Why use a starter feed?

Chicks grow and develop at an incredible rate during the first week of hatching. With just 34-42 days from the beginning to end of the broiler production cycle, that makes the right choice of starter feed particularly critical.
The key consideration for the producer is the digestibility of the feed. Both the digestive tract and immune system are highly immature at hatching. So, unless the feed is easy to digest, most of the nutrients will pass through the digestive tract unabsorbed and be excreted in the droppings.
Resorting to the yolk sack
The chick will then draw energy from the immunoglobulins and unsaturated fatty acids in its yolk sack, leaving little for development and immunity. This is a serious problem for a chick that needs to develop vital organs and quadruple in weight by the time it is seven days old. The fact that chicks can go up to 48 hours from hatching to their first intake of feed is an added pressure.
For all these reasons, a sub-optimal feed will only add to the challenges a chick has to overcome. Apart from impairing growth due to poor nutrient absorption, it will increase vulnerability to pathogenic bacteria and viruses, such as Salmonella and Campylobacter.
The importance of tailored feed
The concern that feed should be specially tailored to the needs of chicks up to the age of ten days cannot be understated. The same goes for broilers during the grower and finisher phases. Producers will experience that broilers fail to reach their growth potential and that feed efficiency is compromised.
Many nutrients are necessary to ensure proper growth. One of the most essential of them is protein. Due to its high quality and lower cost than proteins from some animal sources, soy protein is a popular choice. Here, again, digestibility is the key to success.
Optimizing soy protein digestibility
The issue with soy protein in its untreated form is its content of anti-nutritional factors (ANF). Though not a problem for older broilers, in the immature digestive system of a newly hatched chick ANF have a direct negative impact on protein absorption – and the chick’s potential for healthy growth.
The answer is reduction of the anti-nutritional factors to a very low level, while maintaining the nutritious protein components intact. Today, this has been made possible by a processing technique developed at HAMLET PROTEIN, the company behind HP AviStart – a specialty soy protein for chick starter feed. Much has happened to improve the efficiency of broiler production since the 1970s, when the average lifecycle was a much longer 60 days. An optimized starter feed that takes the immature digestive systems of hatchlings into account is another step in the ongoing optimization process.

Novus shares latest advances in poultry nutrition

More than 1,000 participants gathered in Prague, Czech Republic to attend this year's European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition (ESPN). The event gives industry representatives the opportunity to learn from one another by discussing critical topics in their fields. Novus International, Inc. was a diamond sponsor of the event and presented its latest advances in poultry nutrition with seven research posters.
Novus is dedicated to enhancing nutrition programs for the broiler, layer and breeder segments, and brings nearly 25 years of expertise in improving productivity in animal agriculture with sustainable solutions. During the ESPN, Novus hosted a lunch forum on mineral environmental constraints presented by Dr. Laura Star, Poultry Nutrition Researcher at Schothorst Feed Research. An overarching message at the lunch symposium was that producers can reduce the excretion of zinc, copper and manganese into the environment by lowering total levels of these minerals in animal diets, as well as increase safety margins by supplementing feed with phytase and organic mineral sources.
"Feeding high-quality chelated trace minerals offers significant advantages when it comes to animal performance," commented Dr. Alain Bourdonnais, Sr. Marketing Manager EME at Novus. "When compared to other organic and inorganic mineral sources, chelated trace minerals offer an improved technology that helps animals reach optimal nutrition even with reduced mineral supplementation. By including lower concentrations of chelated trace minerals, this not only alleviates minerals excretion concerns, but also significantly improves production efficiency."

