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Saskatchewan Broiler

Hatching Egg Producers

2016 Annual Report

2

Table of Contents Putting a Face to the Name 3

ReportsReportsReportsReports 4444

Chair’s Report 4

Chief Executive Officer 5

Canadian Hatching Egg Producers 6

Saskatchewan Poultry Extension Service ReportSaskatchewan Poultry Extension Service ReportSaskatchewan Poultry Extension Service ReportSaskatchewan Poultry Extension Service Report 7777

Table of Contents 8

Introduction/General 9

Broiler Hatching Egg Producers 12

Chicken Producers 13

Turkey Producers 16

Table Egg Producers 16

Budget Report and Predictions 19

2017 Broiler Hatching Egg Budget2017 Broiler Hatching Egg Budget2017 Broiler Hatching Egg Budget2017 Broiler Hatching Egg Budget 20202020

Please see back page insert for 2016 Financial

Report

3

Putting a Face to the Name…

2016 Board of Directors (from left to right)

Brian Bilkes, Henk Van Steenbergen (Chair), Dave Janzen (Vice-Chair)

Office Staff (From left to right)

Back Row: Kari Tosczak (Executive

Director), Christina Nelson (Market

Analyst)

Front Row: Michael Kautzman (Quality

Control Specialist), Gale Kellington

(Accountant/Administration)

Missing: Colleen Kohlruss (Executive

Assistant and Promotions), Laurie

Thomson (Quality Control Specialist —

maternity leave), CHEQ Auditors: Aaron

Neufeld, Collin Gerbrandt and Tamara

McLoughlin

4

Reports Chair Henk Van Steenbergen

The year 2016 seems to stand out in my mind as a year full of changes! We had board member nominations in late 2016 and welcome Mike Wurtz from Clear Springs Colony as a new member. Sadly Clinton Monchuk, who has served our producers for the last ten years or so in his capacity as Chief Executive Officer had an op-portunity for a change of career and that left a vacancy at the board office. Kari Tosczak has stepped in to take on the task of managing our board and office in Clinton's stead. We have worked with Kari for a little while now and I am pleased to say that I truly think that she is a good fit for our board. She will be an as-set to our industry and will assist both the broiler breeder farmers and the broiler farmers in Saskatchewan. Michael Kautzman joined the office earlier this year to fill a vacancy due to Laurie Thomson going on maternity leave. The board has kept a close eye on the Saskatchewan production numbers and we were disappoint-ed to see the final numbers come in at just over 92%. We had hoped to bump this number up a bit in the last few months of 2016 but that did not materialize. As a board, we have met with producers and the hatcheries to address this chronic underproduction that we seem to be experiencing in the province for far too long. This has led to optimistic projections that should help us fill our quotas, which in the past has not been attained for most producers. Although we have experienced year-over-year growth in our allocation, we did not see any new barn construction to accommodate this growth. The board has been struggling to come up with policies that might help us produce the number of eggs that we are allocated every year in full. I believe that we will be able to roll out a policy in the near future that hopefully gives all of us some options to achieve 100% of allocation; 100% of the time without having to use the big stick that we have had sitting in the closet! In last year’s report, I made mention of the real threat of avian influenza and now a year later this threat seems to almost have disappeared from our radar screen, which is a good thing in one way as it means that we have not seen an outbreak of avian influenza for quite some time but at the same time it might also mean that we could tend to slip in our bio-security protocols. Let us not forget that the threat of avian influenza is just as real of a threat now as it was a year ago and the need for good bio-security is just as important now as it was then. As I mentioned earlier, 2016 seemed to be a year of change and it does appear that 2017 may have its own share of change. It has been my privilege to be Chair and CHEP Director of this board for a number of years. Recently, I have passed along the baton of Chair to Mr. Dave Janzen and the ba-ton of CHEP Director to Mr. Brian Bilkes. It has been my privilege to serve in those two capacities for so many years, and I am certain that both Dave and Brian will experience the same support from the board and producers that I had received during my tenure.

5

Chief Executive Officer Report Kari Tosczak

This year has seen a change in management of the

board. Clinton Monchuk showed me the ropes in Novem-

ber. The position is new to me but the Saskatchewan poultry in-

dustry is not. I miss getting out to see producers on their

farms, but I am working to meet the needs of the industry in this

different capacity. It is a broader perspective and I have en-

joyed getting to know my counterparts in other provinces and

nationally the Canadian Hatching Egg Producers.

Provincially, the Broiler Hatching Egg Producers board met

with Agri-Food Council regarding plans for expansion and I am

happy to report the Council has recently given us direction on this and we will be working to

put together a plan soon.

Another initiative for the coming year is to form a collaborative committee with representation from

hatcheries, the feed industry, chicken producers, poultry veterinarians, and processors to work

on common objectives, including antimicrobial use reduction strategies and quality throughout the

supply chain.

I am happy for the opportunity to work on your behalf and I look forward to the coming year!

