How are broiler producers coping with the flock health challenges inantibiotic-free production?  

Whether or not poultry feedmanufacturers are ready for the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), the finalrule is expected to be issued August 30, 2015. Feed manufacturers, however, aresaying the rule in its present form is highly prescriptive and needs changingbefore final publication.

The poultry slaughter modernization rule is still under review at the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)prior to being sent for review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), according to Rachel Edelstein, assistant administrator for the FSIS’s Office of Policy and Program Development (OPPD).

Choosing theright marinades and using a combination of injection and tumbling can result inimproved flavor, tenderness and yield of poultry meats.   

Drinking water for poultry flocks can be a hidden and under-diagnosed problem in poor flock performance. "Broiler flocks of today need a lot more water than 10 years ago," said Dr. Susan Watkins, University of Arkansas, a leading expert on drinking water for poultry. "Have we paid attention to that increased need as we equip poultry houses and manage the watering systems? Is the increased demand for water being met?"

While no food company can promise never to have a food safety problem, Maple Leaf Foods made a very public pledge in 2009 to become a global leader in food safety. Speaking at the 2014 International Production and Processing Expo, Christian Fuchs of Maple Leaf Foods explained the enhanced sanitation approach: It is to attack the bacteria where they are able to live and grow because daily sanitation procedures may not always remove them.  

Reducing Salmonella in poultry live-production operations can be an effective means of reducing the food pathogen in the poultry processing plant and the final consumer product. Vaccination, organic acids and probiotics are among the interventions that work to reduce Salmonella levels of broilers arriving at the slaughter plant, but a carefully focused plan is required for success.