In this Poultry Network Podcast, hosts Tom Woolman and Tom Willings speak with Angela Curtis, CEO of RoboScientific – whose presentation at the BFREPA conference created a real buzz – about how “electronic nose” technology could change flock health management.

RoboScientific has spent around 10 years developing a system that samples the air in poultry houses and analyses volatile organic compounds (VOCs) – the chemicals that make up smells – to detect disease.

Each shed is monitored using a compact box (about 18 inches cubed) containing 24 sensors.

Different combinations of those sensors respond to different conditions, producing a distinctive “digital fingerprint” for specific diseases or challenges.

Rather than continuous streaming, the system draws shed air for around an hour, often between 5–6am, pulling roughly 3,000 litres across an adsorbent pad before analysis.

This concentrates VOCs from across the whole building, giving a much more representative picture of flock health than boot swabs or individual bird checks.

Once processed, results are sent to the cloud – or via Bluetooth where connectivity is limited – and presented to the farmer through a simple dashboard or smartphone alert.

A major advantage is that VOC changes are not dependent on visible symptoms.

RoboScientific’s broiler trials suggest the system can identify disease one to two days before clinical signs, and in the case of viruses such as Newcastle disease or avian influenza, potentially two to four days earlier.

Alerts are designed to be practical and actionable for farmers, for example “likely infectious bronchitis – check this shed”, or a general prompt when something unusual is detected.

A deeper veterinary dashboard is also in development, enabling flock-history analysis and tracking of disease progression, such as the transition from coccidiosis to necrotic enteritis.

The technology has shown strong performance in broilers and is now moving into layers.

Early work is focused on diseases such as erysipelas and Mycoplasma, and RoboScientific is exploring whether VOC patterns could even detect red mite infestation levels. APHA trials are planned to confirm early detection windows for key notifiable diseases.

Commercial rollout for broilers is expected by the middle of next year.

Work in layers, hatcheries and rearing units will follow as disease signatures are mapped, with layer deployment anticipated around 2027 once validation and on-farm trials are complete.

Units are expected to cost £7,000–£8,000, with one or two typically required per broiler shed depending on size and airflow.

Angela encourages producers and vets interested in the technology to get in touch or visit RoboScientific’s website or LinkedIn page.

The episode highlights how rapidly developing sensing technologies could reshape flock management, enabling earlier intervention, better decision-making and a more complete understanding of flock health than traditional sampling methods can provide.

EP 24: Transforming Poultry Health – VOC Fingerprints, Early Alerts & On-Farm Monitoring

In this episode, Tom Willings is joined by Jake Davies to unpack a hugely successful British Free Range Egg Producers Association (Bfrepa) conference and awards.

Industry momentum on full display

Both presenters note the strongest footfall in years, with a striking increase in farmer attendance and a noticeable uplift in the professionalism and investment seen across trade stands. Senior figures from government, major retailers, integrators and industry bodies were visible throughout the day – a clear signal of the event’s growing influence.

Award highlights

The hosts run through this year’s winners, noting standout performances from:

 * Chippendale Foods – multiple category wins including Marketing Initiative, Chuckle Eggs, and Best Trade Stand
 * Stonegate and Noble Foods – strongly represented across categories
 * James Baxter – recognised by the British Egg Association for a decade of service as Bfrepa chairman
 * Martin Troop – awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions across both the egg and meat sectors

Hatchery Standards: a new storm brewing

The conversation shifts to the RSPCA Assured hatchery standards, announced with minimal notice and due to take effect in February.

Key concerns raised include:

 * Lack of sector consultation, echoing frustrations from the 2023 Laying Hen Standards rollout
 * Operational uncertainty for the very small number of hatcheries underpinning the entire RSPCA Assured supply chain
 * Ambiguity around new concepts – such as definitions of viable chicks – and unclear expectations across several technical areas
 * A wider set of future topics flagged by RSPCA (AI, in-ovo technologies and more), prompting questions about the organisation’s methodology and communication approach

The hosts express a willingness to openly discuss the standards and extend an invitation to RSPCA Assured and the Pullet Hatcheries and Breeders Association (PHBA) to appear on the podcast.