Inspire forum attendees learn of dietary NSPs’ pros and cons

Presentations from industry and academia highlighted both the negative and positive effects of dietary NSPs on nutrient utilization and health in pigs and poultry at the Inspire: Non-starch Polysaccharide (NSP) Forum, held at Pitlochry, Scotland.
The April 1 session began with Professors Hank Classen of the University of Saskatchewan and John Patience of Iowa State University outlining the impact of dietary fiber in poultry and swine, respectively. While fiber has the ability to retain water in both species, the level of resulting gut content viscosity differs considerably, and is much more of an issue in poultry.
Patience also explained that up to one third of the energy requirements of mature sows can come from fiber, compared to maybe 3 percent for poultry. Other key findings presented included a clear variation in the impact of NSPs on gut content viscosity with broiler age and the apparent negative effect of excessive NSP breakdown increasing monosaccharide concentrations.
"The issue of how dietary fiber acts within the gut is a very complex one, with numerous interactions happening throughout the digestive process, and affected by the fiber itself, animal factors and the makeup of the diet," explained Classen. "In terms of improving performance and economic return through NSP enzyme use, I think we've done remarkably well considering."
Dr. Knud Erik Bach Knudsen of Aarhus Universitat took the discussion a stage further, explaining some of the detailed differences between conditions in the pig and poultry intestinal tracts that alter interactions with dietary fiber. The impact of NSPs on gut microbiota was investigated by Alimetric's Dr. Juha Apajalahti, who demonstrated the apparent role of butyrate produced from fiber fermentation within the large intestine in improving animal performance.
The challenge facing the industry in getting the fibre balance right was made clear by Professor Ed Moran of Auburn University, who demonstrated the clear link between increased gut viscosity - caused by high levels of soluble long-chain NSPs - and an increased risk of necrotic enteritis. This theme was further developed during the final presentation of the day by AB Vista's Dr. Hadden Graham, who explained not only the history of feed enzyme use and the commercial drivers behind it, but also the often unpredictable nature of animal response to NSP enzymes.
"The market today is dominated by xylanase products, but in most of the research we don't know exactly what was delivered to the animal being investigated," he stated. "Rarely are enzyme levels in the finished feed assayed, and we know large changes can take place during mixing and processing, so it is not surprising we sometimes don't get the results we expect.
"There are clear economic gains to be made, but it is also clear that there is still a lot of work to be done."

Broiler breeder diet focus of new research project

How to improve the diets of broiler breeder chickens is being investigated by researchers at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Newcastle University, The Roslin Institute and Biomathematics & Statistics Scotland (BioSS). The groups will study birds' behavior and brain activity to establish the best possible diet to keep them feeling full for longer. The work is being supported with a £400,000 (US$659,000) grant from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.
SRUC notes that the life of broiler breeder chickens has long been a welfare issue for all those connected with poultry production. Growth of broiler breeders up to 20 weeks is important because if their access to food is not controlled, they might grow to be obese as adults, which can lead to health problems. However, if their diet is too restrictive, the birds are left feeling hungry, which has always troubled those involved in animal welfare.
Dr. Rick D'Eath, who will be leading the project at the SRUC explains: "The research will assess how the chickens are affected by different types and amounts of food. We need to understand how best to rear them from chick to adult, keeping them healthy without over or under feeding them."
A potential solution to the problem of hunger resulting from restricted feeding in broiler breeders is adding indigestible, high-fiber ingredients to their feed. These can potentially make the chickens feel more satisfied and, as they are very low energy, they should not result in excessive weight gain. However, having a physically full gut is only one part of feeling satisfied and not hungry.
The project will also investigate the ways in which different diets affect signs of hunger in the brain, the gut and in the birds' behavior, in order to better understand whether they genuinely feel less hungry when fed the newly designed diets. SRUC's team will assess the behavior aspect while The Roslin Institute and Newcastle University will provide expertise on brain and gut physiology, with experimental design advice and analysis provided by BioSS.
Dr. D'Eath adds: "At the end of this three-year project, we hope to inform and influence future poultry industry guidance on feeding broiler breeders which could improve the welfare of millions of chickens around the world."

