The availability of soyabean meal for animal feed use in Asia and the Pacific is low. The potential usefulness of a wide variety of protein-rich plant materials which could replace soyabean meal in poultry feed formulations is examined in this review. These materials are classified into four groups: oilseed meals; grain legumes; green meals and miscellaneous. Their nutritional values are discussed with reference to amino acid profiles. The presence of anti-nutritional factors and the resulting constraints on their use are also considered.

Amino acid availability values of feedstuffs are likely to form the basis of poultry feed formulation in the future. Already many nutritionists employ digestible amino acid values, but there is a lack of information from a single source derived from the application of accepted measurement procedures. The present paper reviews the basis of amino acid digestibility in poultry, examines the essential elements of measurement procedures, discusses recently published information and considers briefly how digestibility relates to availability. Finally, the use of digestible amino acids in practical feed formulation is considered.

Clinical and pathological descriptions of inclusion body hepatitis–anaemia syndrome (IBH–AS) and hydropericardium syndrome (HpS) are presented and their causation and control are discussed. IBH–AS is a disease which has generally been thought to have a multiple aetiology, including infectious bursal disease virus, avian adenovirus and probably chicken anaemia virus. However, there is new evidence which suggests that avian adenoviruses are primary pathogens in IBH–AS. HpS is a new broiler disease which has spread throughout Pakistan. It has a number of similarities with IBH–AS. Recently, outbreaks of a disease exhibiting features of IBH–AS and HpS have been observed in North and South America. Mortality has been reported to be higher than is usual for IBH–AS and some hydropericardium has been observed.

Although spent hens are economically important, they are considered a by-product of the egg industry and efforts are therefore needed if better quality meat and higher returns are to be achieved. This review has compiled information on various aspects of spent hen processing and utilization. Meat and fat yields depend on age and weight of the birds with heavy hens producing better yields and better quality products than light weight birds. Except for muscle tissue removed almost intact by filleting machines, hand deboned meat is superior to mechanically deboned meat. Toughness of spent hen meat is no obstacle to the production of a variety of comminuted products. Such by-products as skin, gizzard, heart, ova yolk and fat can be utilized in emulsion-based chicken and other meat products. The use of phosphates to produce better quality spent hen meat products has been demonstrated. Improved deboning techniques and modern methods of meat processing are capable of enhancing the quality and value of meat from spent hens leading to greater demand and better financial returns.