Kari Tosczak

6

Canadian Hatching Egg Producers Report

In 2016, CHEP celebrated its 30th anniversary. Initially comprised of three member provinces, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba, the Agency’s membership grew over the years to six provinces, after adding Alberta (1987), British Columbia (1989) and Saskatchewan (2012). CHEP continues to meet with producers in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick with the goal of having a unified broiler hatching egg industry across Canada. Following the agreement in principle reached in the latter part of 2015 between producers and hatcheries from Ontario and Quebec as well as the CHEP Board of Directors, the final signature was placed on the Memorandum of Understanding on March 8, 2016. In addition, a revised Liquidated Damages Assessment Agreement was signed by all member provinces as well as CHEP. CHEP continued to explore different options to better take into account the impact of differential growth in the chicken industry on provincial broiler hatching egg allocations in response to the agreement reached on differential growth in the chicken sector. The Canadian government signed the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement on February 4th, howev-er the President-elect Donald Trump has indicated that the United States will not sign the agree-ment, which puts the entire agreement at risk. In addition, he has also signaled his intent to re-open the North American Free Trade Agreement. The Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement was ratified, followed by an announcement by the federal government of transitional funds available to the dairy sector. The final deal is expected to be implemented in early 2017. Although the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union as a result of the BREXIT referendum, uncertainty surrounding the resulting implications and impacts are being examined. The World Trade Organization continues to look for ways of moving forward as it prepares for the next Ministerial meeting (MC11) to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in December 2017. The Canadian poultry industry continues to focus a great deal of attention on antibiotic use in Cana-da and abroad, both as it applies to agriculture and human medicine. CHEP continues to develop an Animal Care Program based on the “Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Hatching Eggs, Breeders, Chickens, and Turkeys” that was completed earlier in the year. The Animal Care Program is expected to be approved in 2017. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency revised the poultry compensation models that would be de-ployed in the event of an outbreak of a reportable disease such as avian influenza without prior con-sultation with industry. The poultry industry continues to work with the CFIA to review and discuss the suite of poultry compensation models. The Canadian Journey to Social License / Public Trust is an initiative that was discussed during the Federal Provincial Territorial (FPT) meeting. It is important as it demonstrates to the public what in-dustries are doing and how we are doing it. The federal government and the poultry industry have agreed to establish a Poultry Value Chain Round Table that would provide a forum to bring together key senior Canadian poultry industry rep-resentatives with senior federal and provincial governments and allied value chain partners to dis-cuss common issues, with a focus on sustainability and public trust, and to encourage collaborative action by industry and government.

7

Saskatchewan Poultry Extension Service

University of Saskatchewan

Annual Report

January – December 2016

Prepared for:

Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Egg Producers

Saskatchewan Broiler Hatching Egg Producers

Turkey Farmers of Saskatchewan

Lilydale Foods Inc., a Sofina Foods Company

Prairie Pride Natural Foods Ltd.

Dr. S. Gomis, Dept. of Veterinary Pathology, U of S

Dr. H.L. Classen, Dept. of Animal & Poultry Science, U of S

Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner, Dept. of Animal & Poultry Science, U of S

Prepared by:

Stephanie Derbawka

Tennille Knezacek

Tracy Leer-Mercier

Report of the Saskatchewan Poultry Extension Service January - December 2016

8

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... 9

II. GENERAL .................................................................................................... 9

2016 Saskatchewan Poultry Industry Conference 9

Presenta.ons, Workshops and Newsle1ers 9

Par.cipa.on in Consulta.ve Processes 10

CanNAISS Program 11

Canadian Integrated Program for An.microbial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) 11

Infra-Red Camera 11

Emergency Response Planning 11

NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Poultry Nutri.on 12

Acknowledgements 12

III. BROILER HATCHING EGG PRODUCERS ....................................................... 12

Health Report 12

IV. CHICKEN PRODUCERS ............................................................................... 13

Health Report 13

Infec.ous Bursal Disease 15

Reovirus 15

Yolk Sac Infec.ons and Enterococcus 15

Alterna.ves to An.bio.cs 16

V. TURKEY PRODUCERS ................................................................................. 16

Health Report 16

VI. TABLE EGG PRODUCERS ............................................................................ 16

Health Report 16

NIR Technology 17

Salmonella Monitoring Program 18

Infec.ous Bronchi.s Virus 18

VII. 2016 BUDGET REPORT .............................................................................. 19


9

I. INTRODUCTION

The Saskatchewan Poultry Extension Service is funded by the four Saskatchewan Poultry Marke=ng Boards, Sofina and

Prairie Pride Natural Foods. There are three service personnel: a veterinarian, a poultry scien=st and a part-=me re-

search technician. The University of Saskatchewan provides an office for each and access to university resources. Poli-

cies are established by the Saskatchewan Poultry Council on recommenda=ons by the Research and Extension Com-

miAee. The service is supervised and administered by Drs. S. Gomis, K. Schwean-Lardner and H.L. Classen of the Uni-

versity of Saskatchewan.

Program Objec.ves:

1. Monitor industry performance.

2. Iden=fy and solve industry problems.

3. Inves=gate individual produc=on problems.

4. Communicate advances in poultry produc=on.

5. Act as a liaison to individuals supplying feed, medica=on and equipment to the poultry industry.

Personnel:

Jenny Fricke (Jan-May), Stephanie Derbawka (May-Dec), Poultry Veterinarian, (306) 966-7300

Tennille Knezacek, Poultry Scien�st, (306) 966-6597

Tracy Leer-Mercier, Research Technical Assistant, (306) 966-1161

II. GENERAL

2016 Saskatchewan Poultry Industry Conference The 2016 Saskatchewan Poultry Industry Conference was held on March 16

th & 17

th at the Sheraton Cavalier. Dr. Jenny

Fricke gave the Poultry Extension report to each marke=ng board during the AGMs on March 17th

and summarized

diagnoses made over the past year. As decided by the Saskatchewan Poultry Council, there was no luncheon speaker.

Technical sessions in the aEernoon included: Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner provided euthanasia training and Tennille

Knezacek gave an update on focal duodenal necrosis for the table egg producers; Dr. Jenny Fricke and Shelly Popowich

discussed control of IBV and shell-less egg syndrome in the Saskatchewan table egg layer industry; Dr. Mar=n Zuidhof

from the University of Alberta presented broiler breeder producers with feeding management advice: do NOT do what

you’ve always done; and Dr. Helen Wojcinski from Hybrid Turkeys joined the turkey producers online to examine man-

agement and mul=ple disease challenges.

