Cold weather management of layer flocks

As the days are getting shorter, the temperatures are getting colder including the northern parts of the world. The cold itself wouldn’t be that much of a problem for the adult birds, but the humidity that goes along with it might cause some troubles, especially in relation to respiratory problems. When the cold air enters the barn, it can fall rapidly to the floor and displace the warm air. It is a negative spiral as this cold air is not able to absorb the excessive humidity and then the litter might get caked. When litter gets caked, higher amounts of ammonia and carbon dioxide are developed, and this may cause inflammation of the respiratory tract and cause respiratory problems. In younger birds it might cause enteritis because the gut is chilled by the contact of the cold and humid litter. In order to overcome these problems the usage of a heating system along with proper ventilation is highly recommended.
When temperature drops, feed intake will be increased in order for the birds to fulfill their energy requirements to produce extra heat. But as feed intake is so highly correlated with egg size, you can expect an increase in egg size of the eggs produced by your birds. The egg size can be managed via the diet specifications; do not hesitate to contact the ISA nutritionists in case of any questions.
In direct correlation with feed intake is the birds’ feather cover, a proper feather cover will improve the birds’ thermal balance. The feed intake of birds with intact feather cover will be lower compared to birds with impaired feather cover. Observing the behavior of the flocks daily is important, so you will learn about the birds needs and changes can be implemented in time to overcome excessive damage to the birds.
As proper water supply is one of the key factors to maintain flocks in a healthy and viable condition, extra attentions must be paid to water pipes, which might freeze when temperatures are low for a longer period of time.
However, most of the success starts with a good start, such as making sure barn houses are properly warmed when new birds arrive. That allows birds to adapt and feel comfortable from day one. It will reduce the risk of smothering; the birds tend to smother in order to stay warm when it gets too cold in the barn.

Genetic selection leads to improved feed efficiency

Substantial improvements in the performance of laying hens has come from genetic selection over the last 70 years. In particular, the combined effects of increased egg production, reduced bodyweight and lower maintenance requirements have brought about significant improvements in feed conversion efficiency. The rates of feed efficiency gain are likely to slow, as egg production approaches the biological threshold of 365 eggs per annum. The emphasis of selection has changed over the past decade to meet specific market needs, due to the changing worldwide egg industry. The hens’ adaptability to varying environments, while maintaining good health plays an important part in Hendrix Genetics - ISA’s breeding program. These days, commercial layers should be able to cope with a variety of field conditions and management systems, such as high-density cages, open houses or free range.
Breeding for 500 eggs
Hendrix Genetics aims for a production life of 500 eggs through one laying cycle in its commercial layers. Thus, overall livability, including longevity, is an important component of productive flocks. To support the hens’ genetic potential of 500 eggs through one laying cycle, it is necessary to increase their feed intake from the end of the growing period towards the peak of production in a short time. During this period, the bird is not only adjusting to her new environment, she must consume enough energy and nutrients for her body weight development and to reach the high peak in egg production. A uniform flock is of major importance in providing balanced diets in order to optimize the birds’ genetic potential. So an important step towards achieving 500 eggs per bird is good management of the pullet flock.
Feed consumption is the behavioral response to a homeostatic drive, which is activated by disequilibrium in a metabolic state of the bird. The most commonly-used criteria for feed efficiency in laying hens are: daily feed intake per hen;feed intake per egg; feed conversion (kg feed per kg egg mass); and egg income minus feed cost. Increasing the egg output and/or reducing the bodyweight will lead to improved efficiency of egg production. Hendrix Genetics’ focus is on increasing egg output by egg numbers and egg mass, not by the reduction of the birds’ bodyweight. A further reduction of the birds’ bodyweight will lead to more efficient birds, since less feed is required for the birds’ growth and maintenance. But birds with some body reserves are better able to cope with environmental fluctuations and disease challenge, e.g. the maximum egg output per bird requires a stock-specific optimum bodyweight. When selecting our birds, we take the aforementioned into account, since our breeding goal is to produce birds that are more feed efficient with each new generation, and to ensure that they adapt and grow well, stay healthy, are easy to manage and show production performance on an optimal level.
Individual feed consumption records enhance the selection for efficiency of egg production. For feed consumption, heritabilities are in the range of 0.25 – 0.45, and heritabilities for feed conversion are in the range of 0.20 – 0.40. As part of our breeding program, we measure feed consumption, egg production and egg weight at an individual basis in all of our genetic lines. By measuring all these traits, we have been able to select directly towards more efficient birds. The breeding goal for commercial layers is to maximize egg income over feed costs, while not compromising on the hens’ health and well-being.
An undesired development in laying hens is the gain in bodyweight after the birds’ peak production period. This gain in bodyweight is mainly composed of lipids; meaning that there is a low variation in energy content, and hence, in energy required for gain. As part of Hendrix Genetics’ breeding program, we also measure the birds’ individual bodyweight after 90 weeks of age. Our goal is to keep the bodyweight gain from peak period towards the end-of-lay close to zero, in this way, the bird utilizes the gross energy from feed more efficiently for maintaining a healthy body condition and egg production.
Future Developments
The largest contribution to future improvements in feed conversion efficiency is expected to come from increased egg production, e.g. longer persistency, while not ignoring the hens’ health and well-being. Significant differences do exist between in Hendrix Genetics’ genetic lines and therefore clear variation between commercial crosses. Every layer farmer has their own needs, depending on their system, management and the climate.

