With SetCare, the new setter developed by HatchTech Incubation Technology, eggs are incubated for 24 days instead of the traditional 21 days. This results in 3% lower embryo mortality, which automatically means an improved hatching performance. The chicks that hatch will demonstrate an overall improved chick quality.
SetCare builds on HatchTech’s years of research into the beginning of the incubation period, in which embryo mortality is relatively high. This has long been accepted as an inevitable part of incubation, but a more in-depth research and a closer look at the natural incubation process, reveals that the industry-standard of a 21-day incubation process is sub-optimal. A 24-day incubation process with a more gradual increase in egg temperature is needed to help embryo cells to survive and to achieve the best hatch result.
“SetCare suits our promise to deliver superior chick quality” states Joost Ter Heerdt, Commercial Director of HatchTech Group. “SetCare reduces embryo mortality, resulting in an increase of hatchability by at least 3%. Also, overall the number of 1st grade chicks increases, as do average chick length and quality, and improved FCR while a smaller hatching window ensures higher uniformity.”
The unique precision-control set-up of SetCare incubation environment enables a consistent extremely slow warming process (+0,1 °C per hour). Combined with carefully controlled humidity and CO2 levels, this provides a uniform and optimal incubation environment both for layer and broiler eggs.

When broiler chickens are busy fighting the parasitic infection coccidiosis, they can’t absorb nutrients efficiently or put energy toward growth. In addition to traditional medicine, new research from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign suggests diet changes might help.

In the experiment, described in a study published in the journal Poultry Science, the university research team the research team induced coccidiosis, and then altered the diet to understand the roles of various ingredients. The team adjusted the starch, oil, and amino acid content of the classic broiler diet and monitored body weight gain and feed conversion ratio.

“If you visualize a triangle, the three points represent diets with the highest starch, oil, and amino acid content,” doctoral student Julianna Jespersen explained. “We used varying proportions of those three ingredients to mix 10 experimental diets, one being a control diet with an equal proportion of each ingredient.”

The optimal diet mix — the diet leading to the highest body weight gain in coccidiosis-challenged birds — consisted of 35.8% starch, 8.9% oil, and 101.3% of recommended amino acids relative to the control diet.

The researchers acknowledge 9% oil inclusion is well above practical levels for the industry. “That level of oil is going to be hard for producers to fathom. But previous research from our lab has shown this parasite reduces lipid absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, so the birds can’t get as much energy or lipid components out of the diet,” said senior study author Ryan Dilger. The researchers acknowledge 9% oil inclusion is well above practical levels for the industry. Producers might look at that and laugh, but the bird is telling us why it should be that high for optimizing outcomes in disease-challenged birds.”

Jespersen says although it may not be feasible to include oil at 9%, the results show that increasing oil to any level above the usual 1% should be beneficial.

Chicken marketers need to start planning how to future-proof communications with the unique consumer expectations and needs of Generation Z.

“Our future consumer is really forging a new food future. What I mean by that is that they’re doing things differently from their parents in terms of food,” Michele Murray, executive vice president, Food Agriculture and Ingredient Practice, Ketchum, said. For example, 68% of Generation Z say they are cooking differently than their parents, with only 20% indicating that the way they ate as kids impacts the way they eat now. “We’re seeing a major shift in how this particular target audience, Generation Z is choosing their food, making purchasing decisions and their general attitude about food,” she added.

One of the biggest differentiators between Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, and previous generations is that there is a large part of this demographic that considers themselves food evangelists. This is likely due to their lifelong exposure to social media and the internet. “When we first identified this as a consumer segment back more than 10 years ago, 22% of the overall population fit into that food evangelist category,” Murray explained. “But for Generation Z, we found that over half describe themselves as food evangelists.” In other words, this demographic is highly interested in understanding more about food and sharing that food story with the people around them.

Generation Z is also highly value-driven when it comes to the food they purchase in terms of the environment. They also believe their food choices say something about them – from sustainability to body issues and even when it comes to certain political issues. They feel the weight of the world to make certain decisions about food and are judged by society. These are certainly aspects that cannot be ignored in the market communication of chicken meat towards a consumer segment that will soon represent a significant purchasing power.

Peroxide was found as the most effective egg wash sanitizer to both remove Salmonella from the shell’s surface and to keep the cuticle intact in a recent research study. “Salmonella is frequently found on hatch eggs even after they go through the sanitation process,” said Ted Brown, Cargill Global Food Safety & Scientific Services, at the 2024 International Production and Processing Expo. “So, we conducted research to find a sanitizer that is effective at reducing Salmonella on hatch eggs without damaging the cuticle.”

The study evaluated how multiple egg wash sanitizers, including thymol, peracetic acid (PAA), bromine, peroxide and quaternary ammonium, reduced Salmonella levels on the surface of inoculated eggs, without damaging the egg cuticles, when compared to an unwashed treatment. Specifically, the peroxide product was the most effective egg sanitizer, reducing Salmonella prevalence on the egg surface by over 73%. The thymol product was the least effective sanitizer and only reduced Salmonella prevalence by less than 5%.