The 2015 Saskatchewan Egg Producer of the Year Award was presented at the conference banquet to Fred Entz from

McMahon Colony Farming Co. The first and second runners-up were Ben Wurz from Lakeview Colony, and Andy Gross

from Riverbend Farms Ltd.

Carrie Mess, also known as Dairy Carrie, was the banquet speaker advoca=ng for the agriculture sectors and encourag-

ing everyone in aAendance to become part of the conversa=on on food and farming.

Presenta�ons, Workshops and Newsle�ers Poultry Extension is available to write technical ar=cles for producer newsleAers and mail-outs, as well as make

presenta=ons on topics of interest at producer mee=ngs.

In conjunc=on with New-Life Mills, Prairie Pride and Poultry Health Services, a Broiler Health Wet Lab was held at the

Prairie Pride processing plant on February 2nd

, 2016. Dr. Jenny Fricke presented a poultry health summary and assisted

with wet lab dissec=ons. Other topics discussed at the session included measuring health and performance, changes to

an=microbial use, field and produc=on challenges, as well as treatment and preven=on op=ons. Hatchery and proces-

sor concerns were also addressed.


10

On June 9th

, the annual general mee=ng for the NSERC Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in Poultry Nutri=on research

program was held at the University of Saskatchewan. The IRC graduate students updated aAendees on their research

progress. Namalika Karunaratne, PhD candidate, gave an industry report =tled, “Ionophore Toxicity in Poultry,” and

Tennille Knezacek discussed focal duodenal necrosis (FDN) in Saskatchewan end-of-lay hens.

On July 7th

, Poultry Extension and Aviagen organized a broiler breeder producer and industry representa=ve mee=ng

in Saskatoon with several guest speakers: Dr. ScoA Gillingham, Aviagen (Gene�c update); Dr. John Halley, Aviagen

(Breeder nutri�on for modern broiler breeders); Dr. Elise Meyers, Merck Animal Health (Post cocci vaccina�on manage-

ment, IBV update); Dr. Rodrigo Espinosa, Aviagen (Troubleshoo�ng hen mortality); and Mark Belanger, Aviagen

(Maximizing breeder fer�lity). The mee=ng was well aAended by producers and industry reps, and led to useful round-

table discussion on the presenta=on topics.

The 2016 Saskatchewan Egg Producers fall mee=ng was held on October 20th

in SwiE Current. Poultry Extension made

the following presenta=ons: Salmonella Monitoring Update and Fa'y Liver Hemorrhagic Syndrome (Dr. Derbawka)

and FDN in SK Layer Flocks (Tennille Knezacek).

The NSERC IRC in Poultry Nutri=on and Poultry Extension hosted a mycotoxin workshop, followed by poultry euthana-

sia training, for all poultry producers and industry representa=ves on November 1st

at the Ramada Hotel in Saskatoon.

Speakers from the University of Saskatchewan included Dr. Rex Newkirk, Research Chair in Feed Processing Technolo-

gy (Mycotoxins in Saskatchewan Feed Grains); Dr. Natacha Hogan, Assistant Professor in Animal and Poultry Science

(Mycotoxins and Poultry Health); Vanessa Cowan, PhD candidate in Veterinary Biomedical Sciences (Ergot Contamina-

�on of Poultry Feed); and Dr. Stephanie Derbawka, Poultry Extension (Do Your Chickens have Mycotoxicosis?). Dr. Ka-

ren Schwean-Lardner, Assistant Professor in Animal and Poultry Science, along with Dr. Derbawka and Tennille

Knezacek provided the poultry euthanasia training. Thanks to the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan for sharing their

mee=ng space and handling the registra=on!

From November 28-30th

, Dr. Stephanie aAended the Early Chick Value conference in Winnipeg, MB, where she gave a

presenta=on =tled, “Current and Emerging Disease Issues in Broilers.”

The 2016 Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan newsleAer contribu=ons from Poultry Extension included:

• Creepy Crawlers: Vectors and the Risks They Pose to Disease Control – Part 2 (February).

• Assessing On-Farm Euthanasia Methods for Broiler Chickens (February, with B. Baker).

• Increased Veterinary Oversight of An=microbial Use and Implica=ons for the Poultry Industry (April).

• Introducing Dr. Stephanie Derbawka (June).

• 2016 Poultry Science Associa=on Mee=ng (August).

• Poultry Advisor Opportunity in Hai= - Interna=onal Sustainable Community Assistance (October).

• Vet-Client-Pa=ent Rela=onship (December)

• Mycotoxin Screening Services Available in Saskatoon (December)

Par�cipa�on in Consulta�ve Processes Poultry Extension service personnel were invited to par=cipate in consulta=ve mee=ngs and provide input on docu-

ments important to the poultry industry.

Input was provided for the administra=ve sec=on of the Canadian Hatchery and Supply Flock Program (ongoing). In

addi=on, extension consulted with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture regarding the Provincial No=fiable Animal

Disease list and CFIA veterinary biologics regarding the import of IBV vaccine.

On September 21st

, Dr. Stephanie Derbawka par=cipated in the second annual Saskatchewan An=microbial Re-

sistance/An=microbial Use (AMR/AMU) Stewardship in Animal Agriculture Roundtable discussion, which included

members from industry groups, provincial government, and the Regina-Qu’Appelle Health Region.

From November 23-26th

, Dr. Stephanie par=cipated in an Agribi=on booth sponsored by the Saskatchewan Veterinary

Medical Associa=on and the Regina-Qu’Appelle Health Region on AMR/AMU in agriculture. This booth created the op-


11

portunity to speak with producers about upcoming changes to an=microbial use in agriculture, as well as the efforts to

more effec=vely monitor AMR/AMU in human and agricultural seSngs.

