Global Market Analysis - The Poultry Site

How to Produce More
Quality Turkey Poults
Breeder body weight management
& optimising incubation
Global Market
Analysis
FAO’s forecast for poultry meat
production in 2011
Regional News, Company
News, Events in Your Area
Plus much, much more..!
The
POULTRY Digital
Site
Expert Knowledge at your Fingertips
July 2011 - Issue 7
Challenges of Supplying Quality
Turkey Meat to Meet Global
Demand for Food
A look at past, present and future supply
and demand of turkey meat by Richard
Hutchinson of Aviagen Turkeys. Jackie
Linden, senior editor of ThePoultrySite,
reports from the Temperton Fellowship
presentation in London in June 2011.
The turkey business may have changed since
Richard Hutchinson started his career in turkey
production 35 years ago but, now having reached
the position of Director for Sales and Marketing
at Aviagen Turkeys, he continues to look forward
with optimism. He opened his presentation to the
Temperton Fellowship saying: "I see many opportunities
for turkey meat going forward."
BACKGROUND
Originally, the turkey market in the UK centred
on whole birds for the Christmas and Easter markets,
and for Thanksgiving in the US. In the mid-
1970s, it was Italy that dominated turkey
production in Europe but the US led the way for
the industry, Mr Hutchinson said.
Continued on page 4...
1

July 2011 - Issue 7
Expert Knowledge at your Fingertips
01
Challenges of Supplying Quality Turkey
Meat to Meet Global Demand for Food
A look at past, present and future supply and demand of turkey
meat by Richard Hutchinson of Aviagen Turkeys. Jackie Linden, senior
editor of ThePoultrySite, reports from the Temperton Fellowship
presentation in London in June 2011. Page 1
Food Outlook Global
Market Analysis
June 2011
A resurgence of avian influenza
and high feed prices may halve
poultry meat output growth, according
to the latest Food Outlook
report from the UN Food
and Agriculture Organization
(FAO). Page 8
How to Produce
More Quality Poults
For more quality poults, it is
necessary to optimise both egg
production and hatchability,
writes senior editor, Jackie Linden.
Page 14
03
16
26
Edito rial
A word from the Editor
A Reappraisal of the Potential of Dietary Fatty Acids to Ameliorate
Heat Stress
The strategic use of new oil seed varieties high in oleic acid may ameliorate the adverse effects of heat stress
in poultry, according to P.J. Cronjé of Cronjé Consulting and Editing at the 2011 Australian Poultry Science
Symposium.
Regional News
The latest news from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania
30 Events
Keep up to date with what is happening in the global poultry industry.
32 Company News
News from our advertisers
Get in Touch!
For Editorial Enquiries:
Jackie Linden
jackie.linden@5mpublishing.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1234 818180
For Advertising Enquiries:
Alex Guy
Alex.guy@5mpublishing.com
Tel: +44 (0) 1234 818180
2

Editorial
Welcome to ThePoultrySite Digital Issue 7
Turning to Turkeys
In this issue of ThePoultrySite Digital, we turn our
attention to turkey production.
Having spent his whole career in the turkey business,
Richard Hutchinson of Aviagen Turkeys was
in the very best possible position to discuss the
past, present and future of turkey production in
his Temperton Fellowship presentation in London
recently.
He explained how the turkey market started with
a focus on whole birds for the Christmas and
Easter markets, and for Thanksgiving in the US.
Since then, the industry has changed markedly.
While the US still leads the way in terms of output,
Poland, Brazil and Canada, hardly present in
the 1970s, are now making a significant contribution
to global turkey meat supply.
In the report, world poultry meat output is forecast
to grow by two per cent to 100 million
tonnes in 2011, which is half the rate of the previous
year but growth of this sector remains
much faster than that predicted for other meats.
With the hot summer months ahead in the
northern hemisphere, we also have a report on
the strategic use of new oilseed varieties to ameliorate
the adverse effects of heat stress in poultry,
in a paper by P.J. Cronjé of Cronjé Consulting
and Editing in Australia.
Jackie Linden
ThePoultrysite.com Senior Editor
Read our report on Mr Hutchinson’s presentation
to see why he is so optimistic about the future
of the turkey industry.
Continuing on the turkey theme, Dr Helen Wojcinski
of Hybrid Turkeys explained how to produce
more quality turkey poults at the 2011
Turkey Science and Production conference earlier
this year. The keys, she said, are to maximise the
production of settable hatching eggs and then to
incubate those eggs appropriately.
Turning to the future of poultry production generally,
a resurgence of avian influenza and high feed
prices may halve poultry meat output growth, according
to the latest Food Outlook report from
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO).
3

Feature
Challenges of Supplying Quality Turkey Meat to Meet Global Demand for Food
Continued from page 1...
By 2010, output had increased dramatically in
Germany and overtook Italy, while production has
increased also in France, which now produces
most turkey meat in the EU. Growth in the UK
has been more modest.
In terms of world markets, US is way ahead, while
Poland, Brazil and Canada, hardly present in the
1970s, are now making a significant contribution
to global turkey meat supply. The situation is
somewhat volatile in the US and output has fallen
from its peak in 2008, while output from Brazil
rose steadily between 1999 and 2008, based
mainly on export growth.
Not only has turkey met production shown a
general and modest upward trend in these countries,
but killing weights have also tended to rise.
Average turkey meat consumption varies widely
between countries. Mr Hutchinson forecasts only
slow growth in uptake on those developed countries
where total meat production is already more
than 80kg per capita. However, he sees good potential
where meat consumption is 50 to 60kg,
such as Russia and China.
NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF TURKEY MEAT
In a world where consumers are always looking
of a healthy option, turkey has many advantages,
said Mr Hutchinson. He highlighted particularly
that the meat is low in both fat and calories, high
in protein and contributes important vitamins and
minerals to the diet. At the same time, turkey is a
very versatile meat with its mild flavour and suitability
to a range of cooking styles. And last but
not least, turkey meat represents good value for
money.
OBJECTIVES OF THE PRIMARY BREEDER
Mr Hutchinson said that the objective of the primary
breeder is to operate breeding programmes
that ensure selection is made in a balanced way
for a range of health, fitness and production traits.
He added that extreme care is taken to make sustainable,
predictable and consistent year-on-year
progress in all traits to satisfy the customers'
needs.
He stressed this requires a balanced breeding
programme and significant investment in technology
and research.
It is constant investment in breeding programmes
the ensures genetic progress, he said, giving
4

