Poultry Grist
A PERIODIC NEWSLETTER PRODUCED BY GRAND VALLEY FORTIFIERS
Dear Poultry Producing Friends,
As soya bean harvest has largely finished and corn harvest is underway, it has been heartening to hear of strong yields and decent quality for this year’s harvest. Mycotoxin levels in Ontario corn harvest (to date) appear to be low with OMAFA reporting on 261 cross province samples showing 76% samples being less than 0.50 ppm and 18% between 0.50 and 2.00 ppm. Good quantity and quality grains and oil seeds pay big dividends to livestock producers through the entire year. In this edition of the Poultry Grist, we are pleased to have Dr. Aline Pereira describe the economic impact of coccidiosis on broiler and broiler breeder farms. Often the cost of sub-clinical coccidiosis is overlooked as performance issues are not attributed to this impactful parasite. Additionally, Dr. Tanka Khanal provides further insights into mitigating undergrade eggs by reconsidering nutritional strategies.
The Price of Coccidiosis: Understanding Its Economic Impact on Poultry Farms
by: Aline Pereira, M.Sc., DVM Monogastric Nutritionist
Ever since I started getting involved with the poultry industry, even during my first years at university, I've always seen professors and people from the industry talking about and conducting scientific research on coccidiosis. Years have passed, and the topic is still widely discussed and researched. If we were to compare it to an Olympic athlete, coccidiosis would be a true legend, standing on the podium for decades. But why is this disease so challenging? First, it is crucial to understand that coccidiosis in broilers, breeders, and layers is amplified by the intensive rearing conditions of modern barns, primarily due to
1-800-567-4400 www.grandvalley.com
Bruce Schumann, our Director of Sustainability, has been researching ways for poultry producers to best calculate their GHG emissions per kg of meat or per egg produced, and capitalize on their relative efficiency as compared to other countries or the national average. What has emerged from this research is that Canadian poultry producers are, on a GHG emissions basis, some of the most efficient producers of meat and eggs in the world. Knowing that GHG emissions and cost of production (efficiency) of meat and eggs is highly correlated, at Grand Valley Fortifiers, we are seeking ways to drive and measure efficiency improvements so that poultry producers are not only more profitable but may be able to capture carbon credit revenue as well.
This summer, at Farmers Depot, we have been pleased to launch the new Schippers Hybag concept for cleaning and disinfecting barns and trailers. We hope you will read with interest an article describing this innovative, convenient and cost effective way to clean and disinfect your facilities.
Sincerely, Ian Ross Chief Executive Officer, GVF group of companies
the high density of birds (even in barns with a stocking density below 2.88 kg/ ft2). As coccidiosis is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, the greater the number of birds per square foot, the higher the likelihood of ingesting contaminated feces. In addition, the consumed amount of fecal material containing oocysts of Eimeria spp., the protozoan that causes the disease, determines the degree of challenge the birds will face. The intensive poultry system is the main reason why coccidiosis is so difficult to eradicate in commercial birds. The consequences of coccidiosis are widely known and include reduced nutrient absorption, lower body weight gain, increased feed conversion, enteritis, and mortality in more severe cases. In addition, secondary effects such as increased litter moisture can result in undesirable conditions such as pododermatitis (inflammation of the skin of the foot), as well as requiring greater electricity consumption for ventilation to control this humidity. This scenario not only impacts the birds' health and well-being, but also significantly burdens production. From a nutritionist's perspective, coccidiosis represents a major challenge, as the
Tanka Khanal | Aline Pereira | Kayla Silva | Drew Woods, Monogastric Nutritionists Curtis Ebanks, Layout Editor
formulation of diets aim to optimize the use of nutrients by the birds, maximizing their performance. However, the presence of coccidiosis often prevents this goal from being achieved, compromising the birds' feed efficiency and growth. In addition, the disease can interact negatively with other pathogens or aggravate nutritional deficiencies, increasing stress in the birds and intensifying the clinical signs of other diseases. These factors make coccidiosis one of the diseases with the greatest economic impact on poultry industry, due to the high costs associated with prevention, control, and treatment measures, as well as the significant production losses it causes. The combination of these negative effects makes managing this disease essential for maintaining profitability and bird health in the poultry sector.
