Poultry Manure as a Fertilizer 1

Research

May 20, 2019

Michael A. Davis, D. R. Sloan, Gerald Kidder, and R. D. Jacobs²

Animal manures have been used as natural crop fertilizers for centuries. Because of poultry manure’s high nitrogen content, it has long been recognized as one of the most desirable manures. Besides fertilizing crops, manures also supply other essential plant nutrients and serve as a soil amendment by adding organic matter, which helps improve the soil’s moisture and nutrient retention. Organic matter persistence will vary with temperature, drainage, rainfall, and other environmental factors.

The most common procedure for determining the amount of manure to add per acre is to consider the manure’s nitrogen content and the crop’s nitrogen needs. Typical nutrient compositions of poultry manure can be found in Table 1. These values are averaged, and the manure’s actual nutrient composition may vary depending on the manure- to litter-material ratio, litter (manure) handling, and the type of bird, feed, and litter material.

The nitrogen recommendations for selected crops and manure application rates can be found in Table 2. Poultry manure is high in phosphorus. In areas with high levels of phosphorus as determined by a soil test or in areas where phosphorus movement offsite is a concern (e.g., areas with poor drainage, a high slope, or an adjacent water body), phosphorus rather than nitrogen should determine the manure’s application rate.

Fertilizer grades for manure can be calculated by comparing the total amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium as a simple ratio. For example, given the nutrient composition values of Table 1, broiler house litter has a fertilizer grade of 3-3-2. Note that not all nitrogen in the manure will be in the same form. Some nitrogen in poultry manure will be in the form of ammonium (NH₄-N). The ammonium state is volatile, so there will be some loss of this nitrogen form to the atmosphere. Environmental conditions, such as rainfall, wind, and sunlight, will also affect the availability of organic nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Because of this, assume during the first year available nitrogen will be at 65% of total nitrogen and available phosphorus and potassium will be at 75% of the total available quantities applied as manure.

Tables

Table 1.Average nutrient composition of chicken manures.¹

Manure Type	Total N	Ammonium (NH-N)	Phosphorus (PO)	Potassium (KO)
Broiler	lb/ton
Fresh (no litter)	26	10	17	11
Broiler house litter²	72	11	78	46
Breeder house litter²	31	7	54	31
Stockpiled litter²	36	8	80	34
Layer	lb/ton
Fresh (no litter)	26	6	22	11
Undercage scraped³	28	14	31	20
Highrise stored⁴	38	18	56	30
	lb/1,000 gallons
Liquid slurry⁵	62	42	59	37
Anaerobic lagoon sludge	26	8	92	13
	lb/acre-inch
Anaerobic lagoon liquid	179	154	46	266
¹Source: Biological and Agricultural Engineering Dept., North Carolina State University, as reported in “Poultry Manure as a Fertilizer Source,” Soil Facts fact sheet authored by J.P. Zublena, J.C. Baker and T.A. Carter, North Carolina Coop. Ext. Serv., Raleigh (http://www.soil.ncsu.edu/publications/Soilfacts/AG-439-05/) ²Annual manure and litter accumulation; typical litter base is coarse sawdust, wood shavings, or peanut hulls. ³Manure collected within two days. ⁴Annual manure accumulation on unpaved surfaces. ⁵Six to 12 months of manure accumulation, excess water usage, and storage-surface rainfall surplus; does not include fresh water for flushing.

Table 2.Nitrogen recommendations and suggested application rates of layer manure and broiler litter for selected crops.

Crop¹	Recommended N (lbs/acre)	Layer manure (tons per acre)	Broiler manure with litter (tons per acre)
Improved perennial grasses	160	4–6	3–5
Oranges, mature	200	4–6	3–5
Grapefruit, mature	160	4–6	3–5
Pine	100–200	2–6	3–5
Corn, non-irrigated 15,000 plants/acre	180	3–7	2–5
Corn, irrigated 30,000 plants/acre	240	6–10	5–7
Vegetable garden	100	2–5	2–4
¹Due to the timing needs for nitrogen and the high value of commercial vegetable crops, manure is not recommended as the sole source of nitrogen for those crops.

