Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

NE-1442 Annual Meeting:

Poultry Production Systems and Well-being: Sustainability for Tomorrow

Daft Minutes

July 30-August 1, 2017

USDA-ARS, and the University of Georgia

Athens, GA

Monday, July 31, 2017

The meeting was called to order by Dr. Anup Kollanoor Johny at 8:40 am.

Introduction of Participants:

Mike Darre – UConn – Extension – all birds, environmental physiology, since 1975

Anup Kollanoor Johny – U of Minn. Food safety, microbiology.

Ken Koelkebeck – U of Illinois - mgmt., layers, lbroilers, molting since 1987.

Tom Vukina – NC State Economics, since 2016

Tony Pescatore – KY, Nutrition and Mgmt

Roger Sunde U of Wisc. -  molecular biology, bio markers, nutrients,

Neil O’Sullivan - Hy Line  Genetics, industry interface,  behavior and new environments

Yang Zhao Miss State.   env mgmt. air quality, diseases automation in broiler

Tayo (Sunday) Adedokun – Kentucky

Jean Guard - USDA ARS vet med officer,  salmonella,

Oscar Garrison – UEP

Taylor Rodgers - UEP intern

Rich Gates -  U of Ill. Ag Engineer

Jody Purswell - USDA ARS  Miss. Ag Engineer

John Linhoss - Miss State   env mgment, lighting, etc

Dianna Bourassa – Auburn – processing, food safety

Gabriella Furo - U of Minn  Foot pad dermatitis

Mike Persia - Va Tech  nutrition,  broiler gut health

Kelly Wamsley - Miss State  nutrtion, broilers  feed quality. Since 2012

Woo Kim - UGA nutrition

Marisa Erasmus - Purdue

Janice Swanson – Michigan State Univ.  behavior

Douglas Cosby – USDA - ARS

Richard Daven - USDA - ARS  SE work.egg contaminate

Manfried Singh - USDA – ARS  food micro

Harshavardhan Thippareddi - UGA  2016

Deana Jones USDA- ARS  egg safety  previous projects

Mike R. USDA- ARS  small flock, etc

Ken Anderson – NC State Extension, layers, etc

Ken Macklin – Auburn Nutrition

Casey Ritz – UGA extension, broiler and env waste mgmt.

Michael Rothrock – USDA-ARS Small flock mgmt..

Start of Business

Ken Koelkebeck asked for a motion to approve the minutes of the 2016 meeting in Bern,

Switzerland. Ken Anderson moved and Mike Persia second. Minutes were approved by unanimous vote.

Ken K. then discussed the history of the project which started as Poultry Physiology and Engineering, as a NE regional project. It has expanded over the years to a more national scope which then included nutrition, economics, behavior, food safety, etc.  This is normally a five year project with potential for renewal.  Our new project must be submitted by March 2019, but we must submit an intention to renew by September 2018.  We have a short meeting in Atlanta in Jan each year to discuss how we are doing with collaborative research, grants, and planning for the next full meeting.

Welcome to UGA

Sam Perdue - Academic Dean CAES – UGA  Welcome  to GA.  A lot of people named Perdue  in GA.  UGA is one of six remaining poultry science depts. In USA. He is excited about the future, especially with plans for new Poultry Department building.  The U.S. Farm bill is still a work in progress.  Hopefully it will work out to benefit the industry and research.  Food safety is very important now, maybe more than ever.  This generation may not have the same understanding of food safety as previous generations.  Colleges of Ag are facing new challenges.  New students are more interested in where their food comes from and how their food is processe than past generations.  We as the industry must do better at educating the consumers to the reality of food production.  Sam stated that if he makes it to 2050 the population will triple from when he started. We must have a safe and economical food supply.  Steve Troxler, Ag Commissioner from NC said “hungry people are mean people”.  Let’s not make people mean.

Todd Appplegate, Head, dept of PS UGA. Todd started with a brief history of poultry in GA.  He said that there was not much prior to 1920, however the boll weevil came and destroyed the cotton industry.  South GA moved to growing tobacco.  Jesse Jewell, who owned a feed mill, started giving chicks to farmers to grow, one of the fist integrators, with a feed mill, hatchery, and processing plant.  Poultry is about 47% of Ag in GA.  It is a $35 to $50 Billion industry.  It generates a $3.5 to $3.8 billion tax base in GA.  GA has 102 counties producing more than $1 million in poultry products. If GA was a country it would be 7^th in world producing 2,634 metric tons per year.  About 1.4 billion birds are raised each year in GA.  The Port of Savannah is a large port with a lot of international shipping. 

The UGA Dept. of Poultry Science has 6.7 Research, 4.2 Instruction and 7.7 Extension FTE. Focusing on four areas: Safeguarding and Sustaining the world; Production and Mgmt. Systems; Bird Physiology, Metabolism, omics; and Bird health and well-being.  They will be adding some new faculty in the future.  The dept. received $5 m in capital for poultry farm renovations.  Classroom and processing building renovations are also scheduled, including adding a BSL2 facility.  UGA currently has 10 animal buildings on the poultry farm. 

The poultry science program has four majors; Poultry Science, Avian biology, Animal Health and Biological Science. Have about 45 Poultry Science graduate students. They have a vet PDRC with about 11 people. 

Ken K. asked how they handle the farm budget.   Todd said now they charge a per-diem of 1 cents per sqaure foot per day. 

Rakesh K. Singh- Food science dept. head also welcomed the group. He noted that they have two locations, One in Griffin, with about 11 faculty and one in Athens. A lot of food safety work. In 1888, the Georgia Experiment Station was established to carry out agricultural research for the University of Georgia.  Located in Griffin, Georgia – 40 miles south of Atlanta – the University of Georgia-Griffin Campus now includes both graduate and undergraduate programs in agriculture and other areas of study.

The Food Process Research and Development Laboratory (FPRDL) in Athens, GA provides facilities and expertise for developing new products and for testing new processing technologies.

The Department of Food Science and Technology at the Griffin campus is located in the Melton building – which houses offices and research labs for faculty in the Department of Food Science and Technology and the UGA Center for Food Safety. They have both undergrad and grad students, and some extension faculty. They focus on processing and microbiology.

Tony asked how cooperation between Griffin and Athens works out. Rakesh said all food safety went to Griffin first and grew.  Now both work well.

Administrative updates from Cameron Faustman. Nothing new to share.  Will have someone to replace him as administrator.  He noted that there is no more requirement for a 25% match for the USDA Challenge grants for teaching. These challenge grants are not as competitive as others, may be easier to get some funding.  There are some changes at NIMMS site.  Ruby Maize is no longer with them.  David Liebowitz is now the contact about renewal of project.  Request to renew is due by Sept 2018 and the final project proposal is due by March 2019.  There was some discussion of the fact that we are a NE project and Mike Darre is retiring.  How will this affect the NE designation?  PA is the only other NE state still active in the project.  Maybe we should become a North Central project?  It was suggested that we all meet with our own experiment station directors to discuss this issue.  We should also meet early with whomever they appoint as our new project advisor. 

