraska, A103
Animal Sciences, P.O. Box 830908, Lincoln, NE
68583-0908. Phone: 402-472-2051
Mar. 11-13: SIPSA 2003 (3rd International
Exhibition for Animal Health and Production),
Algiers, Algeria. Contact: Expofair, CD233, Route
de Bouchaoui, Ouled Fayet, Algeria.
Phone: +213 21 386 231/2; Fax: +213 21 38 70 58
or email: abensemmane@yahoo.fr
2004
May
May 11-13: Victam Europe 2004, Jaarbeurs Trade
Halls, The Netherlands. Contact: Victam
International, P.O. Box 197, 3860 AD Nijkerk,
The Netherlands. Phone: +31 33 246 4404;
Fax: +31 33 246 4706; Email: expo@victam.com
May 13-15: Technical Symposium for Poultry
Veterinarians, Ontario Veterinary College, Quelph,
Ontario, Canada. Contact: Hill Taglietti, Elanco
Animal Health, Phone: 800-265-5475 or 519-8210277; Email: jill_taglietti@elanco.com
2004
June
June 1-4: Poultry Industry 2004 International
Forum, Crocus Expo Exhibition Center, Moscow,
Russia. Contact: Karapetyan Nune, Asti Group
Exhibition Company. Phone: +7 095 797 6914;
Fax: +7 095 797 6915; Email: nune@meatindustry.ru;
Website: www.chickenking.ru
Page 12 of 14
June 8-12: XXII World’s Poultry Congress, WPSA
Turkish Branch, Istanbul, Turkey. Contact: congress
Organiser: ITU Joint Venture, Cumhuriyet Cad.
18/5, 80230 Elmadag, Istanbul, Turkey.
Phone: +90 212 231 3021; Fax: +90 212 232 1522;
Email: wpsa2004@wpsa2004.org
June 10-13: VIV Poultry Istanbul, Istanbul,Turkey.
World Trade Center Yesilkoy. Contact: HKF /
Jaarbeurs Exhibitions & Media. Barbaros Bulvari
135/2, Dikilitas ? Besiktas 80700 Istanbul, Turkey.
Phone: +90 212 216 4010; Fax: +90 212 216 3360;
Email: hkf@hkf-fairs.com
June 16-18: 5th International Poultry & Pig Show
(IPPS), Port Messe (Nagoya International
Exhibition Hall), Nagoya, Japan. Contact: Kokusai
Yokei, International Poultry/Pig Show Japan 2004,
2-6-16 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0033, Japan.
Phone: +81 3 3297 5515; Fax: +81 3 3297 5519
June 16-19: 5th International Symposium on
Turkey Diseases, Berlin, Germany. Contact: Prof.
Dr. H.M. Hafez, Institute of Poultry Diseases, Free
University Berlin, Koserstrasse 21, 14195 Berlin,
Germany. Phone: 49-30-8385-3862; Fax: 49-30-83855824; Email: hafez@zedat.fu-berlin.de
June 23-25: Georgia Egg Association’s 43rd Annual
Meeting, St. Simons Island, GA. Contact: Robert
Howell, Executive Director, Georgia Egg
Association, 16 Forest Parkway, Forest Park, GA
30297. Phone: 404-363-7661; Fax: 404-363-7664;
Email: goodeggs@bellsouth.net
2004
July
July 11-14: 7th International Mareks Disease
Symposium, Oxford, UK. Contact: Dr. M. Carr,
Institute of Animal Health, Compton Laboratory,
Newbury RG20 7NN, UK. Phone: +44 1635 577227;
Email: margaret.carr@bbsrc.ac.uk
July 24-28: AVMA/AAAP Meeting, Philadelphia,
PA. Contact: http://www.avma.org or
http://www.aaap.info; Email: aaap@uga.edu
2004
August
August 25-27: XVII Central American Poultry
Congress, San Pedro Sula, Honduras. See
www.anavih.org for details. Contact:
Email: anavih@honduras.quik.com
Meetings, Seminars and Conventions
2004
November
2005
June
November 9-12: EuroTier 2004, Hanover, Germany.
Contact: DLG (Deutsche LandwirtschaftsGesellschaft e.V.), Eschborner-Landstrasse 122,
60489 Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.
Phone: +49 69 24788 265; Fax: +49 69 24788 113;
Email: eurotier@DLG-Frankfurt.de
June 22-24: Georgia Egg Association’s 44th Annual
Meeting, St. Simons Island, GA. Contact: Robert
Howell, Executive Director, Georgia Egg
Association, 16 Forrest Parkway, Forest Park, GA
30297. Phone: 404-363-7661; Fax: 404-363-7664;
Email: goodeggs@bellsouth.net
2005
March
2005
August
March 9-10: Nebraska Poultry Industries Annual
Convention, New World Inn & Conference Center,
Columbus, Nebraska. Contact: Nebraska Poultry
Industries, Inc., University of Nebraska, A103
Animal Sciences, P.O. Box 830908, Lincoln, NE
68583-0908. Phone: 402-472-2051
2008
August
August 10-15: XXIII World’s Poultry Congress,
Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane,
Australia.