CanNAISS Program CanNAISS is the Canadian No=fiable Avian Influenza Surveillance System developed by CFIA, government and poultry

industry representa=ves to meet current No=fiable Avian Influenza (NAI) guidelines from the World Organiza=on for

Animal Health (OIE) and new trade regula=ons of the European Union. This surveillance program will also assist in pre-

ven=ng, detec=ng and elimina=ng the presence of H5 and H7 subtypes of NAI in Canada's commercial poultry flocks.

CFIA covers all costs associated with sample collec=on, submission and analysis.

In 2016, the Saskatchewan Poultry Extension Service was contracted by CFIA to collect blood samples from 14 turkey

and 3 broiler breeder flocks. NAI virus was not detected in any flocks tested.

Canadian Integrated Program for An�microbial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS) AEer funding was approved by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture last year, the Chicken Farmers of Saskatche-

wan agreed to support the Canadian Integrated Program for An=microbial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS). CIPARS is

a federal government department of the Public Health Agency of Canada. The purpose of this surveillance is to obtain

farm data on an=microbial drug use and resistance for disease-causing microorganisms harmful to humans, such as E.

coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter; to inves=gate associated trends at a na=onal and regional level; and to provide

data for human health risk assessments. Most importantly, the data will support science-based decisions by the chick-

en industry to reduce an=microbial resistance, and demonstrate a proac=ve response by the industry to the issue.

CIPARS sampling is conducted by poultry extension personnel and broiler farm par=cipa=on is voluntary. Volunteer

farms must be OFFSAP compliant and quota-holding opera=ons. Individual producer informa=on is coded to maintain

confiden=ality and anonymity, and prevent trace back. Sampling for 2016 began in May and 8 farms par=cipated: 4

farms were sampled at placement and prior to slaughter, and 4 farms were tested prior to slaughter only. The CIPARS

contract has been renewed through to March 31, 2018, pending volunteer par=cipa=on. The summary of 2015 data

has been distributed to par=cipa=ng farms and reports from 2016 will be delivered in Spring 2017.

Infra-Red Camera Poultry Extension has access to an infra-red camera for use in research and field applica=ons, such as ven=la=on,

equipment and insula=on assessments. Infra-red thermography is a useful tool because it is non-contact, two-

dimensional, and allows images of fast changing thermal paAerns to be captured in real-=me. In addi=on to the large

camera, a smaller, more portable FLIR One iPhone accessory and applica=on is also available. Producers interested in

acquiring thermal images of their barns and/or equipment can schedule an appointment with Poultry Extension. One

appointment was made in 2016 to examine a newly constructed barn.

Emergency Response Planning The Saskatchewan Poultry Industry Emergency Management Team (SPIEMT) is comprised of representa=ves from the

Saskatchewan Egg Producers, Saskatchewan Broiler Hatching Egg Producers, Saskatchewan Turkey Producers, Chicken

Farmers of Saskatchewan, egg graders and processors, hatcheries, poultry meat processors, U of S poultry extension,

feed industry, catching crews and Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS), as well as government partners, in-

cluding the Canadian Food Inspec=on Agency (CFIA) and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.

The SPIEMT manuals for the management team and producers were updated this year and a table top exercise was

conducted on December 3rd

. The exercise outlined communica=on gaps with the diagnos=c lab and government part-

ners, as well as the need for a confiden=ality agreement to be signed among the SPIEMT commiAee members.

SPIEMT producer manuals are available from the board offices. The manuals include informa=on about reportable

poultry disease symptoms and the procedures to follow if you suspect you have a reportable disease on your farm.


12

NSERC Industrial Research Chair in Poultry Nutri�on

Dr. Henry Classen was awarded an Industrial Research Chair (IRC) in Poultry Nutri=on by the Natural Sciences and Engi-

neering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). This pres=gious appointment includes a 5-year research program which

will focus on the efficient use of feed ingredients and feeding programs that enhance poultry health while improving

the quality and sustainability of poultry meat and egg produc=on.

Part of the NSERC IRC proposal involved a redirec=on of the poultry extension scien=st’s ac=vi=es towards daily par=ci-

pa=on in this research program. The new responsibili=es for the poultry extension scien=st include IRC project man-

agement and accoun=ng, liaising between industry sponsors and the research team, communica=ng IRC progress and

findings, and assis=ng with major data collec=on days.

The NSERC IRC sponsoring organiza=ons include the Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Egg Producers,

Saskatchewan Turkey Producers’ Marke=ng Board, Saskatchewan Hatching Egg Producers’ Marke=ng Board, Sofina

Foods Inc., Prairie Pride Natural Foods Ltd., Poultry Industry Council, Canadian Poultry Research Council and Aviagen.

Acknowledgements Poultry Extension would like to thank the poultry producers and processors who make themselves, their facili=es and

their birds available for educa=onal purposes. Students from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine and the Col-

lege of Agriculture and Bioresources at the University of Saskatchewan appreciate the opportunity to learn first-hand

about the Saskatchewan poultry industry. These student-industry interac=ons are also an excellent opportunity to pro-

mote the poultry industry in this province and to encourage student interest in poultry-related employment aEer grad-

ua=on.

Strict biosecurity protocols are followed for all on-farm visits. Addi=onally, a list of students in aAendance is provided

for the visitor log book at each farm.

III. BROILER HATCHING EGG PRODUCERS

Health Report The following informa=on is based on cases submiAed to the poultry extension veterinarian for post mortem examina-

=on. It should be noted the incidence of disease in the field may differ, as not all disease cases are submiAed for exami-

na=on and diagnos=cs.

