Commercial Poultry
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New Avian Influenza Biosecurity Videos
The University of Maryland Extension, in cooperation with the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, has developed three Highly
Pathogenic Avian Influenza biosecurity videos. We encourage
you to take a few minutes to view the videos to reinforce
important messages about protecting Delmarva's poultry
industry. (All are voiced in English, the others have subtitles in respective languages.)
You may also access these on the University of Maryland Extension website: https://
extension.umd.edu/poultry, along with other A.I. and Commercial information.
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
New A.I. Biosecurity
Videos Available
Electrical Farm Safety
Workshop
Biosecurity Update Avian Influenza
1
2
Nationwide Survey
Reveals Nearly 80
Percent of Americans
Manure Matching
Service is Open for
Business
3
Buffers Gaining
Importance on
Delmarva
4
Cost-Share Grants for
Manure Incorporation
and Injection Being
Offered in Maryland
5
The University of Maryland is an
Equal Opportunity Employer and
Equal Access Programs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTkfTdz32EU Commercial Poultry Farmers (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n052hM3CLFk (Chinese subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4umMC1F9wI (Korean subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRtPjABUPXU (Spanish subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-NxAJwc7BI (Vietnamese subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd10vQuT6KM Technical Service Personnel (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au-mtuV3Kn4 (Chinese subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHIzSZZ7XWE (Korean subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WmsxETX5QE (Spanish subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0QettEApyo (Vietnamese subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEYn9V0d7s Backyard Poultry (English)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw1LSgiyphM (Chinese subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7doh_4xRVlI (Korean subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti7uhw9-dBo (Spanish subtitles)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2898rtcVdm (Vietnamese subtitles)
Poultry Growers Electrical Farm Safety Workshop
Tuesday, May 24, 10:30 am to 1:00 pm at the Elbert N. & Ann V. Carvel Research
& Education Center, 16483 County Seat Highway, Georgetown, Delaware.
Registration is free and includes lunch. Call or email to register by contacting:
Sheila Oscar 410-742-1178, soscar@umd.edu or Lisa Collins 302-856-2585 x702,
lcollins@udel.edu.
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Biosecurity Update - Avian Influenza
Jonathan Moyle, Poultry Specialist, University of Maryland Poultry Extension
A flock of turkeys in Missouri, has been confirmed to have had Low Pathogenic H5N1. The flock has been
euthanized and control measures are in place. This latest case of AI shows the need to be diligent in keeping up
with biosecurity. If you have any questions about biosecurity and what you should be doing to protect your farm,
contact your company service personnel or the University Extension.
Nationwide Survey Reveals
Nearly 80 Percent of Americans Mistakenly Believe
Chicken Contains Hormones or Steroids
December 1, 2015 - National Chicken Council
National Chicken Council Launches Chicken Check In, Inviting Consumers to See for How Chickens are Raised
Washington, D.C. – The National Chicken Council (NCC) today r eleased new national sur vey findings on
consumers’ perceptions about chicken production, revealing that nearly 80 percent of Americans mistakenly believe
that chicken contains added hormones or steroids, when in fact no chicken sold or raised in the U.S. is given hormones
or steroids.
In some cases, consumers aren’t able to easily access facts on chicken production. According to the survey, 68 percent
of Americans believe that the media portrays the care of chicken negatively, highlighting the need for chicken
producers to engage in more conversations with consumers about where their chicken comes from. The survey uncovered many concerning assumptions about the care and safety of chicken, including:
MISPERCEPTION
THE REALITY
A majority (78 percent) There are no genetically modified chickens. Over the years, chickens with
believe chickens are
the healthiest growth and size have been selected for breeding – and are fed,
genetically modified.
housed and raised well. The result is a larger, healthier bird.
A majority (77 percent)
believe chicken contains
added hormones or
steroids.
No chicken sold or raised in the U.S. is given hormones or steroids. In fact,
the USDA has banned all hormones and steroids in poultry since the 1950s.
Good breeding, proper nutrition, care by a veterinarian, and better living
conditions all contribute to the healthier growth of birds.