Brown explained that the project was conducted to update producers on new and current egg wash processes. Currently, chlorine is the primary sanitizer used by breeders for egg sanitation in the processing plant, explained Brown. However, chlorine dissociates quickly in the presence of organic loads, can be corrosive to equipment and requires strict management to use effectively.

In the future, Brown said that he hopes to conduct an additional study to ensure that the hatch rate is not negatively affected by the sanitizers.

Calls for the European Union to deliver on its promised ban on the use of cages for farmed animals have been made by animal welfare charity Compassion in World Farming in its latest EggTrack 2023 report. The report shows that food companies are focused on providing a cage-free life for egg-laying hens, despite the ongoing challenges posed by avian influenza, inflation and the war in Ukraine. But it says that without their actions being reinforced by legislators, there will not be a final eradication of cages.

Such legislation, it argues, would broadly reflect consumer attitudes, pointing to the 1.4 million EU citizens that signed the ‘End the Cage Age’ initiative in 2020 and the 2023 Eurobarometer report which found that 91% of European believe that protecting the welfare of farmed animals is important and 84% saying animals should be better protected than they are currently.

During the year, 444 companies were monitored by Egg Track. Between them they have made 715 cage-free commitments of which 511 (71%) are reporting progress, with an average of 75% transition to cage-free eggs. They straddle all sectors: 51 manufacturers, 195 retailers and meal kit providers, 111 restaurants, 13 producers and 74 food service and hospitality companies are represented.

Figures differ across the globe. The highest average transition to cage-free eggs in Europe was 80%, while in the US it was 73% and in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region the figure was 57%. A total of 9 companies made new global cage-free commitments.

As regards legislation, France has banned the installation of new cages and all cage systems for hens are already banned in Austria, Luxembourg and Switzerland. Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia have enacted bans that will come into force in the coming years. The US is also making strides with bans on battery cages across 11 different states.

Poultry producers collect a lot of data. New technology that combines the internet of things (IoT), causal analysis and generative AI could put that data to work to help optimize decisions affecting bird health, production and overall profitability.

At the 2023 Poultry Tech Summit, Evan Sadlon, data science manager, MTech Systems, discussed how this technology could provide more accurate answers to questions such as: What are the effects of different pre-heating regiments on average daily gain?; How does the amount of starter per bird change the inflection point of the growth curve?; and, When should I be running different ventilation programs to minimize feed conversion ration (FCR)?

To illustrate what causal analysis is, Sadlon shared a chart that links drownings to watching Nicholas Cage movies. “According to this chart, all we have to do to save lives is bar Nicholas Cage from starring in any more movies,” he said. “How do we separate Nicholas Cage drowning people into actual causation? That’s what casual analysis is. It seeks to find what actions actually lead to specific outcomes.” Poultry producers can make the same mistakes at their farm with data collection. Sensors in the poultry house use IOT to collect information on a variety of factors, from bird health to environmental conditions within the house. But, without causal analysis, producers may not be able to actually use this data to help improve outcomes, he said.

The addition of generative AI can improve the decision-making process even more. This technology is commonly described as the next generation of artificial intelligence because it can build on the data it collects. Generative AI can help poultry data scientists build on and improve the coding and analysis that they use to make decisions about how the birds are raised and fed.

An active live yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii could improve food safety, reduce Salmonella colonization and boost intestinal health and maturity when added to poultry diets.

“I’ve been taking this kind of live active yeast and looking at the past, taking it all the way to the current and some recent new data on how this active yeast could potentially be a great tool for some forms of production,” Bill Potter, Ph.D., food safety technical advisor, Elanco, explained at the 2023 Poultry Tech Summit conference.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii was originally discovered in the quest to improve wine processing. In 1920, Henry Boulard traveled to IndoChina to search for new strains of yeast that can be used during the fermenting process. Unfortunately, this visit occurred at the same time as a cholera outbreak at the time. “He noticed that some of the natives in the area were going to certain plants, particularly the lychee fruit,” said Potter, noting that tea from this fruit provided relief from intestinal tract problems caused by the cholera. “As they say, the rest is history,” he added.

The active live yeast has three modes of action; impact on microbiome balance, improvement in natural defenses and improvement in gut integrity. One of the most unique characteristics of Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii is that it can sequester oxygen. In other words, it takes away oxygen that can otherwise by used by Salmonella, E. coli and other pathogens in the poultry gut, improving food safety.

In commercial trials, broilers supplemented with Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii showed significant reductions in pathogen colonization. Similar decreases in E. coli were seen in a layer operation during another study. Saccharomyces cerevisiae boulardii isn’t a silver bullet, Potter cautioned, but when the yeast is fed in combination with other management strategies, food safety can be improved.

A fast, safe method of analysing bone density in live hens could help poultry producers select the optimum birds with which to breed, to improve animal health and welfare. Scientists at the Roslin Institute have developed a digital X-ray procedure that takes around 45 seconds to conduct, is practical for hens and poultry workers, and delivers reliable, reproducible results.