In 2016, seven producers/produc=on sites submiAed 43 diagnos=c cases, an increase compared to cases submiAed last

year. There was no conclusive diagnosis for 16% of submissions (an increase from 13% in 2015), primarily due to the

complexity of the produc=on and/or disease issue. Addi=onal on farm inves=ga=on is oEen conducted when postmor-

tem examina=on is inconclusive.

Bacterial sep=cemia accounted for 14% of cases. The majority of these infec=ons either affected birds <7 days of age,

or >20 weeks of age. With the excep=on of one case, E. coli was the only organism isolated. Similarly to the last two

years, bacterial (sep=c) arthri=s was the primary diagnosis, predominantly due to Staphylococcus aureus, in 12% of cas-

es. Both of these pathogens, E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, are opportunis=c, thus infec=on with these bacteria is

generally not the primary problem. With either case presenta=on, a breach in a protec=ve barrier (such as the skin or

gastrointes=nal tract), an increase in pathogen load, and/or a decrease in bird resistance to disease are possible predis-

posing factors. In order to prevent and/or treat these cases, an inves=ga=on into predisposing factors is required. In

2016, cases of bacterial sep=cemia in breeders >20 weeks of age were again typically linked to introduc=on of spiker

males into the flocks. Male aggression and excess ma=ng were suspected as predisposing factors.

Coccidiosis and intussuscep=on together accounted for another 8% of the cases examined, which is a slight increase

from 2015. Intussuscep=on is a condi=on where the intes=ne folds in on itself, and in severe cases, prolapses through

the vent. Increased gut mo=lity (hypermo=lity), secondary to intes=nal parasi=sm, bacterial overgrowth and manage-

ment of feeding, is a risk for developing this condi=on.


13

Similarly to 2015, intes=nal parasites (all cecal worms) were observed in 3% of the cases as a secondary diagnosis. The

examina=on of rou=ne mortality to detect intes=nal parasites is a poor means of surveillance and producers are

strongly encouraged to submit rou=ne fecal samples for parasite detec=on. Ideal submission =mes are following de-

worming to confirm the success of de-worming, and approximately 10 weeks aEer the last deworming to determine if

addi=onal treatment is necessary. Beginning in 2017, Poultry Extension is now offering rou=ne fecal tes=ng for pro-

ducers. Please contact Dr. Stephanie Derbawka to set up a fecal evalua=on.

Like the single case reported in 2015, one case of suspected Histomoniasis occurred in 2016. Histomoniasis is a para-

si=c infec=on, also referred to as Blackhead, which affects the intes=ne and liver. The parasite, Histomonas melea-

gridis, is spread by the cecal worm (Heterakis gallinarum), some species of earthworm and by infected poultry species.

Turkeys are generally more suscep=ble to this parasite than chickens and experience significantly more mortality. The

disease in broiler breeder flocks is characterized by general depression, abnormal droppings and persistent increasing

mortality. Strict biosecurity prac=ces and rou=ne de-worming programs help to prevent the occurrence of Histomoni-

asis.

One case of pneumonia in male breeders related to inhala=on (aspira=on) of feed occurred in 2016. In this case, feed

was present in the lungs of dead birds and secondary infec=on and inflamma=on affected the associated area of lung

and adjacent =ssues. This case affected young cockerels in the pullet barn only, occurred over a short period of =me,

and appeared to be related to distribu=on of feed or feed availability rela=ve to the number of males trying to eat.

A unique diagnosis was noted in several broiler flocks in the spring of 2016. Chicken anemia virus, or CAV, was discov-

ered as a cause of weak chicks and increased mortality in broiler barns. Historically, CAV has not been a concern in

Saskatchewan due to appropriate vaccina=on in broiler breeder flocks. It is extremely important to ensure proper vac-

cina=on technique in breeder flocks to provide immunity for broiler chicks. Poultry Extension offers a vaccina=on au-

dit service for breeders to ensure the birds are being vaccinated properly.

A second diagnosis of interest in 2016 was one case of fowl cholera. Fowl cholera is caused by the bacterium Pas-

teurella multocida and is seen throughout the world. Proper vaccina=on and appropriate biosecurity are key in the

preven=on of this disease. Typically, clinical signs include lethargy, ruffled feathers, a swollen and cyano=c (blue) face,

lameness, and increased mortality. These clinical signs can also be indica=ve of many other diseases so it is impera=ve

to contact a veterinarian if any of these signs are noted.

The remainder of cases for 2016 were single instances of an assortment of different condi=ons including, but not lim-

ited to vent prolapse, cannibalism, choke, and dehydra=on.

All provincial breeder flocks are tested at 15-16 weeks, and again at 24 weeks, to ensure protec=on of parents and

progeny from several avian diseases. All breeder flocks were blood sampled to monitor vaccina=on effec=veness for

infec=ous bursal disease (IBD), avian encephalomyeli=s (AE), Infec=ous Bronchi=s Virus (IBV), Newcastle Disease Virus

(NDV), Reovirus (REO) and Chicken Anemia Virus (CAV). The results indicate good vaccina=on prac=ces in most flocks;

however, several flocks had to be re-vaccinated for AE. As a reminder, the applica=on of AE vaccine occurs only once

during the life=me of a flock, generally around 10-12 weeks of age. Proper applica=on is cri=cal to prevent a flock

from becoming exposed while in produc=on, which can result in catastrophic drops in egg produc=on. All flocks were

blood sampled to ensure freedom from Mycoplasma gallisep�cum (MG) and Mycoplasma synoviae (MS), and test re-

sults were nega=ve. Vaccina=on audi=ng by poultry extension, par=cularly for breast and wing web injec=ons, can be

requested. A random sample of pullets is examined to ensure the proper technique is being used and the vaccine is

being given in the correct area.

