Learn what blog topics attracted the most readers of WATTAgNet during 2017.
1. Poultry robot: The future is now
Benjamin Ruiz: We always think that robots are things of the future that are only seen in the movies. But ladies and gentlemen, they have arrived and are actively working in poultry farms.
2. Why consumers buy cage-free eggs may surprise you
Mark Clements: A new Australian study looking at the motivation behind purchases of free-range and cage-free eggs has found that consumer motivation is not simply driven by concern for the laying hen.
3. Chickens far more clever than you may think
Mark Clements: Chickens have distinct personalities, are more clever than young children and are able to engage in deceptive behavior to achieve what they want.
4. Poultry farm work helped launch stellar rodeo career
Roy Graber: Rodeo may be a sport that evolved from skills associated with cattle production, but for one of the sport’s most decorated cowboys during the past decade, it was work at a poultry farm that helped him become the success he is today.
5. Journey’s Steve Perry goes from turkey farm to rock hall
Roy Graber: You can hardly turn on a classic rock or oldies station without hearing the music of Journey, so it’s easy to understand why the band has been selected to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on April 7.
6. Gwyneth Paltrow’s words of wisdom for poultry producers
Mark Clements: Moves away from antibiotics and improving gut health are among the biggest trends in the poultry industry and look set to continue into 2017.
7. Common additives to replace antibiotics in US broiler feeds
Ioannis Mavromichalis: The United States is following the arduous path already taken by the European Union, at least when it comes to banning growth-promoting antibiotics in broiler diets.
8. Animal feed nutrition: When you think you know everything
Ioannis Mavromichalis: Nobody believes we are missing something. We know all nutrients essential for maximal and efficient animal production, and the exact levels we need to make it profitable.
9. Beware of vegans prone to road rage behavior
Roy Graber: The level of passion some people have about their views opposing consumption of meat and poultry can be downright shocking.
10. The gizzard: the neglected poultry organ
Benjamin Ruiz: Things are changing in poultry production and how birds are managed: antibiotic-free broilers and intestinal health management, to name a few.
