The Poultry Network Podcast

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.

The Poultry Network Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 64 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts The Poultry Network Podcast, a business show with 64 episodes published.

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  Episode #61

  EP 61 | Agri Farm Data: Better data, better broilers? Making benchmarking work on farm

  Oct 2, 202637 minS1

  Knowing how your flock compares with other farms is one thing. Understanding why it performs differently — and what to change — is another. Tom Willings and Tom Woolman are joined by Patrick Snodgrass and Iain Campbell from AgriFarm Data to explore how broiler growers can make better use of the information collected in their sheds. Patrick explains how frustration with benchmarking that showed differences without explaining them led to the development of the business. From environmental controls and feed records to flock performance, the discussion looks at bringing information together, reducing paperwork and comparing results through anonymised benchmarking. Who owns that data, and how should farmers share it with vets, consultants and the wider supply chain? There is also a closer look at recent performance trends, including increased mortality recorded among growers using the platform. The guests explain why these observations need further investigation rather than immediate conclusions about chick quality or the effects of summer temperatures. And does better technical performance always mean better profits? Patrick discusses the influence of processor payment models, energy costs and the risk of chasing performance while losing control of expenditure. Looking ahead, the team considers how predictive analysis could help growers tailor management to their chicks, feed and shed infrastructure. In this episode 05:04 — Why AgriFarm Data was created 07:37 — Bringing shed, feed and flock information together 10:22 — Farmer ownership of data and relationships with processors 16:14 — How anonymised benchmarking and permission-based sharing work 18:11 — Growth, feed conversion and recent mortality trends 21:23 — Technical performance versus financial returns 23:56 — Predictive analysis and the next steps for farm data 28:41 — The hosts’ reflections: interpreting results and understanding the limits of a dataset Stay connected Enjoyed the episode? Follow or subscribe to the Poultry Network Podcast in your usual podcast app. You can also sign up to the Poultry Network newsletter for updates from across the sector, delivered to your inbox every Friday. This episode is sponsored by LANXESS Biosecurity Solutions Wayne Olbison shares practical reminders for autumn and winter cleaning and disinfection: clean thoroughly at turnaround, check that products work at the temperatures you will be using them in, and follow instructions on compatibility, application rates and contact time. For coccidiosis control, he encourages growers to ask suppliers for specific efficacy evidence and compare the cost of treating the whole house — not just the price of the drum. Always follow the product label and safety instructions.

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  Episode #60

  EP 60 | How resilient is the UK poultry sector to Avian Influenza?

  Sep 25, 202636 minS1

  Tom Woolman and Tom Willings are joined by Dr Pablo Alarcon and Dr Mat Hennessey from the Royal Veterinary College to discuss the pressures shaping poultry’s response to avian influenza — and why some of the biggest challenges cannot be addressed through farm biosecurity alone. As part of the Flu Trailmap project, the researchers have mapped poultry supply chains and spoken to people across the industry about their experiences. They explain what this work reveals about the connections between farms, hatcheries, processors and egg packers, and how disruption in one part of the system can affect businesses elsewhere. Insurance is a major part of the conversation, from the difficulty of obtaining cover to whether premiums could better reflect disease risk and biosecurity. The guests also explore an idea raised by interviewees: a levy supported by government and industry to help share the financial risk of outbreaks. They discuss the questions this would raise, including who should contribute, rather than advocating a particular scheme. On planning, the discussion turns to a fundamental question: where will the extra poultry housing come from? Lower broiler stocking densities and the move away from enriched colony cages require more space to maintain domestic production, yet interviewees repeatedly described difficulties securing permission to build or extend. The researchers consider how local planning decisions and national priorities could be brought together more effectively. Finally, they discuss the case for a longer-term poultry strategy, bringing government and industry together to consider where production takes place, how it is financed and how the sector can be better prepared for future disease outbreaks.

