BLACK SOLDIER FLY : INSECT TO FEED FOR FOOD SECURITY.

There is growing demand for animal products for human nutrition, despite the popularity of plant-based diets. This means more feed is needed for animals.

 Future feed stuffs will need to be produced without exacerbating deforestation. Insects and microalgae are up-and-coming sectors to meet protein demands for humans and animals. Therefore, researchers investigated whether these alternative protein sources alter meat quality.

BLACK SOLDIER FLY=BLACK GOLD.

In a study conducted as a part of the project Sustainability Transitions in the Food Production. Broiler chickens were fattened using feed with the main protein sources being soybean meal, spirulina, or insects.

 Animal growth, meat quality (especially concerning shelf life), and eating quality were investigated. Their results of laboratory testing and sensory (taste-testing) analyses across 132 birds show that black soldier fly larvae meal and spirulina can be included in poultry feed without negatively impacting quality.

    LEARN HOW TO START BLACK SOLDIER FLY FARMING.

 Chickens fed with black soldier fly larvae meal produce meat equivalent to the status quo. Chickens fed with spirulina produce meat with a more intensive color and flavour. 

         BENEFITS OF BLACK SOLDIER FLY.

 "Overall, both prove to be potential soybean meal alternatives in the search for new protein sources for animal feed," as explained by the study lead researcher Dr Brianne Altmann. Research.

#Blacksoldierfly    #Blacksoldierflylarvae.    #Blacksoldierflyfarming.

VETERINARY MEDICINE:Poultry, pigs not susceptible to COVID-19.

German researchers: Poultry, pigs not susceptible to COVID-19.Scientists in Germany have confirmed that chickens and pigs are not susceptible to COVID-19. Researchers around the world have been trying to find out whether SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19, can infect other species after it was understood to have originated from bats. Germany’s Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut started infection studies in chickens, pigs, fruit bats and ferrets several weeks ago, inoculating animals nasally with SARS-CoV-2 to mimic the natural route of infection in humans. While early results indicated fruit bats and ferrets are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection, pigs and chickens are not.The researchers said they tested chickens and pigs due to the close contact they make with humans. Tests were carried out to discover whether animals become infected, whether the pathogen replicates, and if the animals show symptoms of the disease.“Under experimental conditions, neither chickens nor were found to be susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2,” the institute said. “According to the current state of knowledge, they are not affected by the virus and therefore do not pose a potential risk to human health.” The final results are expected at the beginning of May. The German study follows research carried out in China that investigated the susceptibility of ferrets and animals in close contact with humans to COVID-19. Scientists at the Harbin Vet Research Institute found that SARS-CoV-2 replicates poorly in dogs, chickens, pigs, and ducks but efficiently in ferrets and cats. #COVID-19 #coronavirus #veterinarymedicine #onehealth.

AGRIBUSINESS: Hens that lay human proteins in eggs offer future therapy hope..

AGRIBUSINESS: Hens that lay human proteins in eggs offer future therapy hope.Chickens that are genetically modified to produce human proteins in their eggs can offer a cost-effective method of producing certain types of drugs, research suggests. The study -- which has initially focused on producing high quality proteins for use in scientific research -- found the drugs work at least as well as the same proteins produced using existing methods. High quantities of the proteins can be recovered from each egg using a simple purification system and there are no adverse effects on the chickens themselves, which lay eggs as normal. Researchers say the findings provide sound evidence for using chickens as a cheap method of producing high quality drugs for use in research studies and, potentially one day, in patients. Eggs are already used for growing viruses that are used as vaccines, such as the flu jab. This new approach is different because the therapeutic proteins are encoded in the chicken's DNA and produced as part of the egg white.

Turning chicken poop and weeds into biofuel.

