Dr Todd Applegate is Head of Department and R. Harold and Patsy Harrison Professor of Poultry Science at the University of Georgia, USA. He is a Fellow and former President of the Poultry Science Association (PSA). Amongst other honours, he is a recipient of the PSA’s Evonik Degussa Award for Achievement in Poultry Science. Professor Applegate has edited two previous books for Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing: Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat Volume 2: Breeding and nutrition and Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat Volume 3: Health and welfare, both published in 2017.