Footnotes

This document is PS1, one of a series of the Animal Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date March 1992. Revised November 1996 and November 2013. Reviewed January 2017. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

Michael A. Davis, agriculture Extension agent II, UF/IFAS Extension Baker County; D. R. Sloan, former Extension poultry specialist, Dairy and Poultry Sciences Department; G. Kidder, emeritus professor, Soil and Water Sciences Department; and R. D. Jacobs, former area poultry specialist, Dairy and Poultry Sciences Department; UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other UF/IFAS Extension publications, contact your county’s UF/IFAS Extension office.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, UF/IFAS Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A & M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Nick T. Place, dean for UF/IFAS Extension.

Successfully Raising a Small Flock of Laying Chickens

Production & Management
Eggs - Breeders
Eggs - Layers

Jim

May 20, 2019

Raising a small chicken flock for egg production in the backyard has increased in popularity.

General Considerations

Check all local ordinances, zoning laws, and property association rules to see if you can raise chickens in your area.
Follow laws and apply for permits if required.
Roosters are not necessary in a flock for hens to lay eggs.
Producing eggs in small flocks will always cost more.
Chickens require daily care and monitoring. Develop a plan for who will care for the birds when you are away.
Chickens must be fenced in for their own security.
Manure/litter is a great soil amendment if composted properly.

Type of Birds

All chickens will lay eggs.
Chickens in most small flocks live 8 years, but they can live up to 12 to 15 years.
- Common heritage type breeds will lay 50 to 100 eggs a year. There is also great variability between strains.
- Commercial sex-linked hybrids will lay 240 to 280 eggs a year. They are a hardy yet docile bird, great for a small-flock setting.
Egg shell color is determined by the breed and makes no difference in nutritional value or taste of the egg.

Feed and Water

Provide a constant supply of fresh water. Clean out water daily.
Feed free choice (feed available at all times).
Store feed in a dry, dark metal container for up to 4 weeks.
Proper feeder size, settings, and height saves feed.
- Keep feeder lip at back height.
- Provide a 3-inch feed space per bird.
- Only fill feed tray 2/3 full.
Feed a complete ration specific to the bird’s age, body type, and state of production.
- Feed a chick starter diet for the first 0 to 6 weeks.
- Feed a chicken grower diet from 6 to 18 weeks.
- Feed a layer ration from 18 weeks on.
- Supplement oyster shells to older birds.
- Crack corn and scratch grain should not be fed to chickens. Avoid feeding high levels of human food or scraps.
- Only chicks under 4 weeks of age should be fed medicated feeds to prevent coccidiosis.

Proper Cooping

Build a coop that provides 2 square feet per bird of indoor space.
Limit drafts and moisture in the coop.
Make sure predators cannot access the coop. Close birds in securely at night.
Coop should be easy to access, clean, and maintain; designed to prevent injury to the birds; and provide natural lighting.
Slippery surfaces will cause leg injuries.
Use pine shavings or straw for bedding.
Clean out any wet or compacted litter.
Maintain the coop.

Lighting

Layers require 14 to 16 hours of light daily.
Add artificial light in the morning, and allow the birds to roost with sunset.
One foot candle is full light for birds. Use a 25- to 40-watt bulb.
Do not light adult birds for more than 16 hours daily.

Nesting Boxes

Nests should be at least 12 by 12 inches.
Provide two nests for the first four hens. Then add a nest for every four additional hens.
Have a 3- to 4-inch lip in the front of the nests to keep nesting material in the box.
Keep 3 inches of clean pine shavings in the nests.
Place nests in a darker, secluded area off the floor and away from roosts.

Roosts

Provide 6 inches per bird.
Place roosts 18 to 24 inches above the floor, spaced 1 foot apart, and away from nests.

Egg Sale Laws

Sell within 5 days of lay.
Keep refrigerated at 45°F or lower.
Do not use cartons from another business.
Each carton must be labeled: name and address, date of packaging, statement of identity (eggs), net contents (in 3/16-inch letters), “Keep Refrigerated,” and “Unclassified” (unless you weigh the eggs).

Best Health Care Practices

Never introduce adult birds into an established flock.
Never mix different species in the same flock.
Limit visitors from accessing your pens.
Practice good sanitation of equipment.
Practice “all in, all out” when changing flocks.
Confine birds to a fenced area and limit contact with wild birds and predators.
Keep rodents, flies & other animals out of the chicken coop and feed.
Check for parasites monthly and treat if necessary. A dusting area can help prevent external parasites.

