Farmers Weekly Defra secretary Therese Coffey has issued a firm “no” to calls from a cross-party group of MPs for additional aid for egg and poultry producers hit by the worst-ever outbreak of avian influenza. The Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) committee wrote to Ms Coffey last December seeking fairer compensation for producers who have had […] The post No more aid for producers hit by avian flu, says Coffey appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly Defra secretary Therese Coffey has issued a firm “no” to calls from a cross-party group of MPs for additional aid for egg and poultry producers hit by the worst-ever outbreak of avian influenza. The Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) committee wrote to Ms Coffey last December seeking fairer compensation for producers who have had […] The post 5 poultry manure management tactics to protect soils and water appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly A marked drop-off in the number of avian influenza cases has raised hopes that the mandatory housing order for outdoor flocks could soon be lifted. The housing order was first imposed on 7 November in a bid to tackle bird flu cases as they peaked at record levels. See also: Free-range eggs to be classified […] The post Avian flu case decline sparks housing order optimism appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly Backyard poultry keepers will need to officially register their flocks under new government plans designed to curb the spread of avian influenza. Flocks of less than 50 birds are currently exempt from registration, but this has made it difficult to track and manage disease spread. See also: Free-range eggs to be classified as ‘barn eggs’ […] The post All poultry to be registered under new government plans appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly Backyard poultry keepers will need to officially register their flocks under new government plans designed to curb the spread of avian influenza. Flocks of less than 50 birds are currently exempt from registration, but this has made it difficult to track and manage disease spread. See also: Free-range eggs to be classified as ‘barn eggs’ […] The post Steep increase in turkey poult prices ahead appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly Health officials are meeting to discuss Covid-style contingency plans to control the potential human-to-human spread of avian influenza. Despite a very limited risk of spread to humans, officials are considering the distribution of lateral flow tests to monitor for the disease, according to a UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) update. The agency is also […] The post Government steps up precautions against human bird flu spread appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly A chicken’s ability to walk without discomfort is necessary for optimal performance, so maintaining good foot-pad health is not only vital for bird welfare but also for the economic performance of broiler businesses.  Pododermatitis is a non-infectious disease related to a pathological change on the pad of the bird’s foot; there are no medicines to […] The post 4 key actions to help control pododermatitis in broilers appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly Supermarket Sainsbury’s has faced fresh criticism this week after eggs derived from Italian barn systems were spotted on shelves, together with signage suggesting they had come from hens that were previously free-range. With avian flu housing orders still in force, all UK eggs supplied under the Lion Code now have to be labelled as “barn […] The post Anger as Italian barn eggs hit supermarket shelves again appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly Genetic advances and meticulous health and welfare management mean it is now more viable for egg producers to extend layer life – and the rewards can be considerable. So how should producers go about it? Taking free-range layers past the standard 72 weeks requires careful planning, which begins before chicks are even hatched, says Matt […] The post What to consider before extending layer life beyond 72 weeks appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more

Farmers Weekly The UK poultrymeat and egg sectors are making clear progress in their ambition to reduce antibiotics use. As the push for further cuts continues, Debbie James gets advice on what more can be done. The latest figure for the volume of antibiotics used by UK poultrymeat producers sits at 17t/year – a reduction of 4t […] The post 6 things poultry producers can do to cut antibiotics further appeared first on Farmers Weekly ..read more