meat. The breast contributes around 26 to 28 per
cent of the carcass weight, yet it contributes
around 60 to 70 per cent of the carcass value.
The breast muscle develops mainly during the period
of 12 to 25 weeks of age, and especially between
15 and 20 weeks, so the killing age largely
dictates the bird's carcass composition. A wide
range of factors impact breast meat yield in
turkeys, especially feeding/nutrition and the physical
environment – from incubation and stocking
density to temperature, season and ventilation.
It is vital to get all these areas right, said Mr
Hutchinson, especially in developing markets.
WORLD TURKEY MEAT MARKETS AND
POTENTIAL FUTURE GROWTH
examples of the evolution of FCR selection, the
design of water stations and leg strength improvements.
Showing the range of both male and female
weights required in various countries, Mr
Hutchinson demonstrated that no one turkey will
meet the requirements of all the markets. Most
markets are served with heavy or heavy-medium
strains.
OPTIMISING BREAST MEAT PRODUCTION
The aim is to optimise the value of the whole carcass,
Mr Hutchinson explained. This means achieving
a balance between the breast or white meat
that is favoured in many markets, with the dark
Reviewing the trends in turkey meat production
and consumption around the world from the US
and Brazil, through the EU nations and to North
Africa and the Middle East, Mr Hutchinson
showed that there is considerable potential for
growth in the global market. It is likely that
progress can most easily be made in those countries
of the EU where turkey consumption is still
low as well as in its neighbours in North Africa,
the Middle East, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine.
Increasing consumption could be achieved by
strong marketing, Mr Hutchinson said, focussing
on the product's strengths – its healthy and nutritional
profile and versatility. Also important, he
stressed, is to make the product attractive to the
chosen demographic by developing new products
and increasing consumer awareness of the meat's
possibilities.
In his summing up, Mr Hutchinson said that the
turkey meat market has many advantages to develop
for the future, as performance levels con-
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tinue to improve and investments are made in
processing and product development.
He added that for consumers, turkey meat offers
a healthy alternative to other meats and it suits
cuisines all around the world.
"Turkey is truly the meat of the future," Mr
Hutchinson concluded.
The Temperton Fellowship was established to commemorate
the contribution of Dr Harold Temperton,
Director of the National Institute of Poultry Husbandry
at Harper Adams University College from
1951 to 1974. Chairman of the Fellowship is Peel
Holroyd.
7

Feature Article
Food Outlook
Global Market Analysis
June 2011
A resurgence of avian influenza and high feed
prices may halve poultry meat output growth, according
to the latest Food Outlook report from
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
According to the latest Outlook report from
FAO, high feed prices, disease outbreaks and depleted
animal inventories are forecast to limit the
expansion of global meat production to only one
per cent in 2011, to 294 million tonnes. The increase
is anticipated to be driven by gains in the
poultry and pig meat sectors, while world bovine
and ovine meat outputs are expected to be constrained
by a retention of animals for herd rebuilding.
Strong demand for imports, especially in Asia
where a number of countries are facing tight supplies
and high domestic prices, is expected to foster
a 2.4 per cent growth in world meat trade,
bringing it to 26.8 million tonnes. Much of the expansion
would stem from increased flows of pig
meat, and to a lower extent, poultry and bovine
meats. On the other hand, trade in ovine meat
may stagnate, limited by short availabilities in traditional
exporting countries.
Relatively high retail prices are foreseen to keep
per capita meat consumption in 2011 stalling
around 41.9kg. In the developing countries, steady
economic growth may foster a minimal increase
to 32.0kg, while per capita consumption in the developed
countries is expected to remain at
78.4kg.
International meat prices have maintained steady
increases since January 2011, progressing by five
per cent over the first quarter, mainly sustained
8

WORLD BALANCE
World meat markets at a glance (FAO)
2009 2010 Estimate 2011 Forecast Change 2011
over 2010
million tonnes %
Production 283.2 290.6 294.0 1.1
Bovine meat 64.9 64.9 65.0 0.2
Poultry meat 93.6 98.0 100.2 2.3
Pig meat 106.3 109.2 110.0 0.7
Ovine meat 12.9 13.0 13.1 0.5
Trade 25.2 26.2 26.8 2.4
Bovine meat 7.2 7.5 7.7 1.9
Poultry 11.1 11.5 11.7 1.6
Pig meat 5.8 6.1 6.4 5.0
Ovine meat 0.9 0.8 0.8 0.8
SUPPLY AND DEMAND INDICATORS
Per capita food consumption (kg/year):
World 41.3 41.9 41.9 0.1
Developed 78.0 78.4 78.4 0.0
Developing 31.1 31.8 32.0 0.5
FAO MEAT PRICE 2009 2010 2011 Change:
133 152 175 19.9
by a 10 per cent increase in pig meat prices. In
the near term, the combination of strong world
import demand and limited export availabilities
points toward a further firming of world meat
prices in the next few months.
POULTRY MEAT
World poultry meat output is forecast by FAO to
grow by two per cent to 100 million tonnes in
2011, half the rate of the previous year, as high
feed costs and diseases constrain the profitability
of the sector. However, its growth remains much
faster than that predicted for the other meat sectors.
High feed prices are currently challenging supply
growth in Brazil, China, the EU and the US
9

Feature Article
Food Outlook – Global Market Analysis – June 2011
which, together, account for nearly two-thirds of
global output. In China, although the sector is
benefiting from increased availability of breeding
stock, high prices of other meats and restrictions
on imports, rising costs are expected to slow
down production expansion from the seven per
cent reported in 2010 to three per cent in 2011.
In the EU, only slight gains are anticipated, as the
sector adjusts to the higher costs of production
deriving from new EU broiler welfare rules implemented
in 2011. Output gains in Brazil and the
United States will be supported by strong consumer
demand due to lower relative prices of
poultry meat compared with other meats. In the
Russian Federation, poultry investments estimated
at nearly US$2 billion
in 2010, and policies focused
on enhancing meat self-sufficiency,
in particular through
import barriers and the provision
of subsidised feed, will
keep production gains at
near double-digit figures.
Meanwhile, reports FAO, near-record resurgence
of Avian Influenza outbreaks since early January
in Hong Kong, Japan, Myanmar, the Republic of
Korea and Viet Nam, with the virus still circulating
in Bangladesh, Egypt and Indonesia and other
countries. This has reminded the global community
of the potential threat of H5N1 and other
diseases to national and global health. Diseases
are largely behind the expectation of a halving of
production growth in Asia to two per cent,
notwithstanding expectations of output gains in
India, Turkey and other smaller markets, such as
the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan,
Nepal and Turkey, where the number of poultry
farms doubled last year.
"A resurgence of avian
influenza and high feed
prices may halve poultry
meat output growth"
Poultry meat exports in 2011 are expected to expand
by 1.6 per cent to 11.7 million tonnes, substantially
slower than the four per cent growth
recorded last year. In Asia, shipments to the Republic
of Korea will be supported by the recent
opening of a 50,000 tonne tariff-free quota and
vigorous consumer demand. Imports to Japan, the
Hong Kong SAR of the People's Republic of China
and Viet Nam as well as to Middle East countries
are all forecast up. Purchases by Japan may for the
first time surpass the one million tonne threshold,
as additional supplies are needed not only to
compensate for the declining production but also
to respond to a possible shift of consumers away
from fish, which may especially favour poultry.
In South Africa, the 2011
expiration of 10-year-old
anti-dumping tariffs against
poultry from the United
States may support additional
imports. Those increases
are likely to more
than offset reduced purchases
in several important markets.
In the EU, lower imports are expected in response
to the shifting definition of the use of
frozen poultry and confusions about the EU-27
licensing system applied in 2010, a policy move
that may prompt a WTO appeal by Brazil.
Deliveries to the Russian Federation, previously
the world's largest poultry market, are expected
to contract for the fourth consecutive year, following
the halving of the country's TRQ to
350,000 tonnes. Likewise, China may cut poultry
imports, owed to the imposition of anti-dumping
and countervailing duties against product from
the United States, China's principal supplier.
Among exporters, the United States is expected
10