Nutreco presents a ‘new vision’ on poultry nutrition

Nutreco hosted the New Vision on Poultry Nutrition conference in October in Madrid. More than 60 international poultry producers, integrators and compound feed companies gathered for the event to share and discuss the challenges facing the poultry industry.
During the conference, the Nutreco Applications and Solutions Center and its research and development department - together with associated Nutreco companies Trouw Nutrition, Selko Feed Additives and Nutreco MasterLab - presented concrete solutions to a number of these challenges. NutriOpt, a breakthrough science-based, precision-feeding tool, and new products and services from Selko Feed Additives to contribute to the control of salmonella and to footpad health.
Nutrition by the numbers
NutriOpt combines more than years of expertise and innovation from Nutreco in the areas of feed efficiency and application solutions. The nutritional tool integrates knowledge across these fields in such a way that enables customers to optimize both feed costs and production results to maximize financial benefits in their value chain. It consists of a number of key elements that complement and support each other in optimizing animal nutrition, performance, and associated costs through precise real‐time analysis, modelling and calculation.


• NIR & Nutrix: precise calibrated feedstuff analysis, with up-to-date and highly accurate nutritional profiles from Nutreco research centres and labs.
• Animal growth and economics models that make it possible to tailor growth performance to specific operational and/or financial targets.
• Nutritional add‐ons, which plug into the least-cost-formulation system, provide additional intelligence and ease of application for split feeding, enzyme application management, feed structure and other complex challenges. 
"Feed costs represent up to 70 percent of the total cost of poultry production. Meanwhile, raw materials are becoming more scarce, prices more volatile, and competition is more intense than ever before. These developments demand for a breakthrough in knowledge and tools for poultry feeding in order to remain competitive and grow your business. The NutriOpt precision feeding tool fulfils the demands, and can bring great value to players throughout the poultry industry," Bert van Gils, Nutreco manager of nutrition technology, said.
NutriOpt has already been launched in Europe, and will be rolled out on a global scale in 2014.
Supporting poultry health
Two issues that the poultry industry deals with on a daily basis are skin health and the possibility of Salmonella contamination. Selko Feed Additives has developed Selko-pH for water application, Fysal-Fit4 for application in feed and analytical services for controlling drinking water quality and Salmonella spreading routes, which reduces the risk of contamination and occurrence of Salmonella in farms.
In the EU, foot pad health is used as an indicator of animal welfare. The special combination of Selko products (Selko-pH, Presan and Optimin) improves digestion and gut health and skin integrity which contributes to improved foot pad health. It is integrated with services, based on diagnosis, flock management, diet specification and feed formulation for fine-tuning dietary recommendations. Together, these control the incidence of moist droppings that cause poor litter quality resulting in improved skin health and animal welfare.

Adisseo launches interactive pig, poultry nutrition guide

An electronic version of the Rhodimet Nutrition Guide is now available for nutritionists worldwide.
In July 2013, Adisseo published the new version of Rhodimet Nutrition Guide, RNG, gathering the amino acid recommendations for poultry, swine and aquaculture. After a flip-chart version developed in august, e-RNG 2.0, the interactive version is now available on Personal Computer or on tablets (iPad and Android).
The e-RNG 2.0 is an interactive tool which supplies amino acid requirements of an extensive range of animal species and strains, and provides total, digestible composition and digestibility coefficients of amino acids in raw materials.
In addition, the amino acid composition of more than 30 different raw materials is added in a separate section. This data is extracted from PNE, the Precise Nutrition Evaluation, the NIR Service from Adisseo.
PNE allows the prediction of digestible amino acids, metabolizable energy and phytic phosphorus of raw materials, on the basis of a unique in-vivo database built on more than 200 digestibility trials carried out in Adisseo Center of Expertise and Research Nutrition (CERN, France).
Based on an innovative modeling approach developed initially by Pierre-André Geraert, Innovation Marketing Director at Adisseo, the amino acid requirements are expressed in gram/animal/day according to weight gain (or egg mass).
The initial version was based on the data available in 2002. Many people were interested to check if the modelling approach was still valid on more recent data. As a consequence, the present version is using all the new published works till 2012, confirming the methodology for a larger number of essential amino acids.
This approach gives a simple way to adjust amino acid recommendations to field results more precisely than a constant amino acid to lysine ratio.
They are adaptable to standard or specific conditions and various feeding programs.
"A recent trial conducted in Thailand shows that formulas based on these recommendations resulted in a better adjustment of digestible amino acid requirements to sustain growth with a better economical return compared with usual recommendations", says Dr. Magalie Nonis, Animal Scientist at Adisseo.
"Free of charge, the e-RNG 2.0 is accessible via the Adisseo Brands website for Personal Computers or via App Store and Google Play for tablets. In order to access the e-RNG 2.0, users only need to download the application, and get an access code for the first connexion.
"This tool is available in 9 languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Polish, Turkish, Arabic and Chinese" says Pierre Dalibard, Global Technical Manager at Adisseo.