Nearly three-quarters
(73 percent) believe
antibiotics are present in
most chicken meat.
Any meat from chickens sold in the U.S. is free of antibiotics. The USDA
regulates withdrawal periods to ensure no meat bought in-store contains
antibiotics or antibiotic residue from animals that may need medicine.
No chicken meat you buy is raised in a cage. The majority of chickens
More than two-thirds
raised for meat in the U.S. live in large, open structures called houses where
(68 percent) believe
most chickens raised for
they are free to walk around.
meat are raised in cages.
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National Survey (continued)
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In an effort to recognize and respond to these concerns, NCC announced the launch of Chicken Check In
(www.chickencheck.in/), which provides real answers to questions about chicken production in the U.S., and
gives Americans a close look at the lives of the birds and how they get to our tables every day.
“We take pride in the care of our chickens, but we know it’s on us as an industry to do a better job of
providing more information on how our food gets from farm to table,” said Tom Super, spokesperson for the
National Chicken Council. “Food is an emotionally-charged topic, and with conflicting information readily
available online and on social media, it’s understandable people are concerned. We invite consumers with
open arms to come and take a look at the work we’re doing to progress as an industry in providing safe,
healthy and sustainable food.”
About Chicken Check In
NCC invites Americans to visit Chicken Check In to learn more about how the chicken they purchase and
feed their families is raised. The site offers consumers the opportunity to get a close look at how chickens are
raised, from the farm to grocery store shelves. From videos to answers to frequently asked questions, Chicken
Check In is as a resource for consumers to get the information they are seeking about chicken care.
“The mission of Chicken Check In is to provide those who have questions with the level of information they
want regarding the care and safety of the chicken they eat,” said Super. “We’re committed to continuing to
build consumer trust by having open conversations and inviting Americans to ask the questions they have
now and in the future as they learn more about chicken production.”
For additional information on the survey, to view an infographic on chicken care, or to learn more about the
National Chicken Council, visit www.ChickenCheck.in. For chicken recipes, safe handling tips and food
safety information, visit www.ChickenRoost.com.
Survey Methodology
The survey was conducted by ORC International among 1,011 adults aged 18 years or older. It was fielded
September 17-20, 2015 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.
About The National Chicken Council
The National Chicken Council is a non-profit trade association headquartered in Washington, D.C. that
represents chicken producer-processors, the companies that produce and process chickens raised for meat.
Member companies of the council account for more than 95 percent of the chicken sold in the United States.
Manure Matching Service is Open for Business
DPI, Inc. Timely Topics
The Maryland Department of Agriculture Manure Matching Service is available to link farmers with
excess manure with crop farmers or alternative use projects that can use the product as a valuable
resource. The service is voluntary, free and available to both sending and receiving farms. It
complements the department's Manure Transport Program, which helps poultry, dairy, beef, and other
livestock producers cover the costs of transporting excess manure off their farms. For more information
on both programs, farmers should contact their local soil conservation district, call 1-855-6MANURE
or visit www.mda.maryland.go v/manure.
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Buffers Gaining Importance on Delmarva
Jim Passwaters, DPI Vegetative Environmental Buffers Coordinator
The past few weeks have been very busy with the Vegetative Environmental Buffers program . Working
with county planning and zoning commissions in two states, designing new buffers, and trying to find
low cost trees for growers have kept this old boy busy. I have responded to several neighbor complaints
as well. As new farms are being built I expect more complaints from neighbors.
I started planting buffers in 2001. Since the beginning of the program we have tried many species of
trees and shrubs. Several years ago, we planted grasses adjacent to the tunnel fans. We experimented
with switchgrass and miscanthus. The miscanthus is my favorite.
Miscanthus giganteus is a sterile hybrid that grows 10-12 feet
tall. The plant breaks dormancy in mid-March, almost two
months earlier than switchgrass. This species is grown in
many states as a source for bio-fuels. Experiments are being
conducted using this grass as bedding material in chicken
houses.
