Waste not, want not: Rebel Northey’s quest for sustainable poultry nutrition

As the 2024 Gary Sansom Scholarship draws to a close, recipient Rebel Northey is reflecting on a year of productive research, industry connections and personal growth that has positioned him at the forefront of sustainable poultry nutrition innovation.

The University of New England (UNE) Master of Science student has been investigating the feasibility of using food waste-based diets for meat chickens – research that could simultaneously reduce strain on conventional feed resources like grains and legumes while addressing the growing global challenge of food waste management.

“My research is really about sustainability, both globally and on a scale that’s applicable to the Australian poultry industry, comparing the differences between a food-waste diet and a commercial diet and their impacts on chicken growth,” explains Rebel.

Promising results point to industry application

Although Rebel’s research is ongoing, initial findings have shown promising results that align with and build upon existing literature in the field.

“So far we have received very promising results surrounding the use of food waste in meat chicken diets,” Rebel says. “Currently, we are preparing two manuscripts for publication, with more to follow, and my primary supervisor and I will be presenting some of our research at industry conferences.”

The project builds on earlier research by Rebel’s supervisor, Dr. Amy Moss, which found that feeding a waste-based diet to laying hens resulted in a better food conversion ratio compared to commercial diets. Rebel’s work focuses on understanding these differences more thoroughly, particularly investigating the different fat-to-carbohydrate ratios between conventional and waste-based feeds.

“In the long term, our goal is for this research to contribute to the solutions for several large issues, including the amount of food in landfill and its associated environmental impacts, the cost of feed for producers and subsequently consumers, the strain on relevant grain and legume production systems, the competition between humans and animals for food, and food insecurity,” Rebel explains.

Building industry connections and career pathways

Beyond the research itself, the Gary Sansom Scholarship provided Rebel with valuable industry connections and mentorship that have proven just as valuable as the financial support.

“The Gary Sansom Scholarship has allowed me to focus on my research while also gradually integrating into the industry,” Rebel reflects. “The support from AgriFutures has made this integration far less intimidating than it would have been otherwise.”

The scholarship, which provides up to $30,000 in funding, pairs recipients with industry mentors and provides opportunities to attend key poultry industry conferences and events – creating invaluable networking opportunities for early career researchers.

“They’ve introduced me to many different people who work in various roles throughout the industry, allowing me to kick-start my industry networking at a very early stage of my research,” he says. “Additionally, the industry exposure provided by the scholarship has allowed me to see how my current and possibly future research could be applied in real-life situations, which is very exciting.”

For Rebel, whose passion for poultry research was sparked during a hands-on broiler chicken project in his undergraduate studies, the scholarship has transformed his understanding of the industry as a whole.

“I entered my degree with little to no understanding of the chicken meat industry,” he admits. “Through my time in the scholarship, I’ve been exposed to several industry events that allowed me to gain significant insight into the opportunities within both the industry and academic sides of chicken meat.”

Perhaps most valuable has been the community he’s discovered: “I’ve learned about different companies and the roles within them, and notably I got to experience the comradery between these companies firsthand. All of the people that I’ve met at these events have been incredibly friendly and welcoming to new people.”

Legacy of leadership continues

The Gary Sansom Scholarship, established in honour of the late Gary Sansom, former AgriFutures Chicken Meat Advisory Panel Chair and Australian Chicken Meat Federation President, has a distinguished history of supporting future industry leaders.

Mr Sansom’s vision was to ensure the chicken meat industry is valued and respected by the Australian community. The scholarship that bears his name continues his legacy of encouraging new entrants into the chicken meat industry and developing leadership capabilities among the research community.

Embodying this vision of long-term industry contribution, Rebel plans to upgrade his degree to a PhD, extending his research completion date to March 2027. This will allow him to conduct two additional experiments in 2025 and dedicate at least a year to manuscript preparation, ultimately aiming to produce five publications from his research.

As he prepares to take the next steps in his research career, his guidance to future applicants reflects the collaborative spirit he’s encountered throughout his scholarship year: “Probably the most important advice I would give is advice that I’ve been given myself by various members of the community, which is to not be afraid to reach out and ask questions. The people in this industry are very invested in the education of newer members and are usually very happy to lend a helping hand.”