NE-1442 Current Situation – Ken Koelkebeck

If you did not submit a paragraph or two to Anup earlier, or need to amend or change them, then send  a paragraph and list of publications by Sept. 22, 2017 to Ken K.  We need to produce a full annual report also.  Mike Darre will send out format instructions for the annual report.  Each station needs to do a full station report sent to Ken Koelkebeck by March 1.   Next year’s meeting will be at Purdue in Indiana.  The week of Aug 6-10 works with our preference being Aug 9-10, but any time that week will work. We will await to see what Darren Karcher can do.

Break at 10:30 am

Research Needs from Industry Personnel

Oscar Garrison – UEP Vice President for food safety/regulatory affairs. Currently there is a pesticide contamination in eggs in Netherlands, do egg products reach the USA?  

What does UEP do?

We started as a National Farmer Coop in1968. About 95% of total US poultry egg production.  (More than 300 million hens) are UEP members.  Most of the lobbying for the layer industry is done by UEP.  There are about 147 companies represented.  The professional staff is down to 4 plus 1.  What will the US layer industry look like in the future? There has been a lot of consolidation in past 20 years and it looks to be continuing.   Now there are 60 companies that have more that 1 million layers and 17 with 5 million or more.  Some of the challenges are that is not easy to start fresh with a farm, easier to purchase existing land and facilities and to consolidate the farms. Currently only 4.7% of US produced eggs are exported.  Cage free is a focus right now.  Housing is important.  How do we transition to cage free systems?   Other issues are FSMA, Organic Rule, CERCLA/EPCRA, Biosecurity, and survival in general.  (Price and supply.)  FSMA says farm is exempt, but what is a farm? Egg farmers have the egg safety rule, but really want a risk based approach, but the regulators not there yet. 

What caused the 2015 AI outbreak? Some high biosecurity farms broke but some without good biosecurity did not.  Why?  People to people contact from different farms?  How do we prevent the people to people contact? 

Some producers still feel that conventional cage systems will survive and others are moving to cage free systems. Right now 232 grocery stores and food companies have committed to cage-free eggs by 2025. It will take 228 million layers to be cage free by 2025 to meet commitment if all the companies still want cage free eggs.  This is almost impossible to meet that timeline.

It will cost about $10 billion to convert to cage-free farms. Only 7 years to get to 228 million layers cage free.  How?  Current cage free is 14.2% in 2016, or 44 million birds.  Many of the commitments say if eggs available, if consumers want.  However, the special interest groups are pressuring customers of poultry farms.  UEP is trying to strengthen and amplify cage, enriched colony and cage free. Should we include enriched colony in UEP certified program?  The UEP is now Partnering with the World Wildlife fund for a sustainability study. Currently there are 5 types of cage free housing systems, so how do we really define cage free?  MA went to 1.5 sq ft per bird, cage free.  CA at 1.16, and RI, MI all with different regulations.  All pushed by HSUS.  (See UEP statement on cage free definition/guidelines)  Will there be a market for caged eggs by 2025?  Conventional cages cost about $15 per hen, enriched colony cages about $25 per hen. Cage free is about $40 per bird.  UEP supports all three production systems.  Specialty eggs are not supported by the WIC program in many states, so 58% of recipients will not be able to purchase cage free eggs at current prices. Right now there is a surplus of cage free eggs and they are being dumped on the conventional egg market at a loss.   

Research Issues from UEP perspective:

Animal welfare issues will be the problems in the future. Worms in eggs have been reported now with cage-free, free range, etc. birds.  Other issues are emerging pathogens, pesticides (7 farms in Netherlands with issues), and free range vs cage free.  Training periods for pullets, doors to outside?  Also there are labor issues.  Human trafficking is an issue for depopulation crews.  Finding workers for the industry with poultry skills and knowledge/education will be a major issue in the future. 

Discussion: How do we deal with small flock people with eggs for sale in commercial producer cartons that do not have the names, dates, etc. crossed out? How do we deal with the extra males from hatcheries by 2020?  Food safety testing that regulators do not have access to, such as smaller flocks.  There is a need for third party labs to independently test eggs without having to report to USDA or FDA if things are found that are not currently listed as hazards.  What about new SE serotypes?  Need to get ahead of the curve on the pathogen issues.

Multi Institutional Grants:

Cathy Cuppett and Jake Maas from the UGA sponsored projects and proposal enhancement.

Jake provided five key dynamics for effective teams (from a google study) Meaning of work, Impact of work, psychological safety (can we take risks on this team without feeling insecure or embarrassed?) Dependability, Structure and Clarity. Who is on the team is very important. 

When do RFA’s come out from NIFA? Depends on need, funding, etc.  You have about 10-12 weeks to get the proposal completed.  Find previous proposals that were funded to review. Check the CRIS site for these. Identify collaborators, review the NIFA application guide, but check the RFA,  talk to program officer, develop check list, timeline,  (one by Jake will be sent to all), summary and abstract. Go to  www.research.uga.edu/proposal/enhancement  for templates.

Neil O’Sullivan – Hy-Line. Is the Global director of R&D for Hy-Line. Their main focus is on genetics of breeders for laying hens. He said that about 15% of eggs are currently from cage-free production.   Producers look at their current footprint to change from conventional cage to cage free systems.  That way they avoid some of the zoning issues.  Feather cover is an issue with the birds in aviary systems.  Fast feathering and re-feathering is important.  Feather cover is directly related to feed conversion ratios.  Three is some pressure in Brown egg birds because without feathers the birds get more UV to skin and more vitamin D production that suppresses the porphyrin pigments for brown egg shells and we end up with lighter brown eggs.  Leghorns learn to use nests fast, browns do not.  Browns are more sensitive to light intensity and want dark areas like a nest box to make a nest in the litter.  Catastrophic floor eggs is when the calls come in to them asking why and what can be done to reduce them.  Hy-Line is selecting for nesting behavior now.  High exploratory behavior birds do well in cages and go to aviary systems without much problem.  Browns do not do well starting in cages. Browns also need slightly higher brooding temps, about 2^oC more than whites.  Foot scores are a challenge for leghorn hens.  Keel condition is also an issue.  This is mostly an environmental and nutritional component.  Keel fractures are tough, need good imaging to detect them. For meat birds, the so called consumer push is for slow growth birds.  One of the problems here is how we select for slow weight gain while keeping feed efficiency.  People are putting hens out in pastures, not forests, and expecting them to act like it is the natural setting for chickens.  Unfortunately pastoral scenes for chickens are what the consumer is being given and have come to expect. 

Salmonella is also an issue. There is no such thing as exotic salmonella.  Any strain of salmonella is not accepted by the breeders.  There is about 5% better egg production in clean and disinfected layer houses.  So clean between flocks.  We need to be pro-active in this area of biosecurity.  Must stress test your biosecurity – ask the right questions of the workers such as: “Are you having an affair with someone from another farm?  Worker safety is also an issue. 

Lighting is an issue. Fluorescent lamps are too discrete in their spectral quality.  Chicks and pullets should have some blue light in the spectrum while adults should have red. 