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  Episode #59

  Ep 59 | From the Poultry Meat Conference 26: Water waste and heat stress: rethinking the broiler shed

  Sep 18, 202623 minS1

  Are broiler drinkers delivering more water than birds can actually drink? Ziggity Systems’ André van Rij made that case at this year’s Poultry Meat Conference, questioning whether recommended flow rates leave farms dealing with unnecessary spillage—and whether catch cups introduce more problems than they solve. Recorded at the event, Jake Davies and Tom Woolman discuss his argument for removing catch cups and getting drinker height right. It challenges a familiar setup on UK broiler farms, although, as Tom points out, there are reasons producers adopted cups in the first place. Heat stress is another focus, drawing on Alan Ball’s presentation for Slatehall Veterinary Services. He explained how birds lose heat and the limitations of misting during humid conditions or prolonged hot weather. Jake and Tom then add their thoughts on cooling pads and housing design, and why some changes need planning well before the next hot spell. P.D. Hook’s Carlos Paiva brought the hatchery perspective in Hatching My Way . His account of multi-stage incubation and producing millions of chicks gives Jake and Tom plenty to discuss, particularly the value of experienced staff and the personal responsibility Carlos described for the quality of chicks leaving his hatchery. There’s also discussion of Will Raw’s NFU industry update, including planning delays facing businesses ready to invest and concerns about standards for imported poultry. And, following chairman John Underwood’s remarks about communication, a reminder that emails and WhatsApp messages are no substitute for properly checking in with colleagues.

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  Episode #58

  Ep 58 | FAI and Birdbox: Listening to hens, the next step in flock monitoring?

  Sep 11, 202629 minS1

  Could the sounds inside a poultry house help producers spot health and welfare problems before they develop? This week, Jake and Tom are joined by Carly Scott, FAI director and BirdBox project lead , and Professor Lucy Asher of Newcastle University to discuss the next generation of BirdBox and the research behind its flock-monitoring technology. The project began around a decade ago with a challenge from the Lakes Free Range Egg Company: bring together the information collected on farms and across the supply chain, and put it to practical use. Carly explains how BirdBox combines in-house sensors, a digital flock book and information such as feed, veterinary and egg-grading data to help producers monitor their flocks and investigate performance problems. The next step is moving beyond looking back at what went wrong towards identifying warning signs earlier. The discussion covers what water consumption and egg-grading data can reveal, how the farmer-facing dashboard works, and the ambition to support earlier intervention when birds are heading towards ill health or behaviours such as feather-pecking and smothering. Lucy explains the work to recognise chicken vocalisations automatically, including the challenges of accounting for different breeds, ages and housing systems — and hens that appear to invent their own “slang”. Also explored is why the team is prioritising explainable AI, expert checks and balances and commercial validation. Finally, Carly considers how the data could support decisions across the wider egg supply chain and previews the planned BirdBox launch and demonstrations at BFREPA Live.

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  Episode #57

  EP 57: Host Episode; Poultry Network Live – confidence, caution and the people challenge

  Sep 4, 202628 minS1

  Recorded at Harper Adams immediately after Poultry Network Live, Tom Willings and Tom Woolman reflect on the biggest messages from a day of debate, technical insight and practical discussion across the egg and broiler sectors. And, before any of that, there is an overdue update on Tom’s increasingly determined escape-artist sheep. They discuss Patrick Hook’s candid account of the planning system, rising construction costs and why poultry businesses need to engage more openly with MPs and their local communities. Ken Clow offers a balanced assessment of the egg sector: demand remains strong, but producers must be alert to the risk of supply moving ahead of the market. That caution is contrasted with Geraint May and HSBC’s continued confidence in poultry investment, supported by the availability of all-egg contracts and longer-term agreements. The hosts also look back at Jack Hughes’ practical session on farm biosecurity, Ashley Banyard’s deep dive into avian influenza and ConkerAI’s demonstration of how artificial intelligence could help poultry businesses improve efficiency and decision-making. From the afternoon breakouts, they consider progress in broiler health and welfare, the fundamentals of a successful laying farm, benchmarking and energy costs. One theme ran through several sessions: finding, supporting and retaining good people. Robert Lanning explains how his approach to recruitment and staff management has evolved as his farming business has grown, while the wider discussion asks what poultry employers must offer to attract the next generation. The episode ends with a challenge for future conferences: how can the sector bring more young people into the room and show those outside poultry the variety of careers and opportunities available across farming and food production?

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