Turning chicken poop and weeds into biofuel. Chicken is a favorite, inexpensive meat across the globe. But the bird’s popularity results in a lot of waste that can pollute soil and water. One strategy for dealing with poultry poop is to turn it into biofuel, and now scientists have developed a way to do this by mixing the waste with another environmental scourge, an invasive weed that is affecting agriculture in Africa. Poultry sludge is sometimes turned into fertilizer, but recent trends in industrialized chicken farming have led to an increase in waste mismanagement and negative environmental impacts, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. Droppings can contain nutrients, hormones, antibiotics and heavy metals and can wash into the soil and surface water. To deal with this problem, scientists have been working on ways to convert the waste into fuel. But alone, poultry droppings don’t transform well into biogas, so it’s mixed with plant materials such as switch grass. Samuel O. Dahunsi, Solomon U. Oranusi and colleagues wanted to see if they could combine the chicken waste with Tithonia diversifolia (Mexican sunflower), which was introduced to Africa as an ornamental plant decades ago and has become a major weed threatening agricultural production on the continent. The researchers developed a process to pre-treat chicken droppings, and then have anaerobic microbes digest the waste and Mexican sunflowers together. Eight kilograms of poultry waste and sunflowers produced more than 3 kg of biogas — more than enough fuel to drive the reaction and have some leftover for other uses such as powering a generator. Also, the researchers say that the residual solids from the process could be applied as fertilizer or soil conditioner.

How to add yeast to broiler feed to reduce use of antibiotics.

How to use yeast in broiler feed to reduce use of antibiotics. Meat color is an important visual quality factor when consumers purchase chicken.

However, high use of antibiotics during broiler raising to achieve desirable color and freshness may have residual effects on human health.

How to use yeast in broiler feed to reduce use of antibiotics. To prevent irrational use of antibiotics, a supplementary application of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with antibiotics was suggested.

In this study, yeast powder mixed with antibiotics was found effective as probiotics in increasing broiler weight, improving feed efficiency, and preventing growth of pathogen microorganisms.

Hock burns in broilers.

What do you understand as hock burns in broilers. Hock burns refers to a blackish-brown discoloration of the surface of the skin at the hock in broilers. Hock burns also referred to as ammonia burns usually evident in soaked litter. This hock burn occurs after a long period of exposure with moisture and ammonia on poor quality litter. It is very important to monitor litter for health of the birds.

Four-legged chicken in China.

The farmer, Zhu, and his daughter, were so concerned by the discovery that they took the bird to local officials to see if they could shed any light on the creature that offered double the usual number of drumsticks. According the People’s Daily Online, which has published pictures of the bird, the hen was deemed edible, and is not thought to be suffering from any long-term health issues. And all four limbs function, meaning that the chicken can walk and run as well as any other. The four-legged feathered friend, however, while a rarity is not unique. Four-legged chickens have previously been reported in China, as well as in India, the U.S. and Thailand but, more often than not, the additional limbs are nonfunctional. Various theories have been put forward as to why the bird, dubbed “Frankenchicken,” may have hatched with the additional legs, including stress, shock or radioactivity.To date, it is the only four-legged chicken found on Zhu’s 10,000-head poultry farm in Shangdong Province, and it has become somewhat of a local celebrity with visitors lining up to photograph it. But its fame will be fleeting as the father and daughter have said that -- assuming it does not outrun them -- they will eat the bird, as to do otherwise would be a waste.Read more

Biosecurity threats on the farm.

Bio security threats could be internal or external causes,take a look at the table and learn which threats your farm is vulnerable to and how to be safe. Read more

AGRIBUSINESS: ECHBEE FOODS.

Get wholesome,nutritious and hygienically packed beef,fish,chicken and eggs. These farm fresh products are handy,fit for human consumption and very pocket friendly. Thinking of where to order your next cattle for your celebration? call on us as we have live cows,goats and sheep for sale all at pocket friendly prices. Echbee foods also has an egg depot,where you can buy your eggs in large quantities at affordable prices.Thinking of gifting a loved one during the festive season? our handy pack is a great giveaway. These are some of our products, Order yours today!!!

Poultry, pig manure used to produce energy in Chile.