Blood chemistry is important. What are the normal ranges?  Now we are looking at diagnostic systems. We need to measure blood oxygen levels and select for higher levels.  This was done in broiler breeders in selecting against ascities and may need to be selected for in layers. 

Chick sexing is also a point of emphasis. McGill University work is not proven in the field.  Rahman spectroscopy from Germany has been used to determine if male, ZZ chromozomes are denser which changes the spectrum of 4 day embryos.  Testing is being done in the pedigree hatchery.  We in the industry must never lose sight of the fact that poultry protein is one of the most sustainable food sources. 

Discussion: What about the microbiome of poultry?  Hy-Line is looking at this, but needs more computing power to analyze this.  What about heavy metals found in eggs, from backyard flocks.

Other Business and Group Sessions on Current Objectives:

We had some further discussion of dates of next meeting in Purdue. Earlier August (PSA is July 23-26) would be good.   Sometime during the week of Aug 6-10, however the preference is for Aug 9-10, but any time will work. On Jan 31, 2018 2-3 pm at IPPE will be the next short meeting of the committee do generally see how things are going and finalize plans for the August meeting.   

We need to appoint a nominating committee to select people to fill the following positions: Senior Executive, Junior Executive, Secretary, Host or chair. Sr. Exec. Runs the meeting, Junior exec.  helps and covers for Sr. Ex. Secretary keeps minutes of all the meetings.  The nominating committee was appointed as follows: Ken Koelkebeck, Tony Pescatore, Ken Anderson, Mike Persia.  They will report back tomorrow morning with their nominations.

Re-write time line: Request to submit is no more than 20,000 characters and must be received in either  Sept 2018 or March 2019. Tony moved and Deana seconded that we work on the rewrite request at the 2018 meeting in August and submit for the September 2018 deadline.  Motion carried.  Completed project would be due by Nov 2018 or April 2019.

Group discussions of current objectives:

Objective 1. Energy/resource efficiency (Input resource efficiency for sustainability) This will include shared efforts on feed and fuel energy sources for poultry and facilities by geographical region; facility design, equipment efficiency, management, and modeling energy use in poultry systems.

New Name – Input and Resource Efficiency for Sustainability

Big Questions – Evaporative Pad, Lighting, slow growing broilers

• Evaluate alternative construction practices and effects on resource use; Evaporative pad/Water use; Lighting; Slow growing broilers; Automation technology (input technology includes labor); Feed vs fuel costs; Efficiency of birds ability to metabolize carbohydrates

People

• Jeremiah Davis,,Yang Zhao,Rich Gates, Hongwei Xin, Tony Pescatore, Mike Darre, John Linhoss, Angela Green, Yi Liang, Hong Li
• Schools: Auburn, MSU, ARS, U of I, UK, UConn, Arkansas, Delaware, ISU

Resources

• USDA Fans Unit; USDA Environmental Chambers; Power Analyzers; Thermal Cameras; Radiant Flux Sensor Sampling System; Goniometer; Bess Labs; Ammonia samplers, CO2 samplers; MEEL trailer; Preference Chambers

Project

• Example: Broiler and Layer chicks preference for radiant vs floor heat

Teams

• Example: MSU, ARS, U of I – radiant vs floor heat
•  

Objective 2. Evaluating commercial poultry production systems This will include joint efforts on the characterization of the performance of conventional, alternative, and organic poultry production systems relative to air and water quality, nutrient management, acoustic environment, and animal health and welfare. (Joint effort characterizing performance of conventional and alternative  poultry production systems relative to air and water quality, nutrient management and bird welfare.  

 New Name:  Evaluating poultry production and processing systems.

NE-1442 Working Group 2 Objective

Objective: Evaluating Commercial Poultry Production Systems

Committee People: K. Koelkebeck

                        Casey Ritz

                        Michael Rothrock

                        Ken Macklin

                        Dianna Bourassa

Potential Collaborators: Most every experiment station

Facilities: Extension type studies at commercial and small flock facilities.  Facilities at IL, NCSU, ISU, etc. to examine the areas of environmental quality, nutrient management, bird welfare, food safety and quality

Projects:

1. Revise the current NRCS Water Quality Handbook. Casey Ritz has been given a grant to revise this booklet. This would be a joint effort from all experiment stations that choose to participate. It would require the review of the current material in the book and updating items in the book and potentially add additional items.

Poultry Water Quality Handbook – 3^rd edition expanded Draft – February 2004

*Highlighted text indicates suggested revision, addition/deletion, or movement within the contents.

Water Quality Issues

Introducing the Poultry Industry – It’s Environmental Issues and Impacts

What is water quality?

Poultry production and water quality

Understanding water quality regulations

Drinking water quality – protecting your birds’ health and performance (retain topic? Handbook relevance?)

Controlling struvite buildups (retain topic? Handbook relevance?)

Additional topics needed (?)

            Agricultural Water Usage

            On-farm Storm Water Management

            Processing Waste Water and Storm Water Management

Poultry Waste Management

Environmental impacts of poultry waste

CAFO requirements

Planning poultry waste management

Optimizing nutrient utilization for a better environment

Dry waste management

Liquid waste management

Composting waste products

Putting nutrient management to work

Economics of transporting poultry manure and litter

Feeding litter to beef cattle (retain topic? Handbook relevance?)

Horticultural uses of composted litter

Additional topics needed (?)

Poultry Mortality Management

An overview of poultry mortality management

Composting – a disposal method for dead birds

Incineration – a disposal method for dead birds

New takes on the rendering process – refrigeration

New preservation technology – fermentation and acid preservation

Humane methods for dealing with spent hens

Developing alternative markets for poultry mortality

Additional topics needed (?)

            Hatchery Waste and By-product Chicks

Soils and Land Application of Manures

            Constructed wetlands

Additional topics needed (?)

Other Environmental Issues Air Quality and Odor Management

Site selection for the poultry homestead

The benefits of planting trees around the poultry homestead – Vegetative Buffers

Air quality and its management

Using regulations as management principles

Controlling odors – multiple purpose management

Additional topics needed (?)

            Neighbor relations

            Zoning issues and their impacts on the industry and communities

            Greenhouse gas emissions

Poultry Farmstead Pest Control

Preventing fires in manure/litter storage structures

Protection against pests, predators, and darkling beetles

Protection against pests – controlling flies

Additional topics needed (?)

Energy Conservation

Using litter to generate heat and electricity

Additional topics needed (?)

            Energy conservation practices and immerging technologies

Alternative Technologies

Alternative bedding – select materials may have hidden values (retain topic? Handbook relevance?)

Additional topics needed (?)

Resource Information (contact information listed for the various agencies and personnel)

Poultry water quality consortium

U.S. Poultry and Egg Association

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Tennessee Valley Authority

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Directory of Poultry Associations: State, Regional, and National

Other Supporting USDA Agencies

Directory of State Water Quality Agencies

1. Acoustic Research: This type of research is being conducted at Georgia Tech in cooperation with Karen Christensen at the University of Arkansas. This group thinks that it would be advisable to see if the faculty person at Georgia Tech and Karen Christensen would want to join the project. Perhaps see if Peter Scheifele at University of Cincinnati would be interested.

