With more areas being added to the avian influenza mandatory housing measures, below is a reminder of the St David’s Poultry Team arrangements and some of the things you can do to prepare your birds. St David’s Poultry Team arrangements To safeguard your flock and the flocks of others, the following measures are in place: […] The post Preparing your birds for a housing order appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

Act early to control flies this summer During the colder months it is a perfect time to start thinking about fly control in the warmer months. Controlling fly populations within your shed is vital for the health and well-being of your flock. Parasitic wasps maybe the non-chemical solution you are looking for. St David’s Poultry […] The post Parasitic wasps: The natural and effective fly solution appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

by Helen Errington BVMS CertSHP MRCVS With a mandatory housing order now in place for some parts of England to help control the spread of avian influenza, here’s a reminder of some of the challenges that housing flocks can bring and what producers can do to overcome them.   As a reminder, when there is […] The post Managing free range layers during a housing order appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

Richard Jackson BVMS (Hons) MRCVS Clinical Director, St David’s Poultry Team At the time of writing this article there had been a case of High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) declared in free range layers in Yorkshire. This was the strain H5N5. Prior to this there was a finding of H5N5 in wild pheasants however in […] The post HOW IS THE H5N5 STRAIN OF HPAI DIFFERENT TO H5N1? appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

Dispensary Christmas and New Year Deliveries To guarantee delivery before Christmas and New Year please place vaccine orders by 12pm on Friday 13th of December. Normal service will resume on Tuesday 2nd January. From Friday 13th December, please expect some delays if you want next-day delivery. These dates are dictated by our manufacturers as they […] The post Christmas and New Year Opening / Delivery Times appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

First printed in the Ranger magazine, Richard Turner discusses diagnosing and treating fatty livers.  Socrates is supposed to have said that “The only true wisdom is knowing you know nothing “but Oscar Wilde put it differently, “with age comes wisdom but sometimes age comes alone!” I was considering these two statements the other day when […] The post Diagnosing and Treating Fatty Livers appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

Richard Turner MA VetMB MRCVS St David’s Poultry Team As I walked around a car park in County Kerry recently, all I could hear was the calling of a large flock of Canada Geese flying low over the wetlands that are in this part of Ireland. As a poultry vet it’s sad that such an […] The post Avian influenza: A vet’s perspective appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

First featured in The Ranger magazine, Richard Turner shares how a better understanding of E. coli has influenced the approach to its prevention and treatment. E.coli infection in poultry continues to be an issue, with the source/route of infection and the options available to prevent and treat it, often confusing. Here I’ll share how our […] The post E. coli and the importance of managing gut health appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

The main purpose of a poultry house ventilation system is to remove moisture. As temperatures rise and birds drink more, this becomes more pertinent, especially as humidity levels and air temperature are two of the main contributing factors to heat stress. Getting the best out of a poultry house ventilation system and providing the best […] The post Ventilation – key to removing moisture from the house appeared first on St Davids Poultry Team ..read more

As the winter season continues, it is a good time to reflect on the considerable challenges that this period can bring for free-range egg producers. Wet winter conditions are far from ideal for free-range chickens. The range becomes muddy, litter gets wet, and parasites and diseases can thrive. So, what can producers do to overcome these difficulties? Working very closely with clients on these issues, year after year, we have identified that the key is to optimise intestinal health. This ensures energy and protein can be absorbed and assimilated, thereby maximising production and the bird’s im ..read more