The table egg industry had always relied on a 12-month egg-laying cycle. Since the layer performances are constantly raising the expected production standards year after year, the industry is wondering if the laying cycle should be lengthened to 13, 14 or even 15 months. What would be the economic impacts to be anticipated with this change, but, most importantly, what will be the picture of the table egg production, once it’s done.
The risk of exposure to intestinal parasites increases with the expansion of alternative farms. The problem is often underestimated, and control methods and diagnostics are limited. Discover the overview results on the pressure of intestinal worms in layer hens in France, as well as management practices in the field.
The adapted nest boxes and aviaries will soon replace the conventional cages. The increased liberty of the birds raising air quality concerns in the housings. What are the impacts of alternative enriched system on air quality. And what would be the solutions?
Thanks to genetic selection, hens can produce 500 eggs in 70 weeks with economic, environmental, and animal welfare advantages. This paradigm shift still represents a real metabolic challenge for the hen, that should be better understood and studied to ensure the success of such a field strategy.
A layer flock is typically made up of thousands of individuals, yet the flock is managed as a single unit. Beginning with the pullet, management and nutritional strategies can be used to increase flock uniformity, which will have profound impacts on layer flock health, productivity, and shell quality.
At the end of 2022, France will forbid culling male chicks from layer stock.
In-ovo sexing is seen as the choice alternative to ensure no suffering for chicks. However, it is anticipated that this new technique will result in additional costs for the supply chain and the consumer. How will this impact the supply chain and its breeders?
As the pandemic allowed the general population to learn new terms like coronavirus and variant, the poultry industry is facing its own issue: the Delmarva (DMV) infectious bronchitis virus strain. Indeed, this coronavirus affects not only the respiratory system of hens and broilers, but also the pullets’ reproductive system, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Dre Boulianne will describe this disease and the latest scientific findings, as well as some of the ongoing projects to better understand and fight this pathogen.