Objective 3. Establishing parameters influenced by the production system and strains utilized within the poultry industry. This collaborative research will encompass the areas of poultry nutrition, physiology, behavior, well-being, food safety and quality, and economic evaluation of poultry production systems.

Discussion – Systems approach and strains – still applicable

Research collaboration – NIFA – not sure

National organic grants – RFP December, March due date

• Darrin –
  • Revisit synthetic methionine production and environmental impact – need to get together a prelim grant ($50,000) to plan for big $2.5 project – synthetic methionine goes into effect in 2021? – this sunset timing is important to consider
    • in previous project – Cherry Hill farm collaboration
    • for this probably need to focus
    • initial – research facility – if recruiting grant, then developing relationships with industry partners to take the end of the research to a commercial farm
    • THIS YEAR $50,000 planning great – research plan, infrastructure, outcomes, if need data – opportunity to do small pilot to generate data - needs to be solid enough so that they know intent is to apply the following fiscal year
      • Outcome measures: if 1-2 stakeholders, then outcome would be stakeholder advisory committee would consist of… - then need letter.; recruitment of people to test certain ideas – then need letter; pilot study – could be data even if not organic to prove a point (like with high protein)
  • Ken A - nematode parasites and options to mitigate (regional - $500,000)
    • turkey associated parasites – need to relate to chickens now
    •  
• We need a vet on committee:
• Mike Persia suggested Bill Pierson
• Deana Jone suggested Yuko Sato at Iowa
• Ken Anderson suggested Mike Martin
•   
• We need to develop a list of names of interested parties
• Action Item - Darrin – head up planning grant for National Organic Grants – Layers and synthetic methionine

• Research question: synthetic methionine overfeeding protein as lack of use and impact of environment of bird – egg quality/safety, behavior (not getting all AA),
  • Birds organic – more aggressive, no enrichment, feather loss
  • Get involvement of mobile hut, etc
• Facilities – concentrate on organic facilities – and getting together the collaborators for the organic facilities
  • Buy in from organic nutritionists – different philosophies on diets
• Get a wildlife person involved
• Vet involved
• Ken has entomologist
•  
• Neil – is it possible we are overfeeding due to high protein diets (due to overestimation from NRC and breeder guidelines)?

• Persia – crude protein levels are lower but with synthetic AA we are able to be more precise and feed lower CP.
• Ken A – nutrient partitioning very different and significant overestimation on what birds are getting from range; nutrient utilization differences are also due to microflora; these alternative ingredients are pretty close to meat meal – where can we get methionine and how can we concentrate it?
  • Small producers feed one diet and never change; whereas larger producers do change diets.
  • Nutritional affect (1940s diet vs current diet)
    • Persia run dexa on this project
• Gut length ranges – birds underproducing – deficient of length of gut – never looked if bird is always that decreased in gut length
  • Feeds, gut biome – affecting gut length
  • Gut length heritable trait
  •  

• KA – AVIARY – meeting with company
• Deana – BSLII facilities for cage –free (floor);
• MS state BSLII facilities (new); a-frame layers, enriched caged layers; raised wire cages; processing; 5 floor pen facilities (broilers) – 1 newly renovated; 2 conventional houses
• What ages can you optimize moving to cage-free; considering strain
• Michigan – increase aviaries (donate or buy)
• VT – 2 conventional meat bird; BSL II facilities; free access to DEXA; petersime cages; a-frame layers
• Kentucky – (no new) conventional laying; floor pen broiler; raised wire cages Broiler breeder programs – skip a day feeding 
• Rewrite Teams:
• Enrichment in housing for broilers, etc
•  

Objective 1. John Linhoss, Jody Purswell, Rich Gates, Yang Zhao, Mike Darre, Tony Pescatore

Objective 2. K. Koelkebeck, Casey Ritz, Michael Rothrock, Ken Macklin, Dianna Bourassa

Objective 3. Deena Jone, Darrin Karcher, Ken Anderson, Marisa Erasmus, Janice Swanson, Mike Persia, Kelly Walmsley, Neil O-Sullivan, Roger Sunde, Tayo Adedokun

Session Adjourned at 4:50 pm. The group met for dinner at Logan’s Roadhouse.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Meeting was called to order at 8:32 am by Anup Kollanoor Johny.

Nominating Committee Report:

            New Sr. Exec:  Kelly Walmsley

            New Jr. Exec:  John Linhoss

            New Secretary: Dianna Bourassa

            Host for 2018  Darrin Karcher and Marissa Erasmus – Purdue Univeristy

Station Reports:   4 min for presentation and 1 min for discussion

Roger Sunde – WI   Rodent and molecular biologist.  High Selenium requirement in rodents.   Works with Turkey also.  Found 24 seminal proteins for Se.  Did work with turkeys with Arsenic and Selenium.  Analysis of Se concentration in thigh, breast, kidney and liver in poults, as well as selenoprotein enzyme activities and mRNA levels, suggests that NRC chicken requirement for poults should be raised to 0.4 μg Se/g. Need about .15 to .2 ug for  broiler chicks and .4 for Se for turkeys. Working to find better bio-markers for when too much mineral is in diet.   Used inorganic Se.  Met deficient with seleno-met and did not help Se level.

Ken Koelkebeck – IL  Strudied Hybrid Turkeys at CO₂ levels of 2000, 4000, and 6000 ppm in air.  Looked at bw, mortality and behavior.  Body weight gain at day 21 was greater for poults at 2000 ppm compared to the higher concentrations, however no significant statistical difference was observed. This preliminary (first and second replication) study showed that the tested concentrations of CO2 were not a strong contributing factor to reduced turkey performance in the initial phase of rearing.

Ken Anderson – NCSU 40^th layer test had 18 strains of birds, 5 environments (cage to cage free to free range) with 15,000 birds total.  Still working on ventilation shut down (VSD) studies, VSD plus heat and/or CO₂. VSD plus heat works well. Mostly working on current objectives 2 and 3.  Comparing 1940’s leghorn diets to modern and comparable diets for type of bird, and looking at microbiome.  Ken will be going to Ethiopia to help get flocks to better utilize nutrients.

Tom Vukina – NCSU Tom is looking at substitution and price of organic eggs. Excess organinc eggs get sold with non-organic eggs at a loss in price. A lot more space is required for Organic layer, thus fewer birds per unit space and higher cost of production per bird. We will have a supply shift due to loss of organic eggs from producers going to just cage-free.  Looking at data sets from USDA pricing and sales. A small change can affect overall price. 

