France’s approach to immunize ducks on farms against the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus has been deemed successful thus far, with progress exceeding initial expectations. Across Europe, only two additional poultry outbreaks have been confirmed in the past two to three weeks, leading to the declaration of the disease situation as “resolved” in three countries. However, a recent study from the food safety agency warns that ongoing cases in wild bird populations still pose a significant risk to human health. For the full story, click here ..read more

The evolving carbon market is driving innovation for how to effectively capture the building block of greenhouse gas as the world moves closer to net zero emissions. A Danish group has designed a greener way to process poultry manure, capturing carbon to create a cleaner agricultural fertilizer – with possibilities beyond the farmyard. Lars Bojsen and his son Peter operate Springkilde, a large family farm near Horsens, Denmark. Their operation includes 150,000 laying hens and about 150 hectares of cropland.  Always looking for new options to process the manure generated on the farm, they ..read more

It’s commonly known that intensity, wavelength and duration of lighting influence broiler activity, feed and water intake, and overall productivity. It’s also well known that light intensity impacts animal welfare and mortality. However, there’s little research that supports current lighting recommendations and, until recently, few studies have looked at how lighting impacts broiler welfare.  A recent study, led by Seong Wook Kang, director of the poultry experiment station at the University of Arkansas, examined lighting preferences in broilers. The commercial-scale study, which was cond ..read more

Renowned chef Chuck Hughes has teamed up with Think Turkey to introduce Canadians to a variety of new techniques and everyday recipes for enjoying turkey beyond the traditional holiday meals. The campaign, titled ‘Do It More Often,’ spearheaded by Hughes, aims to break the stereotype of turkey being reserved for special occasions by showcasing its versatility in everyday cooking. Launched in April, the campaign features three 15-second spots airing across social media, connected TV, and digital displays, targeting meal planners in English and French-speaking Canada. Darren Ference, Chair of Tu ..read more

OTTAWA, April 4, 2024 – The Egg Farmers of Canada proudly unveiled the winners of its first-ever Student Innovation Challenge, a platform where post-secondary students nationwide showcased their inventive research ideas and solutions aimed at shaping the future of Canada’s egg sector. Roger Pelissero, Chair of Egg Farmers of Canada, expressed his excitement about the students’ creativity and their dedication to addressing challenges and seizing opportunities within the egg farming industry. He emphasized the importance of evidence-based research in driving innovation in the sector. Students we ..read more

Like every segment of the Canadian agriculture industry, the hatching egg producer sector looks for ways to encourage and recruit young farmers to get involved in leadership roles in the industry. Since 2002, the Canadian Broiler Hatching Egg Producers’ Association (CBHEPA) – the national producer association – has offered an annual program for farmers 39 years of age or younger.  The program gives producers the opportunity to tour primary breeder facilities in the U.S. – Aviagen and Cobb – and learn more about the hatching egg industry and broiler breeder management. Starting this year ..read more

Diseases are top of mind concerns for poultry producers and a leading cause of negative economic impacts on-farm. That’s why, this past winter, Canadian Poultry tapped a series of experts to address four of the top diseases currently affecting the industry and highlighting their causes, the on-farm impact and what producers can do to protect their flocks.  Here are the key takeaways they offer for producers.   Inclusion body hepatitisInclusion body hepatitis (IBH) is caused by a Type I adenovirus. In Canada, IBH mainly affects meat birds like broilers, and the best way to protect aga ..read more

ATLANTA (AP) — A person in Texas has been diagnosed with bird flu, an infection tied to the recent discovery of the virus in dairy cows, health officials said Monday. The patient was being treated with an antiviral drug and their only reported symptom was eye redness, Texas health officials said. Health officials say the person had been in contact with cows presumed to be infected, and the risk to the public remains low. It marks the first known instance globally of a person catching this version of bird flu from a mammal, federal health officials said. However, there’s no evidence of person-t ..read more

The largest producer of fresh eggs in the U.S. said Tuesday it had temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after bird flu was found in chickens, and officials said the virus had also been detected at a poultry facility in Michigan. Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. said in a statement that approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, about 3.6% of its total flock, were destroyed after the infection, avian influenza, was found at a facility in Parmer County, Texas. The plant is on the Texas-New Mexico border in the Texas Panhandle about 85 miles (137 kilome ..read more

A recent advisory released by the Feather Board Command Centre (FBCC) included important updates regarding the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) situation in Ontario have been provided. The FBCC, representing the interests of Ontario’s poultry industry, issued this advisory to keep stakeholders informed about the current status of HPAI in the region. It revealed that on January 31, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) had confirmed the presence of HPAI on a premise in Ontario. However, there is a glimmer of hope as the Primary Control Zone (PCZ) surrounding this premise was offici ..read more