Welcome to the first issue of 2019 – I trust all our members enjoyed the holiday period and had a happy new year. This issue covers a range of topics, including genetics, meat processing, novel feed ingredients, immunity, behaviour and management systems. Currently, myself and the newly appointed editorial team from the Global Board are working hard to make some changes to the journal, not least the hand over to a new publisher (Taylor and Francis) from the current publisher (Cambridge University Press). I would like to thank both of these publishers for their help and support during the transition period. Authors and readers will hopefully not notice any difference in their interaction with the journal, as I aim to have a seamless handover.

The year 2019 sees many excellent WPSA events being planned. There are 19 events currently listed on the www.wpsa.com website giving details and links to conferences and meetings. Please take a look at what is on offer, and attend where possible. Our association news covers some very interesting topics – including an initiative from Pakistan to encourage more women into poultry science. I would like to congratulate the branch on this – and please let me know if you want some input from your female journal editor – happy to help and show young women in agriculture what opportunities are out there and how you can make a difference.

We have lost some notable poultry scientists in the last 12 months – most recently Jim McNab who sadly died suddenly over the Christmas holidays at home. Jim was a mentor to me many years ago when I was a PhD student and spent a week working with him learning how to conduct TME trials. He remained a friend and colleague from that time. Jim, of course, was the WPSJ Editor in the 1990s and an active WPSA member, organising various poultry events over the years. Our thoughts are with his wife Carol and the family.

As ever, I trust you all enjoy this issue of the WPSJ.

Dr Lucy Waldron

Editor

Bedding material is an important requirement of floor-based poultry production systems to meet the health and welfare requirements. This substrate can be an organic material like wood or plant-based material or inorganic material like clay and sand and should generally be a good absorbant, easily available, comfortable and nontoxic to birds. Wood is an organic renewable resource having good humidity regulation and antimicrobial properties and its by-products are commonly used as poultry litter in many countries. For example, in France, wood-based bedding is used in 80% of turkey production. This litter has approximately 50% lower NH3 production compared to other materials like sand and hulls, and has multiple environment-friendly disposal options. Moreover, the birds grown on such litter show better health and welfare and they prefer to practice their natural behaviours on this material which is helpful for the amelioration of physiological status and reduction of locomotion injuries. Moreover, according to some studies, the birds show improvement in different performance parameters, for example, up to 5-7% improvement in daily weight gain, live body weight, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and survivability. These improvements may differ depending upon the production system and type of wood material used in experiments, still it can be concluded that wood-based bedding materials do not negatively affect the production potential of poultry. In addition, the antimicrobial potential of wood may help to counter the load of certain pathogens in environment of birds. This review describes the physiochemical properties of wood-based bedding materials and their role in production and welfare of poultry.

The intensive production system for broiler chicken is characterised by the provision of a suitable micro-climatic condition such as temperature, airflow, relative humidity and light for proper bird's management which always, together with appropriate feeding and nutrition, favours the full growth and production potentials of the birds. Lighting, amongst other factors, is a potent and critical micro-climatic component in broiler houses as it influences many behavioural, physiological and metabolic processes in birds. To optimise the intensive system for broiler production, various lighting programmes (regarding light duration and its distribution, light colour/wavelength and light intensity) have been explored. This review compares the effects of different elements of lighting regimen on the growth performance, health, and welfare and carcass characteristics of broilers. Considering this, various degrees of intermittent photo-period (i.e. mixing photo- and scoto- periods within 24 hours) rather than one continuous photoperiod have been proven to significantly improve broilers’ weight gain by 3.4-5.8%, feed to gain ratio up to 7.3%, mobility up to 46.5%, decrease mortality rate ranging between 0.43% and 0.72%, and finally, increase carcass yield. Short wavelength lights and light intensity of ≥5 lux after the initial brooding period are said to stimulate birds’ metabolism and growth thereby, enhancing the production system. In conclusion, the lighting programme, apart from improving broiler productivity, could reduce cost expended on energy in an intensive production system.

