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Helena Wall

Helena Wall
In my research, I aim to find solutions that can lead to improved sustainability in egg and broiler production. This mainly involves improvements in animal welfare, food quality and safety, and factors affecting profitability and climate.

Presentation

Research Interests:

How can we reduce ammonia losses from littered areas in laying hen houses? 

Can access to feed and water already at hatch give broilers a better start in life through a more favourable development of gut microbiota and immune function?  

What protein sources should we us in feed for broilers and layers in the future? 

How are hens' feather cover, egg quality, production performance and skeleton affected by housing environment and feed composition?  

Activity in the scientific society:

Referee assignments in several journals, such as Poultry Science and British Poultry Science

President of the Swedish branch of WPSA (World's Poultry Science Association) 

Member of Working Group 9 "Poultry Welfare and Management" of the European Federation of WPSA 

Member of the Lövsta Council (advisory body for SLUs research station Lövsta)

Teaching

I teach about housing, management and nutrition of laying hens and broilers and how different factors can affect the welfare and production characeristics of the birds. In my teaching I also address factors in the production of eggs and poultry meat with major climatic impact and how the impact could be reduced. I lecture in several courses in different educational programmes at SLU and supervise students writing their bachelor thesis or doing their master thesis. I am resposible for the course HV0159 Aquaculture, poultry and pig production (15 ECTS).

Research

On-going projects   

Project title Project manager
Improved animal welfare with lower ammonia in poultry houses  Helena Wall
Brown algae to broiler chickens  Emma Ivarsson
Keel bone damage in laying hens Dirk-Jan de Koning
Feeding live insect larvae to laying hens Carlos E. Hernandez
   
   

Supervision

  • 2008-2012 Dr Robin Kalmendal, SLU (co-supervisor). Fibrous Feed for Functional Fowl. 
  • 2008-2013 Dr Anna Wistedt, SLU (co-supervisor). Shell Formation and Bone Strength in Laying Hens
  • 2011-2015 Dr Malin Alm, SLU (main supervisor). Welfare indicators in laying hens. 
  • 2016-         Malin Boyner, SLU (main supervisor). Adapted management and feeding strategies at hatch for improved chick quality.
  • 2017-          Eliška Valečková, SLU (main supervisor). Effects of alternative feed components on gut microbiota and resistance to Campylobacter spp. in broiler chickens.
  • 2018-           Sara Forslind, SLU (co-supervisor). Never wake a sleeping broiler.
  • 2020-           Liv Jonare, SLU (co-supervisor). Cellulitis in broiler chickens; in vivo diagnostics and pathogenesis
  • 2021-            Sallam Mohammad Abdallah (co-supervisor). New digital and genetic tools to reduce bone damage in laying hens

Selected publications