The economic impact of coccidiosis is vast. Between 2016 and 2017, it was estimated that the annual cost of preventing coccidiosis in the USA alone was US$144.18 million. Globally, losses related to the disease, including drug costs, decreased birds performance, and increased mortality, exceed US$3 billion per year, with 18% of this cost being for prevention alone (Blake et al., 2020). These figures highlight the immense burden that coccidiosis imposes on the poultry industry.
farmers to manufacture high-quality feed on their farms, using their own grains. This approach not only transforms poultry operations, but also contributes to greater sustainability and financial efficiency. Let’s look at some of the benefits of using locally sourced or your own grains for your poultry feed and discover how Grand Valley Fortifiers can guide you in this process:
One of the most immediate advantages of using your own or local grains for poultry feed is the potential for substantial cost savings. By producing your own feed, you can eliminate some of the middlemen and reduce transportation costs typically associated with commercial feed. This direct approach allows you to invest more of your budget into other critical areas of your operation, thereby boosting overall profitability. Grand Valley Fortifiers provides the expertise and tools needed to optimize your feed production process, ensuring you make the most of these financial benefits.
A Range Of Just Two Ingredients To Many More
More and more poultry farmers are interested in the opportunities of using their own or local grains for feed. While one group of producers has the (future) scale to invest in a larger mill including storage for different ingredients, there is also a group that doesn’t have this scale or the capacity yet. This is one of the reasons why we continue to innovatively look at our products. At Grand Valley Fortifiers we don’t just supply premixes; we offer a comprehensive range of supplements that make on-farm feed production feasible at any scale.
Assign Value To Your Corn
Our corn supplements are designed to integrate seamlessly with pre-ground corn, allowing you to create customized feed blends that meet your flock's specific needs. When your bird’s feed ration consists of more than 50% corn, you can save more than 50% on your transportation cost.
Although there are tools to prevent coccidiosis, such as feed additives and anticoccidials, they do not guarantee 100% effectiveness. Due to the characteristics of the parasite, eradication of coccidiosis is practically impossible. This means that subclinical coccidiosis will often be present, and it is precisely this aspect that represents the most critical economic challenge. This is because, although there is no significant mortality, the underlying signs, such as a drop in performance, increased litter moisture, and a decline in feed conversion, will be present. Often, these signs are mistakenly attributed to other factors, such as nutritional problems or management failures, masking the true impact of the disease. It is therefore essential to understand the level of health challenge in each barn and to adopt a holistic approach that involves proper nutrition, good management, and biosecurity. One of the main roles of nutritionists in this context is to reduce these impacts by formulating appropriate diets. Ingredients with low digestibility and antinutritional factors, such as DDGS, wheat, bakery meal, and animal by-products, should be used with caution. In addition, it is essential to associate these ingredients with enzymes that promote their digestion or, in some cases, to avoid their use altogether. This is because data indicates that the savings obtained by using these ingredients may not compensate for the performance losses in flocks under health challenges. Another important strategy is to carefully adjust the levels of amino acids in the feed. Certain amino acids can act to mitigate the effects of coccidiosis, while others can inadvertently amplify the damage caused by the disease. Therefore, a balanced and well-adjusted formulation is essential for controlling the consequences associated with subclinical coccidiosis, thus promoting better zootechnical performance and greater economic return. In addition, the degree of coccidia challenge varies between barns: some have a lower level than expected, while others face the presence of Eimeria spp. resistant to the anticoccidials added to the feed. Therefore, the careful choice of anticoccidial program is essential to optimize results. Likewise, the use of additives must be rational, since each additive has a specific mechanism of action and is more effective when the target to be combated is known. Given these various possibilities, the role of nutritionists in reducing losses caused by coccidiosis is clear. At Grand Valley Fortifiers, we work with customized nutritional programs to meet the specific needs of each customer, and the same applies to coccidiosis prevention. In the next issue of Poultry Grist, we'll discuss how to monitor and evaluate the current coccidiosis situation in poultry barns.