What’s next on the podcast

Angela Curtis of RoboScientific will join a future episode to discuss real-time flock monitoring using VOC detection technology.

Listeners are also reminded of the Southwest Chicken Association dinner, where a guest editorship of the podcast will be auctioned.

EP 23: Bfrepa 2025: Industry Reflections, Award Highlights & Emerging Standards Concerns

In this episode of the Poultry.Network Podcast, Tom Woolman and Jake Davies sit down with Emily Neate-Wynne (Evans Vanodine) and Kelly Anderson (Lohmann GB) to talk about careers, community and the fast-growing Women in Poultry initiative.

Both guests share how they “fell into” poultry – from family egg farms and weekend egg collecting to technical roles in biosecurity, pullets and sales. They reflect on why so many people stay in the sector once they arrive, and how varied the career paths can be.

The discussion then turns to the origins of Women in Poultry. What began as a dinner for ten women in May 2023 has quickly grown into a national network of more than 200 members, supported by sponsors including Aviagen, Lohmann GB and Premier Nutrition. Emily and Kelly explain how the group moved from a WhatsApp chat to a formal committee, with in-person workshops and online sessions.

They outline what the initiative is trying to achieve:
– creating a safe space to swap experience and contacts
– supporting women who can feel isolated in on-farm or field-based roles
– offering practical learning on topics such as gut health and mental health
– making events accessible around busy work and family lives

There’s also discussion of a recent online session with Herefordshire charity We Are Farming Minds, looking at mental health in agriculture from the partner’s perspective; how employers have responded to Women in Poultry; and the broader value of visible, structured support networks in retaining talent in the industry.

Finally, Emily and Kelly explain how to get involved, how membership works, and why the initiative is very deliberately open, non-clicky and not “anti-men” – with anyone in the sector welcome to engage, attend events, and support future activity.

A practical, people-focused conversation that underlines how much quiet work is being done to support the next generation of talent in UK poultry.

EP22: Women in Poultry – Building Careers, Community and Confidence

Tom Woolman and Tom Willings take a slightly lighter approach this week, but there’s still plenty of business in the mix.

They start with a quick catch‑up, a livestock update from Tom’s small sheep flock, and a chance encounter with the “poet of Paddington” who delivers an impromptu chicken-themed poem on the station concourse.

The main focus is on what’s coming up for UK poultry producers over the winter: key conferences, dinners and technical meetings that shape discussion in both the egg and broiler sectors. They also talk about the value of these regional events as a barometer for confidence in the industry – and where the mood feels to be as 2025 draws to a close.

Tom and Tom explain a new charity auction prize for the South West Chicken Association Christmas dinner: the chance to guest‑edit an episode of the Poultry Network podcast. The winner will be able to choose the topic and guests, with the team doing the heavy lifting behind the scenes.

The episode closes with an important bit of governance news: NFU Poultry Board chair James Mottershead has stepped down, with vice chair Will Raw stepping in on an interim basis. The hosts reflect on the workload that comes with NFU roles and the value of members who give up time alongside running their own farms and businesses.

In this episode:

 * Welsh housing order now in place 
 * Key dates for the diary: BFREPA Live, regional dinners and the Northern Broiler Conference
 * How the “guest editor” podcast auction prize will work
 * NFU Poultry Board leadership change and what it means for representation

EP21: Upcoming Poultry Events and NFU Board Changes

In this episode of the Poultry.Network podcast, Tom Willings and Tom Woolman talk to Aaron McKenna, Head of Broiler Operations UK at Pilgrims Europe.

Aaron outlines his route into poultry – from a small mixed farm in Northern Ireland with a strong interest in dairy, through a graduate scheme at Moy Park, to his current role. 

He also explains how the business supported him through a doctorate focused on Campylobacter, working with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Queen’s University Belfast and AFBI.

