September 27, 2007

Worming becomes more critical as feed costs soar

High feed prices currently has made worming even more imperative, a poultry specialist warned.

Worm infestations cost chicken producers millions of pounds before feed costs soared. The infestations cause gut damage, reduce egg quality and can sometimes cause death.

With higher feed prices nowadays, the stakes are even higher, said Dave Cunnah, pig and poultry manager with Janssen Animal Health.

A survey carried out by SAC Veterinary Services avian health unit found worm eggs on 26 out of 27 flocks. Results concluded that unless free-range flocks are wormed every 12 weeks they stand higher than an 80-percent chance of being infected.

With feed costs having risen more than 50 percent from past year levels, the last thing producers need is millions of mouths eroding the economics of poultry meat and egg production, said Cunnah.

He urged poultry producers to give worming a higher priority and not treat it as a 'last resort' management option.