References: Blake, DP., et al. 2020. Re-calculating the cost of coccidiosis in chickens. Veterinary Research 51.
Making Feed On-Farm at Any Scale
by: Bram Evers Poultry Specialist
For more than 60 years, Grand Valley Fortifiers has been at the forefront of on-farm feed manufacturing innovation and in the last years, this includes the poultry industry. Our mission has always been to empower poultry
Our team of experts provides guidance on formulating and adjusting your feed to include various ingredients, ensuring that your poultry receive optimal nutrition tailored to their requirements. Whether you’re running a small operation or managing a large farm, our flexible solutions make it easy to implement local grains and supplements effectively.
We Are Here To Help You Find Answers
At Grand Valley Fortifiers we will not only help you with your nutrition-related questions, but we also specialize in optimizing the process of feed production: Particle size/grinding: Just as with pellet/crumb quality, the particle size of the mash feed has a big impact on the feed consumption of poultry. Birds are selective pickers, so we have to make sure that we cater to the different ages and beak sizes to ensure flock uniformity. Additionally, feeder management can play an important role. For example, in broiler barns we advise that the birds empty out the feeders regularly throughout the flock.
Mixing: I once heard “the feed will be as good as you are able to mix it”. Just like we need to pay attention to the mixing when making the feed, we need to pay attention to potential segregation when storing or feeding into the barn. Also, feeder management can play a role, as mentioned before.
Mill-in-a-box design: Together with a partner in the industry, we are exploring ways to start making feed-on farm as accessible as possible. We have a design which includes a small (corn)grinder and batch mixer that is pre-wired and easy to install. In the future, if feed needs to be made in a different way, this mill-in-abox might be saleable to another producer. This is really a plug-and-play design that enables you to start with making feed on-farm.
Our nutrition team can customize rations to your needs, including an option of providing a supplement, that requires the producer to only need to add corn. With this solution, making fresh feed on-farm and saving on the largest ingredient is within reach of many more producers. For more information about designs and rations please reach out to me at bramevers@grandvalley.com or 905-329-6103.
Undergrade Eggs Part 2: Re-Consider your Nutrition
by: Tanka Khanal, Ph.D., DVM Monogastric Nutritionist
This article serves as a follow-up to the previous one titled “Undergrade eggs: consider your nutrition-Part I”, which was published in the Spring 2024 edition of our Poultry Grist. A rise in undergrade eggs during and after peak production is one of the major challenges for egg producers, causing significant economic loss. The rejects and cracks contribute to a major proportion of the “undergrades.” Part I highlighted nutritional intervention through limestone particle size distribution and vitamin D3. In this article, I will discuss other possible intervention tools to reduce undergrade eggs.
Balancing Available Phosphorous
While eggshell formation does not require phosphorous, a significant amount of calcium (Ca) is needed, and Ca and phosphorus metabolism are closely linked.
Table 1: Cost of sub-clinical Coccidiosis for broiler chickens and broiler breeders in the USA between 2016 and 2017. Adapted from Blake, Damer P., et al. 2020
Eggshell mineralization (formation) mostly occurs overnight when the light is turned off and hens are in a fasting state. The extra calcium required in this active state of eggshell formation is contributed by bone. On an average, one egg (59 g) requires 2.2 to 2.3 g of calcium to form 5.8 g of eggshell. If sufficient Ca is not coming from feed, calcium phosphate in labile bone will release Ca to form the eggshell. Lower phosphorous in the diet will inadequately replenish the calcium phosphate in the bone. With the continuous release of bone calcium in a long lay cycle, there will be less calcium available for eggshell overall, eventually resulting in thinner and weaker eggshells.
Higher phosphorus in the diet will affect the calcium absorption and is also a potent inhibitor of calcium carbonate mineralization of eggshell. Recent research suggests that excess phosphorous through inorganic phosphate sources has detrimental effects on bone and mineral metabolism, which eventually affects eggshell formation, leading to poor eggshell strength. So, balancing available phosphorous based on type of available ingredients is considered to reduce undergrade eggs.