The conversation then turns to the move from Moy Park to Pilgrims Europe. 

Aaron sets out what the change in name and structure has meant on the ground and how the integration of several large businesses is going. 

Recent group results have highlighted the European division as a strong performer, which has helped underline that the new structure is working.

On farming, Aaron talks about Pilgrims Europe’s long history of producing at 30kg/m², particularly in Northern Ireland, and how that experience meant they were more confident than most when the wider GB market moved to lower stocking densities. 

He argues that 30kg/m² is a good balance between welfare, efficiency and affordability. 

He shares recent figures from 2025, including an average EPF over 470 across three weeks and more than ten flocks exceeding EPF 500, alongside improving FCR and low mortality.

The episode also covers grower relationships and investment. 

Aaron describes how liveweight prices and on-farm returns have improved, helping farmers reinvest in sheds and infrastructure. 

He gives examples of new builds on contract farms in England and a major redevelopment of a company-owned rearing site, replacing older buildings with modern houses.

On sustainability, Aaron explains how lessons from projects such as Beech Farm – with rainwater harvesting, solar and battery storage, heat exchangers and ground-source heat pumps – are informing what should become “standard spec” on new builds. 

He also updates listeners on Pilgrims’ Tully 1 anaerobic digestion plant, which runs on poultry litter and supplies heat and power to local homes, and plans for Tully 2, which will allow all NI broiler litter to be directed into AD and nutrients recovered into fertiliser products.

Looking ahead, Aaron says the priorities for the next 12 months are to maintain current performance levels and to work with planners and regulators to unlock new poultry development, so the sector can continue to invest and keep pace with UK chicken demand, which he estimates is growing at around 5–6% a year.

EP21: Pilgrims Europe’s Aaron McKenna on Stocking Density, Performance and Sector Growth

THIS week, the Poultry Network Podcast recorded a last-minute episode to consider the latest avian influenza situation – particularly the Welsh government's reluctance to declare a housing order.

With Professor Ian Brown warning that this season could be the worst yet, England has extended a mandatory housing order nationwide, while Northern Ireland follows suit. 

Wales, however, has not (yet) announced a housing order. 

That divergence is creating headaches for free-range farmers and packers who are weighing biosecurity, welfare and insurance realities against inconsistent policy lines.

On EPIC, the mood was wary but not bleak. Recognition for sector leaders (including Turkey Producer James Chalmers and Young Poultry Person of the Year Hannah Cargill) underlined how collaboration and openness still cut through in a tough year. 

We also touch on the conference theme, the long-range consumer picture - yes, even GLP-1 drugs - and what shifting demand could mean for poultry by 2050.

Finally, we unpack a striking trade statistic: summer shell-egg imports were at record levels, with a sharp recovery from EU sources. 

For processors and packers, this hints at supply tightness, stock rebuilding, and changing sourcing dynamics as disease risk rises.

EP 20: Housing Orders Go Nationwide, Wales Holds Out — On-Farm Impacts & Market Signals

This week the Toms unpack two fast-moving issues with real commercial consequences for UK poultry businesses: the regional housing order for avian influenza and industry rumblings over how “seconds” are classified at egg packing centres.

AI: early season, uneven policy, real market risk.

A regional mandatory housing order takes effect on 30 October across much of northern England and the Midlands/East Anglia, but excludes Wales, southern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The hosts question the geographic carve-up given the pattern of wild-bird positives and recent outbreaks nearby.

It's noted that it's unusually early in the season, and case numbers have accelerated in the past week.

Producers - particularly in Wales - face operational uncertainty and potential divergence between national administrations.

Commercially, recent culls in the UK and mainland Europe (notably the Netherlands and Germany) tighten supply just as the market was edging back towards balance.

For eggs, the combination of early AI pressure and seasonal demand could turn sentiment quickly; for turkeys, significant sunk costs as the risk heightens in the run-up to Christmas.

