Dr Reza Barekatain appointed as Director of Poultry Research Foundation



by Mingan Choct The University of Sydney has appointed Dr Reza Barekatain as an Associate Professor and the next Director of the Poultry Research Foundation (PRF) following an international search. Dr Barekatain completed his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science in Iran before moving to Australia in 2009 to pursue a PhD in poultry …

Dr Wendy Muir Wins a Prestigious Teaching Award



by Mingan Choct Dr Wendy Muir, one of my longest serving academic staff members at the PRF, has won the highly competitive, 2024 Faculty of Science Learning & Teaching Award for Student Experience Excellence. This is an award for staff who have excelled in driving a transformational experience for our students. Congratulations, Wendy! Dr Wendy …

APSS 2025 Planning Well Underway



With only around 160 days until APSS 2025, organisation of the 36th annual symposium is going extremely well. We have confirmed 11 world-class invited speakers to join us in Sydney next February, presenting on a diverse range of industry-related topics.

Free-Ranging Flock

Bird Flu: Must-Knows For Backyard Chicken Keepers (And Breeders)



Exhortations to prevent contact with wild birds to avoid avian influenza can be a source of anxiety for chicken keepers. It’s near-impossible to exclude all birds from even an enclosed run and locking up chickens comes with its own risks – overcrowding, stress and exposure to higher manure loads, to name a few.

University of Sydney Logo with Poultry Research Foundation.

A New Era for the Poultry Research Foundation



We have recently been given the green light to officially become a Research Centre within the University. The transition changes PRF from a Foundation deemed a fundraising body under Australian Consumer Law to a university research entity aligned with the poultry and allied industries. As a result, PRF will retain its name as well as the Industry Council as an advisory body.