Additional Resources

Disease questions

Prepared by Phillip J. Clauer, Penn State Extension and Department of Animal Science. Photos provided by the Penn State Department of Animal Science.

This project was supported by Agricultural and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant no. (2015-68004-23131) from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Egg Size and Your Small Flock of Laying Hens

Production & Management
Eggs - Breeders
Eggs - Layers

Jim

May 17, 2019

For many people, the ideal laying hen would lay Grade A Large sized eggs from the first day to last day of her production cycle. A Large egg gives you a bigger breakfast than a Medium egg but is less expensive to produce or likely to crack compared to an Extra Large or Jumbo egg. No laying hen, however, can meet the ideal standard of laying a Large egg everyday.

All hens start egg production laying Pee Wee or Small eggs and gradually increase to a mature egg grade size of Medium, Large or bigger. In modern breeds, most hens are laying Large, Extra Large or Jumbo eggs by 40 weeks of age.

While you cannot alter the basic pattern of how egg size changes as hens age, the feeding and management of your hens can have a measurable impact on egg size. The way that you treat your hens will determine how quickly they will start to lay Large, Extra Large or Jumbo eggs.

Important management factors in controlling egg size are:

Hen body weight is the key to increased egg size. Bigger hens produce larger eggs than smaller hens and bigger breeders produce larger eggs than smaller breeders. For modern White Leghorns, rearing pullets that weigh at least 1.35 kg (3.0 lbs.) at the start of egg production will increase both hen weight and egg size.
Protein level in the feed can be used to alter egg size at different stages of production. In the first couple of months of egg production feeding a high, 18% to 20% protein layer ration will increase egg size. After the flock has reached maximum egg production, high protein diets no longer promote large increases in egg size. After 36 weeks of age, feeding rations with 15% to 17% protein will help to slow increases in egg size.
Lighting programs influence egg size by accelerating or delaying the age at which hens start to lay eggs. The younger a hen is when she starts egg production, the smaller her eggs will be during her first year of life. The start of egg production can be delayed by providing 10 hours or less of light each day to 19 weeks of age. Decreasing the daily hours of light at any time after 10 weeks of age will also delay the start of egg production.
Skeletal size has some impact on egg size. Hens with bigger and longer bones tend to become bigger hens and lay bigger eggs. The protein level in the ration fed before 10 weeks of age is the main factor influencing skeletal size of any particular breed of hen. If you want pullets with bigger skeletons, feed a starter diet until 8 or 10 weeks of age instead of just 6 weeks of age.
Feed intake has a direct impact on the hens’ intake of nutrients and the size of eggs that they produce. Any factor that limits feed consumption, for example crowding, heat stress or inadequate water supply, will reduce egg size.

These factors have a strong influence on how soon the hens start to lay Large instead of Medium eggs and how many hens will lay Extra Large or Jumbo eggs.

Prepare for summer with tunnel ventilation

Production & Management
Meat - Turkeys

Jim

May 16, 2019

It’s that time of the season… when summer is on its way and turkey farmers need to start thinking about how they will keep their feathered friends cool. Environmental comfort is crucial to turkeys’ health and development. Read on to discover how to best accomplish this with the tools available in a modern tunnel ventilated barn.

Temperature and bird performance

In the summer, the goal is to keep the birds as comfortable as possible, or what’s known as the thermal neutral zone. Below is a chart produced by NC State University that explains how gradual increases in temperature can affect bird comfort and performance. Mature birds, 12 weeks or older, are most comfortable in the range of 55⁰F-75⁰F (12.8⁰C-23.9⁰C).

thermal comfort.png

Tunnel ventilation

Maintaining the thermal neutral zone can be accomplished by utilizing tunnel ventilation. The primary goal of tunnel ventilation is to provide the flock with the appropriate conditions based on the age, weight and density of the flock. The three main reasons to use tunnel ventilation are to remove heat from the house, remove heat from the birds, and reduce the temperature of incoming air.