Egg grading: pressure on what counts as a 'second'

Separately, egg marketing inspectors have been visiting packing sites amid indications that guidance on external faults may be applied more strictly.

The discussion focuses on two recurring triggers: dust (largely a farm-origin hygiene issue) and albumen "glazing" that can occur downstream when a shell breaks on the grader and residue contacts subsequent eggs.

Operators note that graders are configured by humans within tolerance bands, and inspector spot-checks sit against standards that can feel subjective in the grey areas.

If thresholds tighten materially, more eggs could move from Class A to B.

That would reduce retail-grade output, increase commercial friction over liability (farm vs packer), and exert inflationary pressure on Class A pricing.

At a national level, a lower Class A yield risks pulling in more imported shell and product - potentially with different assurance profiles.

Episode takeaways:

 * Volatility ahead in Q4. Early avian-influenza pressure, uneven regional policy and EU flock losses point to a tighter market and higher operational risk.
 * Layers and packing. Pay close attention to how grading guidance is applied in practice; even small shifts in "seconds" criteria can move Class A yield, producer settlements and retail availability.
 * All species. Keep biosecurity audit-ready and tighten comms discipline, as policy lines may shift again with November data.

The episode ends on a sober note: the picture is fluid, and the next few weeks are likely to set the tone for the winter.

E19: Early Housing Orders and Egg Grading Uncertainty

The “Two Toms” – Tom Willings and Tom Woolman – return with a relaxed but purposeful take on what’s moving the poultry sector. 

After some road-warrior and makeshift-office banter, Tom W reports back from the Dutch Pork & Poultry Expo in ’s-Hertogenbosch: a wave of robotics and AI, a colossal chicken/turkey harvester, and a spotlight on feed form innovation. 

He flags AgriFirm’s “Crunch” – a mash/crumb hybrid – to open a wider discussion on particle size, digestibility and early-life feed waste (including a mini-pellet revival).

The Toms then turn to unpacking live legal and standards stories: the River Wye civil action (Leigh Day, Avara and others) and potential ramifications across the value chain; the Red Tractor TV ad that was pulled and what “farming with care” does – and doesn’t – claim; plus welfare campaigning from Compassion in World Farming. 

They tie these threads into the Try Some Chicken initiative – balancing welfare, environment and cost – and probe the gap between what we say as citizens and what we buy as consumers.

A light sign-off rounds things out: weekend plans, and a nudge to catch the earlier episode and stay tuned for sector updates.

Ep 18: “Robots, Red Tractor and River Wye: This Week in the UK Poultry Sector

In this episode of the Sustainability Hub podcast, host Tom Willings is joined by three veterinary voices connected to Elanco Animal Health: Jackie Skelly (Head of Veterinary Technical Services, UK & Ireland and ESG lead), George Gould (Technical Advisor, International Poultry Team) and George Tice (former Elanco leader, now consultant after 28 years with the company).

Together, they map the practical route from ESG intent to on-farm results.

The discussion opens by grounding ESG in the realities of European and UK regulation: net-zero trajectories, corporate sustainability reporting, due diligence duties and finance-sector disclosure frameworks.

The message is that measurement and reduction will be expected across supply chains, not just corporate offices.

From there, the panel reframes poultry’s opportunity. Chicken already delivers ~30% of global animal protein while accounting for a materially smaller share of livestock GHGs.

Yet scale and scrutiny demand continuous improvement across three pillars – economic viability, animal welfare, and environmental footprint – without “solving” one by inflating the others.

That trade-off mindset is replaced with a systems view: define the target precisely (FCR, welfare KPIs, carbon intensity), then choose interventions that move multiple pillars in the right direction.

A critical insight for operators: 70–80% of a broiler’s carbon footprint sits in feed, and ~80% of emissions occur off farm.

Energy tweaks at the house may help resilience and costs, but carbon outcomes are won primarily through feed formulation and feed efficiency.

Elanco frames its response as “inside the bird” (gut health and disease control that improve FCR) and “outside the bird” (formulation decisions that reduce the embodied carbon of the ration).

