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
    • August 2025
    • 2025 Poultry Health supplement
    • 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. August 2025
    2. 2025 Poultry Health supplement
    3. July 2025
    4. 2025 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    5. June 2025
    6. 2025 Innovation supplement
    7. May 2025
    8. April 2025
    9. March 2025
    10. 2025 Feed and Nutrition supplement
    11. February 2025
    12. January 2025
    13. December 2024
    14. November 2024
    15. October 2024
    16. September 2024
    17. 2024 Building for the Future supplement
    18. August 2024
    19. 2024 Poultry Health supplement
    20. July 2024
    21. 2024 National Egg and Poultry Awards finalists supplement
    22. June 2024
    23. 2024 Innovation supplement
    24. Pig & Poultry Fair 2024
    25. May 2024
    26. April 2024
    27. March 2024
    28. February 2024
    29. January 2024
    30. December 2023
    31. November 2023
    32. Processing Equipment Supplement – Nov 2023
    33. October 2023
    34. Building Supplement – Sept 2023
    35. September 2023
    Featured

    Poultry Business – August 2025 issue out now

    By Chloe RyanAugust 13, 2025
    Recent

    Poultry Business – August 2025 issue out now

    August 13, 2025

    2025 Poultry Health supplement out now

    August 13, 2025

    Poultry Business – July 2025 issue

    July 1, 2025
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Events
    • National Egg and Poultry Awards
    • Poultry Fair
    • Webinars
Twitter LinkedIn
Poultry News
Broiler Production

Comment: We need to reclassify backyard producers in the fight against bird flu

Chloe RyanBy Chloe RyanMarch 9, 20224 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email

By Charles Bourns, broiler grower, Gloucestershire

I am finding it very difficult to concentrate on writing this article with the news from the Ukraine, which is absolutely devastating and of course will have a knock on effect for all of us, but at least we are still free to carry on our businesses.

In February I attended the NFU Conference where we heard the usual words from the politicians, which I always take with a pinch of salt. The sad thing is they believe we believe them.

At the poultry break out session we had Philip Wilkinson of 2 Sisters talking and he showed us how chicken’s future is bright, as we produce the most carbon neutral meat, and we produce 49% of the meat consumed in the UK. Obviously, it was highlighted that the AI outbreak has caused many problems. While it was pleasing to hear everyone praising the AHPA in the way they have helped the industry with licences, it is clear something needs to be done to reclassify small backyard producers so they do not impact on the professional end of the industry.

Another speaker we heard was the President of the World Farmers Union. He was an inspiration: so passionate about farming. He reminded us that it is farmers who feed the world, and the world would not function without us. He said that if every farmer in the world did one thing on their farm to improve their carbon footprint we would have a greater effect on the environment than all the regulation put together. He also pointed out that we could feed the world now if we could solve the issue of waste between farm and fork, which he quoted as 50%. He also pointed out how ridiculous it was for the Dutch to want to reduce their herd of cows by 50% when a Dutch cow gives 50 litres per day whilst in Ethiopia a cow gives one litre per day. What is needed is for the Dutch cows to go to Ethiopia so the Ethiopian farmer would only need three cows instead of 110!

My last thought was thank goodness I am in the poultry industry as we heard some terrible stories about pig farmers who, even though they had contracts, it appeared that the processing companies have walked away and are expecting the farmers to pick up the losses unlike the poultry processors who take the losses on behalf of their growers.

Now we appear to be moving towards the beginning of the end of Covid, we need to turn out minds to other issues and start lobbying over the new transport regulations. Some rules have been relaxed for other species but we in the poultry industry have been left as we were. We also need to see if the 16-week housing rule for layers could be replaced to allow lockdown of hens to last as long as is needed without affecting free range status. It is important for producers to remember the 16 week rule applies from the date you housed the hens and not when the rule was brought in; this can make a big difference to some.

On the farm we did not manage to come through the storms unscathed and lost most of a roof on an old chicken shed. You know the one, you use it to store all those useful spares that will come in useful one day.

The sheds we refurbished had no damage. The chickens go out in a couple of days and they look as if they’ve eaten a lot of food, so maybe the fact that I tried to save gas has worked against me. The half house brooding to 21 days saved about £2,700 in electric and gas costs with as far as I can tell no ill effects on the chicken with mortality to date 1.3%.

This month is the SWCA Conference so I hope to see you there. We have a number of good speakers, 30 trade stands and a great lunch and it is free thanks to the sponsors, so I will see you there I trust.

 

Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email
Previous ArticlePoultry Business – March 2022
Next Article Analysis: £60m and counting; the cost of Brexit red tape
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

Production

Poultry numbers grow in England, driven by broilers

August 29, 20251 Min Read
Hatching

Comment: Lessons from the hatchery

August 22, 20252 Mins Read
Production

Comment: The importance of training

August 21, 20253 Mins Read
Latest News

Government outlines how SPS agreement will benefit industry

September 1, 2025

Waitrose completes transition to Better Chicken Commitment

September 1, 2025

New AI case confirmed in Somerset

September 1, 2025
Sponsored Content

How can UK farmers make poultry profitable without losing welfare?

September 1, 2025

Precision Nutrition: A global approach to reducing broiler feed cost.

August 1, 2025
© 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.