IV. CHICKEN PRODUCERS

Health Report FiEy broiler producers/produc=on sites reported 136 disease incidents in 2016. This year, bacterial sep=cemia was

the most common diagnosis accoun=ng for 38% of submissions. Bacterial lameness (arthri=s, osteomyeli=s and/or

osteoarthri=s) was the second most common diagnosis, accoun=ng for 9% of cases. Yolk sac infec=ons were the third


14

most common diagnosis, accoun=ng for 7% of cases. It should be noted for both cases of bacterial sep=cemia and yolk

sac infec=on, E. coli was the primary bacterial isolate.

Of the 136 cases submiAed for diagnos=c workup, bacteriology was conducted in 63% of these cases, which is some-

what lower than 2015. As men=oned, E. coli was oEen the primary bacterial isolate and also the most common species

isolated in 78% of the cases where bacteriology was performed. This year, other notable isolates include Enterococcus

cecorum and Salmonella species, isolated from 26% and 17% of the respec=ve cases where bacteriology was performed.

The number of cases of Enterococcus cecorum associated lameness decreased from 33 confirmed in 2015 to 18 in

2016. However, several cases were not submiAed for further tes=ng and may have accounted for this decreased num-

ber of posi=ve diagnoses. In May 2015, Prairie Diagnos=c Services bacteriology lab acquired new equipment that im-

proved the ability to accurately detect and iden=fy this organism in bacterial cultures. Previous methods were prone to

error and misiden=fica=on. This acquisi=on may help explain the increased number of confirmed cases in 2015.

Cases where E. cecorum was isolated or suspected have nearly all had a characteris=c presenta=on: birds two weeks of

age or older with a primarily reported increase in culling for lameness. Historically, birds were described as having a

characteris=c ‘dog siSng’ posture or ‘kinky back’. This presenta=on is the result of vertebral osteoarthri=s (VOA), or

infec=on and swelling of a specific backbone (the free thoracic vertebrae), which applies pressure to the spinal cord

and interferes with control of the legs. VOA is oEen regarded as a classical presenta=on of this condi=on, but was only

reported in 6 of 33 confirmed cases in 2015 (<20%). In 2016, only 1 case was confirmed with VOA. The 2015 post mor-

tem findings varied but always included signs of bacterial infec=on. In 2016, one case tested posi=ve from chicks in

their first week of age. It is unclear whether this was a true infec=on or a secondary contamina=on issue with an aged

sample. The exact cause or trigger for Enterococcus cecorum infec=on is not well understood. This bacterium is a nor-

mal part of the gut microflora, and intes=nal health is thought to be important in the preven=on of this condi=on. Heat

stress and/or other stressors have been suggested to play a role in increasing bird suscep=bility. Farms that have been

affected may experience repeat infec=on. In 2015, 36 confirmed/suspected cases occurred on 18 different premises

and half of these farms were affected more than once. Consequently, cleaning and disinfec=on of the barn aEer an

affected flock has shipped is cri=cal, especially with respect to cleaning the water lines. It is also important to heavily


15

cull an affected flock prior to processing, as any flock experiencing lameness is at an increased risk of condemna=ons

(usually celluli=s).

When considering treatment op=ons for infec=ons where Enterococcus species have been iden=fied, know that Enter-

ococcus species are inherently resistant to certain an=microbials, including the sulfonamide category of an=microbials.

Bacteriology lab reports do not always take into considera=on ‘inherent resistance’ when a report is compiled, so a lab

result can indicate sensi=vity based on the lab test (‘S’), when in reality and in the bird, this is not the case. If an=micro-

bial treatment of a flock suffering from lameness is to be considered, veterinary interpreta=on of laboratory results and

consulta=on is strongly recommended. Otherwise, the use of some an=microbials may inadvertently select for the sur-

vival of Enterococcus species.

The number of cases where Salmonella was isolated decreased from 12% in 2015 to 6% in 2016 (16% of the cases

where bacteriology was performed). Eleven different strains of Salmonella were iden=fied in 2016, the most common

being a =e between Salmonella kentucky and Salmonella thompson. Salmonella enteri�dis (SE) was isolated once.

Of the remaining case submissions, 16% were listed as no diagnosis because the quality of the birds submiAed was too

compromised, or the findings too varied to reach a conclusive diagnosis. In many instances, subsequent inves=ga=ons

or submissions yielded an answer.

One final observa=on worth no=ng is the diagnosis of Reovirus-related tenosynovi=s was not confirmed in 2016. Three

cases were suspected to be Reovirus-related but further tes=ng was not pursued.

Infec�ous Bursal Disease Immunosuppression due to infec=ous bursal disease virus (IBDV) has been a large area of research for Dr. Gomis and

his research team. Previous research has determined there are five different variant IBDVs iden=fied in the broiler

chicken industry in Saskatchewan. The incidence of IBDV in broiler farms in Saskatchewan is 43% (or 52% of barns).

These IBDV infec=ons correlate to overall mortality, condemna=ons and poor feed conversion leading to an es=mated

3.9 million kilogram loss of meat produc=on per year in Saskatchewan (Zachar et al., 2016). In a complementary study,

IBDV was aAributed to liver lesions at processing (Amini et al., 2015). It is clear IBDV vaccina=on programs in broiler

breeders are not able to produce good quality maternal an=bodies in broilers against IBDV (Kurukulasuriya et al.,

2016). These experimental studies also confirmed IBDV can reduce weight gain of broilers as we have seen in the broil-

er chicken industry in Saskatchewan. Addi=onally, currently available modified live broiler vaccines may only delay

IBDV (turkey herpesvirus (HVT)-IBDV vectored vaccines may be immunosuppressive themselves), increasing the risk of

IBDV infec=ons in young broilers (Kurukulasuriya et al., 2017). Thus, proper cleaning and disinfec=on and good biosecu-

rity is important in controlling IBDV. Dr. Gomis and his team are currently conduc=ng studies to understand the disease

process of IBDV and control variant IBDV.