August 22-26: 14th World Veterinary Poultry
Congress & Exhibition, Istanbul, Turkey. Contact:
Congress organiser: IT Consortium, Mete Cad.
16/11, 34437 Taksim, Istanbul, Turley. Phone: +90
212 244 71 71; Fax: +90 212 244 71 81; Email:
info@wvpc2005.org. Website: www.wvpc2005.org
SEEKING NOMINATIONS
General Conference Committee of the National Poultry Improvement Plan. The General Conference Committee is the official Advisory
Committee to the Secretary of Agriculture that serves as a forum for the study of problems relating to poultry health and as the need arises, to
make specific recommendations to the Secretary of Agriculture concerning ways in which the Department may assist the industry in solving
these problems.
The General Conference Committee consists of one member-at-large who is a participant of the National Poultry Improvement Plan and one
member elected from each of the six geographical regions outlined in 9 CFR 147.43. There must be at least two nominees for each position up
for election. The regions that are up for election in 2004 are 1) South Atlantic: Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, West
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Puerto Rico; 2) South Central Region: Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama,
Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas; 3) West North Central: Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakotqa, South Dakota,
Nebraska, and Kansas. Voting will be done by secret ballot, and the results must be recorded. At least one nominee from each region up for
election must be from an underrepresented group( minorities, woemen, or persons with disabilities). The process of soliciting nominations for
regional committee members will include, but not limited to: Adverstisements in at least two industry journals, such as the newsletter of the
American Association of Avian Pathologists, the Nationa Chicken Council, the United Egg Producers, and the National Turkey Federation; a
Federal Register Announcement,; and special iinquiries for nominations from universities and faculty in poultry science and veterinary science.
The three regional members shall be elected at each Plan Conference. All members shall serve for a period of 4 years, subject to continutation of the Committee by the Secretary of Agriculture, and may not succeed themselves. Nominations should be sent to the executive secretary
of the General Conference Committee by no later than May 1, 2004:
Andrew R. Rhorer
Senior Coordinator
National Poultry Improvement Plan
USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services
1498 Klondike Rd., Suite 200
Conyers, Georgia 30094
770 922 3496
Fax 770 922 3498
Page 13 of 14
Broiler Performance Data (Region)
Live Production Cost
Feed cost/ton w/o color ($)
Feed cost/lb meat (¢)
Days to 4.6 lbs
Chick cost/lb (¢)
Vac-Med cost/lb (¢)
WB & 1/2 parts condemn. cost/lb
% mortality
Sq. Ft. @ placement
Lbs./Sq. Ft.
Down time (days)
SW
Midwest
Southeast
MidAtlantic
S-Central
149.07
13.66
42
3.73
0.04
0.16
3.15
0.84
6.73
15
136.13
12.49
42
3.55
0.02
0.16
3.49
0.79
7.02
11
151.13
13.74
43
4.06
0.04
0.17
3.96
0.81
6.40
15
152.71
14.76
43
3.56
0.04
0.19
4.65
0.82
7.30
15
150.20
13.68
42
3.90
0.04
0.11
3.16
0.82
6.72
13
Data for week ending October 25, 2003
Broiler Performance Data (Company)
Live Production Cost
Average
Co.
Top
25%
Feed cost/ton
142.79
149.93
w/o color ($)
Feed cost/lb meat (¢)
13.21
13.74
Days to 4.6 lbs
41
42
Chick cost/lb (¢)
3.23
3.96
Vac-Med cost/lb (¢)
0.04
0.04
WB & 1/2 parts
0.16
0.16
condemn. cost/lb
3.61
% mortality
3.42
0.81
Sq. Ft. @ placement
0.80
6.65
Lbs./Sq. Ft.
6.91
14
Down time (days)
12
Data for week ending October 25, 2003
Broiler Whole Bird Condemnation
(Company)
Broiler Whole Bird Condemnation (Region)
% Septox
% Airsac
% I.P.
% Leukosis
% Bruise
% Other
% Total
% 1/2 parts
condemnations
SW
MidWest
S.
East
0.169
0.036
0.063
0.003
0.008
0.008
0.286
0.292
0.039
0.029
0.001
0.003
0.004
0.369
0.216
0.058
0.026
0.001
0.006
0.009
0.316
0.269
0.076
0.032
0.004
0.008
0.009
0.397
0.136
0.044
0.024
0.001
0.006
0.012
0.222
0.368
0.381
0.383
0.347
0.251
Data for week ending October 25, 2003
MidS.
Atlantic Central
% Septox
% Airsac
% I.P.
% Leukosis
% Bruise
% Other
% Total
% 1/2 parts condemnations
Average
Co.
Top
25%
0.212
0.053
0.040
0.002
0.007
0.008
0.322
0.340
0.267
0.045
0.023
0.002
0.004
0.003
0.343
0.512
Data for week ending October 25, 2003
Page 14 of 14