to witness a contraction of sales in 2011, which
may even lead to its relinquishing its position as
the world's top poultry exporter. The fall would
mainly reflect tight domestic supplies but would
also be due to market restrictions in China and
the Russian Federation. Consequently, Brazil is
likely to turn into the world's largest poultry exporter
in 2011, with deliveries to foreign markets
expected to exceed four million tonnes, equivalent
to over one-third of global trade prospects.
According to the FAO Outlook report, exports
from Thailand are expected to expand, sustained
by larger sales of cooked poultry products to
both the EU and Japan. Continued investments in
poultry operations in China may result in increased
poultry deliveries, especially to other
Asian countries.
Poultry meat statistics - Asia (thousand tonnes, carcass weight equivalent; FAO)
Production Imports Exports Utilisation
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
ASIA 34,640 35,421 6,057 6,382 2,032 2,198 38,665 39,611
China 17,601 18,102 1,815 1,890 1,056 1,143 18,360 18,849
- of which
Hong Kong,
45 45 1,039 1,145 550 600 534 590
India 2,670 2,720 - - 2 2 2.668 2,718
Indonesia 1,435 1,438 7 7 - - 1,442 1,445
Iran, Isl. R ep. 1,765 1,820 45 55 28 30 1,782 1,845
Japan 1,392 1,322 973 1,030 10 10 2,355 2,342
Korea, Rep. 647 660 117 121 17 16 747 765
Kuwait 44 44 300 320 1 1 343 364
Malaysia 1,100 1,120 32 30 22 25 1,110 1,125
Saudi Arabia 590 600 684 726 3 3 1,271 1,323
Singapore 95 100 123 120 7 7 211 214
Thailand 1,208 1,305 1 1 659 725 550 587
Turkey 1,300 1,400 95 105 120 130 1,275 1,375
Yemen 145 147 110 115 - - 255 262
11

Feature Article
Food Outlook – Global Market Analysis – June 2011
Poultry meat statistics - Americas (thousand tonnes, carcass weight equivalent; FAO)
CENTRAL
AMERICA
Production Imports Exports Utilisation
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
4,028 4,081 1,239 1,316 40 42 5,227 5,355
Cuba 34 34 240 270 - - 274 304
Mexico 2,659 2,699 700 736 14 16 3,345 3,419
SOUTH
AMERICA
17,047 17,655 407 466 4,250 4,451 13,204 13,670
Argentina 1,346 1,472 7 6 250 293 1,103 1,185
Brazil 11,787 12,200 1 1 3,873 4,028 7,915 8,173
Chile 620 625 70 85 107 108 583 602
Venezuela 740 730 237 275 - - 977 1,005
NORTH
AMERICA
20,820 21,099 298 306 4,019 3,852 17,117 17,557
Canada 1,223 1,247 192 200 186 191 1,229 1,257
USA 19,597 19,852 95 95 3,833 3,661 15,877 16,289
Poultry meat statistics - Europe (thousand tonnes, carcass weight equivalent; FAO)
Production Imports Exports Utilisation
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
EUROPE 16,398 16,863 1,853 1,540 1,068 1,045 17,182 17,359
European
Union
12,272 12,321 806 805 1,010 986 12,068 12,140
Russian Fed. 2,635 2,872 672 403 8 8 3,300 3,268
Ukraine 900 1,063 156 105 17 18 1,040 1,158
12

Poultry meat statistics - Oceania (thousand tonnes, carcass weight equivalent;FAO)
Production Imports Exports Utilisation
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
OCEANIA 1,049 1,067 61 64 33 33 1,076 1,096
Australia 886 900 7 9 26 26 867 881
New Zealand 140 144 1 - 7 7 134 138
Poultry meat statistics - Africa (thousand tonnes, carcass weight equivalent;FAO)
Production Imports Exports Utilisation
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
AFRICA 3,990 4,034 1,132 1,214 39 42 5,083 5,206
Angola 8 8 185 195 - - 193 203
South Africa 1,020 1,028 253 266 31 35 1,242 1,259
Poultry meat statistics - Overview (thousand tonnes, carcass weight equivalent;FAO)
Production Imports Exports Utilisation
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
2010 est. 2011
f’cast
WORLD 97,972 100,220 11,047 11,288 11,482 11,664 97,554 99,853
Developing 56,579 58,107 7,400 7,859 6,311 6,677 57,669 59,295
Countries
Developed 41.393 42,113 3,646 3,429 5,171 4,986 39,886 40,558
Countries
LIFDCs 26,273 26,849 2,341 2,404 546 580 28,067 28,673
LDCs 1,821 1,807 707 749 - - 2,528 2,556
LIFDCs = Low-Income, Food-Deficit Countries // LDCs = Less Developed Countries
13

Feature Article
How to Produce
More Quality Poults
For more quality poults, it is necessary to optimise
both egg production and hatchability,
writes senior editor, Jackie Linden.
To produce more quality turkey poults, it is important
firstly to maximise the production of settable
hatching eggs and then to incubate those
eggs appropriately, according to Dr Helen Wojcinski
of Hybrid Turkeys in Canada. She was addressing
the 2011 Turkey Science and Production
conference in Macclesfield, UK, earlier this year.
IMPROVING EGG PRODUCTION THROUGH
BREEDER HEN BODY WEIGHT
MANAGEMENT
Genetic improvements in growth and feed conversion
are making it more difficult to achieve optimum
egg production in heavy turkey lines, Dr
Wojcinski explained.
Selection treads a fine balance between the focus
on growth in the male lines and on egg production
in female lines, she said. The hens are changing
over time and modern lines would be too heavy
if they were fed free-choice throughout rearing,
as in traditional systems. Not only is over-feeding
a waste of feed, overweight hens have too much
abdominal fat and are prone to prolapses, failed
peak production and egg peritonitis and they may
lay fewer settable eggs.
According to benchmarking data service, Agri-
Stats, in the US, three turkey eggs were 'lost' per
bird between 2006 and 2009. An investigation revealed
that the hens were significantly heavier
when they came into lay and that over-consumption
of feed at around six to 13 weeks of age was
the problem.
Research has shown that faster average daily gain
in the conditioning period before lighting – between
24 and 30 weeks of age – improves the
peak in egg production as well as overall egg numbers.
If the birds were to be held back during this period,
they would be unlikely to achieve good peak
egg production. The Hybrid Converter hen, for
example, should gain around 400g per week over
this time to optimise growth rate into reproduction.
14

Experience shows that optimum egg production
can be achieved by full feeding of the females to
six weeks of age, then switching to controlled nutrient
intake either by timed feeding of a pre-determined
amount of feed daily or by free access
to a diet of lower nutrient density. Thereafter,
hens should be allowed to gain 400g per week
until lighting.
Summing up, Dr Wojcnski said that limiting excess
body weight gain improves egg production by between
three and five eggs per hen, saves feed
costs and lowers hen mortality as the result of
fewer prolapses and cases of peritonitis.
CORRECT INCUBATION CONDITIONS FOR
MAXIMUM HATCHABILITY OF HEALTHY
POULTS
therefore feed intake, which may lead to starveouts
later. Other important organs will be smaller
at hatch in poults that were incubated at too high
a temperature for the breed.
Overheating is also thought to impact leg health,
said Dr Wojcinski, which has implications for both
marketing and welfare. Reseachers in North Carolina
State University investigated the effects of
normal versus lower oxygen levels and higher
versus normal temperatures during the last four
days of incubation on poult quality. Overheating,
they found, affected the weight and thickness of
the shank bones and led to weaker tendons due
to thinner collagen fibres. These characteristics
are associated with the subsequent development
of leg deformities and tibial dyschondroplasia.
Hatching a quality poult requires the appropriate
incubation conditions, stressed Dr Wojcinski. She
explained that breed affects eggshell conductance
through differences in the size and number of
pores in the shell. These differences are not indicative
of egg quality but they need to be taken
into account in the incubation profile.
Signs of incorrect incubation conditions include
an extended hatch period, the presence of urates,
white poults and leg defects such as short shanks
and curled toes. These are symptoms of poor development
during the plateau stage of oxygen
consumption, which is around days 24 to 25 of incubation.
Overheating during the last four days of incubation
particularly means the poults are forced too
early, Dr Wojcinski explained, so they do not resorb
their yolk sacs properly so the sacs may rupture
and the birds may therefore be white in
colour, small and immuno-compromised. Overheating
can also affect thyroid metabolism and
‘Orlopp Bronze’ breed
Image courtesy of Hybrid Turkeys
Feeding programmes need to control breeder
hen body weight in order to maximise egg production,
Dr Wojcinski concluded. Incubation profiles
are breed-specific, she said, so it is important
to follow the recommendations of the primary
breeder regarding the optimum temperature at
each development stage.
15

