Avian influenza overview

AI globally from September to December 2021 Between September 16 and December 8, 2021, the European Centre for Disease Provention and Control reported that 867 highly pathogenic avian influenza virus detections were reported in 27 European Union, European Economic Area countries and the UK, in poultry – 316, in wild – 523, and in captive…

Supply chain issues for chicken meat industry

A more diverse poultry industry could help ease supply chain issues and reduce cost pressures on chicken growers, farmers believe. According to growers and industry representatives, a few major processors dominating the chicken processing industry have contributed to the supermarket shortages across Australia. A claim rejected by those processors, who are of the opinion that…

Rewarding career choice

Australia has one of the most efficient chicken-meat producing and processing industries in the world. Chicken meat is a hugely popular food among Australians, with consumers spending around $6.6 billion annually on chicken meat products. Almost all chicken meat sold in Australia has been grown here and more than 1.23 million tonnes of chicken meat…

Cheeky Chooks student game

It’s time to put your farmer hat on and take care of some cheeky chooks! Get to know your hens’ cheeky personalities and make sure they’re always safe and happy. Build coops and perches, keep food and water full and add lots of fun things to your farm – keeping these smart and curious birds…

Foodbank and Sunny Queen reduce hunger

More than 20 percent of Queenslanders experiencing hunger are children and, in an effort to reduce this alarming statistic, Sunny Queen Australia – the nation’s favourite smiley-faced eggs – joined with Foodbank Queensland to help make a difference to those experiencing food insecurity in regional areas in the state. A special breakfast and morning tea…

Poultry packaging demand to grow

Demand for meat, poultry and seafood packaging is forecast to increase 3.1 percent per year according to a food packaging study by the Freedonia Group. Continued expansion of the case-ready meat, poultry and seafood segment will drive demand for traditional packaging items such as film, trays, absorbent pads and bags. The importance of a longer…

GAA improves low crude protein diets

A novel nutritional strategy to improve feed efficiency and decrease abdominal fat pad in meat chickens fed low crude protein diets was presented in Ideas Exchange 2021 conference by Dr Nishchal Sharma from the University of New England. The presentation highlighted the role of guanidinoacetic acid and betaine in low crude protein diets fed to…

Confusion over refreezing chooks

Food Safety Week was the perfect time to answer the most common question that brings people to the Australian Chicken Meat Federation website – “Is it safe to refreeze chicken?” ACMF executive director Dr Vivien Kite sets the record straight. “Yes, you can refreeze chicken,” Dr Kite said. “Just make sure it was properly defrosted…

How to optimise genomic selection

In pig and poultry breeding programs, the animals that provide food for consumers are usually crossbred, while genomic selection takes place in their purebred parental lines. Researchers from Wageningen University and Research have written a review paper on how genomic selection can be optimised for the improvement of crossbred animals. Genomic selection Livestock populations are…

Government’s new emissions reduction method priorities

The National Farmers’ Federation has welcomed the announcement of new emissions reduction fund method priorities for 2022. NFF chief executive officer Tony Mahar said the new priorities were strongly aligned with the NFF’s submission on the process. “In particular, the NFF supports the development of an ‘integrated farm method’ that would allow separate ERF land-based…