Maintaining and maximizing your system

Maintaining fans and cooling systems are the backbone for consistent results. Worn belts or dirty shutters can easily reduce the air speed, and therefore the wind chill effect felt by the birds. The wind chill chart below shows that small decreases in air speed can substantially reduce the birds’ comfort level. The difference in 400 fpm to 600 fpm is nearly double the effective wind chill. Be sure to maximize your air speed first before adding water to the system. Many people see the best results by not fogging or using cool cells before the inside temperature reaches 87⁰F (30.6⁰C) or when the relative humidity is below 75%.

wind chill.png When it is appropriate to add water to the system, remember the 80/80 rule: at 80⁰F (26.7⁰C) the relative humidity (or Rh) will be 80%. This occurs on average between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm, however, there are exceptions. The graph below shows that whenever the temperature reaches 80⁰F (26.7⁰C), the Rh is at the 80% mark. Adding moisture at this time will result in wet floors and hot birds because the air is saturated. For every 1 degree of cooling by adding water, the relative humidity goes up 2.5%. For example, at 10⁰F (-12.2⁰C) of cooling, you are adding 25% more humidity to the barn. You can see as the air heats up, the Rh falls, allowing for moisture to be added and cooling to take place.

RH chart.png

When working with your tunnel ventilation system, always keep in mind to first add air speed, and then when appropriate, add evaporative cooling to reach and maintain the thermal neutral comfort zone. This concept can be easily misunderstood, but achieving this comfort range will ensure the birds are healthy and performing at their best.

Meet Our Families: Special 80th Anniversary Video Project

Production & Management
Meat - Turkeys

Jim

May 15, 2019

To commemorate its 80th anniversary, the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association (MTGA) has released the first of several videos highlighting some of its many families who have made an impact on the turkey industry.

“As we looked at ways we can celebrate MTGA’s 80 years of existence, it became readily apparent that sharing the stories of some of our members was the best way to do this,” said MTGA Executive Director Steve Olson. “MTGA was formed by a group of turkey farmers in 1939 who wanted a way to connect, collaborate, and learn from other farmers like them. While plenty has changed in agriculture and farming over the past eight decades, one thing remains constant: MTGA continues to bring farmers and our industry partners together to work together for the betterment of the turkey industry.”

The first video showcases the Rothfork family of Melrose, Minn., which includes Pete and Patti Rothfork and their daughter, Jes Westbrock and her husband, Andy and their three children. The family works together to raise turkeys and operate a feed mill in Melrose. You can view the video here and learn about how they got started in raising turkeys and how they are building their future in agriculture together.

The Rothfork video and all future 80th anniversary family videos will be posted on the MinnesotaTurkey.com website and MTGA’s YouTube Channel. You can also follow Minnesota Turkey on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (@minnesotaturkey) to make sure you don’t miss any of the videos over the course of the next several weeks. The video project will culminate in a special 80th anniversary celebration at MTGA’s Summer Conference for members, June 26-28.

“MTGA would also like to thank one of our long-time partners, the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, for assisting with our 80^th video project,” said Olson.

Minnesota is the nation’s top turkey producer, with approximately 450 turkey farmers raising around 45 million turkeys annually. For more information about Minnesota Turkey, please visit MinnesotaTurkey.com.

Country Junction Feeds to acquire Federated Co-operatives Ltd. feed mill in Edmonton

Feed & Nutrition

Jim

May 15, 2019

Country Junction Feeds based in Western Canada has announced a major expansion of its operations with the agreement to acquire the Federated Co-operatives Ltd. (FCL) feed mill in Edmonton.

The leading feed company, headquartered in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, serves a broadening customer base across Alberta, Canada and into the U.S., specializing in quality bulk and bagged feeds for beef, dairy, equine, poultry, swine, goat, lamb, certified organic feeds and more.

Strengthening capacity and resources

The agreement to acquire the FCL Edmonton feed mill Sept. 30, 2019, adds significant feed mill capacity directed at serving northern Alberta and beyond with diversified Country Junction Feeds feed products and services including industry leading animal nutrition expertise.

“We are very pleased with the agreement to acquire the Edmonton feed mill,” says Darrel Kimmel, Manager of Country Junction Feeds. “The additional capacity and resources will enhance our overall product and service offerings while aligning with our strategic vision for Country Junction Feeds moving forward. It’s an important time of evolution and opportunity in the feed industry and for the broadening customer base we serve. Our growing Country Junction Feeds team is looking forward to playing a strong role in helping our customers succeed in this new environment.”