New health and welfare website available for layer industry

A website designed to assist egg farmers in identifying and eliminating performance barriers, preventing mortalities, and helping sustain and improve production yields has been launched by Australia's Barnhealth. 
The free to access DTECT- laying hens is a web-based tool that helps in learning how to identify issues that affect flock performance in only a few steps. 
The technology was developed via a collaborative project between the Australian Egg Corporation, international veterinarians, scientists, and nutritionists. It has been further developed with the assistance of egg producers through cases studies and user feedback. 
Users can view and download a manual from the site to help them make necessary observations and measurements to use the identification system effectively. They can also access a library with the details of over 160 disorders and information on the impact they could have on their business
In addition to the website, Barnhealth is offering information sharing on flock disorders, nutrition and management via its Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Perch height, design influence on layer welfare examined

A systematic review of the effect of perch height on keel bone fractures, deformation and injuries, bone strength, foot lesions and perching behavior in layer hens has been published by the European Food Standards Agency (EFSA).
EFSA notes that there remains a lack of clarity around the height and design of perches where layer behavioral needs are concerned. Similarly, there may be negative bird welfare implications resulting from inappropriate perch design and height.
The report offers a summary of four systematic reviews. Scientific data was examined to assess which perch height and design would satisfy European Union legal requirements and could be considered adequate from a welfare point of view, both in enriched and alternative systems.
The review sought to identify to which degree a minimum and maximum height and the position of the perch are important factors in layer welfare. Additionally, it sought to identify design criteria for perches, including material, shape and length, all of which may influence bird welfare. From this an assessment was made of which design is best suited to satisfy birds’ behavioral needs without negatively impacting their health. 

Layer hen welfare focus of new European research project

The implementation of new practices in animal welfare and production in the European egg industry is the focus of a new project led by the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences.
The Hennovation project involves 15 researchers from five EU countries. Launched earlier in 2015, it will establish on-farm and off-farm innovation networks that will search for and use new ideas in the sector to make business more efficient and sustainable.
Up to 20 networks will be set up at different levels of the production chain at local, national and European level. The networks will be supported by veterinary surgeons, farm advisors and scientific researchers alongside those who buy eggs or certify egg production. The need for innovation has come from the egg producers and the wider industry, notes the University of Bristol.
The networks will initially tackle two particular issues of concern; injurious pecking and the transport and use of hens that no longer lay any eggs.
David Main, Professor of Animal Welfare and project coordinator from Bristol University said: “Changes in commercial animal husbandry often require producers and industry to modify existing practices, which creates opportunities for experimentation and innovation.
“With the growing recognition that the traditional model of knowledge transfer from scientific research to industry practice has not always been effective in addressing hoped for changes in animal welfare and environmental sustainability, a growing emphasis is now being placed on more co-operative forms of knowledge generation and experimental innovation.”
One of the aims of the project is to develop and disseminate technical innovations which have come from practice and communicate economic and scientific information.
The projection is receiving funding of EUR2 million (US$2.2 million) over two years. 

Zimmerer Gruppe investments in layer monitoring technology

Germany’s Zimmerer Gruppe has announced that it has upgraded the monitoring systems across its egg farms. The company, whose best-known egg brand is Deutsche Marken-Ei, says that the investment will not only help it to better manage its farms, but will also help to guarantee the quality of its products.
The investments will allow Zimmerer to monitor its farms remotely, will improve efficiency, help to ensure to ensure that hens are kept in the best possible condition, and improve financial decision making.
Zimmerer has worked with Porphyrio and has installed the latters Lay-Insight system. The egg producer will now be able to predict the performance of its layer flocks and, based on early warnings, address potential problems. The data from the monitoring system can be directly translated into financial key performance indicators, and offers the possibility of comparing historical data stretching back 10 years. 