The grasses are planted approximately 10 feet from the fans.
We space them 3 feet apart and two rows is best. The plants
do not produce viable seed, so they are grown from rhizomes
or potted plants. The rhizomes cost around $.30 each. Potted plants are more expensive. Rhizomes are
only available in the spring.
This grass grows in all soil types, requires no fertilizer and no irrigation. The plant creates a wall, tall
enough and thick enough that it literally blocks all dust and feathers. The plantings also help with odor
control as well.
It should be noted that some ornamental forms of miscanthus can self-seed. The nursery industry sells
ornamental species, however, these do not grow to the height of Miscanthus giganteus and would not be
as effective.
The cost is minimal for the benefits achieved . Every chicken farm would benefit with a planting adjacent
to their fans. Besides, the plant is virtually maintenance free.
For more information see
CUMENTS/ste/prdb1045274.pdf.
Feel free to contact Jim Passwaters at passwaters@dpichicken.com or at 302-236-0470.
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Cost-Share Grants for Manure Incorporation and Injection
Being Offered in Maryland
DPI, Inc. Timely Topics
Maryland Department of Agriculture cost-share grants are available to help farmers cover the cost of
injecting or incorporating manure and other eligible organic nutrients into cropland as required by the
state's nutrient management regulations.
Maryland's nutrient management regulations require farmers to inject or incorporate manure and other
organic nutrient sources into the soil within 48 hours of application to achieve maximum water quality
benefits for streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay.
Assistance is available to hire custom operators, rent or lease equipment, or offset operating costs
associated with using secondary tillage equipment needed to incorporate or inject manure into the soil.
Cost-share rates for manure incorporation and injection range from $10 to $55 an acre depending on the
type of equipment or services used. Farmers who use manure injection equipment receive the highest
reimbursement rates. While transportation costs are not cost-shared under this program, the Manure
Transportation Program is available for eligible farms.
Grants for manure incorporation and injection are administered by the Maryland Agricultural Water
Quality Cost-Share Program. Applicants must be in good standing with the program and in compliance
with nutrient management regulations to participate. All work must be completed by August 1, 2016 and
all claims for payment received by August 20, 2016. Other restrictions apply.
Farmers should visit their local soil conservation district office as soon as possible to apply.
Applications will be accepted until all funds are fully committed
When it comes to broiler chicken houses, one of the most important parts of the operation is the lighting
in the house, which can prove to be a sizeable investment.
Now, thanks to a study from researchers at the University of Delaware's College of Agriculture and
Natural Resources, growers can determine the best sets of lights for their houses along with the best
dimmers to pair with those particular lights by using an online selection tool, http://agdev.anr.udel.edu/
dimmer/dimmer.php
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Lamps and Dimmer Switches (continued)
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The research team that developed the selection tool includes Sarah Morrissey, an Honors Program senior
majoring in pre-veterinary medicine and animal biosciences; Eric Benson, a professor in the Department of
Animal and Food Sciences; Bob Alphin, instructor in the department and manager of the University's
Charles C. Allen Jr. Biotechnology Laboratory; Dan Hougentogler, a research associate in the department;
and Bill Brown, a Cooperative Extension agent.
Lamps and switches
Beginning a few years ago when looking at the durability of alternative lights in poultry houses, Dr. Benson
said they found that many lights that were supposed to last for thousands of hours were failing well before
their advertised time of use.
Coupled with an evolving market that has introduced new lamps at a fast clip -- which
leads to growers wanting to adopt new technologies but unsure of how to go about
doing that -- the team members decided they wanted to get some baseline data to help
growers determine how to best make their lighting selections.
Complicating the issue was the fact that the lamps run with a dimmer switch and are
not simply run at full intensity all of the time.
"In poultry lighting, we don't just put them in and turn the lights on. There's a dimmer or two in the house,
and it turns out that there's a pretty significant interaction between the dimmer and the lamp and how it
controls the lamp. Some lamps work really well with a given dimmer, some don't," said Dr. Benson.
