August 2021 Newsletter

Hot weather: Supplement with Vitamin C

When broilers and laying hens are submitted to heat stress, their capacity to synthesize Vitamin C diminishes. This can compromise their immune system, making them more susceptible to disease. Vitamin C is routinely used in South American countries and Spain where, most of the year, broilers and laying hens have to cope with high temperatures. It has been scientifically proven that Vitamin C supplementation in periods of stress can reduce mortality and increase body weights in broilers. It can also improve egg quality in laying hens. Agricure Avikalm contains high levels of Vitamin C together with essential oils, Copper and Zinc, which help to prevent aortic ruptures (sudden death) and poor feathering. This product is exclusive to PHS and can’t be found anywhere else.

Avikalm is selling fast, so please contact your local PHS practice as soon as possible, to avoid disappointment.

Have you tested the quality of your water recently?

When temperatures are high at this time of year, bacteria grow faster in the drinking lines. We are one of the few poultry practices in the UK that can perform water testing in our own labs, and therefore we can ensure that samples are tested and results reported quickly by your own poultry vet at a very competitive price. The allows you to put fast remedial action in place and reduce the incidence of bacterial infections, such as E. coli, Staphylococcus or Enterococcus, in your flock. There are a number of water tests available, but your poultry vet will be able to advise on the most appropriate one for your particular circumstances. We supply the water kits that you need for the water testing and can also provide pre-paid envelopes to return the samples back to the lab. If you need a test kit, please contact your local PHS branch.

   

Sustainability

As we are sure you are aware, sustainability is a hot topic at the moment. This covers many areas, such optimising your current use of fossil fuels, eliminating waste, utilising recycling, recovering energy and reducing or eliminating pollution.

With this in mind, PHS is delighted to announce our association with Anslow Enterprises—a company that specialise in renewable energy on commercial premises, including poultry houses. The owner of Anslow Enterprises, Jonathan Thompstone, owns his own poultry farm. Jonathan and his team are committed to bringing sustainable options to the poultry industry and as such would welcome conversations with anyone looking to explore or invest in this area.

Please visit Anslow Enterprises’s website http://www.anslow.enterprises/ for more information or speak to the Sheriff Hutton practice on 01347 820366.

New Product – Stress Pack Xtra

We are currently stocking a new water supplement called Stress Pack Xtra. This product has Vitamin C, Betaine and White willow extract from Salix alba L in its composition. The latter is a natural source of salicin, which is a precursor of salicylic acid, and has been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. This product can be useful in cases of heat stress, to protect the gut and help reduce local inflammation. The product is available in 5 litre containers and the recommended dosage is 1-1.5 litre per 1000 litres of drinking water, for 4-5 days. For more information, please contact your local PHS vet, who will be happy to talk about the benefits of using this product or a combination of nutraceuticals tailored to your specific needs.

 

Gamebird Vet Advice with Guns on Pegs

Since November last year, PHS vets and trusted partners have been writing monthly articles for the Guns on Pegs Shoot Hub website.

We aim to provide useful, informative and interesting articles for both the game community and businesses.

These articles have included legal advice from Matthew Knight of Knights Solicitors on dealing with shoot saboteurs, information on how assurance schemes can help the game meat market grow from Liam Stokes of the BGA, and how water treatment can boost performance by Will Ingham from PHS.

You can read a selection of the latest articles on the ShootHub website at the links below:

Do you need impartial advice about biosecurity?

We are not linked to any disinfectant company and we can give you practical solutions. For specific, specialised areas, we can put you in contact with the relevant professionals.

Please email Paul Mendham (Veterinary Support Officer) with your specific issue: paul.mendham@poultryhealthservices.com

 

Social Media

Social media is a great way for us to keep you up to date with what’s going on at PHS. We also like to share the occasional funny post, so if you’re a scroller then look us up! You can find us on Facebook, Twitter (@Poultryvets) and LinkedIN.