Delivering value to diverse customer base

Country Junction Feeds management and key staff, including leading animal nutritionists Bernie Grumpelt, Dr. Nancy Fischer and Jamie McAllister, will have central roles in supporting the expansion and directing the activity of the added feed mill. Overall capacity from both current and added facilities will allow Country Junction Feeds to deliver a wide range of feed and solutions to fit all major livestock and equine species and production approaches, including tailored solutions for different stages of life and both conventional and niche market opportunities.

“We take pride in being proactive in offering the latest advantages in feed and nutrition solutions, technology and strategies,” says Kimmel. “This will continue under the new expansion. This is another important step in our continued growth that will benefit all current and new Country Junction Feeds customers.”

More information on Country Junction Feeds and its comprehensive offering of products and services is available at www.countryjunctionfeeds.com.

Cargill recalls animal feed over grain toxin concerns

Feed & Nutrition

Jim

May 8, 2019

Cargill Inc has issued a voluntary recall of nearly 150 tons of animal feed, a spokeswoman said on Tuesday, after North Carolina regulators found aflatoxin in a testing sample.

Aflatoxin is a byproduct of a mold that typically flourishes in corn or other grains in dry conditions, and can be harmful or even fatal to livestock. The toxin became a serious problem for the grain industry eight years ago, when a historic drought in the U.S. Midwest put everyone from farmers to grain handlers and food industry officials on high alert.

Cargill said it first learned about the problem in its products after the North Carolina Department of Agriculture alerted the company that test results showed a single lot of feed product contained elevated levels of aflatoxin.

The affected products are from Cargill’s Southern States feed line, and were made at its facility in Cleveland, North Carolina. The products included feed for poultry, beef and dairy cattle, sheep, goats and equine.

Altogether, Cargill said it recalled 4,971 bags of the feed, mostly in 50 pound bags, and 25 bulk tons. Cargill gave no dollar value for the recalled product.

“The root cause was identified as a corn supplier to our Cleveland, NC facility, with whom we have changed our internal testing protocol,” company spokeswoman April Nelson told Reuters.

Cargill is working with the supplier to understand the source of the mold, Nelson said, and is now sourcing corn from other suppliers.

There have been no reports of adverse health effects to animals that consumed the products, Cargill said in a statement. Cargill issued a press release outlining the situation late on Monday, at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Nelson said.

The products were pulled from retail outlets and distributors in the Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia markets and removed from retail shelves throughout February, March, and April.

All product has been pulled at this point, and retailers have been issued credit for their disposed inventory, Cargill said.

Cobb Europe Drives Innovation in Southern Africa

Genetics & Breeding

Jim

May 7, 2019

Cobb Europe recently partnered with RCL Foods and Hybrid Poultry Farm Zambia (Ltd) to host two technical schools for poultry professionals and farm managers across southern Africa. More than 80 individuals attended the two events to learn about current best management practices, share challenges and opportunities, and network with others in the field. Attendees heard from Cobb specialists as well as technical experts from each partnering company.

Beginning on March 23, Cobb Europe and RCL Foods hosted a three-day technical school in Rustenburg, South Africa, for farm and hatchery managers of grandparent and parent stock lines, including presentations on rearing, laying, broilers and hatcheries.

“The technical school is a great learning experience, not only because of the presentations and illustrations but also because of the interactions with people from different regions and departments,” said Theo Bezuidenhout, technical executive at RCL Foods. “The purpose of this workshop was to enable people to make more informed decisions in the workplace and I think we achieved that with great success.”

Three days later, Cobb Europe and Hybrid Poultry Farm hosted the second technical school in Lusaka, Zambia, on behalf of Africa Poultry Development Limited (APDL) Group. The ADPL Group is a holding company of four entities that trade in African countries, including Hybrid Poultry Farm. The sessions brought together managers from the four entities, along with some of their key customers, to discuss poultry performance.

“We always enjoy bringing the teams together across the ADPL Group,” said Richard Keeley, director at Hybrid Poultry Farm. “It is an ideal opportunity to expose our managers to Cobb technical support firsthand, giving them quality resources to pass on to their teams.”

