Hamlet Protein has been selected to give an oral presentation at The Poultry Science Association (PSA) Annual Meeting 2020, which took place virtually this July. Our Poultry Category manager Alfred Blanch presented our findings.

Studies show that many instances of diarrhoea in young animals are caused by nutritional shortcomings. This could be prevented by better selection and composition of the ingredients in the diet – with no use of antibiotics at all. Faced with consumer and regulatory pressure, EU producers are now aiming to claim ‘no antibiotics ever’. Outside the EU, various definitions of antibiotic-free (ABF) production are in circulation.

The gut is the single largest immune related organ of the body and is the primary barrier between a bacterial milieu and the body per se. This barrier balances the need to support entry of nutrients through the gut wall while blocking the entry of microbes. This balance can be affected both positively and negatively by the composition of the diet along with the exposure of the body to pathogenic challenges

Efficiency is key to success in broiler production, and the importance of a good start in life is discussed for all species. In the case of broilers, the first three to five days actually represent a very significant proportion of a broiler's life – around 10 percent. The principle is therefore that what it eats during this time can impact its future performance.

An article from Watt AgNet focuses on how antibiotics are being phased out of modern poultry production. The article is based on a seminar with speaker Brett Lumpkins, PhD, Southern Poultry Research who spoke on “Bridging the Gap in Feeding Antibiotic Restricted Broilers" at IPPE 2017.

Growth-promoting antibiotics have become a no-go in starter feeds for newly hatched chicks. So what can manufacturers do now to enhance early growth and overall broiler performance? In an article for WATTAgNet, nutrition editor Ioannis Macromichalis considers the issue of feed digestibility and some of the highly digestible specialty proteins that are filling the antibiotic-free gap. Research suggests they are worth the extra cost.

Give hatchlings an easily digestible diet, and they’ll grow to their full potential. Chicks grow and develop at an incredible rate during the first week of hatching. With just 34-42 days from the beginning to end of the broiler production cycle, that makes the right choice of starter feed particularly critical.

Efficient broiler production is not all about performance. Animal welfare issues such as foot pad lesions are an equally important concern. The results of a feeding trial indicate that starter feed with specialty soy protein could be part of the solution. Specialty soy protein reduces foot pad lesions and improves overall performance in lifecycle feeding trial Foot pad lesions – or dermatitis – are most common in younger broilers as their skin is thinner and more sensitive. Once lesions develop, the affected birds are also at greater risk of infection.