On 24 January 2025, in the Rennes region, the Feedia poultry technical seminar brought together 120 international professionals. How can we combine performance and sustainability in a context of climate change and demographic growth? This was the central question that Techna's experts sought to answer.
February 7, 2025
Demographic growth and the challenges facing the poultry industry: an equation to be solved
The latest edition of the Poultry Forum highlighted the challenges facing the poultry industry. And there are many of them. The first is demographic growth. "Between now and 2050, the world's population is set to rise sharply to 9.7 billion", explained Emmanuel Amprou, Poultry Market Manager. With 70% of the world's population living in cities, meat consumption is expected to rise by 73%. At the same time, the availability of arable land is expected to be limited (up by just 5%). The poultry industry seems well placed to meet the growing demand for animal proteins, but professionals will have to rise to a number of challenges: improving efficiency by taking account of climate change and the increasing scarcity of resources, while keeping production costs under control. All the more so as price sensitivity remains a determining factor in consumers' purchasing decisions.
Focus on poultry physiology, health risks and welfare
To begin this forum, the Techna teams started with the animal. The first topic was the digestive health of poultry, and in particular the role of the gizzard, an essential organ for mechanical and chemical digestion. The influence of the microbiota in the small intestine was also highlighted. Better assimilation of nutrients, a guarantee of feed efficiency, contributes to the competitiveness of poultry production. Secondly, the experts reviewed Enterococcus cecorum, a commensal bacterium that has become a pathogen and now accounts for 12% of poultry diseases. This opportunistic bacterium requires a combination of prevention and control methods.
Finally, the subject of behavioural analysis rounded off this first session of presentations.
To do this, the industry needs to collect reliable, usable and repeatable data. Feedia has been working on this since 2022 via the WeFeed Poultry tool and the introduction of welfare audits. Finally, the emphasis has been placed on finding solutions to reduce stress in poultry, such as the use of plant extracts with the Gallicalm product.
Poultry industry strategies to improve efficiency
The second part of the forum looked at different optimisation strategies at the level of producer organisations or sectors: eggs on the one hand, and heavy chicken on the other.
Extending the laying time of hens could be a major competitive lever, provided good rearing conditions are maintained. However, this strategy comes up against the risks of egg-laying falling at the end of the batch, weakened shells and increased mortality. According to various studies, the key to success lies in preparing the animals properly and reaching a critical weight at 20 weeks, with no possibility of catching up afterwards.
The heavyweight chicken sector, which now accounts for nearly a quarter of the number of chickens put into service in France, was also in the spotlight this year. Techna experts presented the various factors influencing fillet yield. To complete the analysis, a number of heavy chicken production schemes were compared, in particular 'all-run' production and production with sexing.
Adapting livestock farming to the effects of climate change
For the third part of the forum, Feedia wanted to broaden the discussions around climate issues. According to forecasts, heatwaves will become more frequent and intense, with significant consequences for animal growth and health. So we need to start thinking now about adaptation strategies. Heat stress occurs much earlier than we think. From as low as 24°C and 70% humidity, poultry are already beginning to suffer the consequences: reduced well-being and health, loss of production, quality problems, etc. Optimising buildings, controlling drinking water and nutrition are all ways of mitigating these effects.
"Our businesses are essential to the future of the poultry industry".
In his closing speech, Gwénaël Forgeard, Feedia's Market Director, highlighted Feedia's strategic priorities for supporting the poultry industry. "Rest assured that our technical teams are looking forward to working with you to provide innovative, useful and high-performance solutions for the poultry industry", he said. The company is focusing in particular on two major areas of innovation: physiotherapy and natural additive solutions on the one hand, and data processing on the other. According to Gwénaël Forgeard, data processing represents a real "Big Bang", with the emergence of connected breeding and artificial intelligence. Despite the changing context, Gwénaël Forgeard reiterated the essential importance of the poultry industry's professions in ensuring competitiveness and sustainability in every region. With its 70 experts, Techna intends to continue its mission of supporting professionals in France and abroad.
Feedia embodies Techna's range of advice and solutions in breeding techniques and precision nutrition, serving the performance of production organisations, feed manufacturers and their breeder customers.