The fifth in the series of Turkey Science and Production Conferences began yesterday at Shrigley Hall Hotel, Macclesfield. Following a series of almost 30 annual Technical Turkeys Conferences, the new series attracts more delegates each year.

In his welcome address, organiser Dr James Bentley announced record attendance of 222 delegates from 28 countries and representing 150 companies at this year's conference.

The meeting had no particular theme, he continued, other than to share knowledge with those who shared his passion for practical and profitable turkey production.

In a packed programme on the first day, there were 12 papers on the agenda, covering a wide range of topics from the structure of the German industry and the use of antibiotics in turkey production, through practical issues of improving fertility and gut health and optimising lighting and environmental conditions and on to the monocular details of coccidiosis and avian pathogenic E. coli in turkeys.

The conference continues today, and summaries of all the papers will be included in articles on ThePoultrySite in the coming weeks.