Ken Macklin – Auburn   Lots of projects at Auburn. Jeremiah in engineering  is looking at heater systems through the  National Poultry Technology Center(NPTC).  Dianna has three ongoing projects. One is looking as different methods of stunning, such as CO₂ and electrical stunning.   She is comparing the stunning method and EEG, so far it is better to use higher voltage, such as 110 vs 60 volts for a better stun.  Another project is with Buffered Neutralized peptone water.  It is being tested in plants to see if it works in the field. The study is to determine the efficacy of neutralizing buffered peptone water (BPW) compared to standard BPW on whole carcass rinse microbiology. It was determined that for Enterobacteriaceae, neutralization was necessary to prevent residual antimicrobial action. No differences were detected in Salmonella prevalence. However, the detection of Campylobacter may be hindered by the use of neutralizing BPW. Some agents may be depressing campylobactor.  Another area if research is the impact of feed withdrawal/catching on broiler respiratory tract microbiology. Catching (and the inherent dust produced during catching) does not appear to impact anaerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae counts/prevalence, or Salmonella prevalence. There is also some extension work at feed mills to make sure no food borne pathogens are in the mills and transferred to the feed.   Joe Hess is doing more small flock management and food safety work.  Ken is working on objective 2.  Salmonella infections and where it colonizes, so far the ceaca seems to be the best area.  They are also studying some probiotic and looking at litter management and microflora, with litter treatments to control ammonia. 

John Linhoss – Miss State Working on insulation in new and old houses and heat efficiency.  Radiate heaters are putting only about 40% of heat to floor. He is testing new measurement devices for determining efficiency of these heater systems.  Research projects on bird behavior and preference for radiant heat during brooding and building envelope thermal performance for new and aging broiler houses were also completed and the manuscripts are currently being prepared for publication. There is great room for improvement in brooder heating. He is also looking at fan shades to decrease incoming sunlight intensity.  Good shade will show up to a 10 fold decrease in intensity in the building. 

Kelly Wamsley Miss State  She is focusing on DGS in diets of broilers.  She has found that up to 8% low fat DGS inclusion is ok.  Also looking at Zn in broilers. Some research is being done on Xylanase and NSP enzymes and their cost. Data demonstrated an economic benefit for feeding diets formulated with an enzyme primarily providing xylanase, as opposed to a diet formulated with a multi-carbohydrase enzyme. Another area of interest is amino acid requirements of Cobb birds.  Feed particle size in broilers is also of concern. Data demonstrated a benefit for feeding >1760 and 2257-micron crumbles, though more research is necessary to determine if overall crumbles size or the SD associated with the crumble particle size has a greatest influence on bird performance in the starter period.

Janice Swanson, Janice Sigford, and Darren Karcher  Mich State.  One of their projects is resource use of brown vs white layers in aviary system.  They are currently using the Big Dutchman system and looking at perch use.  Whites go higher and crowd more while the Brown birds stay lower in the system.  Browns lay outside of nest more and whites use the nest more.  Whites also do more wing flapping.  It is recommend that a minimum of 15 cm perch space per bird is needed.  They are working primarily on objectives 2 and 3. Janice Swanson said that they currently have an Extension (70%) and teaching (30) position available  at MSU.  On Jan 22, 2018 a new Department Head will be arriving as Janice is stepping down.

Tony Pescatore and Tayo Adedokun   KY  ME of diets of corn and wheat midds was studied.  Diet matrix changes this.  Drying method did not affect ME.  High Na resulted in increased N excretion.  It was found that one can feed organic minerals with less of them excreted.  Chicks fed with organic Zn had better tibial length. They are working on objective 3 and pasture systems for meat production.  Three weeks inside then outside works pretty well.  With pasture systems they found much slower growth with heritage birds.  Breeds on pasture have more off flavors, more in females than males. This sex difference was also evident with chicken flavor with females having a stronger chicken flavor.  Broilers used alfalfa pasture as bedding and heritage birds ate it. 

Mike Persia VaTech   Focusing on broiler models and antibiotic replacement, such as buterate, which helps with feed efficiency.  He is also looking into other feed additives and natural products.  With Laying hens he is looking at distillers oil vs other vegetable blends. Both DDGS derived corn oil and soybean oil were evaluated in growing broiler chicks at both commercial and higher dietary Ca concentrations. Overall the AMEn values of both oils were reduced by the high Ca diets, but corn oil AMEn was reduced at a greater rate when high concentrations of dietary Ca were present. This might indicate that corn oil would be a less available source of energy in laying hen diets that contain higher concentrations of dietary Ca. Another experiment was completed to understand the effects of feeding hulless barley to growing broiler chickens. This research quantified the nutritional value of the barley and also explored additional value of feeding the small barley grains in a whole form to reduce the cost of grain processing and to explore potential benefits from a gut health standpoint. Results indicate that hulless barley does have appreciable nutrients and can be fed to growing broiler chickens, but it appears that the hull (fiber) is involved with the development of a larger gizzard associated with the feeding of intact small grains in poultry.  

Anup and Gabi U of Min  The effect of rearing conditions on footpad dermatitis (FPD) in hen and tom turkeys using a combination of controlled research pen studies and by conducting observations on commercial farms were undertaken. For older turkeys, there was a positive significant correlation of the live score with the post mortem scores. In both studies, there was a shift toward a more severe score with the post-mortem sample.

A comprehensive project determining the potential of antibiotic alternatives to control multidrug resistant (MDR) Salmonella Heidelberg in turkeys was undertaken. Probiotics, prebiotics, and vaccination were tested individually and in combination in 2-week, 7-week, and 12-week old turkeys challenged with MDR S. Heidelberg. Microbiome analysis was also conducted.

Darren Karcher Purdue  Pullet molt study.  Can we delay pullets from laying too soon. A pullet molt study was conducted to evaluate the impact of an early production molt as a way to extend pullet-stay in the grower house in an event of disease outbreak. Results indicated that hens that were molted did not completely cease egg production, but molting hens at 10% production may prove advantageous to maintain pullets for a longer period of time in the pullet house during a disease quarantine scenario, resulting in sufficient egg production post-molt with little impact on egg safety once birds are moved into a multi-tier aviary. Not a health and safety problem from pathogen standpoint.  Another experiment evaluated the impact of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (Bio-D) on production, egg, and skeletal characteristics in early or late phase production of laying hens. Bio-D supplementation did not have an impact on egg or skeletal characteristics but resulted in 16 more eggs per hen housed when introduced at 45 wk. of age.

Marissa Erasmus - Purdue studied probiotics for laying hens and vocalizations and stress. Pine shavings and miscanthus grass for litter for turkeys, no real changes.  W36 hens like plastic astroturf  better than litter in the nest box.  Orange vinyl curtains for nest boxes were also studied.. 

Paul Patterson   Penn State   Mike Hulet retired. Looked at environmental effects on meat bird production.  Vegetative buffers and cover component for birds outside is also an interest for Penn State Researchers.  Birds want cover not open pasture.  Looking at Methionine alternatives due to Organic rules.  Also at corn particle size.  Young birds like smaller particles better than adult birds.  Looking at broiler, layer, and turkey manure output.  Find less output now compared to years ago.   Game birds and UV exposure and changes in shell color and quality.  Ensiling method to dispose of dead birds.  Need to put down commercial size flock.  Feeding turkeys with naturalized diets. 

