Poultry research farm expansion increases availability, capacity

APR research farm will operate independently, serving entire poultry industry.

Schwartz Consulting Services Inc. announced that it has established an agreement with Phytobiotics North America to expand its capacity and capabilities for poultry research.

The collaboration has resulted in the formation of Applied Poultry Research LLC (APR) located near Louisburg, N.C. APR will operate independently and serve the entire poultry industry, making battery caging, mini floor pens and large floor pens available with the ability to perform broiler, turkey and layer research, according to the announcement.

Specifically, this expansion provides 48 large floor pens designed for turkeys, including water consumption data collection by treatment, and these large pens can be split into 96 floor pens for broilers. In addition, up to 96 mini floor pens will be available. These mini floor pens are housed in four different rooms with separate heating and cooling controls, allowing for environmental overlays within a trial, the companies said.

Phytobiotics North America managing partner Bruce King said, “Through this collaboration, we will be able to expand research capabilities available for customers, and even our competitors, to advance practical science within the poultry industry by helping to create an unbiased, high-quality, high-capacity research farm that will be available and benefit the entire industry.”

The coalition permits Phytobiotics North America to investigate solutions for its own products or in collaboration with clients to allow for the creation of custom solutions through the most cost-effective strategy, the announcement said.

“We hope that the industry is improved from a science, welfare and economic standpoint by serving the needs of the American poultry consumer,” King said.