Feature Article
A Reappraisal of the Potential of
Dietary Fatty Acids to Ameliorate
Heat Stress
The strategic use of new oil seed varieties high
in oleic acid may ameliorate the adverse effects
of heat stress in poultry, according to P.J. Cronjé
of Cronjé Consulting and Editing at the 2011
Australian Poultry Science Symposium.
Although the concept of manipulating dietary fat
content to ameliorate the effects of heat stress
in poultry, pigs and cattle seems reasonable on
theoretical grounds, it has yielded mixed results
in all species. However, little attention was given
to the fatty acid composition of the fat sources
used, presumably because the premise on which
this strategy is based was that all lipid sources
have lower heat increments than the dietary carbohydrates
that they replace.
Nevertheless, there is evidence that dietary supplementation
with long-chain fatty acids such as
palmitic, linoleic and oleic acid can ameliorate the
adverse effects of high temperatures in poultry
(Njoku and Nwazota, 1989; Balnave, 1998; Mujahid
et al., 2009).
Recent advances in the elucidation of the mechanism
by which hyperthermia exerts its effects
strongly suggest that up-regulation of avUCP expression
using specific fatty acids may prevent the
cascade of events that results in decreased production
and tissue damage during heat stress.
Furthermore, recent studies on the pathophysiology
of heat stress strongly suggests that the
strategic use of new oil seed varieties high in oleic
acid may ameliorate the adverse effects of heat
stress in poultry.
INTRODUCTION
Dietary fat is metabolised with greater efficiency
than dietary carbohydrate or protein. Thus, less
heat is generated during the metabolism of dietary
fat than during the metabolism of dietary
carbohydrate or protein. A logical application of
this concept to the nutrition of livestock is replacement
of a portion of the diet with fat to decrease
dietary heat increment under heat stress
conditions. Despite many studies on the inclusion
of various sources of fat in the diets of dairy cows
exposed to hot environmental conditions, several
reviews on this topic concluded that the literature
on the benefits of fat supplementation during
heat stress is inconclusive (Beede and Collier,
1986; Huber et al., 1994; West, 1999). Similarly, the
NRC (1981) reviewed the literature on the addition
of fat to poultry diets fed during heat stress
and concluded that this practice has not been
consistently successful.
16

More recently, Balnave (2004) noted that as the
type of fat affects nutrient partitioning to adipose
tissue in broilers, interactions between environmental
temperature and fat source may be worth
exploring. Explication of the disparities between
studies on the use of high fat diets during heat
stress is difficult because sources of fat differ and
their fatty acid composition is often not defined.
Although no systematic study of the effects of different
dietary fatty acids on animal responses to
heat stress has been conducted to date, a remarkable
series of studies conducted by Toyomizu’s
group at Tohoku University in Japan on the pathophysiology
of heat stress in poultry strongly suggests
that the adverse effects of heat stress could
be alleviated by strategic supplementation with
specific fatty acids (Mujahid et al., 2005, 2006,
2007a, 2007b, 2007c, 2009).
The aim of this review is to discuss recent advances
in our understanding of pathology of heat
stress in poultry and to determine whether specific
dietary fatty acids could play a role in ameliorating
heat stress in poultry.
In contrast to the expected effect of
decreased feed intake on adipose tissue,
heat stress increases the mass
of certain fat deposits by 33 to 64
per cent (Geraert, 1998). Furthermore,
the fatty acid composition
of adipose tissue is altered by heat stress
(Geraert, 1998). Cells of the heart, kidney and
liver of heat-stressed broilers exhibit an abnormally
high accumulation of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm
and massive fatty degeneration
(Aengwanich and Simaraks, 2004).
A similar pathology was described by Butler
(1976) for fatty liver haemorrhagic syndrome, a
condition that occurs when layers are exposed to
hot weather: the liver is putty coloured and
grossly enlarged because of excessive fat infiltration,
which accumulates as globules within the cell
to the extent that the nucleus is displaced and
some cells are ruptured.
Heat stress increases levels of plasma fatty acids
(Mujahid et al., 2007b), triglycerides
(Sahin et al., 2006), cholesterol
(Sahin et al., 2006) and enzymes
involved in the transport and
oxidation of fatty acids (Mujahid
et al., 2007b).
FATTY ACIDS ARE INVOLVED IN
PATHOLOGY OF HEAT STRESS
Although the reduction in feed intake that accompanies
heat stress undoubtedly contributes to a
decrease in production under hot conditions, it
has been demonstrated that it is only responsible
for half the reduction in growth rate in broilers
(Geraert et al., 1996a).
17

Feature Article
A Reappraisal of the Potential of Dietary Fatty Acids to Ameliorate Heat Stress
The respiratory quotient of heat-stressed birds
is decreased (Mckee et al., 1997) indicating that
hyperthermia promotes oxidation of fatty acids.
It is thought that fatty acid oxidation is increased
to meet the energy requirements of birds exposed
to heat stress (Mckee et al., 1997). However,
the pathology of heat stress is indicative of
an imbalance between
mobilisation
of fatty acids and the
ability to oxidise
them. Excessive fatty
acid oxidation and
accumulation of
fatty acids in mitochondria is conducive to oxidative
stress, a condition that causes significant tissue
damage.
HYPERTHERMIA CAUSES OXIDATIVE STRESS
Oxidative stress is characterised by excessive
production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) such
as superoxide. ROS remove electrons from fatty
acids, mainly polyunsaturated fatty acids, creating
fatty acid radicals that in turn attack other fatty
acids. This process is called lipid peroxidation. If
left unchecked, such chain-reactions damage cell
membranes, which consist mainly of lipids, resulting
in impaired control of cellular ion homeostasis
and eventually, cell death. ROS also damage proteins
and DNA.
Prolonged heat-induced oxidative stress initiates
a cascade of events involving systemic elevation
of levels of inflammatory cytokines, widely disseminated
intravascular blood coagulation and ultimately,
multiple organ failure and death (for
review, see Cronje, 2005). In broilers, exposure to
five hours of heat stress per day (33°C and 60 to
70 per cent relative humidity) for 21 days resulted
in symptoms consistent with excessive oxidative
stress: congestion, oedema and haemorrhage of
the lungs, oedema and haemorrhage of the kidneys
and necrosis of the liver (Aengwanich et al.,
2003; Aengwanich and Simaraks, 2004). Heat
stress also causes haemorrhages in muscle tissue
(Sandercock et al., 2001) and damage to the intestinal
mucosa (Quinteiro-Filho et al., 2010) in
poultry.
“Several studies have shown that
vitamins and minerals involved in
antioxidant defence are depleted by
heat stress”
There is ample
evidence showing
that heat
stress results in
oxidative stress
in poultry (Altan
et al., 2003; Sahin et al., 2006; Feng et al., 2008)
and that it causes extensive damage to lipids, proteins
(Mujahid et al., 2007a) and muscle membranes
(Sandercock et al., 2001; Petracci et al.
2009). Oxidative stress arises when the body’s
natural antioxidant defences are unable to cope
with ROS generated during oxidative phosphorylation
in the mitochondria. Several studies have
shown that vitamins and minerals involved in antioxidant
defence are depleted by heat stress
(Sahin et al., 2003; Mahmoud and Edens, 2005).
That supplementation of heat-stressed birds with
antioxidants such as vitamin C (Mckee et al., 1997;
Sahin et al., 2003; Mahmoud et al., 2004), vitamin
E (Bollenger-Lee et al., 1998) and lycopene (Sahin
et al., 2006) has been shown to ameliorate heatinduced
oxidative stress is a strong indication that
heat stress induces over-production of ROS.
In 2005, Mujahid et al. demonstrated for the first
time that heat stress induces the production of
superoxide in the skeletal muscle mitochondria
of broilers and showed that oxidative stress inhibits
growth independently of feed intake during
heat stress. Therefore, nutritional strategies
against heat stress such as increased dietary energy
density or protein content only address half
the problem (decreased feed intake) and strate-
18

