THE growth in UK broiler numbers took a pause last month after starting the year with some strong expansion. Day-old chick placings in March were unchanged from the same month last year, at 91.3m. See also: New bird flu cases drop in second half of April This means...

AN impending increase in the size of the laying flock, along with the arrival of Easter, should soon begin to ease some of the current squeeze on UK egg supplies. A surge in placings of day-old pullets around the turn of the year is expected to raise egg...

UK production of poultrymeat set a new record level last year, and at the same time lifted consumption to an all-time high as well. Total consumption, measured as supplies reaching the market, rose by 56,200 tonnes in 2024 to 2.46m tonnes*. This represented an uplift...

All except one of the UK’s major retailers are on track to complete the switch to free range eggs sales this year, according to a recent survey. With the exception of Iceland, an analysis by Humane League UK (HLUK)shows that the UK’s supermarkets are on course to...

POULTRYMEAT has followed eggs with the removal of the 12-week marketing derogation for birds subject to a housing order because of disease risk. It means free-range poultry meat producers and processors will no longer need to change how free-range poultry meat is...

POULTRY prices in Europe are steadily increasing, according to Rabobank's latest research report. Total consumption of poultry in Europe increased 5% in 2024 – record growth – driven by its status as an affordable protein. Another factor creating growth is its status...

Retail egg prices have been moving faster than general inflation over the past year, while poultrymeat has been lagging behind. This week’s figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) show that the retail price index for all items was up 3.4% year-on-year...

AS the UK broiler sector contemplates the impending challenges posed by Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), so far just two of the major retailers have fully signed up to the scheme. The UK’s two high-end retailers, M&S and Waitrose, have fully committed to adopting...

The proposed takeover of the ForFarmers feed mills at Burston and Radstock has now been given the go-ahead by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Following an ‘in-depth Phase 2 investigation’, the CMA’s independent inquiry group has cleared the proposed...

THE UK broiler sector is still placing more and more chicks, despite growing fears about the likely impact of lower stocking densities. Placings of day-old broiler chicks were substantially up by 7.6% in February compared with the same month last year, to 90.3...

SPOT ration costs have dropped again to their lowest point for five years, but things could swing the other way for UK producers if the looming tariff war becomes active. Our index of ration formulation costs for a layers’ feed fell nearly 10 points during the last...

THE Dutch government has begun an on-farm trial of avian influenza vaccines. One poultry farm will pilot the vaccine, which is administered in the hatchery, with the trial set to last until early 2027 with the possibility of other farms joining. See also: Spring...