More energy efficient and longer lasting lamps are being used to replace incandescent lighting in poultry houses. This paper reviews the response of domestic fowl, turkeys and geese to various sources of illumination. It concludes that there is no evidence that fluorescent or high pressure sodium lighting, irrespective of intensity or spectral distribution, has any consistent detrimental effect on growth, food utilization, reproductive performance, mortality, behaviour or live bird quality in either domestic fowl or turkeys, nor in the egg production of geese. There are limited data to suggest that the use of fluorescent lighting may be beneficial in the reduction of leg problems in meat chickens. Notwithstanding that poultry may perceive low frequency fluorescent light as discontinuous (at least in Europe), it does not appear to compromise the welfare of poultry, and has been shown in one study with laying fowl to be preferred to incansdescent lighting.

Phytic acid or phytate is a naturally occurring organic complex found in plants. As a reactive anion, it forms a wide variety of insoluble salts with divalent and trivalent cations. Phytic acid is also known to complex with proteins and consequently reduce their availability. Recent studies indicate that phytic acid reduces the activity of pepsin, trypsin and αamylase. Because of a lack of endogenous phytase, which hydrolyses phytic acid, phytate phosphorus is biologically less available to poultry. Because of the complex factors influencing phytate hydrolysis, such as dietary calcium content, inorganic phosphorus and vitamin D3, and the age and genotype of birds, there is wide disagreement concerning the ability of poultry to utilize phytate phosphorus. Data suggest that the amount of endogenous phytase is extremely low in young birds but that it increases with age. Cereal based poultry diets supplemented with microbial phytase result in increased digestibility and availability of phytate bound phosphorus, calcium, zinc and copper. Microbial phytase supplementation has also been shown to increase ileal digestibility of crude protein and amino acids in female broiler chickens and in female turkeys, but curiously not in male chickens. There is no report to date of such a study in male turkeys. While the efficacy of supplemental microbial phytase depends on its rate of inclusion, on the calcium and phytate phosphorus contents and on the dietary ca1cium:phosphorus ratio, clear benefits have been shown in terms of increased availability of phytate-bound minerals and crude protein, and reduced environmental pollution through lower levels of phosphorus and nitrogen excretion. To maximize the benefit from the addition of microbial phytase, future research should focus on determining the optimum dietary conditions for it to work.

In recent years it has been shown that Campylobacter jejuni is the most common cause of gastroenteritis or enterocolitis in man, especially in developed countries. Numerous studies have demonstrated a high prevalence of C. jejuni in chickens and it is evident that chicken meat is a significant source of human gastroenteritis due to lack of care in handling raw products and inadequate cooking. Campylobacter spp. are frequently found in the intestinal tract of poultry where colonization leads to contamination of carcasses during processing, especially at the defeathering and evisceration stages. This paper reviews the occurrence of C. jejuni in poultry, particularly in the live bird and on processed carcasses. It also considers possible factors in the introduction and spread of C. jejuni on farms and discusses progress in developing measures for controlling Campylobacter spp. in the production chain.

Due to a belief in the special healthy characteristics of their meat, ratites (ostriches, emus, rheas) are receiving more and more attention as meat producers for developed markets. All three kinds of ratites can be slaughtered by the same technique. At the scientific level, avian nomenclature is applied to the muscles used in meat production, while a variety of trade names is being used commercially. Dressing percentage, meat production on a live and carcass weight basis, as well as proportional weight of individual muscles are of the same order for all three species. Ratite meat is characterized by a high final pH value which may result in a limited shelf life. Nutritional information, especially about emu and rhea meat, is rarely found.

Models of heat loss partition in poultry suggest that, above the zone of thermoneutrality, insensible heat loss increases while sensible heat loss mechanisms decline in importance. Comparison of evaporative and total heat losses at low and high relative humidities suggest this may not be correct at high temperatures and high humidities.

Throughout the continent of Africa the keeping of indigenous fowl by village communities has been practised for many generations. These birds, which are generally kept on a free range system, currently make up more than 80% of the continent's poultry flock. Although requiring minimal resource input and considered secondary to other agricultural activities by farmers, this type of production has an important role in supplying local populations with additional income and high quality protein. However, high mortality, especially in growers, constitutes the greatest constraint on development. Indigenous fowl are not a particular variety but are the result of erratic crosses between local and imported stocks. Growth and egg production of the indigenous birds are low and their limits of performance are rapidly reached when feeding and management are improved. However, the meat and eggs are much preferred by the consumers and fetch premium prices compared with commercial birds. The genetic potential of the indigenous stocks could be improved through crossing with selected but still robust varieties.