gies such as supplementation with antioxidants
only address the symptoms of the other half of
the problem (oxidative stress). A strategy that targets
the cause of oxidative stress is lacking. However,
the cause of oxidative stress in poultry
remained a matter of conjecture until the discovery
of avian uncoupling protein by Raimbault et
al. in 2001.
MITOCHONDRIAL UNCOUPLING PROTEINS
DECREASE OXIDATIVE STRESS
Hydrolysis of ATP to ADP releases energy, which
is used to drive metabolic reactions. An active cell
can hydrolyse more than two million ATP molecules
per second, but the energy stored in the
form of ATP in the human body is equivalent to
the energy stored in an AA battery, and therefore
only sufficient to satisfy the body’s energy needs
for a few seconds. This necessitates rapid regeneration
of ATP from ADP using energy from ingested
nutrients or endogenous reserves. Thus,
although the human body contains only 250 g of
ATP, it turns over its own weight in ATP each day.
The task of ATP turnover is accomplished by mitochondria,
of which there are 100 to 1,000 per
cell. Most ATP is produced in mitochondria by oxidative
phosphorylation.
Figure 1. Mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation
Glucose and free fatty acids (FFA) enter the tricarboxylic acid
(TCA) cycle as acetyl-CoA, producing NADH and FADH,
which donate electrons to the electron transport chain.
Movement of electrons down this chain provides energy to
transport protons (H+) from the matrix to the inter-membrane
space, creating a proton electrochemical gradient. Reentry
of protons to the matrix via ATP synthase drives the
conversion of ADP to ATP. Electrons that reach the end of the
electron transfer chain are accepted by molecular oxygen
(O2) in the formation of H2O. However, some electrons leak
from the chain and form superoxide (O2-).
A schematic illustration of mitochondrial oxidative
phosphorylation is presented in Figure 1. The
mitochondrion contains an inner and an outer
membrane, which are separated by an inter-membrane
space. In the matrix of the mitochondrion,
oxidation of glucose and fat yields the ‘hydrogen
carriers’ NADH+H+ and FADH2. During oxidative
phosphorylation, electrons are removed from
NADH+H+ and FADH2 and are transported
through the respiratory chain until they are donated
to molecular oxygen, which is then reduced
to water. The transport of electrons drives proton
pumps that transfer hydrogen ions from the matrix
to the inter-membrane space, creating an
electrochemical potential difference across the
inner membrane. Protons may re-enter the mitochondrial
matrix through the ATP synthase proton
channel, which uses this proton-motive force
to generate ATP from ADP.
Proton re-entry via ATP synthase is normally regulated
by the availability of ADP but protons may
also re-enter through uncoupling proteins
(UCPs), which act as a type of 'pressure-relief
valve' to prevent excessive accumulation of protons
in the inter-membrane space. During the reduction
of molecular oxygen to water, leakage of
electrons from the respiratory chain results in the
formation of superoxide radicals, which can be
19

Feature Article
A Reappraisal of the Potential of Dietary Fatty Acids to Ameliorate Heat Stress
converted into other ROS. These ROS attack the
phospholipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids
(PUFA) of the inner membrane. Thus, activation
of UCPs, which enables protons to leak back into
the matrix, reduces ROS production (Azzu and
Brand, 2009). As mitochondria account for more
than 80 per cent of cellular oxygen consumption,
they are the main site of ROS production (Manoli
et al., 2007). When the level of ROS exceeds the
capacity of cellular antioxidants to remove them,
the cell experiences oxidative stress. If left
unchecked, DNA and enzymes are damaged and
the respiratory chain malfunctions.
In addition to its role in decreasing ROS by increasing
proton leak, it has been proposed that
UCP3 exports fatty acids from the mitochondrial
matrix when fatty acid supply exceeds fat oxidation
capacity (Hoeks et al., 2003). As fatty acid anions
in the mitochondrial matrix are prone to
peroxidation, prevention of their accumulation
could reduce ROS production. Although there is
debate about the relative importance of the various
mechanisms by which UCP3 exerts its effects
(Azzu and Brand, 2009), there appears to be
general consensus that UCP3 plays a key role in
decreasing ROS production and protecting
against cellular damage. Therefore, heat-induced
down-regulation of UCP activity could provide an
explanation for the oxidative stress observed in
birds subjected to heat stress.
AVIAN COUPLING PROTEIN IS
DOWNREGULATED BY HEAT STRESS
Only one type of UCP has been detected in birds,
whereas five iso-forms are present in mammals.
Avian uncoupling protein (avUCP) was first
cloned in 2001 by Raimbault et al. from the skeletal
muscle of chickens. The amino acid sequence
of avUCP is 70 per cent identical with those of
mammalian UCP2 and UCP3, but its tissue distribution
is restricted mainly to skeletal muscle,
which is similar to the distribution of UCP3.
Mujahid et al. (2006, 2007b,c) showed that heat
stress decreases the level of avUCP by up to 50
per cent and proposed that the associated inability
to regulate proton motive force caused oxidative
stress. They also observed that plasma fatty
acid levels increased three-fold and that levels of
enzymes involved in the transport and oxidation
of fatty acids and those involved in the Kreb's
cycle were elevated during the early stages of
heat stress (Mujahid et al., 2007b). The same
group recently showed that heat stress enhances
substrate oxidation via the electron transport
20