Program announced for Poultry Focus Asia 2014

The sixth edition of Asia's poultry technical conference, Poultry Focus Asia, will be held in Bangkok March 3-5, 2014 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.
The following four keynote papers will look to the future on topics including: the intestinal targeting of nutrients for specific gene expression, the revolutionary road of diagnostics, the latest developments in mycotoxin control and vaccination in the future. The conference will then take a detailed look at topical poultry health, nutrition and management issues that are relevant in Asia.
On the health front, issues such as Marek's disease, in-ovo vaccination, Mycoplasma synoviae, new technology vaccines and the correct application of antibiotics will all be addressed. The nutrition program includes micro-pellets for breeders, superdosing phytase, AGP alternatives, MCFAs, functional feeds, fiber, getting more from less and phytogenics.
A variety of poultry management issues will be covered including layer profitability, efficiency in integrations, layers in the tropics, getting a good start, Japanese efficiency and saving energy, and feed costs.
Following feedback from previous Focus Asias, the programs have been designed to allow more questions and discussion.
Registration is $550 and includes lunches, refreshments and copies of the papers provided by the speakers.
At $US550 Poultry Focus Asia 2014 represents excellent value as the price includes lunches, break time refreshments and copies of the papers provided by the speakers.

Poultry nutrition professorship to be added to Ontario Agricultural College

A new poultry nutrition professorship will be added to the University of Guelph's Ontario Agricultural College, thanks to a $1 million gift from the owners of a family poultry farm in Seaforth, Ont. The donors, James and Brenda McIntosh, owners of McIntosh Poultry Farms, met while attending the college.
The new investment will pay for the McIntosh Family Professorship in Poultry Nutrition for 10 years. The college will then provide base funding for this permanent position. The professorship is expected to be filled in 2014.  
"James and Brenda McIntosh are long-time friends and supporters of our institution and passionate about agriculture and food production," said Ontario Agriculture College dean Robert Gordon. "Thanks to their commitment and generosity, Guelph will remain a leader in poultry research and education globally. Through their gift, we will be able to continue to develop the next generation of leaders for this important and evolving industry."
James McIntosh earned an undergraduate degree from Ontario Agriculture College in 1959 and a master's degree in poultry nutrition in 1961.
"My years at the university were enjoyable, both as a time to learn and as a time to make lifelong friendships," he said. "The Ontario Agricultural College is where I met Brenda, my wife and business partner, and the friendships I developed proved invaluable in my career in agriculture. Plus, being a graduate of Ontario Agricultural College provided an immediate introduction and connection to others in the agriculture industry who graduated from the same school."

Chinese nutritionists, poultry company leaders gather for Alltech China Nutritional Poultry Summit

The future of poultry nutrition was discussed by expert speakers at the Alltech China Nutritional Poultry Summit.