Sustainability of layer housing systems examined

A group of scientific papers detailing the initial results of a broad study on several areas relating to the sustainability of three different commercial-scale egg production systems (conventional cage, enriched colony and cage-free aviary) is being published in the latest issue of Poultry Science, a journal of the Poultry Science Association (PSA). The research was conducted by the Coalition for a Sustainable Egg Supply (CSES), a multi-stakeholder group comprising more than two dozen members, including food manufacturers, research institutions, scientists, restaurants, food service and retail companies, egg suppliers, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).
“The goal of our project was not to make a determination that one type of layer housing system is better or worse than another. Rather, what we wanted to do was to provide some hard data to stakeholders on the tradeoffs between the different types of housing vis-à-vis key aspects of the sustainability of the entire egg production system. This will enable them to make better informed decisions with respect to questions concerning these systems – decisions that will no doubt reflect the specific values that they bring to this issue,” said Dr. Joy A. Mench, a professor of animal science at the University of California, Davis, and the co-scientific director of the project, along with Dr. Janice Swanson of Michigan State University.
The CSES research was facilitated by the Center for Food Integrity, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to building consumer trust and confidence in today’s food system by bringing together diverse stakeholders to address the issues most critical to consumers.
Areas of sustainability that were studied
The CSES project looked at the effects of the three housing systems on five areas related to a sustainable egg supply:


• Hen health and well-being
• Food safety and quality
• Environment
• Worker health and safety
• Food affordability
Nine papers from CSES detailing the first research results will appear in the latest issue of Poultry Science.  Additional results will be forthcoming, said Dr. Mench.
“To our knowledge this is the first time that all of the key aspects relating to egg production sustainability have been studied at the same time and at the same place.  Due to the growing importance of sustainability debates in our national conversation, we felt it made sense to present these initial findings together as a special section in a single issue of Poultry Science,” said Editor-in-Chief Dr. Tom E. Porter.
The nine papers, listed below, are available for download from Poultry Science:


• The Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply project: An introduction (J.C. Swanson et al)
• Comparative evaluation of three egg production systems: Housing characteristics and management practices (Y. Zhao et al)
• Impact of commercial housing systems and nutrient and energy intake on laying hen performance and egg quality parameters (D.M. Karcher et al)
• Effect of rearing environment on bone growth of pullets (P. Regmi et al)
• An examination of the utility of heterophil-lymphocyte ratios in assessing stress of caged hens (Paul F. Cotter)
• Environmental assessment of three egg production systems–Part I: Monitoring system and indoor air Quality (Y. Zhao et al)
• Environmental assessment of three egg production systems—Part II. Ammonia, greenhouse gas, and particulate matter emissions (T.A. Shepherd et al)
• Microbiological impact of three commercial laying hen housing systems (D.R. Jones et al)
• Effects of housing system on the costs of commercial egg production (W.A. Matthews et al) 