substrate oxidation via the electron transport
chain, resulting in an increase in mitochondrial
membrane potential and ROS production
(Kikusato et al., 2010). Mujahid et al. (2007b) concluded
that a sudden surge in mitochondrial substrate
oxidation combined with down-regulation
of avUCP may be responsible for the increase in
superoxide production during heat stress. This hypothesis
is supported by further evidence of
down-regulation of avUCP by heat stress in chickens
(Taouis et al., 2002) and a very strong linear
correlation (R2 = 0.92) between ROS production
and avUCP-dependant mitochondrial proton leak
(Rey et al., 2010). However, the mechanism by
which heat stress down-regulates avUCP is as yet
unclear.
The recent identification of a binding site for thyroid
hormone in the promoter sequence of the
avUCP gene by Joubert et al. (2010) indicates that
thyroid hormone may play a role in downregulating
avUCP expression during heat stress.
CHANGES IN THYROID HORMONE LEVEL
MAY DOWNREGULATE AVIAN
UNCOUPLING PROTEIN EXPRESSION
DURING HEAT STRESS
During heat stress, circulating levels of thyroid
hormone are decreased (Geraert et al., 1996b;
Tao et al., 2006; Lin et al., 2008), presumably because
thyroid hormone increases metabolic rate,
and thus metabolic heat production. Although it
has been known for many years that thyroid hormone
stimulates metabolic rate and decreases
metabolic efficiency, the mechanism by which thyroid
hormone affects energy homeostasis is
poorly understood. In 2001, De Lange et al. provided
the first in vivo evidence that thyroid hormone
increases muscle UCP3 expression. More
recently, Rey et al. (2010) showed that skeletal
muscle avUCP abundance in ducklings was upregulated
by administration of thyroid hormone
and decreased by pharmacological blockade of
thyroid hormone synthesis. Furthermore, the
production of ROS per unit of oxygen consumed
by muscle mitochondria was elevated in the hypothyroid
state and was attenuated by thyroid
hormone administration. In rats, thyroxine level is
linearly correlated with muscle UCP3 expression
(Sprague et al., 2007). Therefore, a heat-induced
decrease in thyroid hormone level may down-regulate
avUCP expression, resulting in oxidative
stress and ROS-mediated tissue damage in birds
exposed to heat stress. There is evidence that
polyunsaturated fatty acids up-regulate UCP expression
and that they compete with thyroid hormone
for the retinoid receptor X, which is
required for binding to some of their target genes
(Clarke et al., 1999). Thus, it is possible that dietary
mono- and poly-unsaturated fatty acids
could be exploited to increase avUCP expression
and ameliorate heat-induced tissue damage in
poultry.
FATTY ACIDS UPREGULATE UNCOUPLING
PROTEIN EXPRESSION
Muscle UCP3 up-regulation appears to be specific
for long-chain fatty acids, as Hoeks et al. (2003)
observed no response in muscle UCP3 level
when rats were fed a high-fat diet consisting of
medium-chain fatty acids, but observed substantial
increases when a diet containing long-chain fatty
acids was fed.
Thompson et al. (2004) reviewed in vitro studies
in which specific fatty acids had been added to
cultured cell models or primary isolated cells.
None of the cell lines showed a response in
UCP3 expression to saturated fatty acids. In muscle
cells, the mono-unsaturated fatty acid, oleic
acid (18:1 n–9) and the polyunsaturated fatty
acids, linoleic acid (18:2 n–6) and linolenic acid
(18:3 n–3) increased the expression of UCP3.
21

Feature Article
A Reappraisal of the Potential of Dietary Fatty Acids to Ameliorate Heat Stress
Rodriguez et al. (2002) fed rats diets containing
40 per cent of dietary energy in the form of oils
rich in saturated fatty acids (palm oil or beef tallow),
polyunsaturated fatty acids (sunflower oil)
or mono-unsaturated fatty acid (olive oil). The
level of UCP3 in muscle was 33 per cent greater
in rats fed the olive oil diet than in those fed the
other sources of fatty acids.
Based on this evidence, Mujahid et al. (2009) fed
olive oil to broilers to determine whether it Rodriguez
et al. (2002) fed rats diets containing 40
per cent of dietary energy in the form of oils rich
in saturated fatty acids (palm oil or beef tallow),
polyunsaturated fatty acids (sunflower oil) or
mono-unsaturated fatty acid (olive oil). The level
of UCP3 in muscle was 33 per cent greater in rats
fed the olive oil diet than in those fed the other
sources of fatty acids.
Based on this evidence, Mujahid et al. (2009) fed
olive oil to broilers to determine whether it could
prevent mitochondrial ROS production and oxidative
damage during heat stress. In their trial,
birds were fed a basal diet (a commercial broiler
diet) or the basal diet plus 6.7 per cent olive oil
for eight days before exposure to thermoneutral
conditions or 34°C for 12 hours. The addition of
olive oil to the basal diet prevented the decrease
in avUCP level and the increase in lipid peroxidation
observed in birds fed the control diet during
heat stress. Birds fed the basal diet lost weight
during heat stress, whereas those supplemented
with olive oil gained weight. The feed intake of the
olive oil-supplemented birds also decreased to a
lesser extent than that of birds fed the basal diet
during the 12 hours of heat stress period. Although
the practical implications of these results
are difficult to interpret because the two diets
were not isoenergetic, it establishes a mechanism
by which specific fatty acids could alleviate heat
stress. As oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated fatty
acid, constitutes 70 to 80 per cent of the fatty
acids in olive oil (Tripoli et al., 2005), it is likely
that the up-regulation of avUCP observed by Rodriguez
et al. (2002) and Mujahid et al. (2009) was
mediated by oleic acid.
The specificity of UCPs for certain types of fatty
acid may explain why the practice of feeding highfat
diets to poultry exposed to heat stress has
been successful in some instances and has failed
in others. Furthermore, Hoeks et al. (2003) noted
that rats fed a high-fat diet containing mediumchain
fatty acids (C8:0 and C10:0; caprylic and
capric acid, respectively) gained less weight than
rats consuming an equal amount of net energy
from a high-fat diet containing long-chain fatty
acids (C16:0, palmitic acid), indicating that
medium-chain fatty acids have a thermogenic ef-
22

and bind to DNA response elements. The avUCP
gene contains a binding site for PPARs in its promoter
sequence (Joubert et al., 2010). There are
three members of the PPAR subfamily, PPARα,
PPARγ and PPARδ, all of which are activated by
fatty acids or their derivatives (Clarke et al.,
1999). Gene knockout experiments in rodents
have verified that UCP3 and UCP2 are not thermogenic
whereas UCP1 induces non-shivering
thermogenesis (Azzu and Brand, 2009). avUCP
does not appear to play a role in thermogenesis
in the chicken (Walter and Seebacher, 2009). The
distribution of these PPAR isoforms in mammals
differs between tissues, and the affinities of activating
ligands differs between them (Guri et al.,
2006). This may explain why certain fatty acids induce
thermogenesis but not UCP expression, why
some fatty acids induce thermogenesis but also
increase UCP expression and why some fatty
acids do not induce thermogenesis but increase
UCP expression.
pression may be mediated by their affinity for peroxisome
proliferator-activated receptors
(PPARs).
The PPARs were originally identified in frogs as
receptors that induce the proliferation of peroxisomes,
organelles that are involved in the breakdown
of very-long-chain fatty acids (>18 carbon
atoms in length) to medium-chain fatty acids,
which are then shuttled to the mitochondrion for
further oxidation. Peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation
generates 30 per cent more heat than mitochondrial
fatty acid oxidation (Baillie et al., 1999).
The PPARs are members of the nuclear hormone
receptor family, so called because unlike classical
hormone receptors, which are located in the cytoplasm
and translocate to the nucleus after binding
to their ligands, PPARs reside in the nucleus
In addition to their effects on UCPs, PPARs also
affect the expression of genes for key enzymes in
fat and glucose metabolism, which represents another
avenue by which cellular responses to heat
stress could be manipulated. For instance, heat
stress is associated with fatty degeneration of
most tissues and the secretion of inflammatory
cytokines. Nagasawa et al. (2006) induced hepatic
fat accumulation and inflammation in mice by dietary
means and showed that pharmacological
over-expression of PPARd reduced lipid accumulation
and the expression of inflammatory cytokines.
NEW OIL SEED VARIETIES CONTAIN
BENEFICIAL FATTY ACIDS
Changes within the oilseed industry brought
about by concern about the harmful effects of saturated
fatty acids and trans fatty acids have re-
23