Poultry production is associated with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but at a much lower extent than other livestock. Global production of nitrogen from poultry excreta has been estimated at about 3.29 million metric tons for meat type chickens (the average of two estimates with different assumption of 2.65 and 3.94 million metric tons) and 2.36 million metric tons for laying hens. These estimates are markedly below earlier estimates, suggesting that the issues related to loading are of a markedly smaller magnitude than previously envisioned. However, if it is assumed that 2% of the nitrogen is lost as nitrous oxide with a global warming potential (GWP) of 298 CO2 equivalents (eq.) per unit as GHG, poultry waste is contributing 33.7 million metric tons of CO2 eq./year or 0.0337 gigatons (Gt) CO2 eq./yr. This represents only 0.64% of agricultural GHG emissions. The preferred method for the disposal of poultry excreta is land application as a fertiliser with the aggregate of livestock and poultry excreta being applied to 0.3 million hectares in the USA. The environmental consequences of excreta in litter include the release of ammonia and nitrous oxide (a GHG) together with contamination of ground and surface water with nitrate, phosphate and pathogens. Alternative approaches to utilise used litter are the following: combustion, gasification, digestion and feeding to ruminants. There is scope to reduce the environmental impact of poultry production on the environment.

Astragalus membranaceus (AM) is a member of the family Leguminosae which has been widely used as immunomodulatory agent. Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) possess promising biological activities like immune enhancing, anti-oxidant, anti-viral, anti-microbial and anti-parasitic activities. Researchers have studied the immune enhancing activities of AM in birds and reported that APS and sulphated APS (4 or 8 mg/kg of body weight) showed immunomodulatory effects broiler chicks infected with lipopolysaccharide and modulated the resulting negative effects. AM powder supplementation in broiler feed at levels of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg /kg diet increased the immune organs weight and IgG level and improved the liver and kidney functions and antioxidant status. Dietary APS (10 g/kg) promoted the growth rate and the histology of jejunum of offspring chickens. The addition of crude AM at 0.5% in laying hen feed for 21 days was able to improve the composition of faecal microorganisms. The following review describes the structure and chemical composition of AM and its immunomodulatory role in improving the health status of poultry and its mechanisms of action.

Processing poultry results in considerable waste and/or by-products. Assuming a 70% yield during processing, the aggregate of waste from processing chickens for meat globally is 45.9 million tons. The nitrogen in processing waste and by-products globally is 1.3 million metric tons; equivalent to 49% of nitrogen in poultry excreta globally. If yield increased to 80%, as seen in the USA, there is a concomitant reduction in processing waste. If this were extended globally, there would be a 19.1 million metric ton reduction in processing waste. The global cost of processing chicken has been calculated as 51.3 x 109 MJ (equivalent to 0.06% of agricultural/food energy usage). The environmental costs of processing include energy, high quality (potable) water usage (estimated at about 30 litres per bird) and large quantities of organic solids and ‘dirty’ water as by-products together with contamination of surface and of ground water. There is a case for viewing poultry waste as a resource. These co-products could be used as human foods, high protein animal feed ingredients (after rendering), high value health related products (e.g. collagen, hyaluronic acid and chondroitin sulphate), bioenergy (e.g. biodiesel) and other products. The following review focuses on estimating the amount of processing waste and approaches to reduce processing waste, such as increasing yield and considering waste as a resource or, at least potential, co-product.

Junglefowl display adaptive characters like seasonal breeding, well-established social hierarchy, explorative behaviour, territoriality, aggression and short ranged flight, however, they are smaller, produce less and mature later than commercial breeds. Non-green junglefowl cocks display eclipse plumage – a reliable indicator of genetic purity and a trait that has been disappeared from chickens. Junglefowl show high sexual dimorphism, however, intra-sex level variation is considerably limited. There are conflicting reports on viability of hybrids from junglefowl, however, red junglefowl crossed with chickens invariably produce fertile offspring. Although junglefowl and chickens share common parasites and diseases, junglefowl exhibit high variability in natural immunity and are relatively resilient to infection. Junglefowl prefer secondary forests and village environs, demonstrating their propensity for human landscapes. Habitat preference and historical, ritual and leisure activities of ancient man might have resulted in junglefowl being recruited for domestication. Particularly, native chickens share a number of phenotypic characters with junglefowl, however, cosmopolitan chickens have experienced high phenotypic input from world-wide dispersal and adaptation to a wide range of management and breeding regimes. Based on morphological scores and behavioural ecology, red junglefowl resembles chickens and amongst the junglefowls, red and Ceylon junglefowl are closely related, whereas grey and green junglefowl have been found to be distant.

