One-third (32%) of leading nutritionists, veterinarians and other industry experts have stated that the EU programme to reduce salmonella contamination in eggs and poultry flocks will jeopardise the competitiveness of European poultry producers. A further 20% said that it will lead to the illegal use of antibiotics and 18% that it will result in unrealistic expectations for consumers.

The conclusions were the results of an opinion poll conducted during Alltech's poultry technical seminar 'Elevating Animal Performance and Health – Formula for the Future; Nutrition or Pathology?' held at the company's European Bioscience Centre in Dunboyne, County Meath, Ireland.

More than 110 delegates attended the poultry technical seminar where a panel of six international industry experts presented their views and participated in question and answer sessions with the attendees on current industry issues. Over 60 of the delegates and speakers participated in confidential electronic surveys on the current situation and the future of the European poultry industry.

The main findings of the survey were:

• Almost 50% of those survey estimated that feed prices will decrease significantly over the next year, 10% believed that they would stay the same, while 37% said that prices will increase further.
• Over half claimed that broilers are more sensitive to disease as a result of genetic development, 39% said that they are more resistant.
• 44% of respondents agreed that energy use would become the biggest challenge to poultry producers in the future, 13% said that it would be trace minerals, 12% said greenhouse gases, 13% ammonia and 8% phosphorus.
• 90% of respondents said that, in the future, a 2kg broiler will be able to achieve between 1.2- 1.4 feed conversion ratio.
• 27% believed that the ban of battery cages will reduce egg quality, 18% said that it would lead to increased mortality and 10% concluded that the ban would result in reduced laying performance.
• 29% of those surveyed said that consumers will be unaware of the welfare improvement introduced by enriched cages with a further 46% stating that consumers are mainly motivated by price.

Vice-President, Alltech Europe, Marc Larousse said, "Alltech's annual technical seminar series provides a unique forum for leading nutritionists, veterinarians and other industry experts to share ideas on the future of our industry."