Feature Article
A Reappraisal of the Potential of Dietary Fatty Acids to Ameliorate Heat Stress
sulted in the development of plant varieties that
produce oils high in oleic acid. Saturated fatty
acids are converted to the trans configuration by
heat during frying and by hydrogenation, used by
the industry to improve heat stability for deepfrying
or to increase the solidity of oils used for
the production of margarine. Trans fatty acids increase
cholesterol levels in humans, adding to the
incidence of heart disease. As a result of these factors,
there is a growing trend away from the use
of oils rich in palmitic acid (C16:0) and hydrogenated
oils in favour of oils that can provide the
required functionality without hydrogenation.
Oils low in palmitic acid and rich in oleic acid, a
cis fatty acid, or stearic acid (C18:0) meet these
requirements. Oilseed crops such as soybean,
rapeseed (canola), peanut, sunflower and cottonseed
have now been bred or engineered to produce
oil high in oleic acid (Liu et al., 2002). The
widespread availability of oils and oil meals derived
from high-oleic-acid plants and their increasing
incorporation into livestock feeds calls for
re-evaluation of the results of trials conducted before
the advent of these plants on the use of highfat
diets for heat-stressed poultry.
CONCLUSION
Recent advances in the pathophysiology of heat
stress strongly suggest that the strategic use of
new oil seed varieties may ameliorate the adverse
effects of heat stress in poultry. A systematic study
of the effects of different dietary fatty acids on
avUCP expression, PPAR activity and the responses
of poultry to heat stress is warranted.
For references used in this article, click here
24

Want the same
growth rate
as this
little gal

Regional News
Americas
Cooling Eggs May Reduce Food-Borne Disease
US - Dr Kevin Keener's research at Purdue University
has shown that cooling eggs after they are
laid may increase the natural defences those eggs
have against bacteria such as Salmonella.
Once eggs are laid, their natural resistance to
pathogens begins to wear down but a Purdue University
scientist believes he knows how to rearm
those defences.
Kevin Keener, an associate professor of food science
at Purdue University, created a process for
rapidly cooling eggs that is designed to inhibit the
growth of bacteria such as salmonella. The same
cooling process would saturate the inside of an
egg with carbon dioxide and alter pH levels, which
he has found are connected to the activity of an
enzyme called lysozyme, which defends egg whites
from bacteria.
"This enzyme activity is directly related to the carbon
dioxide and pH levels," said Dr Keener, whose
results were published in the journal Poultry Science.
"An increase in lysozyme would lead to increased
safety in eggs."
US Reports Low-Path Bird Flu in
Turkey Flock
MINNESOTA, US - Routine surveillance has revealed
a subclinical infection of low-pathogenic
avian influenza (LPAI) in a turkey flock.
The veterinary authority sent an Immediate Notification
dated 29 June to the World Organisation
for Animal Health (OIE).
Read More...
Freshly laid eggs are saturated with carbon dioxide
and have pH levels of about 7. Over time, the
pH level rises to 9 and carbon dioxide escapes,
Dr Keener said. As that happens, lysozyme becomes
less active.
Dr Keener saturated purified egg white
lysozymes with carbon dioxide and tested different
pH levels. He found that at both high and low
pH levels, the addition of carbon dioxide would
increase lysozyme activity by as much as 50 per
cent.
Read More...
Poultry Company
Mega–Merger Stalls
MEXICO - The Government of Mexico is accepting
comments for a proposed rule regarding
maximum residues of veterinary products and
other chemicals in animal products.
On 12 May 2011, the Secretariat of Agriculture,
Livestock, Rural Development, Fishery and Food
published in the Diario Oficial (Federal Register)
a proposed rule regarding...
Read More
26

Europe
End to Slaughter Without Stunning Welcomed
NETHERLANDS - Welfare campaigning organisation,
Eurogroup for Animals, has welcomed the
recent vote by the Dutch Parliament which
makes stunning prior to slaughter, including for
religious slaughter obligatory in the Netherlands.
This is a step forward for animal welfare as it ends
the exemption for religious slaughter where animals
are killed fully conscious without stunning on
religious grounds and this will alleviate the suffering
of up to one million animals in the Netherlands,
says Eurogroup for Animals.
government. It will however be possible for religious
groups to get an exemption, but only when
they provide indisputably proof that their alternative
method will not cause more harm to animal
welfare than pre-slaughter stunning."
The ban is not directed against religious slaughter
as such, it only states that religion is not a sufficient
reason to let animals suffer unnecessarily,
according to Eurogroup. As such it is an invitation
to religious groups to explore the boundaries of
what their faiths allows and to implement new,
innovative animal welfare friendly methods.
The Bill, which received overwhelming support in
the Parliament (116 out of 150 votes), is based on
the strong scientific consensus that animals rendered
unconscious prior to slaughter suffer less
than animals bled while fully conscious.
Dr Michel Courat, Policy Officer for Farm Animals
at Eurogroup for Animals, commented: "This is a
major step forward for animal welfare and we
urge all of the 26 other European Union member
states to follow the example of the Dutch
New Hope in Battle against
Salmonella in Poultry
UK - Bdellovibrio, described as a ‘living antibiotic’,
has been found to be effective against Salmonella
and safe when ingested by chickens in trials at
Nottingham University.
Scientists have tested a predatory bacterium –
Bdellovibrio – against Salmonella in the guts of live
chickens. They found that it significantly reduced
the numbers of Salmonella bacteria...
Read More...
Eurogroup has been monitoring the number of
animals slaughtered without prior stunning in the
EU and is very concerned that the amount of
meat coming from animals slaughtered in this way
is much higher than the amount required to meet
the needs of the religious communities in the EU.
Read More...
Bird Flu in Europe Threatens Exports
to Russia
RUSSIA - Russia may ban live poultry imports
from Europe following several report outbreaks
of low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI).
The Russian veterinary watchdog, Rosselkhoznadzor,
may ban imports of live poultry from
Germany, the Netherlands and possibly other European
countries in light of reports on an outbreak
of avian influenza...
Read More...
27

Regional News
Asia
Poultry Industry Set to Continue Growth
INDIA - The growth trend in domestic poultry industry
is likely to continue this decade, according
to a new market report.
According to Financial Chronicle, Indian poultry
market size is estimated at more than 470 billion
rupees (INR), with broiler meat and table eggs
contributing more than 95 per cent of the market.
The publication cites a new report from ICRA,
which says that, globally, India ranks fourth in
broiler meat production with annual production
of about 2.9 million metric tonnes, and ranks third
in table egg production, after the US and China,
with annual production of 57 billion eggs.
The poultry sector has transformed from a backyard
activity into a major commercial activity in
last two decades, with the presence of large integrated
players who successfully implemented contract
poultry farming on a large scale.
Production has remained largely limited to southern
India and western Maharashtra, though states
like Haryana, Punjab, and parts of West Bengal
Japan Declared Free of Avian
Influenza
JAPAN - Japan declares itself free from notifiable
avian influenza with effect from 25 June 2011.
This date results from the three-month period
specified in Article 10.4.3 of the OIE Terrestrial
Animal Health Code after the last outbreak of
highly pathogenic avian influenza, which occurred
on 16 March 2011.
Read More...
have seen increased adoption of poultry farming
as alternative source of income for largely agrarian
economy.
ICRA reports that the Indian poultry sector has
been growing annually at around eight to 10 per
cent over the last decade and at over 15 per cent
in the last three years. It projects the domestic
broiler meat demand to grow around 15 to 18
per cent, and table egg demand to grow at five
to seven per cent in the medium to long term.
Malaysia Looking to Produce
Poultry Vaccines
MALAYSIA - Malaysia is exploring opportunities
to produce vaccines against Newcastle disease
and avian influenza which cause huge losses to
the national livestock industry, said Malaysian
Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.
He said Malaysia wants to collaborate with any
research institution which could come up with
the vaccines as there was a dire need for them.
Read More...
28