More than 150 Chinese nutritionists and leaders from large poultry companies recently gathered in the city of Qingdao, China, for the 2nd Alltech China Nutritional Poultry Summit. The summit addressed recent Chinese food scandals that continue to pressure the meat industry to change the way it looks at animal production.
Expert speakers covered a variety of topics such as amino acids, bioactive mannan rich fractions, organic trace minerals, organic selenium, solid state fermentation enzymes and glucan-based mycotoxin deactivators.
Speakers included Mike Kidd, University of Arkansas; Wang Zong, China Agriculture University; Peter Ferket, North Carolina State University; Lucy Waldron, editor of World Poultry Science, New Zealand; former Yum China director, Joaquin Pelaez; Aziz Sacranie, technical poultry director, Alltech; former CEO of Harim-Allen Farms, Gary Gladys; and Liu Yuehuan, China Academy of Agriculture Science. The summit was chaired by Aidan Connolly, vice president, Alltech.
Speakers Kidd and Ferket focused on nutrient supplementation needed in the diet for a bird's immune system in times of disease challenge. According to the presentations, an ideal diet, from a disease prevention point of view, will address the detoxification of mycotoxins through the use of effective mycotoxin binding agents. An ideal diet will minimize undigested material through the use of solid state fermentation enzymes, bioactive MRF carbohydrates and other plant extracts. It will also contain bioavailable, organically complexed minerals, as well as optimal levels of vitamins, amino acids and other nutrients to create a balanced diet.
"Safe and traceable food is more important than ever," said Dr. Mark Lyons, vice president corporate affairs at Alltech, during his concluding remarks. Despite the numerous food safety and farm disease challenges, Lyons believes that the future of the Chinese poultry industry is bright and he urged the audience to redefine the way they look at poultry nutrition.

Poultry Nutrition Research Award presented to Elanco scientist

Dr. Janet Remus presents the Poultry Nutrition Research Award to Dr. Alex Corzo.

Dr. Alex Corzo has been presented with the Poultry Nutrition Research Award by the Poultry Science Association and the American Feed Industry Association. Corzo, a former faculty member at the Mississippi State University Department of Poultry Science, is now part of the research and development team at Elanco Animal Health, having joined the staff in 2011.
While at Mississippi State University, Corzo's research focused primarily on practical aspects of poultry nutrition. At Elanco Animal Health, Corzo is responsible for the assessment, refinement, and development of new molecules and technologies for poultry.
Corzo, born in Bogota, Colombia, received his bachelor's degree in animal science from Universidad de La Salle, in Bogota, Colombia. In 1998, he enrolled in a master's program at Oklahoma State University, followed by a doctoral program at Auburn University in 2000.
The Poultry Nutrition Research Award was presented to Corzo by Dr. Janet Remus, of Danisco Animal Nutrition and DuPont Industrial Biosciences, during the recent annual Poultry Science Association meeting in San Diego. The award is sponsored by the American Feed Industry Association as part of its continuing awards program that dates back to 1948. Remus presented the award on behalf of the American Feed Industry Association.

Novus to discuss food safety, poultry nutrition

Novus International will participate in the fourth Global Feed & Food Congress, taking place April 10–12 in Sun City, South Africa. The meeting was organized by the International Feed Industry Federation, with support by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Hosted by the Animal Feed Manufacturers Association of South Africa, Global Feed & Food Congress will bring leaders from around the world together to discuss issues related to global feed, food and sustainability.
"It is valuable for Novus to participate with global industry leaders at the Global Feed & Food Congress concerning the important role we all play in the growing worldwide demand for sustainable protein," said James Gerardot, executive director of global marketing. "This meeting aligns well with Novus's vision of helping feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life."
At the Global Feed & Food Congress in South Africa, Novus is sponsoring Professor Marty Matlock, executive director, University of Arkansas office for sustainability. He will serve as a keynote speaker on the role of animal agriculture in feeding 10 billion people sustainably. Other speaking engagements include Thad Simons, president and CEO Novus International and Bayella Thiam, executive manager, Africa at Novus, who will talk about the challenges of doing feed and food business in Africa. Ricardo Esquerra, senior research and development manager Latin America and Africa at Novus will address the topic of monogastric nutrition for breeders, broilers and layers.
This year's Global Feed & Food Congress theme "safe feed and food for all" goes hand in hand with Novus's commitment to the global industry. "We all share the responsibility of food safety and consumer health, both within our borders and around the globe," said Thiam. "That is why we need to work together to improve food safety and reduce barriers. Consumers will have safer food to choose from and our industry will enjoy increased success. More specifically, it is important to recognize Africa's role in increasing productivity while improving food safety. This represents a great challenge but at the same time is a big opportunity as we strive to satisfy the global demand for food."