Researchers at University of Concepción use waste to produce biochar and thermal energy Researchers at the University of Concepción are using the solid waste from poultry and pigs in the region of Bío Bío in central Chile to produce biochar and thermal energy. Professor Cristina Muñoz and Cristina Segura are exploring the technical and economic issues of using strong heat – pyrolysis – to recovering the energy locked up in organic waste from poultry and pig farms to produce biochar and energy. The process appears to be a green option for the treatment of materials that would otherwise have the potential to add to greenhouse gas emissions or groundwater pollution. Segura explained that large quantities of organic waste – slurry, manure, bedding materials, feathers and spilt feed – are produced by the region’s poultry and pig farms. The pyrolytic process results in a carbon material known as biochar and thermal energy in a safe, environmentally friendly and cost-effective way, say the researchers. Due to be completed in October this year, the project is funded by the Regional Government of Bío Bío. Muñoz explained that the first aim of the project has been achieved, namely to obtain a homogeneous and marketable material. Now, the biochar is being evaluated by the University as a soil improver for a wide range of horticultural applications. contributed by wattagnet.

BILL GATES , CHICKENS AND ECONOMIC GROWTH.

Dr. Batamaka Somé, an anthropologist from Burkina Faso who has worked with Gates foundation, has spent much of his career studying the economic impact of raising chickens in his home country. He explains the importance of chicken to the economy of Burkina Faso in the video. Bill Gates asks" If you were living on $2 a day, what would you do to improve your life? That’s a real question for the nearly 1 billion people living in extreme poverty today. There’s no single right answer, of course, and poverty looks different in different places. But through my work with the foundation, I’ve met many people in poor countries who raise chickens, and I have learned a lot about the ins and outs of owning these birds. (As a city boy from Seattle, I had a lot to learn!) It’s pretty clear to me that just about anyone who’s living in extreme poverty is better off if they have chickens. In fact, if I were in their shoes, that’s what I would do—I would raise chickens. Here’s why: 1) They are easy and inexpensive to take care of. Many breeds can eat whatever they find on the ground (although it’s better if you can feed them, because they’ll grow faster). Hens need some kind of shelter where they can nest, and as your flock grows, you might want some wood and wire to make a coop. Finally, chickens need a few vaccines. The one that prevents the deadly Newcastle disease costs less than 20 cents. 2) They’re a good investment. Suppose a new farmer starts with five hens. One of her neighbors owns a rooster to fertilize the hens’ eggs. After three months, she can have a flock of 40 chicks. Eventually, with a sale price of $5 per chicken—which is typical in West Africa—she can earn more than $1,000 a year, versus the extreme-poverty line of about $700 a year. 3)They help keep children healthy. Malnutrition kills more than 3.1 million children a year. Although eating more eggs—which are rich in protein and other nutrients—can help fight malnutrition, many farmers with small flocks find that it’s more economical to let the eggs hatch, sell the chicks, and use the money to buy nutritious food. But if a farmer’s flock is big enough to give her extra eggs, or if she ends up with a few broken ones, she may decide to cook them for her family. 4)They empower women. Because chickens are small and typically stay close to home, many cultures regard them as a woman’s animal, in contrast to larger livestock like goats or cows. Women who sell chickens are likely to reinvest the profits in their families. The Gates foundation is betting on chicken; alongside partners throughout sub-Saharan Africa, we are working to create sustainable market systems for poultry. It’s especially important for these systems to make sure farmers can buy birds that have been properly vaccinated and are well suited to the local growing conditions. Our goal: to eventually help 30 percent of the rural families in sub-Saharan Africa raise improved breeds of vaccinated chickens, up from just 5 percent now. Bill Gates said "When I was growing up, chickens weren’t something you studied, they were something you made silly jokes about". It has been eye-opening for me to learn what a difference they can make in the fight against poverty. It sounds funny, but I mean it when I say that I am excited about chickens.

