Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    • July 2025
    • 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    • February 2025
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • March 2024
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    • October 2023
    • Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    • September 2023
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
  • FREE Email Newsletters
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact Us
Twitter LinkedIn
Podcast
Poultry News
  • Production
    • Broiler Production
    • Ducks
    • Egg Production
    • Game
    • Hatching
    • Housing
    • Turkeys
  • Processing
  • Business & Politics
    • Business
    • Economics
    • EU & Politics
    • Marketing
    • People
    • Training & Education
  • Welfare
    • Environment
    • Food Safety
    • Vet & Medication
    • Welfare
  • Feed
  • Genetics
  • New Products
  • Magazines
    1. July 2025
    2. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    3. June 2025
    4. 2025 Innovation supplement
    5. May 2025
    6. April 2025
    7. March 2025
    8. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    9. February 2025
    10. January 2025
    11. December 2024
    12. November 2024
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    16. August 2024
    17. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    18. July 2024
    19. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    20. June 2024
    21. 2024 Innovation supplement
    22. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    23. May 2024
    24. April 2024
    25. March 2024
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    31. October 2023
    32. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    33. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    By Chloe RyanJuly 1, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement

    July 1, 2025

    Poultry Business – June 2025 issue

    June 9, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
Events

Pig & Poultry Forums now available online

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanMay 14, 20213 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

The Pig & Poultry Fair forums, which took place on 12 May are now available online.

To watch the forum recordings, visit www.pigandpoultry.org.uk

Balancing consumer demands for higher animal welfare with lower emissions, and greater productivity with reduced were some of the topics discussed with expert guests in 21 presentations delivered in a full day of forums.

“This is the most seismic time of change for British farming in generations,” said Sophie Throup, head of agriculture, fisheries and sustainable sourcing at Morrisons, who was one of the speakers. Consumer demands are changing, so it’s all about finding the right balance and giving consumers a choice.

While it might be easy to find improvements in one area – like emissions – that will interact with other areas – like accessibility of food for consumers, explained David Neilson, general manager of chickens at Avara Foods. “Does improving welfare – having free-range, slower grown birds – come at the cost of the environment?”

In the poultry sector, the big innovation of the day is on-farm hatching, with many speakers singing its praises. By delivering ready-to-hatch eggs to the poultry farm, newly hatched chicks have immediate access to food, water and light, without the stress of being handled and transported from the hatchery, explained Erik Hoeven, general manager at Nestborn. As a result, seven-day weights are higher, mortality is lower, and intestinal health is improved, leading to better litter quality and foot pad health.

Tom Wornham has produced four batches of on-farm hatched broilers at his farm in Hertfordshire, and is delighted with the results. “We love it, and I’m adamant that the birds are much happier.” Growth rates have improved, so the birds finish one day quicker, resulting in huge feed savings. “It’s also a very public-facing, calm environment – even teenage vegetarians like watching them hatch.”

Public perception was another common theme across the sectors, with greater transparency – backed up by data – likely to help in this area. But getting consumers to pay for the higher welfare, carbon neutral systems that they demand is a challenge.

“Integrity has never been more important, and scrutiny has never been greater,” said Tom Willings, chief operating officer at Stonegate. Generation Z is all about transparency and environmental credentials – so with the spotlight firmly on Net Zero aspirations, conversations soon turned to both the pig and poultry sectors’ greatest contributor to emissions: Feed. “Whatever protein source we use will end up more expensive than soya,” said Martin Humphrey at Humphrey Feeds. “But the environmental cost is another matter.”

Insect protein, sunflowers, worms, algae and lupins all offer possible alternatives, but the most sensible and sustainable option is meat and bonemeal, as it provides so much of the protein and nutrients required, and is just a waste product. “If we could use 7.3% meat and bonemeal in poultry rations we could reduce soya to 8% of the diet – that would be a lot more sustainable.”

As post-Brexit legislation continues to change and the economy emerges from COVID-19, there will plenty of challenges – and opportunities ahead, said event organiser Alice Bell. “Keeping abreast of changing market conditions, new technology, and the latest advice will be essential. I hope that by bringing the industry together we’ve shared ideas and helped farmers to build their businesses for the future, and look forward to welcoming everyone back to the physical Pig & Poultry Fair in May 2022.”

 

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticleComment: I can’t wait to eat somewhere other than our kitchen
Next Article ADAS seeking poultry farmers for new Defra-funded research project that could lead to subsidies
Chloe Ryan

Editor of Poultry Business, Chloe has spent the past decade writing about the food industry from farming, through manufacturing, retail and foodservice. When not working, dog walking and reading biographies are her favourite hobbies.

Read Similar Stories

Events

Northern Broiler Conference report: Positive signs for poultry amid global challenges

March 12, 20259 Mins Read
Events

National Women in Agriculture Awards returns in 2025!

November 1, 20243 Mins Read
Events

What to expect from this year’s EPIC

October 9, 20244 Mins Read
Latest News

Pershore’s finest

July 4, 2025

Tackling red mite

July 4, 2025

Comment: Morrisons painful decision to stock imported chicken

July 4, 2025
Sponsored Content

Navigating Sustainability in Egg Production: Practical Steps for Producers

June 1, 2025

Maintain stable and continuous coccidiosis control amidst stocking density reductions

November 1, 2024
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • Farmers Weekly
  • AA Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • Pig World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.