Reovirus Reovirus infec=ons in broiler chickens can cause lameness, increased culling and decrease profitability in broiler flocks.

Dr. Gomis and his research team have been studying field cases of avian reovirus in broilers in Saskatchewan. This re-

search has found that reoviruses isolated in field cases are very different from vaccine virus strains and cross protec=on

among different reoviruses is very poor. Therefore, it is challenging to control reoviruses by vaccina=on (i.e. live or in-

ac=vated vaccines including autogenous vaccines) without detailed informa=on of the viruses. Research is currently

being conducted to further understand the field isolates and to iden=fy poten=al vaccine candidates.

Yolk Sac Infec�ons and Enterococcus Yolk sac infec=ons and first week mortality are economically devasta=ng. Dr. Gomis and his team have ini=ated a re-

search study =tled: Enterococcus infec=ons of chickens. In the ini=al stages of this study, bacteriological examina=on of

hatch debris has been conducted. The main bacteria isolated were Enterococcus (39.9%) followed by E. coli (22.45%).

It has also been confirmed that Enterococcus species are able kill chicken embryos. Further work is being conducted to

determine the rela=onship of these Enterococcus and E. coli isolates to chick quality, yolk sac infec=ons and first week

mortality.


16

Alterna�ves to An�bio�cs Dr. Gomis’ previous research found CpG, an alterna=ve to an=bio=cs, effec=ve in controlling E. coli infec=ons when

given in ovo. It has recently been demonstrated that CpG can be delivered as an aerosol at the =me of hatch. Dr. Gomis

and his team are currently conduc=ng field trials in Saskatchewan to iden=fy the u=lity of CpG as an alterna=ve to an=-

bio=cs. An engineering company in Saskatoon has developed a device and a chamber to conduct these field trials.

V. TURKEY PRODUCERS

Health Report Ten turkey producers/produc=on premises reported 24 disease incidents, an increase from 15 cases in 2015. The most

frequent diagnosis in 2016 was bacterial sep=cemia, accoun=ng for 42% of submissions. This is a slight decrease from

51% in 2015. E. coli was the primary bacterial isolate in the majority of these cases. E. coli infec=ons are usually sec-

ondary to a primary stressor, which can be environmental or disease related. From a disease perspec=ve, while hemor-

rhagic enteri=s virus (HE) is a well-known disease risk factor for colibacillosis, there are other diseases that can affect

turkey flocks and increase the risk of E. coli infec=on. These diseases include Bordatellosis or turkey coryza (caused by

the bacteria Bordatella avium), ORT infec=on (due to Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale), and/or viral respiratory infec-

=ons such as Newcastle disease. Farms experiencing repeated E. coli disease challenges are encouraged to review HE

status and/or on-farm vaccina=on protocols, and to consider a serological survey to rule out other predisposing diseas-

es. Poultry extension is available to assist with this process.

A second bacterial organism detected in 17% of cases was Salmonella species. Three different serovars were isolated in

2016: hadar, saintpaul, and berta. In most cases, mortality occurring during the first week decreased and treatment

interven=on was not required. It is also important to know treatment of Salmonella-infected flocks does not clear Sal-

monella infec=on, and may actually contribute to increased Salmonella coloniza=on within the flock following treat-

ment. In cases where Salmonella is diagnosed, producers are recommended to contact their processors as they may be

asked to delay shipment of birds.

Ionophore toxicity was suspected in one case. Producers are reminded to use cau=on when using sulfa drugs in flocks

consuming ionophore-based diets. This combina=on can lead to an increased toxicity and, ul=mately, increased mortal-

ity.

The remainder of cases submiAed in 2016 is broken down into a broad range of assorted diagnoses, including but not

limited to foreign bodies, dehydra=on, yolk sac infec=on and dilated cardiomyopathy. No diagnosis was made in 25%

of cases due to submission of inappropriate or autolyzed samples.

VI. TABLE EGG PRODUCERS

Health Report The following results are based on cases submiAed to the extension veterinarian for post mortem examina=on. The

most common complaint in commercial layer flocks is oEen not mortality, but relates to egg produc=on, quality, and/

or size. It should be noted the informa=on reported here is prone to submission bias, meaning the incidence of disease

in the field may differ as not all disease cases result in mortality that can be submiAed for further examina=on and di-

agnos=c work.

Fourteen producers/produc=on sites reported 22 disease incidents, an increase from 17 cases in 2015. No defini=ve

diagnosis was found for 36% of cases, compared to 43% in 2015. Many of these cases either had too few birds sub-

miAed for necropsy and no consistent findings (inadequate sample size), or a complete lack of post mortem findings.

Three cases were listed as having no diagnosis but were assumed to be diet or mycotoxin related.