Ferulic acid is (FA) is a phenolic compound found in vegetables, fruits, cereals and coffee. It exists in both a free form and covalently conjugated to polysaccharides in the plant cell wall, polyamines, hydroxyl fatty acids, lignin, and glycoproteins. It has exhibited many vital biological properties, such as growth enhancing, antioxidant, antibacterial and immunomodulatory effects. It can be used as a food preservative and has a wide range of applications. FA has been reported to be a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent and is considered as part of a promising strategy for improving vascular cell-compatibility and blood compatibility as well. Additionally, dietary FA could improve the antioxidant capacity and, hence, meat quality in poultry. Supplementation of FA at 40 mg/kg or 80 mg/kg diet reduced the formation of hepatic MDA in case of carbon tetrachloride toxicity. The susceptibility of meat to oxidation in broiler chickens receiving oats at 200 g/kg diet as a source of FA was higher compared to the stability of meat in chickens receiving 200 ppm vitamin E. After examining the literature, it became apparent that the research on promising therapeutic effects of FA in poultry, in particular, is limited. So, the aim of this review was to indicate the importance of FA and its beneficial effects. In addition, this review includes information on the use of FA as a natural phenolic compound in poultry nutrition and its different applications in the poultry industry.

The European Union poultry meat market is the subject of numerous research studies due to its importance in the EU's total agricultural production, exports and food security. With 14.5 million tons of poultry meat production in 2016, the EU-28 is one of the world's leading producers of this kind of meat (approximately 12%). The Old Member States (EU-15) and the New Member States (EU-13) generate 73.8% and 26.2% of the total EU poultry meat production, respectively. The average poultry meat consumption in the EU-28 is currently approximately 24 kg per capita. In the last decade, the EU's poultry meat market has seen structural changes in production, consumption and trade that are the subject of the partial equilibrium model analysis. Results of mid-term projections for the poultry meat market through to the year 2030 showed a decrease in production volume in the EU-15, along with a slowdown of domestic and per capita consumption and a change of status from net exporters to net importers of poultry meat. Meanwhile, in the EU-13 there has been a steady growth in the volume of production and domestic and per capita consumption of poultry meat. The EU-13 Member States will remain net exporters through 2030, with a strong trend in export growth. Croatia, the youngest member state, follows trends in the domestic poultry meat market that are similar to the rest of the EU-13. Until 2030, Croatian poultry meat production is expected to increase by 43.02%, the domestic consumption by 29.37% and per capita consumption for 39.89%. Although Croatia will remain a net importer by the end of the 2030, the gap in net trade deficit is expected to decrease by 31.31%.

Chicken housing systems have been an interesting subject of research for many years and remains a topic of debate. The information detailed in the literature provides opposing views on recommended housing systems (indoor or outdoor) for chickens, and thus, producers are searching for more precise information in terms of animal welfare, productive performance, chicken behaviour and meat quality. Approximately 80% of customers worldwide prefer chicken products with perceived higher quality derived from free-range (organic) systems with increased welfare standards. Based on published literature, the majority (approximately 70%) of intensive production systems that are currently used do not usually support the natural behavioural needs of poultry. However, mortality rate of broilers can reach more than 10% in outdoor production systems due to cannibalism. Suitable housing systems that focus on the animals’ well-being translate into better behavioural activities and higher productive performance. The present review provides the critical information detailed in the existing literature on different housing systems and their effect on chicken behaviour and meat quality. It can be concluded that the housing system, as a non-genetic factor, directly affects the welfare of the birds and can impact their behaviour and certain meat quality traits. Thus, the free-range production system might be considered favourable alternative housing system.

Supplementing flavonoids in poultry diets has shown the potential to progress the nutritional, sensorial and microbiological quality of poultry meat and eggs. In the last decade, several studies have determined the benefits of flavonoids for inhibition of lipid oxidation and microbial growth, check any pH-dependent deterioration and improve the colour stability of meat and related products. Flavonoids are typically absorbed in the ileum where pH is between 5-6.8. The various flavonoids vary in effective dose levels in poultry, but are typically included in levels ranging from 0.05-0.2%. Furthermore, flavonoid supplementation in the chicken diet has been reported to positively alter the fatty acid profile of meat and eggs by reducing the cholesterol and triglyceride content. Meat colour, in terms of lightness, can be improved by up to 5%. The aim of this review is to evaluate the use of various plant flavonoids as a substitute for synthetic feed additives in the poultry feed industry to satisfy consumer demands in terms of quality and safety of animal products. The results have stimulated interest in more research on the various flavonoid classes to determine the most effective compounds and their optimal doses for both broilers and laying hens.

The World’s Poultry Science Journal is indebted to Prof J.A. Castello, Prof D.K. Flock, Dr M. Tixier-Boichard, Dr S. Cherepanov and Dr Jiangxia Zheng for the translations of these summaries.