Break from Station Reports:

Special Welcome and Report:

Dr. Eileen Thacker Center Director USDA-ARS.  A welcome and what is going on.  In 2014 they merged the Russell Research Center and Southeast Poultry Center and other facilities to make Athens the center of much of USDA-ARS poultry research.  Now there is the US National Poultry Research Center.  They just received  $155 mill for new facility at the Southeast Poultry Center.  Then Avian Disease and Oncology (ADO) lab will come to Athens when the new facility is completed.  They work with other agencies and researchers on poultry issues.  They have 7 units with Egg safety, Bacterial resistance, processing group, imaging group, mycotoxin group, exotics (AI and New Castle), and endemic group.  Genetics group and Marek’s group with ADO lab.  (See website for more info  https://www.ars.usda.gov/southeast-area/athens-ga/us-national-poultry-research-center/adol/ ).

Break at 9:56 to 10:15 am.

Dr. John Glisson, Vice President of Research Programs, USPEA was introduced by Ken Anderson. John was on the faculty at UGA Vet School and retired in 2011 to work with USPEA.  USPEA is located in Tucker, GA.  Not a political action organization.  More communication and technical and educational organization.  Funds come from IPPE and US Poultry Foundation and others.  Research funding is done by a 15 person advisory committee of poultry industry personnel.  They determine research priorities and proposal reviews and funding. 

They have 2 programs. One is a comprehensive program that started in 1962 for Marek’s and Infectious bursal disease research funding.  Now there are 17 areas of potential funding.  New priorities added as needed.  The Board Research Initiative started 5 years ago with 25 people (CEO’s, presidents, etc).  They have set up flexible proposal dates for the projects they want researched.  Topics generally fall into two categories:  Food Safety and Welfare, third is Environmental issues.  Requests go out in September.  Short one page proposal due Nov 1.  In recent years SE has been a priority.  Especially in ground turkey and chicken, which are high risk products.  Need fast – real time analysis of SE or other pathogens to determine if they can be used for ground product.  Now also focusing on Campylobacter, especially in chickens.  Reducing Campy in all steps of growing and processing needs to be researched.  Egg industry is good at SE control, now want to look at all Salmonella types.  Welfare is another big topic. Need objective measures of welfare in cage, cage free, aviary, etc. systems.  Reporters ask why birds outside are breaking wings, legs, etc and ask what can be done?  Put in cages is the answer, but they don’t like cages.  Can’t win.  Slow growing broilers research is needed since consumers seem to want slower growers.  Social enhancements and welfare for broilers and turkeys.  Euthanasia is also an area to study.  Mass and individual.  We know what works but is there research to support that it is humane.  VSD is being funded.  Live-haul research is needed also.  Are the trailers up-to-date?  Pretty primitive.  Environmental issues, such as carcass disposal from mass depopulation.  Biosecure handling.  Processing plant water use is also an issue.  Chemicals for SE control during processing (PA) how to deal with this in wastewater.  More funding will be available on water issues.  Water runoff is also an issue. Seldom get more than 12 or so proposals for each topic.  So pretty good chance for funding.  They consider proposals from University, ARS, private companies, etc.  How much funding per proposal.  This year they have $1.5 million.  Board projects are capped at $125K, the comprehensive program rarely goes over $100K.  Nov 1 or May 1 are pre-proposal deadlines.  Can be submitted by individuals, but full proposals must come through the institution. Why not electronic submissions?  Soon to be that way. 

Mike Darre – Uconn In an attempt to determine the effect of  carvacrol on the Avian Influensa virus a study was undertaken.  It was found that carvacrol at 0.2% and 0.1% significantly reduced the virus titer when compared to controls (P<0.05), suggesting potent antiviral activity of the phytochemical against AIV. Further studies to delineate the mechanism(s) behind the antiviral effect of CR are underway.  

Another study was undertaken to determine the effect of probiotic treatment of hatching eggs. Eggs in the treatment group were sprayed with probiotic cultures [Probiotic cocktail- PC (Lp - Lactobacillus paracasei DUP-13076 and Lr - L. rhamnosus NRRL-B-442)] (7 log CFU/egg) while control eggs were sprayed with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) prior to incubation and hatching. Following hatch, chicks were housed in floor pens at the UConn poultry research unit for six weeks and fed with feed containing PC (7 log CFU/g of feed) or PBS. Ten eggs/birds were sampled on d18 and 21 (day of hatch), wk1, wk3 and wk6 of the study. Results of the study revealed that early probiotic supplementation significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved embryonic growth. On d18, when compared to the control, PC treated eggs demonstrated 6.6, 5.5 and 9.2% increase in embryo weight, crown rump length and tibiotarsal length, respectively. With respect to body weight gain, an average of 5.6-8.2% increase in live weight and a concomitant improvement in FCR was observed in PC treated chicks when compared to the control.

Lighting research is continuing with LED’s in a commercial egg laying facility. Birds in the bottom row of cages with an LED lamp in each cage produced more eggs than birds lit only by the ceiling lamp between rows. Another study is underway looking at an LED lamp with a filter that eliminates the UV and blue light spectrum and its effect on ectoparasites on the bird.

Deana Jones USDA ARS  She is focusing on objective 3.  Working with Ken Anderson and the NCSU flock test.  Currently looking at egg quality with cage free egg and Brown vs White birds.  The focus is on welfare quality assessment, microbiology, etc.  Not analyzing conventional cages now.  They have a new egg quality assessment system for egg shape and volume that can be used for bones also.  This is a 3D imaging system.  People who want to train on equipment at ARS can do so.  The HB LED candling light developed for the Egg Quality School is now available for general purchase.  AH pharma is making them at a cost of about $280 per lamp.  ARS is doing bone imaging now for anyone that needs it.

Casey Ritz – UGA A lot happening at UGA.  Antimicrobials and processing. Dr. Kim Cook is studying probiotics and food grade alcohols.  Also some Microbiome work and Quail work on SE and Campy.  Casey is working on antibiotic impact on S. Heidelberg (Nelson Cox and Kim Cook).  They are also doing some poultry litter and manure studies.  Mortality composting and viral livability is another area of research.  Casey has done a lot of work on the NRCS handbook on water quality, and they now want it to be an environmental quality handbook.  He provided a list of current topics in the notebook. (See Objective 2 committee report above.) They are looking for reviewed technical bulletins for the handbook.  Engineered bio-carbon as a feed supplement is a new area of research.  It is tot approved by USDA as feed ingredient yet.  Also work on litter and bedding amendments for ammonia control.  They also have two position openings in the department.  Harsha does processing work and microbiology on birds and cross contamination. 

Jody Purswell   MS USDA-ARS    They are conducting nutrition research on insect meal to replace SBM in the diet.  Light leaking through fans results in more feed consumption, due to more activity, etc. not the best feed conversions so looking a better light traps on inlets, fans, etc.  They are also comparing the Once^TM lamp and incandescent lamp to determine if there is a Clux vs Human lux difference in performance.  No real production difference. In another study they wanted to determine an optimal time to withdraw antimicrobials (antibiotics and anticoccidials) and replace them with probiotics in broiler diets without adverse effects on growth performance. In place of antimicrobials, half of the diets were supplemented with probiotics. On day 14, all the birds were challenged by oral gavage of 10 × dose of commercial coccidial vaccine including live Eimeria. The results suggest that supplementing probiotics may alleviate the adverse effects of coccidiosis on growth performance of broilers fed diets with antimicrobial taken out on day 21 or 28. 