Layer housing study preliminary results released

The Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply (CSES), nearing completion of a two-flock research study to better understand the sustainability impacts of various laying hen housing, including cage-free aviary, enriched cage and conventional cage systems, has released preliminary research results.
Over the course of three years, and two separate flocks, the research assessed five areas of sustainability: Animal Health and Well-Being, Environmental Impact, Food Affordability, Food Safety and Worker Health and Safety.
While the initial findings should be treated as preliminary and have not been subject to peer review, they begin to offer some insight into the variables to be considered in selecting different hen housing systems. The coalition’s research will result in meaningful science-based data that will help guide future egg production and purchasing decisions.
Animal health and well-being
Egg production through the first half of the flock cycles for each system remained fairly similar, with production from the aviary system declining most through the remainder of the cycle, in part due to its higher hen mortality. In total, production from the enriched colony system was approximately 3 percent higher than that of the conventional system and 6 to 10 percent higher than production in the aviary system.
The research findings found that pullets reared in the aviary system had better skeletal integrity than those reared in conventional cages. Hens in the aviary and enriched systems had a higher incidence of keel bone deviations and/or fractures than hens in the conventional system.
Conversely, hens in the conventional system had the highest incidence of foot problems, mainly hyperkeratosis. When hens in the aviary did have foot problems, they were more severe than those in the conventional or enriched systems.
Findings also showed that hens in the conventional and enriched systems had cleaner feathers but worse feather cover than aviary hens. Hens with large areas of feather loss lost more body heat than better-feathered hens.
Environmental impact
Research assessed the environmental impact of each of the three systems, including indoor air quality, air emissions, and energy use.
Regarding indoor air quality, daily mean ammonia concentrations were below 15 ppm in both conventional and enriched cage houses throughout monitoring period, but higher ammonia concentrations in the aviary house exceeding 25 ppm resulted from accumulation of some manure on the floor that was not removed until the end of the flock, as well as the building’s low ventilation rate in the winter.
Further, particulate matter (PM) concentrations in the aviary house were roughly eight to 10 times those in the conventional and enriched cage houses, which were by and large similar. Similarly, the aviary system had 6-7 times the PM emissions compared to the other two systems. The higher PM levels and emissions were caused by hens performing activities on the litter floor.
Separate research assessed whether dust from the ammonia and PM concentrations impacts worker or hen health.
Energy use and cost was similar across all three systems. The aviary house required some supplemental heat (from propane) in the first flock, but not in the second flock. In all houses, operation of manure-drying blowers accounted for 55-75 percent of total electricity use throughout different seasons.
Food affordability
Farm costs per dozen eggs were highest for eggs produced in the aviary system, followed by those from enriched housing and then conventional housing.
In total and driven largely by higher feed, labor, pullet, and capital costs, the aviary system was 36 percent more expensive to produce eggs in than the conventional system, while the enriched system was 13 percent more expensive, primarily due to capital costs per dozen, than the conventional system.
Food safety
Eggs from each of the three systems were assessed for quality two days post-lay, as well as after four, six and 12 weeks of cold storage, across multiple parameters, with it being determined that initial egg quality was not impacted by hen housing type, whereas hen dietary nutritional changes did impact egg quality.
Through environmental and shell sampling, the prevalence of Salmonella and Campylobacter was found on collected samples from all three systems, with environmental dust levels influencing shell total aerobes. The aviary forage area and enriched colony scratch pads had the highest levels of total aerobes and coliforms, while aviary floor eggs had the highest total aerobes and coliform levels.
Hens from all housing systems shed Salmonella at a high rate, between 89 and 100 percent. Also, the dry belt manure removal system impeded the detection of Campylobacter, as the manure was no longer a good environment for its detection. It’s important to note that management practices likely had the greatest influence on environmental and egg shell microbiology.
Worker health and safety
Airborne particulate matter inside hen houses, depending on its size, can make its way into workers’ airways, with smaller particles being deposited deep into the lungs. Endotoxins (bacterial toxins), can promote airway irritation and inflammation, as well as decreased lung function.
Sampling from personal exposure monitors worn by workers while in the hen houses, found that inhalable particle and PM2.5 concentrations, as well as endotoxins (bacterial toxins), were significantly higher in the aviary system when compared to those in the conventional and enriched systems, which were not statistically different from each other. It is believed that these levels were highest in the aviary system due to litter (dust-bathing material and manure) left on the floor.
Worker ergonomics were also considered, with a number of tasks standing out as possible risks. Loading and unloading of cages in the conventional and enriched colony systems during population and de-population require extreme body positions, including squatting for an extended time. There was also significant twisting while “herding” the birds and standing on small diameter railings in these two systems.
Gathering eggs that had been laid on the floor in the aviary system was also noted as an issue, as it warranted extreme body positions, including squatting for an extended period of time. Further, extreme arm positions over the shoulder and reaching to the side, as well as rapid and extreme hand and wrist positions were noted. Crawling and lying on the floor to collect floor eggs also exposes the employee to potential respiratory hazards, especially if no respiratory protection is worn, as well as to potential infection hazards to the hands and the knees.
The final analysis, which is scheduled for public release in March 2015, will explore interactions and tradeoffs between sustainability areas within each housing system.
CSES is a multi-stakeholder group collaborating on a commercial-scale study of housing alternatives for egg- laying hens in the U.S. This research and data collection has been conducted on a commercial farm, with all three housing types at the same location.