The most frequent conclusive diagnosis was Focal Duodenal Necrosis (FDN), which was detected in 14% of cases (4 sub-

missions). The summer of 2014 was the first =me FDN was diagnosed in a Saskatchewan layer flock and only 1 case was

reported throughout the year. FDN describes an intes=nal disease syndrome that is poorly understood. This condi=on


17

was first diagnosed in Pennsylvania in 1997 and has been observed in all major gene=c lines of laying hens. Flocks

affected with this FDN appear healthy and do not experience abnormal increases in mortality. Some birds may have

pale appearing comb and waAles, and more commonly, egg weights are reduced by up to 2.5 grams per egg. Some cas-

es in the US also report a 1-10% drop in egg produc=on. Timely examina=on of freshly euthanized birds is cri=cal for

diagnosis as the lesions associated with this condi=on are quickly obscured in the intes=ne as a result of decomposi-

=on. Research directed at beAer understanding this disease, its preven=on and treatment is ongoing, and poultry ex-

tension is available to examine birds should your flock display any of the above men=oned symptoms. Poultry exten-

sion received funding from the Egg Farmers of Canada and the Saskatchewan Egg Producers to conduct two studies,

both of which started this year:

1) The prevalence of focal duodenal necrosis (FDN) in Saskatchewan layer flocks and its effect on egg produc=on.

2) Determining the impact of gizzard size on feed efficiency, gut health, and the incidence of focal duodenal necrosis

(FDN) in pullets and layers fed diets with different calcium sources throughout rearing and produc=on, and two levels

of calcium during produc=on.

Other diseases and/or condi=ons reported in layer flocks included 1-2 cases of each of the following: emacia=on, canni-

balism, starve-outs, yolk sac infec=on, peritoni=s, and osteoporosis.

NIR Technology Near Infrared (NIR) is a region of the light spectrum where most organic compounds have defined reflectance proper-

=es which are determined by the molecules and bonds that make up the compound. NIR technology allows the charac-

teris=cs of a compound to be quan=fied based on the way it reflects light in the NIR spectrum. Feed parameters that

can be analyzed with NIR equipment include: moisture, protein, fat, fibre, starch, and ash; and predic=on equa=ons can

be established to es=mate amino acid content, such as lysine and methionine, from protein measurements. Unfortu-

nately, minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, and sodium are inorganic compounds so the accuracy and reliability of

these measurements using NIR technology is ques=onable.

The InfraXact™ NIR machine purchased by the Saskatchewan Egg Producers Growth Fund is housed in the U of S poul-

try lab. Saskatchewan layer producers may improve the accuracy of milling ra=ons and feeding laying hens by op=miz-

ing the use of feed ingredients and providing more consistent complete feeds. All egg producers are encouraged to

submit ingredient and feed samples on a regular basis.

Table 1 indicates the annual number of samples that have been analyzed. Table 2 shows the majority of the total sam-

ples submiAed are layer diets (%), followed by ingredients (%), pullet ra=ons (%) and other samples (%). The “Other”

classifica=on includes supplements and broiler diets submiAed by SEP members. In 2016, ten producers made 18 sub-

missions, each with one to five samples for analysis.

Table 1. Number of samples submi1ed for NIR analysis, by year

Year # of samples Overall %

2016 40 2.6

2015 100 6.6

2014 161 10.6

2013 291 19.2

2012 223 14.7

2011 221 14.6

2010 280 18.5

2009 200 13.2

TOTAL 1516 100.0


18

Table 2. Sample type submi1ed for NIR analysis

Descrip.on # of samples Overall %

Layer 1213 80.0

Pullet 76 5.0

Ingredient 185 12.2

Other 42 2.8

TOTAL 1516 100.0

Salmonella Monitoring Program Environmental sampling for Salmonella species/serovars is now performed for each flock in the pullet, early lay, and

late produc=on periods. The number of late-produc=on flocks tes=ng posi=ve during the 2016 period was 34%, a de-

crease in comparison to 2015, which was 44%. In 2016, 22 different serovars of salmonella were reported across the

pullet, early lay and late lay sample periods. Within each period, the number of serovars detected ranged from 13 to

15. The two most common serovars across all ages sampled were S. kentucky, and S. mbandaka; S. mbandaka was only

detected more frequently than S. kentucky in the pullet samples. 26% of posi=ve flocks tested, across pullet, early lay

and late lay periods, had more than one salmonella serotype isolated. This number increased significantly from 18% in

2015. Sites sampled in the pullet barns included cages, fans, floors and walls, with the most frequent site of isola=on

being the cages. Sample sites in the lay barns included egg belts, cages, fans, floors and walls and the most frequent

site of isola=on in the lay barns was the egg belts. In comparison to the last two years, Salmonella enteri�dis (SE) was

isolated from one produc=on site. The SE posi=ve flock followed the direc=on of Board orders.

Infec�ous Bronchi�s Virus Infec=ous bronchi=s virus (IBV) is a common viral disease of egg laying chickens worldwide. This virus is primarily a res-

piratory virus and replicates in the respiratory tract. These viruses also replicate in the reproduc=ve tract and renal sys-

tems and can cause damage to the reproduc=ve system, which can impact egg produc=on and shell quality. All com-

mercial layer locks in the province of Saskatchewan have been vaccinated to some extent against IBV; however, the

vaccina=on programs used and the responses to vaccina=on are highly variable and oEen not evaluated. An increase in

shell-less eggs has been noted in western Canada and it is hypothesized it may be contributed to a variant IBV. There-

fore, Dr. Gomis in partnership with the Poultry Extension program, Prairie Diagnos=c Service and the University of Cal-

gary, have just completed a serological inves=ga=on into IBV in Saskatchewan. Average =ters from flocks in the prov-

ince are lower than expected with great variability within flocks indica=ng vaccina=on flaws. Determina=on of the caus-

a=ve agent is currently being conducted in collabora=on with the University of Calgary. Please contact Poultry Exten-

sion if you are interested in having a vaccina=on audit performed on your farm.


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VII. 2016 BUDGET REPORT

20

Saskatchewan Broiler Hatching Egg Producers –2017 Budget

Saskatchewan Broiler Hatching Egg Producers Board

224 Pacific Ave, Suite 201

Saskatoon, SK. S7K 1N9

Phone:1(306)242-3611 Fax: 1(306)242-3286

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