Both technical schools provided attendees up-to-date information on new technology; innovation; and automation of breeders, hatcheries and broiler housing. Experts also discussed the economics of broiler production and the new-generation vaccines and held practical sessions to help work through the material.

In the months ahead, senior poultry leadership from customers across Africa will be invited to the Europe, Middle East and Africa technical school in Harderwijk, Netherlands, in July.

New Flexible Feed Formulation concept aims to improve broiler performance on lower-cost diets

Feed & Nutrition

Jim

May 7, 2019

ew research from Chr. Hansen confirms that GALLIPRO^® — a direct-fed microbial (DFM) for poultry containing a unique strain of Bacillus subtilis — allows producers to reduce energy, protein and amino-acid content in feed, without reducing broiler performance. GALLIPRO^® is marketed as GALLIPRO^® Max in the US.

These findings — combined with Chr. Hansen’s 100+ years of experience in microbial product development — are the basis of the company’s new “Flexible Feed Formulation” concept, which was presented in a forum at the 2016 International Production and Processing Expo in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The forum included research presentations by Dorthe Sandvang, senior research scientist with Chr. Hansen; Michael Sims, president, Virginia Diversified Research Center; and Prof. Horácio Rostagno of Brazil’s University of Viçosa.

“Our Flexible Feed Formulation concept reflects our commitment to supporting successful and sustainable poultry production with solutions that help our customers produce more with less,” says global product manager Mickaël Rouault.

“Feed can account for up to 70 percent of the cost of broiler production, with energy, protein and amino acids representing some of the costliest components. By boosting enzyme production while enhancing intestinal function, GALLIPRO^® is proven to increase both the availability and uptake of energy and nutrients. As a result, broilers can maintain performance on diets that are lower in energy, protein and amino acids — and consequently, lower in cost.”

Improved digestibility and performance

In several trials conducted under commercial conditions in the US and Brazil, GALLIPRO^® was shown to contribute 35 to 100 kcal/kg feed, depending on feed composition and flock-health conditions. That means dietary energy can be reduced by 1 to 3 percent, without compromising weight gain or feed conversion in commercial broilers (Table 1, Figure 1).

Table 1. ME contribution of GALLIPRO^®

Location	No. of ME levels	ME contribution of GALLIPRO^®
Brazil	2	100 kcal/kg feed (3.2%)
Brazil	4	36 kcal/kg feed (1.3%)
Virginia, US	4	41 kcal/kg feed (1.4%)
Georgia, US	4	61.4 kcal/kg feed (2%)

New Flexible Feed Formulation concept aims to improve broiler performance on lower-cost diets, Figure 1 GALLIPRO increased ME & lowered FCR at all energy levels

GalliPro® is proven to increase both the availability and uptake of energy and nutrients. As a result, broilers can maintain performance on diets that are lower in energy, protein and amino acids — and consequently, lower in cost.Mickaël Rouault

Global product manager,

Further studies from Brazil and the UK showed that the DFM increases protein and amino acid digestibility, compensating for a 1 to 5 percent reduction in these potentially costly feed components (Figure 2).

New Flexible Feed Formulation concept aims to improve broiler performance on lower-cost diets, Figure 2 Ileal protein digestibility

According to Alfred Blanch, PhD, DVM, a poultry consultant for Chr. Hansen, results were consistent across the controlled studies, each of which evaluated the effect of the probiotic supplement on several different concentrations of dietary energy or protein.

“Many factors can influence digestibility and performance, so we intentionally introduced several variables in these studies, including location, diet, and protein and energy levels for each diet. Yet across the board, results are remarkably consistent,” Blanch explains. “Although actual energy and protein compensation can vary based on nutrition, environment and subclinical infections, GALLIPRO^® clearly and consistently improves broiler performance by helping them get more energy and nutrients from their feed.”

Proven mode of action

The consistency of the study data reflects the proven mode of action of the B. subtilis strain in GALLIPRO^®, which works by increasing enzyme activity, while improving intestinal function.

Using a proprietary tool known as reducing-sugar release (RSR) analysis, Chr. Hansen scientists demonstrated that by breaking down fiber and making more reducing sugars available to birds, the probiotic contributes 40 to 60 kcal/kg feed, confirming the trial results.

“B. subtilis enhances carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism by producing digestive enzymes that birds don’t produce on their own,” Rouault says.