Africa & Oceania
Ghana's Egg Industry ‘Vibrant’
GHANA - The remark was made by the poultry
farmers' association chairman, with an announcement
that the layer population has increased from
18 million to 21 million birds over the last year.
The broiler industry has been hard hit by rising
feed prices.
Approximately 21 million layers are in the country
presently, Chairman of the Ghana National Association
of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF) has announced.
Peace FM reports Kwabena Asante saying the figure
represent a sharp improvement over last
year's figure, which stood at 18 million. He said
the positive development is a clear indication that
the poultry business is vibrant.
Mr Asante debunked assertions that the poultry
business is at an all-time low, insisting that poultry
farming is contributing to Ghana's growth. According
to him, about 529,300 metric tonnes of
maize, worth several millions of dollars, would be
needed to feed the chicken per annum.
Call for End to Law on Live
Transport & Trade
EGYPT - Poultry traders are protesting against a
law banning the trade and transport of live
poultry.
Hundreds of poultry shop owners protested outside
the TV Building near the Nile Corniche in
Cairo on Friday (24 June), demanding the Government
of Essam Sharaf rescind a 2010 law barring
trade and transport of live birds to help prevent
the spread of the bird flu virus.
Read More...
He noted the significant rise in the number of
layers has the potential of creating jobs for
about 1,500 people. Mr Asante was speaking to
City & Business Guide during a day's forum for
Maize Value Chain Actors/Stakeholders at the
Miklin Hotel in Kumasi.
The event was organised by Ghana Agricultural
Development and Value Chain Enhancement
(ADVANCE), an agric development NGO in
the US with funding from USAID. Implemented
by ACDI, VOCA and ADVANCE, the event was
attended by poultry farmers, farmers, maize
processors, maize buyers, financial institutions,
among others.
Read More...
Agency Sets out Benefits &
Costs of Egg Stamping
AUSTRALIA - The food standards agency has
stressed the benefits to food safety of individual
egg stamping and its low cost, even for smaller
producers. It will come into effect in November
2012.
There have been recent media reports about the
cost of implementing a new egg standard, in particular
a requirement to stamp individual eggs.
Read More...
29

Global Events
Keep up to date with what’s happening in the global poultry industry
Poultry Science Association
Annual Meeting
St Louis, Missouri, US
July 16th to 19th
PSA will hold its 100th Annual Meeting in 2011
jointly with the American Veterinary Medical Association
(AVMA) and the American Association of
Avian Pathologists (AAAP).
17th World Veterinary Poultry
Association (WVPA)
Congress
Cancun, Mexico
August 14th to 18th
You are invited to the XVII Congress of the
World Veterinary Poultry Association, that will be
held in one of the most beautiful beaches on the
Mexican Caribe.
We will be meeting poultry veterinarians from all
the world, exchanging professional experiences in
symposia and round tables in a scientific programme
prepared especially for us.
30

Great Yorkshire Show 2011
Harrogate, Yorkshire,UK
July 12th to 14th
The Great Yorkshire Show (GYS) is an agricultural
show which takes place on the Great Yorkshire
Showground in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in the
North of England annually from the second Tuesday
of July until the following Thursday. It is organised
and run by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society
(YAS).
Incubation & Fertility
Research Group Meeting 2011
Ede, Netherlands
August 30th to 31st
IFRG would like to invite you to the 2011 meeting
of the Incubation and Fertility Research Group
{WPSA Working Group 6 (Reproduction)} will be
held in Ede, The Netherlands on 30th – 31st
August, 2011. This meeting is for all those with an
interest in incubation and fertility in all avian
species.
31

Company News
News from our advertisers
MERCK ANNOUNCES NEW NAME FOR
ANIMAL HEALTH DIVISION
GLOBAL - Merck’s animal
health division, formerly known
as Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal
Health, announced that, effective 29 June, it
will begin using the new name, Merck Animal
Health. It will be known as MSD Animal Health
outside the United States and Canada.
More...
CID LINES LAUNCHES NEW CLEANER
BELGIUM - Biorex is the new
standard in cleaning, according
to CID Lines.
More...
GRIMAUD FRÈRES SÉLECTION IN CHARGE
OF ESSOR SALES
FRANCE - From 1 July, Grimaud
Frères Sélection has
taken over the selection programme and production
flocks of Essor guinea fowl.
More...
COBB WELCOMES CZECH VISITORS TO
WORLD HEADQUARTERS
ARKANSAS, US - A visit to the
Cobb-Vantress headquarters in
Siloam Springs in Arkansas provided
Pavel Visek and Milos Zima
from the Xavergen group in the Czech Republic
with an insight into how the company is expanding
to meet growing demand for the Cobb 500.
More...
PETERSIME JOINS EUROPEAN
WELFARE PROJECT
BELGIUM - Petersime has joined the
Bio-Business Project, a European research
framework that examines the
impact of industrial developments on animal welfare.
More...
CENTRAL EUROPEAN SEMINAR
BREAKS NEW RECORDS
HUNGARY - Aviagen Kft, Aviagen’s
Hungarian business unit,
recently held its 5th seminar for
Central European (CE) Parent Stock customers
in the famous thermal resort of Heviz, near Lake
Balaton.
More...
PARTNERSHIP TO EXPAND ENZYME
SOLUTIONS
US - The enzyme solutions
available to nutritionists,
producers and others looking
to optimise nutrition in poultry and other
farm animals will be expanding as the result of a
strategic collaboration announced on 27 June between
Novus International, Inc. and Verenium
Corporation.
More...
INTEREST IN VENCOMATIC INNOVATIONS
IN ISTANBUL
TURKEY - Vencomatic exhibited
at VIV Turkey, a well-attended
trade show held in Istanbul in early June.
More...
26 32

GROUNDBREAKING PREMIX FACILITY
OPENED IN TATARSTAN
TATARSTAN, RUSSIA - DSM
Nutritional Products, a subsidiary
of Royal DSM N.V. (The
Netherlands), the global Life Sciences and Materials
Sciences Company, and Tatenergo JSC (Republic
of Tatarstan) have opened the first premix plant
in Russia under a newly created affiliate, DSM Nutritional
Products Rus.
More...
CHU JOINS CEVA'S GLOBAL R&D TEAM
US - Ceva Santé Animale is excited to
introduce Dr Steve Chu as its new Vice
President, Global Biology Research and
Development.
More...
WET BASKETS CAN IMPAIR CHICK QUALITY
PFIZER VOLUNTARILY SUSPENDS SALE
OF 3-NITRO
US - The US Food and Drug (FDA)
Administration announced on 8 June
that Alpharma, a subsidiary of Pfizer
Inc., will voluntarily suspend US sales of the animal
drug 3-Nitro (Roxarsone), a product used by poultry
producers since the 1940s.
More...
AVIAGEN GAINS COMPARTMENTALISATION
CERTIFICATION
UK - Aviagen Ltd has become
the first poultry breeder in the
world to achieve compartment
status for all of its facilities, paving the way for the
compartmentalisation concept to become a global
reality.
More...
THE NETHERLANDS - Chick transfers
should always be made into dry baskets,
says 'Tiny' Barten of Pas Reform.
More...
BIOMIN HOLDS FIRST MYCOTOXIN
AWARENESS FORUM
MYANMAR – Biomin's distributor
in Myanmar, Min Ye Tin of Yè Group,
recently organised the 1st Myanmar Mycotoxin
Awareness Forum.
More...
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