Miss Morrissey said there can be 80 to 100 lamps per house, and with the Delmarva region averaging
two and a half poultry houses per farm, with some farms having up to 10 houses, the investment is
significant, as lamps can cost up to $40 each.
spectrometer to measure five aspects of the lights per test.
Dr. Benson said they looked at the re-fire because in a poultry house with 100 lamps, "the re-fire
determines the lowest point that the dimmer and the lamp will work together and in a lot of cases, when
they're out in a big house, they don't all go on at the same point. Instead of all 100 lamps going on at the
same point, two might go on at one point and six at another, which makes it difficult for growers to
program their lights."
Sometimes, the lights don't start and stop at the same point.
"If the lamps go all the way down to 10 percent, some of those same exact combinations that can go
down to 10 percent during the dimming won't come back on to produce light until 25 percent just
because of the interactions between the dimmer and the lamp," said Miss Morrissey.
The group ended up performing over 3,000 tests and they did not find an ideal lamp that worked best
with all the dimmer profiles, and no dimmer profile that worked best with all the lamps. That was one of
the reasons the group decided to make the online selection tool.
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Lamps and Dimmers (continued)
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The selection tool is a website that anyone, including poultry growers, can access and find the results of
the research. Greg Keane, a database administrator, and Christy Mannering, a web developer in the
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, helped with the
development of the website.
"People can see the results for the different combinations tested
to see which lamp works well with which dimmer and vice
versa," said MissMorrissey.
Dr. Benson added that growers can also ask,
have a
dimmer, I have a lamp, what's the best profile?' There's some
different ways that they can use this to try to optimize what
they're doing."
Photo by Wenbo Fan
UD senior Sarah Morrissey works on a research studying combinations of lights and dimmers
While the group didn't find a "one-size-fits-all" solution to the problem, they did find some combinations
that didn't work well together, which can be just as useful to the growers.
"Initial investments-wise, if you have all these lamps, it may make more sense to consider buying a
different dimmer that's more compatible with those lamps because a dimmer could be $200-$300
depending on the technology but the lamp investment, say you're getting $40 lamps and 100 total, that
adds up," said Morrissey.
The group also had the help from Cooperative Extension as Mr. Brown helped the group realize how
important it is for poultry growers to have the correct lighting in their houses and how it has been an
ongoing issue for the industry.
"Besides Sarah doing an excellent job with this, I think this type of project is ideal because we're
involving an undergraduate in research and there's an applied side where it's dealing with a real world
problem that she's helped in answering, and we're fulfilling our land grant outreach," said Mr. Alphin.
Alphin said that they support the poultry industry through research conducted in the department and work
closely with Extension agents like Mr. Brown to get that information to growers.
"We're trying to help the broiler industry and with this project, we're seeing a problem, we're seeing
research that is coming up with some answers and helping with a possible solution for the problem and
we're involving undergraduate students in the process. I just think that kind of says it all."
We have lost a true leader in our ag community and a wonderful friend,
Bill Brown. Our hearts are very heavy, but we all know he is in a better
place. Sending prayers and strength to Mary Lou and her family. Bill was a great
Poultry Extension Agent, he loved his family, faith, friends, job and
community. We enjoyed teaching poultry extension programs with him and loved
his passion for everything he did. We will miss the phone calls and the long
conversations with BIll about chickens and our industry.
Rest in peace our fellow colleague and friend, Bill Brown, you will be missed by many!
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/delmarvanow/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=179676208
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Here is the information on the scholarship that is being established in memory of Bill…..
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the
University of Delaware in memory of William R. Brown III.
Contributions will be used to support a scholarship in memory of Bill. Please send contributions to:
University of Delaware, Gifts Processing, 83 E. Main St, 3rd Floor, Newark, DE 19716.
Make checks payable to ‘University of Delaware’ and include on the memo line “Scholarship in
memory of William R. Brown III.”
Gifts
can
also
be
made
on
the
University
of
Delaware’s
secure
website,
www.udel.edu/makeagift (select “Other” and fill in College of Agriculture and Natural Resources
in memory of William R. Brown III” ).
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