Low oil DDGS value in poultry rations needs to be re-evaluated

Low oil DDGS products can hold a place in poultry rations, but it will have less value as oil is taken out, said Dr. Sally Noll, University of Minnesota, and Dr. Sheila E. Purdum, University of Nebraska, during the pre-show Nutrition and Poultry Health Symposium at the 2013 Midwest Poultry Federation Convention.
Over the past five years, DDGS have become a mainstay in poultry rations, increasing to as much as 10 percent of many diets. The oil content has presented a highly available source of energy for poultry. However, as ethanol plants are extracting oil from DDGS for other purposes, the value of DDGS energy needs to be re-evaluated, according to Noll and Purdum.
Noll presented study results on the impact of feeding DDGS that vary in fat content through de-oiling on finishing market turkey performance, especially feed conversion. Purdum presented research conducted in laying hens that looked at the effects of low oil DDGS, incorporated at 20 percent of the ration, on feed intake and egg production.
In summary, other sources of energy will need to increase in the rations at economic prices to provide the energy needs of the bird. Low oil DDGS products are more likely to fit in layer rations, which are lower in metabolizable energy compared to meat bird rations such as broilers or turkeys. Research shows that most laying hen rations likely have enough flex in their metabolizable energy formulation to allow for 4-6 kcal/kg drops in energy, with hens adjusting feed intake slightly up.
Producers of low oil DDGS should not expect as high of economic value associated with low oil products compared to higher oil products in the poultry feed industry, said Noll and Purdum.

Poultry nutrition: Implications of changing immune function

Many nutrients are capable of modulating the immune system, said Doug Korver, Poultry Research Centre, University of Alberta, during the pre-show Nutrition and Poultry Health Symposium at the 2013 Midwest Poultry Federation Convention.
Nutritional immunomodulation holds great promise as a means to increase poultry productivity and health, said Korver; however, a greater understanding of the avian immune system will be required in order to take full advantage of this approach.
According to Korver, it may be possible to use nutrition to manipulate the immune system to allow the birds to maintain a vigorous local defense against pathogens, while at the same time reducing the negative systemic effects. There is strong evidence that the poultry industry’s current knowledge of nutritional immunity will allow for improved bird health and productivity. The future is likely to bring even more options to increase the productivity of poultry operations.

Aviagen launches new parent stock nutrition specifications

Aviagen recently launched updated parent stock nutrition specifications for its Arbor Acres, Indian River and Ross brands.
Prepared by Aviagen’s experienced global nutritional team, the new specifications reflect ongoing consistent improvements in performance as well as the latest research.
Bryan Fancher, group vice president of technical operations, said: “Poultry nutrition technical guidance is essential to our customer base, and we understand the importance of ensuring that our nutritional advice and guidelines keep pace with the genetic potential of our birds.”
“Our global nutritional team operates throughout all regions of the world and has forged close links with customers worldwide," he continued. "The Aviagen nutritional team members are key contributors to company-sponsored seminars, workshops and educational events designed to share best management practices and help customers realize the genetic potential of their flocks. These collaborative events provide a unique opportunity for the nutritionists to gain valuable insights into customers’ experience. In addition to this, our program of nutritional research is comprehensive and ongoing to help make adjustments as and when they are required.”
The nutrient requirements of broiler breeders are influenced by feed allocation and dietary nutrient density. Our recommendations are designed to match feed intake with nutrient requirement to promote optimal reproductive performance in a cost-effective manner. The updated parent stock nutrition specifications have a number of differences from previously published specifications, including the addition of a Breeder 2 diet during production to aid late breeder performance, particularly through the control of body weight gain, egg size and egg quality.
Correct amino acid levels are essential for maintaining fit, well-feathered birds that can achieve good breeder performance. The amino acid levels have been re-evaluated using the latest research data and modelling information in order to accurately link the dietary supply of amino acids to the bird’s requirements during different life stages. The modifications to the micro-nutrient levels in the diets are aimed to support overall bird health, welfare, and reproductive performance.
The new nutrition specifications can be accessed online by visiting www.aviagen.com.

