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

The Poultry Network Podcast welcomes Julian “Jules” Sparrey, Group Technical Director at LiveTec, to unpack what producers should expect from avian influenza (AI) this winter and how to harden farm resilience.

LiveTec, prime contractor to government for AI outbreak response, now puts most of its effort into prevention — its “four Ps”: Prevention, Protection, Planning and Prediction. 

Having worked on nearly 300 UK outbreaks in the past eight years, the team has learned first-hand what a confirmed case means for farms and businesses, and how to reduce the odds of it happening again.

Jules explains why this past summer raised eyebrows: unusually high numbers of detections despite heat that would typically knock back virus persistence in the environment. 

The likely explanation is a maintained pool of virus within wild bird populations. 

August also saw outbreaks linked to pheasants in the South West and reports of dead gulls on farms — reminders that under-reporting masks the true extent of viral pressure. 

While LiveTec’s broad forecast suggests this season may be “heavy” (roughly two-thirds of the 2022–23 peak), timing and scale still hinge on weather and migration patterns through late October. 

Expect a lag: wetter conditions can seed problems that only show several weeks later.

A standout segment covers LiveTec’s work with GPS-tag data from gulls. Though only a snapshot (c. 60–70 birds), it reveals daily UK–Netherlands movements, long ranging during certain months, and roosting behaviour around freshwater — all of which can “move” virus across landscapes.

Jules stresses: it’s less that virus is “blown on the wind” and more that birds travel with it, often following prevailing winds.

On resilience, the message is practical. Beyond “biosecurity fatigue,” focus on infrastructure: drainage and curtilage to prevent water ingress, roof and gutter maintenance, rigorous rodent control (especially during harvest and cultivations), and wild-bird exclusion. 

Many UK sheds are ageing; refurbishment is surging, but design choices matter. 

Build biosecurity in from the start: site layout, traffic routes, delivery/drop-off points and office access that minimise entries to clean areas. 

The same measures help against salmonella — another reason to double down now.

For further reading and tools, the episode points listeners to EFSA’s biosecurity toolkit (multi-language infographics), Poultry.Network’s recent coverage of Gordon Hickman (Defra/APHA) on this winter’s risk, and a previous episode with Wayne Olbison (LANXESS) on the nuts-and-bolts of cleaning and turnaround. 

LiveTec's own podcast (hosted by Jack Hughes) dives deeper into biosecurity, and its free mobile app lets users view outbreak and wild-bird data around their farms. 

This winter, expect the unexpected, prepare for higher viral pressure than last year, and invest in the simple, site-level fixes that pay off when it counts.

Ep. 15: Julian Sparrey, LiveTec – What Producers Should Expect from AI This Winter

In this episode, hosts Tom Willings and Tom Woolman speak with Dr Paul Hurley (University of Southampton) and Dr Pippa Simmons (University of Gloucestershire) about Tri-SoMe CHICKEN — a three-year, UKRI-funded project examining the resilience of the UK’s chicken meat system. With chicken now accounting for around half of UK meat consumption, the team argues that understanding where the broiler sector bends or breaks under pressure is a national food-security question, not a niche academic exercise.

What sets this project apart is its “socio-metabolic” lens. Rather than model only physical supply-chain flows, the researchers are mapping how materials, practices, power dynamics and consumer behaviours interact across a tightly integrated system — from genetics and feed to processing, retail and what ends up on the plate. The work is being built with extensive industry input so the outputs are practical, not theoretical.

Where the system is most exposed

 * Disease and biosecurity — Avian influenza remains a first-order risk and the team is linking with parallel AI research to avoid duplication and widen the view.
 * Climate shocks — 2022’s extreme heat is a case study. Beyond shed environments, prolonged temperatures over 40°C challenge cold-chain reliability and plant operations. The question is whether current infrastructure and incentives are ready for more frequent, hotter events.
 * Feed markets — The system is optimised around soy. Geopolitics and trade shifts since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have pushed input prices higher and re-routed global flows (e.g., China sourcing more from Brazil). As a relatively small buyer, the UK’s access and pricing remain vulnerable.
 * Just-in-time fragility — High efficiency and vertical integration are strengths — until a single dependency fails. The 2022 CO₂ shortage, intertwined with gas and fertiliser markets, showed how quickly plant-level stunning capacity can become a bottleneck with immediate welfare consequences on farm.

