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New Undergraduate Vacation Internships and Graduate Industry Internships In an effort to recruit new bachelor degree graduates into the industry, the Poultry CRC has announced two internship initiatives aimed at both undergraduates and recent graduates. The Undergraduate Vacation Internships will be available through Poultry CRC participating universities and industry partners and will involve work conducted

A Poultry CRC-funded epidemiological survey of Australian broiler flocks has indicated that one of the protective factors against Marek’s Disease virus may be the use of wood-based litter 1. A survey of farms across the Australian broiler industry was conducted to establish the prevalence of serotype 1 Marek’s Disease virus (MDV1) in dust collected from

New National Animal Welfare Standards for the Chicken Meat Industry have been developed and are now being made available to industry. This Poultry CRC project builds on an earlier RIRDC project A Welfare Audit for the Chicken Meat Industry undertaken through the Department of Primary industries in Victoria in 2001. Although some companies implemented the

Jesse Thomas, who has just completed his PhD with help from a Poultry CRC scholarship, is set to commence an internship with one of the CRC’s industry partners, Bioproperties, based at The University of Melbourne’s Veterinary School at Werribee. Jesse will be joining the scientific team to focus on identifying and implementing the best practice

Queensland FarmBis Project The main activity since the last issue of eChook has been the Queensland FarmBis Targeted Industry Initiative project. We are now at the stage of finalising the development of the new training materials in Workplace (Occupational) Health and Safety and Information Technology and are about to conduct some testing of the materials

Results from a recently completed Poultry CRC proof-of-concept project, machine vision to count hens and reduce egg breakage, has demonstrated that ‘machine vision’, or video image analysis (VIA – the ability of a computer to ‘see’), can be used to monitor egg belts for potential blockages and has the potential for effectively counting hens. Testing under

Results from two recently completed Poultry CRC projects are adding to the growing body of knowledge that is helping the Australian poultry industry adjust its nutritional management practices in line with economic and consumer based pressures. Through its research program focussed on nutrition and gut physiology, the Poultry CRC has been aiming to enhance the quality

Preliminary results from a Poultry CRC project being undertaken by DPI&F Queensland examining the reuse of chicken litter across broiler cycles have indicated that levels of food-borne pathogens are not any higher in re-used litter than those found in single-batch rearing. The Project Leader, QDPI&F’s Nalini Chinivasagam, commenced litter trials on two farms in June last year

More doctors in the house We have some good news on the Postgraduate Education front with James Turnell and Rebecca Forder having completed all the requirements for their Ph.D. degrees. Bec is off to Kentucky on a Poultry CRC Internship and James is about to commence a Postdoctoral Fellowship. Kelly Tivendale should receive her examiners’

Although still completing an honours degree in Animal & Veterinary Bioscience at the University of Sydney, Will Taylor knows exactly where his first job will be. Pepe’s Ducks were seeking candidates for several Honours projects at the university, and one in particular, looking at Pekin ducks under commercial conditions, appealed to him (Pekin is the

Given her interest in gut physiology and nutrition, Rebecca Forder’s upcoming internship at Alltech’s headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky, is not so much a step in the right direction, as a well-timed leap. Having just finished her PhD on mucin bacterial interactions during early post-hatch development of broiler chickens, Rebecca will be heading to the US

Late last year, the Poultry CRC and AECL co-funded the appointment of an Extension Officer, Geof Runge. Geof has visited more than 50 farms since his appointment and these face-to-face meetings allow him to engage with poultry farmers and understand the problems they face. “The number one issue for egg farmers,” according to Geof, “is

World’s Poultry Congress 2008 (WPC2008) The Poultry CRC is proud to be a sponsor of WPC2008 and I would like to draw the attention of eligible young scientists to the Youth Program being held as part of WPC2008. The Youth Program includes a post-congress tour which will be a combination of industry visits and tourism.