Jorge A. Vizcarra Alabama A&M   He is doing work with Avian species appetite and feed intake and the relationship with ghrelin.  He is also studying the effect of coccidiosis and ghrelin in gut.  Ghrelin  has a role in the regulation of CRH.

End of Station Reports.

Other final business

Rich Gates noted that the International Livestock Environmental Symposium (ILES) on Animal responses to environment and precision livestock farming will be held on Sept 25-27, 2018 in Omaha, NE.   Abstracts may be due by October 1.

(https://asabe.org/meetings-events/2018/09/10th-international-livestock-environment-symposium-(iles-x).aspx )

Ken Koelkebeck reminded the objective groups to work on the re-write and come up with newly worded objectives for the re-write.  We need those and drafts by the January meeting in Atlanta.

Ken would send out materials from USDA on the proposal re-write process.

Thanks to the host committee of Deanna Jones, Harshavardhan Thippareddi and their crew for arrangements for the hotel, the great classroom, meals, snacks and tours.

Thanks to Anup for chairing the meeting this year as Sr. Executive.

The group wished Dr. Mike Darre all the best in his retirement.  

Ken Anderson moved to adjourn, and Tony Pescatore Seconded.

The meeting was adjourned at 12:04 pm.

Many of the group proceeded to tours of UGA farm and USDA ARS processing facilities. 

Respectfully submitted by Michael J. Darre

Objective 1. Energy/resource efficiency.  This will include collaborative efforts on feed and fuel energy sources for poultry and facilities by geographical region; facility design, equipment efficiency, management, and modeling energy use in poultry systems.

Environmental Lighting.

IA also looked at LED lighting in poultry production facilities. Despite anecdotal evidence about the benefits of such lighting on bird performance and behavior, concrete research data are lacking. In this study, a commercial poultry-specific LED light (dim-to-blue, controllable correlated color temperature or CCT from 4 500K to 5 300K) and a typical compact fluorescent (CFL) light (soft white, CCT = 2 700K) were compared with regards to their effects on growing performance, activity levels, and feather and comb conditions of non-beak- trimmed W-36 pullets during a 14-week rearing period. A total of 1280-day-old pullets in two successive batches, 640 birds each, were used in the study. For each batch, pullets were randomly assigned to four identical litter-floor rooms equipped with perches, two rooms per light regimen, 160 birds per room. BW, BW uniformity (BWU), BW gain (BWG), and cumulative mortality rate (CMR) of the pullets were determined biweekly from day-old to 14 weeks of age (WOA). Activity levels of the pullets at 5-14 WOA were delineated by movement index. Results revealed that pullets under the LED and CFL lights had comparable BW (1 140 ± 5 g vs. 1 135 ± 5 g, P = 0.41), BWU (90.8 ± 1.0% vs. 91.9 ± 1.0%, P = 0.48), and CMR (1.3 ± 0.6% vs. 2.7 ± 0.6%, P = 0.18) at 14 WOA despite some varying BWG during the rearing. Circadian activity levels of the pullets were higher under the LED light than under the CFL light, possibly resulting from differences in spectrum and/or perceived light intensity between the two lights. No feather damage or comb wound was apparent in either light regimen at the end of the rearing period. The results contribute to understanding the impact of emerging LED lights on pullets rearing which is a critical component of egg production.

Management.

AL researchers are involved with several projects that fit in with the objectives of NE 1442. One researcher and his team are involved with determining the correct size to cut giant Miscanthus as well as the depth it must be added to poultry houses to be an adequate replacement for soft woods. The use of this plant, which grows rapidly, could save the typical poultry farmer thousands of dollars annually. This same researcher and his group are also in the process of determining the most affective/efficient types of brooders that poultry growers can use to economically heat the young birds.

AL also completed work assessing the impact of feed withdrawal/catching on broiler respiratory tract microbiology. Catching (and the inherent dust produced during catching) does not appear to impact anaerobic plate count, Enterobacteriaceae counts/prevalence, or Salmonella prevalence. This same researcher also conducted a project to assess the efficacy of neutralizing buffered peptone water (BPW) compared to standard BPW on whole carcass rinse microbiology. It was determined that for Enterobacteriaceae, neutralization was necessary to prevent residual antimicrobial action. No differences were detected in Salmonella prevalence. However, the detection of Campylobacter may be hindered by the use of neutralizing BPW. A third project had assessed EEGs and the ability to recover consciousness following two-phase (DC/AC) electrical stunning. Preliminary data indicate that at 35 s post stun, broilers stunned at lower voltages are insensible. A high AC voltage of 110 V was required to prevent recovery of consciousness (100%), however, at 60 V AC, only 43% of broilers stunned (and not bled) were able to recover.

MS has 3 faculty working on engineering solutions in commercial poultry production. Current ABE research projects are investigating variations in spatial and temporal light intensity in broilers houses, heater canopy shape and design to maximize efficiency, alternative litter amendments, and automated methods of detecting and tracking in-house broiler mortalities. ABE researchers are also collaborating with the USDA ARS PRU in Starkville to develop and test a novel whole-house infiltration system for commercial broiler houses. Extension efforts include 3 publications, numerous invited talks, articles in trade journals, and an upcoming webinar series on commercial broiler production in MS. Researchers from ABE and Poultry Science recently received a competitive Cochran Fellowship to host a training program for poultry experts from Eastern Europe. The 2014 and 2016 NE1442 milestones of quantifying the effective heating areas for commercial radiant brooders and standardizing methods to compare radiant heaters were met and the work was recently published. Research projects on bird behavior and preference for radiant heat during brooding and building envelope thermal performance for new and aging broiler houses were also completed and the manuscripts are currently being prepared for publication. Completed research was presented at the International Poultry Scientific Forum and the American Society of Agricultural & Biological Engineering (ASABE) Annual International meeting.

MS also recently investigated the potential of improving overall broiler performance as a result of improving feed quality in earlier stages of life due these phases being of lower feed volume demands (1760 and 2257-micron crumbles, though more research is necessary to determine if overall crumbles size or the SD associated with the crumble particle size has a greatest influence on bird performance in the starter period.

Another trial was conducted using 2 commercial diets and 2 carbohydrase enzymes. Data demonstrated economic benefit for feeding diets formulated with an enzyme primarily providing xylanase, as opposed to a diet formulated with a multi-carbohydrase enzyme. Diets were proprietary, but contained corn, soybean meal, meat & bone meal, phytase, antibiotic, and anticoccidial; however, one of the diets included 10-25% wheat.