Hong Kong culls thousands of birds over avian flu scare

Hong Kong culled 4,500 birds on 7/6/16 after the deadly H7N9 bird flu virus was discovered in a chicken at a local market. Health officials in white hazmat suits and masks dumped the chickens into green plastic bins at a wholesale poultry market in central Hong Kong.The bins were then pumped with carbon dioxide to kill the birds. Hong Kong is particularly alert to the spread of viruses after an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome swept through the city in 2003, killing 299 people and infecting around 1,800. Bird flu scares in the past two years have seen mass culls of up 20,000 birds in Hong Kong. A spokeswoman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said the latest cull included chickens and pigeons. Trade of live poultry has also been suspended after authorities said Saturday the avian flu virus was found in a fecal sample collected from a chicken at a market in the Tuen Mun, a neighborhood in the west of Hong Kong. The city's health minister Ko Wing-man said the city was staying "stringent" against infectious diseases when he announced the cull late Monday. H7N9 is a particular worry for authorities as it does not kill infected chickens or cause them to develop symptoms, which allows it to spread undetected until contact is made with humans. The majority of human cases of H7N9 infection have been associated with direct or indirect contact with infected live or dead poultry, according to the World Health Organization. Human infections from the H7N9 strain were first reported in China in 2013. The virus can cause serious respiratory illness and has led to deaths. culled from pri.org

NEWCASTLE DISEASE RESURFACES IN ROMANIA.

Romanian broiler flock tests positive for Newcastle disease one week after veterinary officials deemed the Newcastle situation resolved .One week after Romanian animal health officials reported that the Newcastle disease situation has been resolved in the country, the virus was confirmed in a broiler farm there. Romania’s National Sanitary Veterinary and Food Safety Authority reported to the World Organsiation for Animal Health (OIE) that a broiler farm of 70,000 chickens in Prahova County had been infected. More than 13,300 32-week-old chickens were affected by Newcastle disease, with 4,455 fatal cases. According to the OIE, the birds were vaccinated against Newcastle disease on March 3, March 17 and April 3, but the organization added that the probably procedure of vaccination has not been respected. Control measures applied included disinfection, quarantine, stamping out, surveillance, zoning and control of wildlife reservoirs. The OIE stated it will submit weekly follow-up reports on the Newcastle disease situation until it is resolved. Read more @wattag.net

FOOD SECURITY NETWORK.

This is simply the partnership between producers,processors,marketers and financial institutions.The race to ensure food security is hinged on production backed by finances.

The producers are the farmers that are directly involved in production.The producers phase can be further divided into sub heads to facilitate better production,lets analyse the poultry sector; farmers have a choice of rearing the various types of bird that generate revenue.

 The production phase could be short,long term or seasonal when you consider rearing towards festivities.Every aspect of production is important and is a valuable segment of the food security network.

The production phase is regarded as successful, when the expected by-products are available at stipulated times with a profit margin to all stakeholders. The processors and producers work in sync to achieve a profitable production cycle.

When the products are ready, the processors ensures that they are packaged in various forms to suit the market.

In poultry,the chicken can be processed and sold as plain,smoked,stewed,barbecue,or as fried.

The eggs are collected and processed as egg powder,this value addition increases the  profit margin and prevents food loss/waste by preventing egg glut.









 This chart explains further;. The egg powder plant,another money spinner in the poultry chain.

The demand for egg powder is very high especially with food vendors,eateries and restaurants, the inclusion of an egg powder plant in the production cycle will further boost revenue generation,food availability and accessibility.

RATS: THE UNCONVENTIONAL DISEASE CAUSING AGENT IN MAN AND ANIMALS.

more. see

MEAT SAFETY.

A simple, rapid test to help ensure safer meat. Scientists now report a simple method that uses nanotubes to quickly detect spoilage. It could help make sure meats are safe when they hit store shelves. Transporting meats and seafood from the farm or sea to the market while they're still fresh is a high priority. But telling whether a product has gone bad isn't a simple process. 

