On 4th September, Livetec’s Biosecurity Advisors Dr Paul Talling and Jack Hughes attended Poultry Network Live, one of the UK’s leading events for the poultry sector.
The event brought together producers, processors, suppliers, and policymakers to share insights on the opportunities and challenges shaping the industry. With a packed programme of keynote talks, panel sessions, and networking opportunities, it was a valuable day for connecting with stakeholders and discussing the future of poultry production.
Key Themes from the Day
Shifting Consumer Trends: Independent Professor David Hughes explored global consumer behaviour, highlighting how processed meals are changing the way meat is consumed. While poultry remains a key protein choice, overall meat intake is slowing, with processed and convenience foods shaping demand in new ways.
Industry Growth and Relationships: Speakers from across the broiler and egg sectors highlighted how growth is being driven by retailer demand and the strength of supply chain relationships. For many, trust and long-term contracts were cited as critical to ensuring stability and expansion.
Avian Influenza and Disease Preparedness: Gordon Hickman from APHA delivered an important update on avian influenza (AI), discussing current H5N1 genotypes and their link to wild bird populations. His session reinforced how essential vigilance, monitoring, and robust biosecurity remain in managing disease threats.
Dr Paul Talling commented: “There is a very significant correlation between wild bird infections and AI cases. Especially when waterfowl start dying, the correlation is really quite striking.”
Practical On-Farm Improvements: Sessions on water hygiene and wastewater recycling demonstrated practical ways producers can reduce risk and improve resource efficiency. From managing water quality to preventing contamination, these insights provided actionable steps for building more resilient systems.
Innovation, Data and the Future: Industry innovator David Speller of Optifarm encouraged producers to think differently about data. Rather than seeing individual farm data as highly valuable on its own, he argued that its true power comes when aggregated across the sector. He also emphasised investment in training and people as the single biggest factor in improving farm performance.
Networking and Conversations
For Paul and Jack, the event was a valuable opportunity to connect with industry figures, from government representatives at APHA to producers and supply chain partners.
Topics of discussion included:
- Wild bird monitoring and access to data to better track and manage disease risk.
- The growing role of egg processing markets in the UK, with calls to bring more Lion-standard products into this sector.
- The opportunities and challenges around wider adoption of digital biosecurity tools across different generations of farmers.
Reflecting on the day, Jack shared: “Events like this are about building relationships as much as learning. We had some great conversations that opened doors to follow-up opportunities – it shows the value of just being in the room with the right people.”
While Poultry Network Live is not a traditional trade show, its strength lies in facilitating conversations that provide industry-wide perspective and encourage forward thinking.
Putting biosecurity first with Livestock Protect
One message came through loud and clear from the event: biosecurity must remain at the core of poultry production. From managing avian flu risks to safeguarding operations across infrastructure and data, producers need reliable, proactive solutions.
That’s exactly why we developed Livestock Protect. By combining expertise, innovation, and practical solutions, Livestock Protect gives producers confidence that their birds and their livelihoods are protected.
Book a 1-2-1 demo today to learn how Livestock Protect can transform your biosecurity strategy.