Controlling Egg Size
Most producers like larger eggs because this category has a premium associated with it. What about the extra-large eggs? It does not have any additional premium on top of large eggs. But, if we carefully analyse grade out data throughout the laying period, we could see a very strong positive correlation (data not presented here) between cracks and proportion of extralarge eggs. Also, we will see a strong negative correlation between medium and extra-large egg percentage. Now the question is: what is the breakeven point for maximizing net return when considering the percentage of cracks, extra-large, and medium? Ensuring the egg size specifically for medium eggs is less than 10% but not less than 6% and extralarge plus large eggs not less than 86% showed better return.This principle works well especially for the eggs laid after 45 weeks of age or post-peak lay. A nutritionist should carefully take body weight, breed type (egg size is influenced by bird types), metabolizable energy, and amino acids into consideration. A proactive control of egg size could be a strategy to reduce “undergrades.”
Controlling Acidosis in Hens
A lot of stress and a lot of metabolically active cellular process of prolific laying hens generates a large amount of hydrogen ions (H+) and other acidic ions on daily basis. The present day hens are metabolically active all day, every day. The enormous rate of ATP (energy) utilization generates a lot of H+. The net acid production increases during protein oxidation, bone formation, and ATP utilization. Imbalance of amino acid ratios and insufficient protein in the diet could lead to a massive protein oxidation. Oxidation of sulphur containing amino acids (e.g. Methionine and Cysteine) lead to higher levels of acidosis due to formation of sulphate and H+ ions. Diets containing more meat meal, fish meal, or feather meal contain excess acid forming elements. The chloride ions from some additives (for example lysine HCl, choline Chloride etc) and common salt (NaCl) also contribute to acidosis. Dietary electrolyte balance is another highly important aspect a nutritionist should investigate to control acidosis. Replacing some common salt with sodium bicarbonate and modifying the dietary electrolyte balance through formula modification could be an approach to reduced acidosis. Also, choice of ingredients which do not release massive amount of H+ ion during metabolism could potentially reduce acidosis. Preventing acidosis in laying hens is important to reduce ”undergrades”.
Understanding Dietary Fibre Source
Normal hulled barley consists of around 21.8% dietary fibre, of which 12% is soluble fibre. Considering the total dietary fibre, barley has around 55% the soluble dietary fibre. If we analyse in this way, of the total dietary fibre, corn and wheat has around 10% and 50% soluble fibre respectively. These soluble fibres make the feces viscous, soft, and pasty. There is a significant positive relationship between a higher proportion of dietary soluble fibres and incidence of dirty eggs. A dirty egg is the single most important factor leading to rejection of eggs at graders. Better understanding the dietary fibre types and source will contribute to a reduction in the number of dirty eggs.
Pullet Rearing and Frame-Size
Average daily feed intake is a key strategy to control egg size with the provision of sufficient nutrients. This will eventually prevent increased egg crack percentage after 45 weeks of age, when hens start eating more than 114 g of feed daily. To achieve this, it is important to maintain the uniformity and body
weight of hens. This starts with the uniformity of the pullet. Hence, better body weight and uniformity remain key players to egg size and “undergrades”. So, an excellent pullet nutrition program will provide a better body weight, strong frame-size by 10 weeks of age, as well as the optimum frame size and lean to fat ratio by 16 weeks of age.
Conclusion
Reviewing dietary available phosphorous could help to deposit more calcium in bone, which later can be used to make eggshell. Controlling acidosis through dietary electrolyte balance can help reducing egg cracks. Understanding dietary fibre sources and their impact on feces texture and use of specific enzymes could significantly reduce dirty eggs, hence less undergrade eggs. Better uniformity and frame size at the pullet phase can improve later life eggshell quality and result in less cracks.
Sustainability in Ag, it can be Positive!
by: Bruce Schumann, M.Sc. Director of Sustainability, Regulatory and Quality Assurance
One of the most popular buzzwords of today is sustainability, but what does it mean and how does it impact livestock agriculture? In its simplest definition sustainability is “Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Consumers place heavy emphasis on the environmental side of sustainability, but for farmers to be sustainable it is much more than that. Farmers are not only excellent stewards of their land and the livestock they raise, but also take care of the people that work for them, comply with all the regulatory constraints and need to be profitable while doing so. Sustainability is the sweet spot where environment, economic (profitability) and social goals all overlap.