Public perception vs production reality
New to broilers after work on cattle and sheep, Simmons highlights a deeper public disconnect with chicken than other species — few outside the sector grasp the separation of meat and egg lines, or how changes such as down-stocking from 38 kg/m² to 30 kg/m² ripple into carbon footprint, costs and throughput. Better dialogue is needed so welfare, sustainability and affordability trade-offs are understood, not assumed.

What ‘good’ could look like
The team is not writing another prescriptive standard. Instead, they are developing a flexible ethical framework — a set of principles stakeholders can use to weigh options when shocks hit or when policy and market changes tweak the system. Crucially, that means enabling long-term investment in resilience (heat-hardening sheds, stronger cold chains, alternative feed strategies) at a time when financial pressure pushes operators to think quarter-to-quarter.

Call for farmer input
A major workstream now underway is interviewing broiler farmers across geographies and systems — including different litter, energy, and waste strategies — to capture what resilience looks like in everyday practice. If you run broilers and are willing to contribute, contact details are in the show notes and on the Poultry.Network episode page. 

Trade-offs for a Resilient Broiler Sector – An Industry Stakeholder Workshop SAVE THE DATE: 23 October 2025 10:00-16:00 Edgbaston Park Hotel and Conference Centre, Birmingham, B15 2RS. Email to register: resilient.chicken@soton.ac.uk


Ep. 14 Tri-SoMe CHICKEN: Mapping resilience in the UK broiler machine

This week on the Poultry Network Podcast, host Tom Woolman is joined by editor Jake Davies for a special post-Poultry Network Live edition. Two weeks after the conference at Harper Adams, the pair introduce an exclusive: Professor David “Professor Food” Hughes’ keynote, captured on video by our on-site filmmaker Finn. The episode sets up that talk and why it matters now—then hands the mic to David.

Prof Hughes opens with the big picture: global food prices spiked to levels last seen in 1973, eased a touch, but remain ~35% above pre-COVID – leaving consumers vexed and farmers squeezed as inputs have risen too. 

He cautions against fixating on US tariff noise alone and flags the World Economic Forum’s “green risks” as the structural headwind shaping food over the next decade.

Turning to protein, poultry keeps gaining share globally – up from ~36% of meat consumption in 2013 to ~41% today – mainly at pork and beef’s expense. 

Yet the quiet outperformer is fish, especially salmon and pangasius, reminding poultry and egg sectors that competition isn’t just red meat. 

In the UK, per-capita meat intake is gently drifting down while total volumes are propped up by population growth; we’re eating meat just as often, but there’s less of it in products.

Hughes contrasts US and UK patterns (Americans now eat ~53 kg of poultry per capita vs ~35 kg in the UK), arguing there’s still upside here.

Eggs are “in good shape” with strong retail value growth; prices are high historically but the UK remains cheaper than several Western peers. 

However, income polarisation is redefining retail: a third of UK households are struggling, pushing supermarkets into relentless value positioning and producing “meat for the haves and have-nots” – from £3/kg whole chickens to premium cuts exceeding £50/kg. Eggs show the same split: value mixed-weight lines versus luxury tiers.

On the shop floor, he sees space and theatre shifting away from raw counters toward “meals and meal components.” 

Food retail and foodservice are converging; convenience rules. UK egg merchandising lags, he says – look to Spain and Asia for how to celebrate eggs with range, packaging and presentation. 

Convenience chains like 7-Eleven in Thailand and Japan have become meal-solution hubs for under-40s; expect UK formats (e.g., Co-op) to lean harder into ready-to-go food. 

Gen Z and Gen Alpha – true digital natives – define convenience as “right now,” buying snacks, mini-meals and components rather than ingredients.

That’s a tailwind for chicken (bites, nuggets, protein snacks) and a missed opportunity for eggs: the UK under-indexes on egg snacks compared with Asia and Latin America. 

Add eating occasions (breakfast and “anytime”), borrow global formats (Korean egg drop sandwiches), and market eggs as portable protein. 

He also notes GLP-1 weight-loss medications may nudge demand toward higher-protein, lower-calorie options – good news for poultry and eggs – while sustainability intent remains high but temporarily deprioritised by cost-of-living pressures (younger shoppers still care most).

Finally, Prof Hughes tracks the scale game: four of the world’s ten largest packaged food companies are protein giants (JBS, Tyson, Marfrig, WH Group). JBS is moving into eggs; Cal-Maine alone produces roughly the UK’s total egg volume. 

As value-added products grow, origin becomes opaque – raising a strategic question for UK self-sufficiency if more snacks and components are imported.