Henk Hupkes

June 6, 1947 - November 25, 2018

On Sunday November 25, 2018 the Dutch branch of the WPSA lost a charismatic member Henk Hupkes. Henk started his poultry career at Meyn Food Processing Technology B.V. in 1982: his graduation in Mechanical Engineering from the Technical University in Delft provided a good basis for his diverse tasks. Henk provided an indispensable bridge between poultry processing equipment manufacturers and the scientific world. In 1982 he became a member of WPSA NL and was a member of the regional Board from 1986 to 1992. He was member of the organising committee of the successful WPC held in 1992 in Amsterdam, after which he became member and secretary of the Board of the Foundation for Promoting Poultry Science until his death in November 2018. From 1982 to 2010 he attended about all WPCs and EPCs, as well as the symposia of Working Group 5 (poultry meat). In all cases his presence was undeniable due to his eagerness to learn, his friendly and optimistic attitude, and his sense of humour. Since 2015 Henk suffered from cancer, a battle he couldn’t win. He finally lost the battle at the age of 71. Henk is greatly missed by his loved ones and his many friends inside and outside the WPSA. He is remembered with respect, warmth and gratitude.

Jim McNab

April 5, 1940 – January 1, 2019

It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of Dr Jim McNab, who died suddenly on January 1st. He was born in Comrie, Perthshire to Mary and Donald, in April 1940, and was much loved by his parents and his sister Mary.

Jim excelled in school, at Morrison’s Academy in Crieff. Outside studies he played for the school’s 1st rugby team and enjoyed playing the clarinet. He was also an ‘extra’ in the 1953 film ‘Johnny on the Run’.

From 1958 to 1965, Jim attended the University of Edinburgh with great enthusiasm and enjoyment. According to his good friend Dennis, academic issues were never a problem. After graduating with an Honours Degree in Chemistry he moved on to do his PhD in 1962, adopting three ‘Objectives’, the same ones most Graduate students pursued in the 1960s, namely a PhD in three years, a post-doctoral appointment in North America and finding the love of one’s life. He achieved the last of these when he met Carol during the first month of his PhD. He duly graduated in 1965 and set out for Boulder, Colorado, returning briefly for his marriage with Carol in October 1966. After a year in Colorado, they returned home and Jim spent a year back at Edinburgh University before he joined the Nutrition Department at the Poultry Research Centre (PRC) in Edinburgh in October 1968. His research covered many aspects of poultry nutrition, including the digestion of carbohydrate and protein and developing methods for feedstuffs evaluation. He studied feed quality enhancement and assessments of non-traditional feeds.

In 1993, Jim became the head of the large Department of Nutritional and Environmental Studies at Roslin Institute, the successor to PRC. The work of his department included behaviour, welfare and other environmental topics, as well as nutrition. He gave good leadership to this widely-based department and battled hard at senior staff meetings at the Institute where the essentially applied nature of his department’s work was regarded somewhat less favourably than some of the seemingly more exotic sciences carried out in others.

Owing to increasing pressure on government research funding, the idea of expanding commercial income from aspects of Jim’s research was proposed, including his methods for feedstuff evaluation assays. In 1997, Roslin Nutrition, a spin-out company from Roslin Institute, was born. Jim and Doug Currie were charged with managing the company, which in 2002 became a completely independent research company, which is still thriving today.

Jim was a well-known and popular figure in the poultry nutrition world and a regular speaker at industry and scientific conferences. His other activities at work included responsibility for many national and some international projects, supervising numerous PhD students, co-editing British Poultry Science for 10 years and, for a shorter period, editing World’s Poultry Science Journal. He was very active in the UK branch, organising symposia and conferences. Jim retired from the Roslin Institute in 2001 and from Roslin Nutrition in 2005.

Outside work, Jim enjoyed playing rugby, squash and bridge. He was a keen vegetable gardener and latterly an enthusiastic cook. He was a proud and loving father to his two sons, Donald and Scott and he adored his four grandchildren

When his wife Carol was asked for her thoughts she said: Jim is remembered as having a great sense of humour: being reliable, generous, loving; positive, honest and forthright; a good man, a great dad; an intellectual, wise, clever man; a kind patient and a wonderful person.

On a personal note, Jim was a mentor during my PhD, training me in various ME measurements and becoming a good friend, as well as being a previous editor of WPSJ. He is survived by his wife Carol and his children and grandchildren. I would like to thank Carol for her great help with preparing his obituary. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.

Dr Lucy Waldron