“As our RSR analysis proves, this particular strain gives birds access to more metabolizable energy from their feed, which partly explains the increased digestibility and performance we observed in the in vivo studies.”

In addition to making more nutrients available to the bird, GALLIPRO^® aids the uptake of nutrients by promoting healthy microbial diversity in the intestine. This not only allows birds’ natural digestive enzymes to work more effectively, but it also makes it more difficult for harmful bacteria to colonize the gut. Furthermore, the probiotic has been shown to increase villus length, thereby increasing the gut’s capacity for nutrient absorption.

More with less

According to Blanch, the ability to maintain broiler performance on energy- and protein-reduced feed has clear economic benefits for producers and nutritionists, but there are other benefits, too.

“Lower-protein diets mean not only lower feed costs, but also less ammonia — a natural byproduct of protein digestion — resulting in better litter quality, fewer footpad lesions, better air quality in the poultry house and reduced ammonia emissions,” he explains.

In addition, he says, the B. subtilis strain in GALLIPRO^® has been shown to improve broiler weight gain and feed conversion both with and without antibiotics, making it a valuable tool as the poultry industry comes under pressure to reduce antibiotic use.

“At its core, the Flexible Feed Formulation concept is about producing more with less — not just less energy, protein and money, but also less waste, less ammonia and potentially fewer antibiotics,” Rouault emphasized. “By using less, we believe the industry stands to gain much more in return: more profit, more sustainability and more successful poultry production overall.”

References:
Jin, Frank et al. “Effect of Bacillus subtilis (GalliPro® Max) on energy conversion of broiler chickens fed with corn-soybean meal diets at varying energy levels.” 2016 International Poultry Scientific Forum abstract book, p. 49.

Harrington, D et al. “The use of GalliPro® to improve broiler performance on protein-reduced diets.” 2014 Poultry Science Association, abstract #233.

Abudabos, A.M. et al. “Effects of prebiotics and probiotics on the performance and bacterial colonization of broiler chickens.” South African Journal of Animal Science, 2015, 45, no. 4, pp. 419-428.

Opalinski, M et al. “On the use of a probiotic (Bacillus subtilis – strain DSM 17299) as growth promoter in broiler diets.” Brazilian Journal of Poultry Science, Apr-Jun 2007, vol. 9, no. 4, pp. 99-103.

The use of halothane and succinylcholine to identify broilers prone to developing pale, soft, exudative meat.

Research

Jim

May 6, 2019

Abstract

Within the last several years, the poultry industry has seen a dramatic increase in the occurrence of pale, soft, and exudative (PSE) meat. This problem is known to be associated with a rapid decline in postmortem (PM) muscle pH, which results in inferior protein functionality similar to that found in PSE pork. Many factors such as seasonal changes have been known to influence the occurrence of PSE meat in poultry and swine. Halothane and succinylcholine have been used within the pork industry to identify animals susceptible to stress and prone to developing PSE meat. The mechanism for the triggering of the PSE gene in poultry has not been fully understood. Therefore, a study was conducted to determine the effectiveness of screening broilers with halothane to identify those prone to developing PSE meat. Succinylcholine was used before slaughter to serve as a triggering agent for the PSE condition. At 4 wk of age, broilers from 4 commercial strains (n = 1,000) were subjected to 3% halothane gas and classified as either halothane positive (HAL+) or negative (HAL-) based on muscle rigidity within the legs. Although halothane sensitivity varied slightly among the strains, approximately 14% of the birds overall were classified as HAL+. All HAL- birds (n = 163) and an equal number of HAL-birds (n = 163) in each strain were grown to market age (7 wk) and were commercially processed. At the time of processing, half of the HAL+ and HAL- birds were injected intravenously with succinylcholine and were slaughtered at 0.25 h postinjection. Pectoralis muscle samples were collected at 0.25, 2, 5, and 24 h PM for the evaluation of rigor development (muscle pH) and meat quality (L* value, moisture, drip loss, and cook loss). Halothane sensitivity had no effect on rigor development, muscle color, or water-holding capacity in the 4 broiler strains. Although birds exhibited reactions to the halothane gas, the halothane sensitivity, along with the use of succinylcholine, was not able to identify birds prone to developing PSE meat.