His closing message is optimistic but pointed: poultry and eggs win on price, nutrition, family acceptance and convenience – air-fryer-friendly chicken, microwaveable eggs – but the sectors must continually innovate to thrive.

E13 Professor David Hughes' Keynote Address at Poultry Network Live

In this episode of the Poultry Network Podcast, host Tom Willings is joined by editor Jake Davies.

Their guest is Wayne Olbison, Head of Sales for UK and Ireland at Lanxess Biosecurity Solutions, who discusses the company’s role in agricultural hygiene and offers practical biosecurity advice in light of recent avian influenza outbreaks.

Wayne introduces Lanxess as a global chemicals business, with the Biosecurity Solutions division focused on cleaning and disinfection products for agriculture and aquaculture.

The timing of the conversation is significant: in late July five new cases of avian influenza were confirmed in the UK, including several in Somerset.

Such unseasonal outbreaks underline that AI may now be endemic in wild bird populations, with risks present year-round rather than only in winter.

Both the hosts and Wayne emphasise vigilance and strict farm hygiene as critical defences.

Wayne stresses that biosecurity is often misunderstood.

Some see it purely as terminal hygiene – cleaning and disinfecting once birds leave a house – while others recognise continuous measures during a flock cycle.

In reality, both are essential.

The first day of the next flock cycle starts immediately after the previous flock leaves, and any carry-over risks must be eliminated.

Farmers may handle cleaning themselves, use in-house teams, or hire contractors, but consistency and thoroughness matter most.

Too often, people look for shortcuts: a fast clean rather than a correct clean, which leaves organic matter behind and undermines disinfection.

The discussion then focuses on common pitfalls.

Continuous farm practices frequently fail due to poor maintenance or incorrect use.

Wheel washes may not contain active disinfectant if pumps aren’t working or chemical drums are empty; foot dips, the “first line of defence,” are often contaminated, degraded by sunlight, or incorrectly mixed.

Without lids or regular replacement, disinfectant quickly becomes ineffective.

During terminal cleans, failure to fully remove organic matter or using disinfectants at the wrong concentration reduces efficacy. 

For example, a DEFRA-approved product rated at 2% may be ineffective if applied at 1.5%. 

Wayne stresses that washing and disinfection are separate processes: muck must be removed before applying disinfectant, otherwise the chemistry is neutralised. 

Attention to dilution rates, contact time, and correct rotation of chemistries is also critical. 

Oxidising products are often best used first to knock down viruses, but order matters – misapplication can cancel out effectiveness.

Tom probes Wayne on wheel wash technology, from simple knapsack sprayers to integrated spray bars. 

While drive-through systems are ideal, they are costly and require space, so most farms rely on sprayers. 

Whatever the system, doing nothing is not an option. Equally, over-mixing or combining incompatible products can reduce performance or create hazards. 

Wayne underlines that advice should be tailored: the target pathogen, the chemistry in use, and the sequence of application all matter.

 1. Control entry – restrict visitors and ensure every vehicle entering has wheels properly disinfected with working, charged systems.
 2. Prioritise foot dips – maintain them with the correct product, at the correct dilution, and replace them frequently to ensure they are active.
 3. Enforce accuracy – whether cleaning houses or mixing disinfectants, precision matters. Guesswork or shortcuts leave pathogens behind and waste money.

Ep. 12, Wayne Olbison, Lanxess: Foot Dips, Wheel Washes & AI Vigilance

In this episode of the Poultry Network Podcast, hosts Tom Willings and Tom Woolman welcome Graham Atkinson, an experienced poultry professional who recently founded Grange Consultancy after nearly three decades in the sector, including 14 years at Noble Foods.

The conversation begins with talk of Yorkshire weather before turning to Graham’s transition from corporate employment to independent consultancy.

He reflects on the nerves of setting up on his own but explains how a “varied diet” of work – spanning data, technology, health and welfare, pharmaceuticals, writing, and increasingly direct work with producers – has kept him busy and engaged.

The core focus of the discussion is on egg supply contracts – a subject Graham has been exploring through his work and in a recent article in The Ranger magazine.

The hosts and guest dig into what makes a good contract, why producers should pay closer attention to detail, and how contracts can balance fairness for both producers and packers.

Graham notes that today’s strong producer margins are historically unusual and unlikely to last indefinitely.

Many farmers, he says, underestimate or misunderstand the small print of contracts.

Some have traditionally relied on trust-based relationships without formal agreements, while others sign documents without fully grasping their obligations.