Two technology tracks illustrate this. First, Hemicell (a beta-mannanase) breaks down beta-mannans that otherwise trigger a costly feed-induced immune response and raise digesta viscosity.

By sparing energy and improving intestinal integrity, nutritionists can remove ~60 kcal from the matrix and maintain performance, enabling the substitution of higher-carbon fats/oils while maintaining output.

Independent, ISO-aligned lifecycle assessment and modelling against representative European diets indicate ~2.5–3% reductions in carbon footprint attributable to Hemicell-enabled reformulation, alongside feed-cost benefits.

Second, Elanco’s anticoccidial programmes (e.g., Maxiban®/Monoban®) anchor coccidiosis control – a health prerequisite that also supports better FCR.

Elanco commissioned ISO-conformant LCAs on the products and then collaborated with external experts to build a product-agnostic FCR-to-carbon calculator.

Teams can input live parameters (country, target weight, feed price, baseline FCR) to estimate the carbon impact of a given FCR improvement under standard diets by market.

It’s a decision tool to rank scenarios before implementing and validating with farm-level measurement platforms (e.g., poultry-specific tools that include land-use change in feed footprints).

Elanco’s approach is to:

 * Keep investing in rigorous science and third-party assurance so customers can trust claimed impacts
 * Quantify hidden co-benefits of health technologies (welfare ↑, performance ↑, carbon ↓)
 * Develop the next wave of innovations designed explicitly for sustainability outcomes.

For producers, integrators, nutritionists and veterinary advisors, this episode offers a practical takeaway: start where the carbon is (feed), protect gut health relentlessly, use modelling to prioritise interventions, then measure and report with defensible methods. 

EP 17 Elanco: Turning ESG intent into measurable broiler performance gains

A chilly house, ten uncooperative sheep, and some serious industry talking points.

In this episode of the Poultry Network Podcast, hosts Tom Woolman and Tom Willings catch up on the latest from Aviagen’s producer roadshows and discuss why UK broiler performance is comparing favourably with results seen elsewhere in Europe. While some of the improvement may reflect down-stocking, they note that good margins are allowing reinvestment in housing, equipment and farm infrastructure – small but important details that continue to lift performance.

That discussion leads neatly into one of the more striking messages from Poultry Network Live, where Gordon Hickman OBE warned producers against grazing poultry alongside sheep or cattle. Similar advice has since been circulated by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The Toms consider what this could mean in practice for mixed farms with free-range or organic flocks, and how any future policy shift might test the balance between maintaining livestock enterprises and outdoor access for laying hens.

The conversation broadens to the global disease picture following a recent BBC documentary on “the next pandemic”. The programme focused on H5N1 infections now found across more than a thousand dairy herds in the United States. The hosts reflect on scientists’ concern that the virus is becoming more resilient in mammalian conditions – a reminder that avian influenza remains a live risk for agriculture and public health alike.

A second emerging story catching their attention is the concept of “layers laying broilers.” Developed by the international research project NextHen, it involves inserting broiler germ cells into sterile layer embryos, creating parent stock capable of laying broiler chicks rather than conventional hatching eggs. The technology could, in theory, simplify breeder management, free up rearing capacity and improve efficiency – but also raises complex regulatory questions. The company claims the process does not constitute genetic modification, yet it is unclear how that position would be treated in the UK or EU markets.

The pair also take a lighter look at their own livestock ventures. Tom Willings reports on the challenges of integrating his small flock of Beulah crosses and Black Welsh Mountain ewes, while Tom Woolman admits to discovering an unexpected resident at his new home – a peacock that insists on visiting his window each afternoon.

EP 16 Broiler performance, co-grazing risks and new breeding technology

Welcome to The Poultry Network Podcast, hosted by Tom Woolman and Tom Willings — your insider guide to the UK’s poultry meat and egg production sectors.  

From farm to fork, we bring you expert insights, latest trends, and stories that shape the food on our plates.

Jake Davies

Shows