Many companies within the livestock supply chains are making voluntary commitments towards sustainability, with a heavy emphasis on reducing the environmental impact. The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) are working to establish requirements for Canadian publicly traded companies to make climaterelated disclosures in response to demands from investors and other stakeholders for “complete, consistent and comparable” reporting. For many of these companies, most of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (between 50 – 85%), originate from their raw materials coming into their plant (upstream) and the final product destinations (downstream) after they have left the processing plant. So, the commitments publicly traded companies make for reductions in GHG emissions in the livestock sector, will be heavily reliant upon primary producers for that change. Canada accounts for roughly 1.5% (Government of Canada. 2022 “Global greenhouse gas emissions.”) of the world’s GHG emissions and of that 1.5%, Canadian agriculture (crops & livestock) is responsible for only 8.2% of our total GHG emissions. So Canadian agriculture contributes 0.12% of the Global GHG emissions. To put this into perspective China and the USA jointly account for ~39% of the worlds GHG emissions. Despite our small contribution to the overall emissions in the world, 196 countries around the world, including Canada, have all made climate commitments, through the Paris Agreement, to reduce their total GHG emissions from 2005 levels by 43% by 2030 (United Nations Climate Change).
Source: Environment & Climate Change Canada (2003) National Inventory Report 2004-2021: Greenhouse Gas Sources and Sinks in Canada
We are a nation that produces some of the most sustainable pork, chicken, beef, milk and eggs in the world, and we are continually improving. At the farm level, GVF’s purpose is to help our customers, like you, to achieve the best possible production at the lowest possible cost. We firmly believe that the most efficient
Photo 1 & 2: Cracked eggs collected from the conveyor belt at a farm
Figure 1: Canadian Ag Sector Annual Emissions & Percentage Change in Livestock Emissions
producers will ultimately become the most profitable and the most sustainable. The improvements in economic and production efficiencies will not only put more dollars in the hands of farmers, but it will also decrease the greenhouse gas emission intensities, by producing more with less. Environment and Climate Change Canada in 2023 reported Canadian Livestock Production emissions since 1990. Livestock numbers in Canada have increased by 46.9% between 2004 and 2021 (predominantly from increasing swine and poultry numbers). Despite producing 47% more livestock, our livestock production emissions have only increased by 13% since 1990. And since 2005, Canadian farmers have reduced total livestock emissions by almost 18% (Figure 1).
It is critical that we capture, track and improve these production metrics on farm. We need to continually measure and relate our improvements in growth and reproduction to palpable reductions in GHG emissions per kg of meat, milk and eggs produced. This information then needs to be shared, telling the great-news story about livestock agriculture in Canada to policy makers, and ensure that most efficient livestock production systems have preferential access to supply global markets.
With its powerful foaming, the HyBag ensures complete and consistent application, avoiding the uneven coverage and product waste common in traditional methods. This thorough coverage is crucial for high biosecurity levels, helping reduce disease risk and enhancing both animal welfare and operational cleanliness.
A Foolproof System: The Power of MS Topfoam and HyBag Together
When paired with MS Topfoam, the HyBag system becomes an unbeatable solution for agricultural cleaning. MS Topfoam is a high-performance foaming cleaner that tackles a wide range of contaminants, from stubborn grime to organic buildup, without the need for extensive handling or chemical exposure.
Simplicity and Safety
Each pre-measured HyBag requires no mixing, complicated setup, or direct handling of potentially hazardous chemicals. Once the HyBag Foamer is calibrated to match your pressure washer system, no further adjustments are needed. This setup ensures consistent, hassle free results making it safe and reliable for all experience levels. The foam clings to surfaces, providing more contact time for effective cleaning, especially on vertical areas where traditional cleaners would drip off before penetrating deeply.