Brazilian university to open poultry nutrition facilities

Brazil’s Universidade Estadual de Londrina will benefit from a new broiler nutrition house at the end of May.
The new facilities were constructed in partnership with the companies Big Frango and Tectron Nutricao Animal, and received investment of R$130,000 (US$64,000). The two companies will also supply birds, feed and other inputs; the results of work carried out at the facility will be made available to them.
The new house measures 36 m x 8 m, and benefits from hydraulic and electric equipment and temperature control. Three trials are planned for the building before the end of the year, and three professors and 15 students will work there. Big Frango and Tectron Nutricao Animal have also supported the construction of a laboratory for carcass analysis.

Poultry Federation to hold Arkansas Nutrition Conference in September

The Poultry Federation and technical symposium sponsor, Huvepharma, will host the 2011 Arkansas Nutrition Conference from September 6-8, in Rogers, Ark.
The conference will include a number of international and domestic industry experts addressing current topics and concerns in poultry nutrition. The conference qualifies attendees to earn 12 continuing education units for members of American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists.
The 2011 conference is dedicated to the memory of former committee chairman, Jean Allard of O.K. Foods, and will donate funds raised from the conference to TPF's Nutrition Scholarship fund in Allard's honor.
Advance registration for the conference is $100 through September 1, and on-site registration is $125.00. Registration for university faculty and students is free. To register, or for more information, visit TPF's Arkansas Nutrition Conference Web page.

Austria, Hungary poultry industries focus of EU education project

The poultry industries of Austria and Hungary are the focus of the EU-funded Centre of Excellence for Poultry, a three-year education project in the areas of animal nutrition, animal breeding and food safety.
The aim of the Centre, which received €820,000 from the European Regional Development Fund, is to improve the efficiency and production of the border region's poultry industry. The research institutions involved, the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, in Austria, and the University of Pannonia, in Hungary, said they plan to establish a knowledge base covering several areas of poultry nutrition and health that they hope will provide scientific results for practical use.
An interactive website, annual poultry nutrition workshops and various seminars are all planned for the length of the project.

Take the WATT Poultry Nutrition and Feeding Survey

Participate in the 2011 WATT Poultry Nutrition & Feeding Survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H5YV8FJ and help us identify the top challenges facing the poultry industry in nutrition and feeding.
The survey will discover how the industry is responding to key trends involving grain prices, sustainability, investment and more.
Survey results will appear in upcoming issues of WATT agribusiness publications including Feed International, Industria Avícola, Poultry International, WATT PoultryUSA and http://www.wattagnet.com/.
Who should participate? Anyone whose work or responsibility involves producing or using poultry feeds. This includes corporate managers at companies (CEOs, vice presidents, directors, etc.), nutritionists, live production managers, manufacturers and suppliers of feeds or ingredients, purchasing agents, researchers, consultants, etc.
Click here to go to the easy-to-complete survey form that takes only minutes to fill out. Or, simply copy and paste the following link into your browser window: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/H5YV8FJ.

What's your problem?

Everyone has problems, but few people have the right answers. The secret to success is knowing where to turn for those right answers.
In a new blog, noted poultry nutrition conusltant Tony Marangos will talk about problems and issues facing the industry, and where people can turn to for help. Watch for his frequent posts on a wide range of topics.
Tony Marangos gained a BSc in Physiology and Biochemistry of Farm Animals at Reading University and received his PhD – ‘The Effects of Rapeseed Meals on Health and Production of Poultry and Pigs’ - from the Royal Veterinary College, University of London. Since graduating in 1975 he has held senior management positions in the animal production, feed and supply industry in the UK.
Early experience in a feed mill has given him a good working insight into its management and day-to-day functions. This background has proved invaluable in all subsequent positions held within the industry.
If you would like Tony's advice and help with your problem, contact him through CentreFocusLLC.

Free online poultry forum March 25

Join the 700 poultry nutrition and health professionals from over 70 countries that have already signed up for the free WATT Online Poultry Nutrition and Health Forum March 25. Five educational presentations, including live question and answer sessions, will be held throughout the day. In addition, attendees have the opportunity to visit with poultry animal health and nutrition suppliers, network with their peers and have a chance to win prizes such as an iPod Touch just for attending. To learn more and sign up visit www.WATTevents.com.