Their novel method presented in British Poultry Science enables breeders to consider bone density in their selection of laying hens, which are at risk of fractures from biological changes linked with laying eggs. Recent advances in digital X-ray technology have enabled researchers to develop their technique to capture and interpret images relating to bone density. Their method involves quickly capturing digital X-rays of live hens, from which their leg bone density can be calculated, and data digitally shared. Researchers optimised their method to ensure a clear image in minimal exposure time. Their approach was validated by comparing results from chicken X-rays with those from analysis of chicken leg bones.

The procedure, which takes about 45 seconds, offers a fast, practical alternative to conventional imaging techniques such as Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry, Digitised Fluoroscopy and CT scans. Strong bones offer improved health and reduced risk of fractures in birds that have freedom to move around their environment. The keel bone, or sternum, of hens is particularly prone to damage and previous research by the same team has shown that leg bone density is genetically related to that of the keel bone, and to fracture risk. The new practical way to measure bone density also has animal welfare implications, as it could help reduce the number of animals needed for research into nutritional and management aids for bone health.

Global poultry market growth in 2023 is expected to be slow, reaching only 1%, according to a recent report from Rabobank. Global poultry markets are well positioned to gradually improve in Q4 2023 and early 2024, although the level will depend on how well-balanced they are. After a period of slow poultry consumption growth due to a weak global economy and rising prices resulting from cost increases, global demand has room for some recovery, driven mainly by lower feed costs and, therefore, lower chicken prices. Markets will stay highly price-driven, but poultry should be able to benefit from its relatively competitive pricing in many markets compared to other proteins like beef, pork, and alternative proteins. Rabobank sees improving market conditions in the US, Mexico, Japan, South Africa, Indonesia, and China. However, the situation in Indonesia and China will be fragile.

The EU market has been strong, but high levels of fresh chicken imports are creating pressure. Brazil and Thailand face more challenging conditions and will need more supply growth discipline in oversupplied domestic markets. Global trade is expected to stay strong in 2H 2023 after reaching a record-high 7.2 million tonnes in the first half of the year, driven entirely by increased trade of raw poultry meat, while trade in processed poultry meat dropped sharply. Amid more price-driven markets, consumers’ product preferences are changing, and this trend is expected to continue in 2H 2023 and into 2024. Government interventions driven by food security, geopolitics, and sustainability will continue to impact markets and create volatility in global trade. Avian influenza will remain an important factor that could suddenly impact global markets, from both a local supply perspective and a trade perspective, especially if Brazil’s southern states are hit. Producers should maintain focus on the operational side.

Although we believe feed prices will drop slightly, operational costs are still at historic highs, and risks of further volatility exist in grain prices (due to El Niño) and in energy prices and availability. Ongoing leadership in terms of costs and procurement will remain key. Additionally, producers should fine-tune supply to changes in poultry demand related to products, distribution, and market development.

Global poultry market growth in 2023 is expected to be slow, reaching only 1%, according to a recent report from Rabobank. Global poultry markets are well positioned to gradually improve in Q4 2023 and early 2024, although the level will depend on how well-balanced they are.

After a period of slow poultry consumption growth due to a weak global economy and rising prices resulting from cost increases, global demand has room for some recovery, driven mainly by lower feed costs and, therefore, lower chicken prices. Markets will stay highly price-driven, but poultry should be able to benefit from its relatively competitive pricing in many markets compared to other proteins like beef, pork, and alternative proteins.

Rabobank sees improving market conditions in the US, Mexico, Japan, South Africa, Indonesia, and China. However, the situation in Indonesia and China will be fragile. The EU market has been strong, but high levels of fresh chicken imports are creating pressure. Brazil and Thailand face more challenging conditions and will need more supply growth discipline in oversupplied domestic markets.

Global trade is expected to stay strong in 2H 2023 after reaching a record-high 7.2 million tonnes in the first half of the year, driven entirely by increased trade of raw poultry meat, while trade in processed poultry meat dropped sharply. Amid more price-driven markets, consumers’ product preferences are changing, and this trend is expected to continue in 2H 2023 and into 2024.

Brazil is expected to benefit the most as a cost-price leader in raw chicken meat, while Thailand and China need to refocus on raw chicken trade, which will challenge these exporters’ value position.

Government interventions driven by food security, geopolitics, and sustainability will continue to impact markets and create volatility in global trade. Avian influenza will remain an important factor that could suddenly impact global markets, from both a local supply perspective and a trade perspective, especially if Brazil’s southern states are hit.

Producers should maintain focus on the operational side. Although we believe feed prices will drop slightly, operational costs are still at historic highs, and risks of further volatility exist in grain prices (due to El Niño) and in energy prices and availability. Ongoing leadership in terms of costs and procurement will remain key. Additionally, producers should fine-tune supply to changes in poultry demand related to products, distribution, and market development.