Current strategies for measuring freshness can be highly sensitive to spoilage but require bulky, slow equipment, which prevents real-time analysis. Some newer methods designed to speed up the testing process have fallen short in sensitivity.

 Yanke Che and colleagues wanted to develop one simple test that could deliver both rapid and sensitive results. The researchers turned to highly fluorescent, hollow nanotubes that grow dim when they react with compounds given off by meat as it decomposes.

 To test the nanotubes, the team sealed commercial samples -- 1 gram each -- of pork, beef, chicken, fish and shrimp in containers for up to four days. When they exposed the portable system to a teaspoon of vapor emitted by the samples, it reacted in under an hour, fast enough to serve as a real-time measure of freshness. The researchers also found that if the tubes' glow dulled by more than 10 percent, this meant a sample was spoiled. Story source;American Chemical Society.

RATS POSE HEALTH THREAT TO MAN AND POULTRY.

Rats can absorb disease agents from their local environment and spread them, according to a University of British Colombia new study. The results also indicate that the threat rats pose to the health of poultry and humans has been underestimated.

Researchers studied the feces of rats caught at an Abbotsford, B.C. poultry farm, and discovered they all carried avian pathogenic E. coli, a bacteria with the ability to cause disease in chickens and potentially humans. More than one quarter of the rats were carrying multidrug resistant strains of the bacteria. 

The findings support lead author Chelsea Himsworth's theory that rats act as a "pathogen sponge," soaking up bacteria from their environment. If rats can absorb pathogenic E. coli, then they could potentially be a source of all sorts of other pathogens that we have not anticipated," said Himsworth, assistant professor in the UBC School of Population and Public Health and leader of the Vancouver Rat Project, a group aiming to address the knowledge gap about the health threats associated with rats. Himsworth was surprised to find that the E. coli strains carried by the farm rats were very similar to those found in chickens, and totally different from E. coli strains found in urban rats. Basically, the rural rat gut looked like the poultry gut, and nothing like the urban rat gut . 

 This latest study follows previous research by Himsworth that found human pathogens, including MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and C. difficile, in the feces of rats in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Rat infestations ought to be taken seriously," said Himsworth. "They need to be tackled with an educated, informed approach in collaboration with scientists and pest control professionals. 

 There should be the development of municipal programs for managing rat infestations and rat-related issues. Story source; University of British Colombia.

Chicken Movements Help Combat Campylobacter.

A new technique that monitors the movement of chickens can be used to predict which flocks are at risk of becoming infected with Campylobacter - the most common bacterial source of food poisoning in humans in the UK. Research by scientists at Oxford University has found that by using a camera system to analyse the 'optical flow' of chickens, at-risk flocks can be detected when the birds are only seven to 10 days old - much earlier than is usually possible with conventional on-farm sampling methods.Despite efforts to improve bio security, Campylobacter - which can reach humans through raw or undercooked chicken - has so far been persistently difficult to eliminate from the food chain. This new early warning system has the potential to transform the way Campylobacter is controlled, benefiting producers, consumers and the birds themselves. Source ;Royal society B/ POULTRY SITE.

AVIAN INFLUENZA # SIGNS #

HOW TO FEED CHICKENS WITH WATERMELON .

 HOW TO FEED CHICKENS WITH WATERMELON.  . Fruits and vegetables have increasingly found usefulness in raising birds ,these has been incorporated as extracts or whole plants to tap into the benefits. The use of natural supplement in animal production is very necessary not only for financial implication but also on health grounds.

More and more people are showing preference for birds raised naturally, without antibiotics and other chemical supplements. This has resulted in a new dimension of the poultry value chain where plant extracts, vegetables are incorporated to poultry feed.

The benefits of water melon as discussed here; can be harnessed as follows; 1) wash and dice watermelon.
 2)remove seeds and cube.

 3) crush/blend the water melon.

 4) mix with water using this ratio; 1 litre of water melon mix into 2 litres of water.

The birds will be refreshed without any adverse reactions to stressful conditions, give your birds a boost # water melon smoothie.