Megades Novo: Unrivaled Disinfection in Minutes
As a company and as an industry we are committed to advocating for livestock producers and the crucial role livestock has and will continue to play in feeding the world. Grand Valley Fortifiers has commenced some sustainability initiatives, with more to come in the future. We have begun adding pro-agriculture, sustainability messages on our newest trucks to help educate the general public how Canadian farmers already produce some of the most sustainable pork, beef, dairy and poultry products in the world. We have performed on-farm environmental assessments for some of our pork, dairy and poultry producers. Our initial results confirm what we believed. We know that ~70% of total livestock emissions comes from feed, and so, land-based producers, manufacturing their own-feed on farm and using ingredients grown and harvested under their control, are the most environmentally efficient compared to the national averages. This puts these livestock producers in a powerful position when processors and grocery stores are looking for demonstratable lower carbon-footprint livestock for their supply chain and hopefully to take advantage of carbon credits in the future. It is therefore critical to track growth and production throughout your entire operation. Using data-driven insights, livestock businesses can optimize feed, production efficiency, profitability, and resource stewardship, fostering continuous improvements in meat, milk, and egg production to support global protein abundance.
We are working with producers to capture, analyze, interpret and make informed decisions to allow them to be the most efficient, most profitable and most sustainable as they can be. For more information on how GVF can help improve your farm sustainability, contact Bruce Schumann or your GVF Livestock Business Consultant today.
References:
https://unfccc.int/process-and-meetings/the-paris-agreement
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/environmental-indicators/ global-greenhouse-gas-emissions.html
The HyBag: Revolutionizing Cleaning and Disinfection in Agriculture
by: Luke Solomon Marketing Coordinator, Schippers Canada Ltd.
As the agricultural industry evolves, so too must the tools we rely on for maintaining safe, clean, and biosecure environments. The HyBag system introduces a revolutionary approach to cleaning and disinfection, offering technology that simplifies operations, while delivering superior results. This efficient, effective, and intuitive system is quickly becoming the new standard for farms, livestock transportation, and other high-demand operations.
Unmatched Efficiency and Performance
The HyBag system redefines efficient cleaning and disinfection. Each HyBag can treat up to 3,000 ft2 (279 m2), significantly reducing the time, labour, and resources traditionally needed for large-scale operations. Whether you’re cleaning barns, equipment, or livestock transport vehicles, the HyBag’s efficiency results in fewer products used, faster results, and a streamlined workflow that saves both time and money.
In addition to cleaning, the HyBag system also excels in disinfection with Megades Novo, a broad-spectrum disinfectant offering powerful protection against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Megades Novo achieves its full disinfecting potential in just five-minutes, a significant advantage over other products that may slide off surfaces well before they can work effectively.
Economical Efficiency: Not only is Megades Novo effective, but it is also highly economical. Each HyBag of Megades Novo can disinfect up to 3,000 ft2, translating into a mere 8.5 cents per sq ft. This cost-effective approach makes it an ideal choice for livestock transport operators needing reliable disinfection that meets industry biosecurity standards while keeping costs down. The fast action of Megades Novo reduces cross-contamination risks, supporting animal health and welfare during transport.
Safe, Simple, and Environmentally Friendly
The HyBag system prioritized safety, eliminating the need for heavy 5-gallon jugs, making it easy to handle around the farm or barn. Each lightweight, premeasured HyBag reduces the risk of spills, mishandling, and incorrect dosing, providing a safer option for workers. Its intuitive design allows even less experienced employees to achieve professional-grade results without error. Beyond ease of use, the HyBag system also supports environmentally friendly practices, by minimizing waste and maximizing coverage, reducing the environmental impact associated with traditional cleaning and disinfection. This eco-conscious design, paired with high performance, makes the HyBag system an ideal choice for agricultural operations focused on biosecurity and sustainability.
The HyBag system is the next generation of cleaning and disinfection technology, offering an unbeatable combination of efficiency, safety, and ease of use. Whether cleaning a 3,000-square-foot area with MS Topfoam or disinfecting with Megades Novo, the HyBag delivers consistent, high-quality results that enhance biosecurity and promote animal health.
For more information or to give HyBag a try on your farm operation, reach out to Farmers Depot at 1-866-527-6229 or FarmersDepot.ca.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HYBAG HERE!
Thought of the Day!
In a world full of conflict and dissent it is helpful to remember the life Jesus calls us to, regarding conflict.
“… I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4: 1-3