Beware of cold temperatures affecting feed intake and layer performance

With cold weather conditions threatening to inhibit the ability of free range hens to self-regulate their body temperature, nutritional experts at ABN warn that feed programs may need to be revised to take into consideration the hen's additional energy requirement in winter.
Within the hen's thermoneutral zone - approximately 20C to 25C, which can vary depending on several factors such as bodyweight - hens are able to maintain a constant body temperature with the help of physical heat regulation, comments Lucy Gallant, ABNs' poultry technical specialist.
"The energy required by the hen for maintenance is provided in the feed and in colder temperatures, the hen will need to find extra energy to stay warm by dipping into the energy from their feed that's needed for production, which can cause feed intake to rise," said Gallant.
Gallant warns that in colder weather feed intake per hen can go up by as much as 1.0 to 1.1 grams per degree Celsius change in temperature, which has associated cost implications. "And this comes with no added returns or improvements in performance; just a bigger feed bill," Gallant said.
The energy within the hens' diet is used across a variety of activities, encompassing maintenance and the hens' ability to regulate their temperature, and other key factors, such as growth and egg production.
Gallant notes that when something challenges this status quo such as a drop in temperature, the birds' natural reaction is to prioritise for maintenance and reduce the amount of energy going into growth and egg production.
"This is why it is so important farmers work with their advisors to ensure birds are fed the correct specification ration," she said. "By feeding the right spec ration to suit the hens' energy requirements, any drop in performance can be avoided.
"It's important to consider the time of year and at what stage in the flocks' production cycle they are at when selecting a ration."
John Round, ABN's poultry nutritionist notes that a comprehensive range of layer rations are supplied by ABN with this in mind to be able to suit birds at all stages of lay.
"There are six different specifications varying from the top spec ration, down to the base ration. As the specification of the rations increases so too do the protein and energy levels," he said
The rations are designed to have optimum levels of digestible amino acids, such as digestible methionine, which is a key amino acid in layer feed. High levels of metabolizable energy are also included, with the aim of supporting a high level of egg production with low feed intake and high feed efficiency.
"Across the range of layer rations these vital components are the variables that determine the nutrient specifications of the diets," he concluded.
Gallant goes on to add why it is also essential to consider the life of the flock. "In early lay, high feed energy levels are vital to ensure peak productivity is reached as the flock is coming into production whilst also continuing to grow.
"This is a demanding time and if colder temperatures are also causing a drain on energy levels, it is more important than ever to ensure the birds are being fed the correct ration to meet their requirements," she said.
Monitoring the hens' performance and the bigger production picture is central to successful management, she advised. "Farmers should be regularly recording and monitoring performance indicators such as egg production, egg weight, liveability, bird uniformity, body weight and feed intake.
"A weekly analysis of these indicators will enable benchmarking, and thus help farmers and their technical advisors determine the correct ration specification needed to meet their requirements at any particular time in the production cycle," she added. "We have access to a range of tools and services to enable us to help our customers monitor and analyze hen performance and financial returns."
Gallant concluded that if the basics are done well, it will go a long way towards managing free range layers performance, even during periods of cold weather when there is an increased strain on the energy provided through the feed. "High energy diets should be considered to counteract this effect."

US layer inventory reaches highest point of year in March

The average number of layer hens on hand reached 347 million in March, showing a trend of continued growth. The inventory had previously reached its highest point over the past year in February, with nearly 345 million layers on hand.
The layer numbers during March 2012 were recorded at 340.5 million, according to the USDA's Chicken and Eggs report, released on April 22.
March egg production also increased two percent from the same month in 2012, according to the report.  Production included 6.99 billion table eggs, and 1.08 billion hatching eggs, of which 1 billion were broiler-type and 79 million were egg-type. 

Moark to add 1 million chickens to Missouri business

Moark has plans to expand its Missouri business with 12 new layer and pullet houses for up to 1 million birds, according to reports.
Area residents, who unsuccessfully protested the last expansion, said they will not fight these latest plans. They previously cited a history of pollution by the company and pointed to concerns about odors and water quality, which they said would affect their ability to use their homes and would undermine their property values.
Moark contacted all residents who live within 4,500 feet (nearly nine-tenths of a mile) of the chicken houses and waste sites it plans to build. All waste generated by the birds will be collected and transported to a manure holding and composting building, where it will be kept dry and outside air will be blown over it to further dry it. The dry manure will be moved to a nearby composting operation or can be hauled off and applied to farm fields, where it is supposed to be spread according to state regulations.

SPACE 2011: French organic poultry, egg production records double digit growth

The number of broiler and layer hens raised organically in France grew by 16% in 2010, according to BRIO, the regional interdisciplinary organic association, at SPACE 2011.
The total number of broilers raised organically grew by 18% in comparison with 2009, and the sector was worth €109 million (US$149 million). French organic egg production was worth €209 million in 2010, an increase of 6.6%, while in volume terms the number of eggs produced rose by 16%.
The regions of the Loire, Aquitaine and the Auvergne recorded in the highest increases in organic broiler production, while Brittany and the Auvergne witnessed in the greatest increase in organic egg production. The total number of organic farms in France reached 20,604, accounting for some 4% of all farms in the country. Between 2008 and 2010, the number of organic farms increased by 55%.