Both situations can leave producers exposed when market conditions change.

The podcast explores specific contract components:

 * Egg supply agreements vs. pricing terms – often handled in separate documents, which can create confusion.
 * Force majeure clauses – usually vaguely drafted; Graham argues for clearer definitions, including explicit reference to avian influenza.
 * Price adjustment mechanisms – highlighted as the most contentious element of any deal. The team stress the importance of transparency over when and how prices move.

One major development has been the use of the ADAS cost of production model, pioneered by BFREPA.

This independent reference point has been increasingly incorporated into contracts, giving producers and packers a clear, mutually agreed basis for pricing.

Graham welcomes this as a step forward, though he cautions that adoption remains patchy.

The discussion also touches on wider market dynamics. The hosts argue that while cost-of-production models provide fairness, there must still be space for diversity: different farms with different business models will inevitably need different contractual terms.

Spot markets will continue to play a role, as not every producer will opt for (or be offered) a long-term cost-linked agreement.

Looking ahead, the panel link these debates to the DEFRA Fairness in the Supply Chain Review, which outlines a potential code of practice for farm-gate contracts.

Government is pushing for greater transparency from buyers, particularly around price changes – a demand that could be very difficult for packers to meet given the complexity of their operations and customer mix.

As the episode closes, Graham offers his advice to farmers:

 1. Read your contract in detail – don’t assume you know what it says.
 2. Seek advice on unclear clauses.
 3. Look beyond today’s price – focus on how price is structured and adjusted.
 4. Clarify protections around force majeure and other critical risks.
 5. Work with packers as partners to create agreements both sides can sustain.

The conversation underscores that contracts are not just paperwork but the foundation of long-term, resilient relationships across the egg supply chain. 

E11 Graham Atkinson: Building Fairer, Smarter Egg Supply Agreements

In this episode of the Poultry Network Podcast, Tom Woolman and Tom Willings speak with Dr Tracey Jones, Global Director of Food Business at Compassion in World Farming, about the UK’s shift toward a cage-free future.

Tracey outlines the progress so far – 82 % of UK laying hens are now cage-free, compared with 50 % in 2016 – and the 2025 commitments made by major retailers. The conversation covers Iceland’s recent U-turn on its original pledge, public pressure driven by NGOs and high-profile campaigns, and the importance of retail alignment in creating industry change.

The discussion also addresses the 18 % of hens still in cages, the role of legislation in levelling the playing field, and the need for equivalent standards for imported eggs to avoid undermining UK producers. Funding and support for farmers transitioning to barn or free-range systems are explored, as are future welfare priorities such as enriched environments, veranda and natural light requirements, and phasing out beak trimming.

Tracey also comments on global cage-free efforts, the challenges and slower progress of the Better Chicken Commitment compared with eggs, and the balance of “carrot and stick” in driving corporate commitments. She emphasises the importance of early action, transparent reporting, and maintaining momentum toward higher welfare standards.

CTA:
If you’re involved in egg production, retail, foodservice or manufacturing, now is the time to act. Ensure your cage-free commitments are on track for 2025 and report progress by March 2026 to be included in the 2025 EggTrack. Contact Compassion In World Farming for more information. 

E10 Compassion in World Farming: Progress, pressure and the path to 100 % cage-free

In this episode, Tom Woolman and Tom Willings are joined by Jake Davies, editor of Poultry Network, to preview this year’s Poultry Network Live conference — taking place on 4 September at Harper Adams University.

Jake outlines this year’s theme — growth, optimism and ambition — and gives a behind-the-scenes look at what’s in store for delegates, including:

 * A keynote from Professor David Hughes, exploring global protein trends and poultry’s competitive edge.
 * A health and biosecurity session featuring Gordon Hickman OBE from APHA, covering avian influenza insights and Defra policy developments.
 * A practical panel on expanding your poultry enterprise, with speakers from NatWest, Maelor Foods, Farmlay Eggs, and Morspan Construction.
 * Afternoon sector-specific sessions — including broiler and laying hen topics, with a special mention for Vincent Beyer of Laying Hen Pros, bringing big-industry data expertise to egg production.

With lively discussion, insights into the speaker line-up, and a reminder on how to book tickets, this episode offers a great preview of what to expect from one of the UK poultry industry’s key events of the year.

📅 Poultry Network Live takes place on 4 September 2025. To attend, email graeme@poultry.network to reserve your ticket.

E9 Poultry Network Live 2025: Growth, Optimism and Ambition

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

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