Additionally, an experiment was conducted to determine if 1) commercially used mineral packs in diets are adequately included into diets and if reducing mineral pack inclusion throughout diet phases negatively affects growth performance of broilers; and 2) to determine the optimal commercially available Intellibond Z (Zinc) supplementation level to maximize FCR, growth performance and processing. Overall, reducing mineral pack inclusion did not affect performance, but did tend to affect body weight gain, body weight, and mortality, when compared to birds fed treatments with a higher level (120 ppm Zn) of Intellibond Z inclusion (unknown why at this point; Objective 1). In general, data did not support feeding a particle level of Intellibond Z in the diet; however, breast weight data tended to support feeding birds either 40 or 160 ppm Zn (Objective 2).

MN in collaboration with PSU (M. Hulet) and Purdue University (D. Karcher, M. Erasmus) conducted studies were initiated to study the effect of rearing conditions on footpad dermatitis (FPD) in hen and tom turkeys using a combination of controlled research pen studies and by conducting observations on commercial farms. UM graduate student (Gabriella Furo, MS candidate) first examined FPD scores taken live at the farm and then taken post-mortem after the same samples were placed in 10% buffered formalin which allowed for better assessment of the pad area. For older turkeys, there was a positive significant correlation of the live score with the post mortem scores. In both studies, there was a shift toward a more severe score with the post-mortem sample. A pilot study was conducted in collaboration with UM Biosystems and Bioengineering (K. Janni) to compare five different commercial flooring materials with a conventional bedded system. The five flooring materials were: Double L Classic Red Rooster; SW Ag Plastics Dura-Slat STO; SW Ag Plastics Dura-Slat ST; and Tenderfoot rectangular or square. Each flooring was allocated to two replicate pens with 50 toms each. Flooring occupied 25% of the pen floor. The remaining area contained fresh wood shavings as did the conventionally bedded pens. Turkeys (male, Hybrid Converter) were moved to the study facility at 5 wks. of age and performance followed to 18 wks. of age. No differences among treatments were detected for 18 wk. body weight, feed efficiency (5 to 18 wks. of age), livability, or breast blister/button scores. For the flooring treatments, the proportion of turkeys with the more severe breast scores ranged from 2.3 to 8.6% while the turkeys reared on conventional litter floor averaged 6.6 % severe blisters. Processing plant data indicated similar performance among treatments for breast trim. The preliminary results of this pilot study indicate that a partially slotted flooring system may be a suitable alternative to conventional bedded system. A second trial is planned to confirm these findings.

Facility Design.

PA worked on examining the use of trees and shrubs which are strategically planted around poultry farms following a conservation plan can help improve the environment for the farm, the birds and neighbors. These environmental vegetative buffers can provide five different conservation practices for poultry farms. Windbreaks and hedgerows filter and trap, dust, odor, ammonia and viruses from poultry exhaust fans. They can screen the farm and activities from neighbors at the urban-rural interface using vegetation comprised of attractive trees and shrubs that can also landscape and beautify the farm and buildings. Riparian species can slow, trap and treat storm-water from roofs, roads and the barnyard filtering nutrients, sediment and reducing erosion. Biomass buffers of grasses, willows and trees like poplar can be grown for bedding and the spent litter can be utilized as a renewable, carbon-neutral fuel to replace propane. Finally, windbreak, shelter-belts around the farm can protect birds and buildings from winter winds and drifting snow. During hot weather, shade trees can reduce the solar load on the barns and cooling energy expenditures.

Bird Density.

PA also worked on the effect of density for turkeys and how density affects litter characteristics, and litter moisture and available nitrogen can be affected by bedding source. Therefore, a study (3X2 factorial; significant difference at P < 0.05) looking at 3 different bird densities (4.2, 5.3, and 7.1 birds/square meter, LOW, MEDIUM, and HIGH, respectively) on either pine shavings (PS) or Giant Miscanthus grass (MG) bedding was conducted. Hybrid poults (1056) were placed into either PS or MG bedding pens (8.18 m2) with 35, 44, or 58 birds/pen. No significant interactions were found between bird density and litter source. Hens placed at LOW bird density had significantly greater body weight (10.76 kg) over hens placed at HIGH bird density (10.04 kg), MEDIUM density birds (10.43 kg) were intermediate and not significantly different. Bird density showed no differences in feed intake, but pens with LOW density had significantly lower feed conversion (1.86) than the hens placed at HIGH bird density (1.98). No differences in body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion nor mortality were found between PS and MG bedding However, HIGH density did have greater ammonium content of litter at 42 d and moisture content at 98 d than pens with LOW bird density. In summary, MG litter was equal in bird performance and litter composition to PG Litter. Birds reared at a LOW bird density had better performance than the hens reared on HIGH bird density, but no difference than hen reared under commercial MEDIUM bird density.

Antibiotics and Antimicrobials.

GA examined the antibiotic withdrawal in feed on chicken gut microbial dynamics. Chicken gut microbiome plays an important role in host performance, health and immunity. There is a need to understand the development and dynamics of gut microbiota, gut immunity, and host performance resulting from antibiotic withdrawal from feed. The specific objectives of the research are: (1) Evaluate the effect of antibiotic withdrawal from broiler feed on bird performance; (2) Compare the microbial dynamics in ileum and the cecum in response to antibiotic withdrawal; and (3) Determine the effect of antibiotic withdrawal on host immunity. Birds were raised on three phase diets {starter (d0-22), grower (d23-35) and finisher (d36-42)} with and without (control) Bacitracin Dimethyl Salicyclate-50 (BMD) for 42 d. Ileal and cecal contents of birds along with feed and litter samples were collected on d 0, 7, 14, 22, 35 and 42. At early growth stage, bird performance was improved (P ≤ 0.05) with BMD treatment, while performance was better (P ≤ 0.05) in control group at the time of commercial processing. Acetate and butyrate production was affected (P ≤ 0.05) by age whereas propionate production was affected (P ≤ 0.05) by both the treatment and age. The bacterial communities in the cecum were more diverse (P ≤ 0.001) and rich compared to the ileal communities, and they shifted in parallel to one another as the chicks matured. Differences in diversity and species richness was not observed (P > 0.05) between the BMD-fed and control group. Comparing all ages and diets, the composition of cecal and ileal bacterial communities was different (P ≤ 0.001). However, both the communities remained unchanged in response to antibiotic withdrawal. Inclusion of BMD in the feed did not affect the bacterial phyla. However, predictable shift in the ileal and cecal bacterial population at lower taxonomic level was observed in control vs BMD-fed group. Cytokines gene expression (IL-10, IL-4, IFN-γ, beta-defensin, TLR-4) was affected (P ≤ 0.05) in the BMD-fed group at early stages of growth. Overall, this study provided insight of the impact of antimicrobial supplementation in the feed on gut microbial modulations, bird performance, host immunity and pathogen prevalence. This information can assist in designing alternative strategies to replace antibiotics in modern poultry production and for food safety.

MS conducted a study to determine the effects of dietary antimicrobials and alternatives (Bacillus subtilis and zinc) on digestive tract and intestinal microflora of commercial broilers with Eimeria challenge. Feeding antimicrobial diets resulted in the highest number of bacterial species in ceca and feeding probiotics diets resulted in the least number of bacterial species. Zinc supplementation decreased Blautia and Clostridium proportions in cecal microflora as compared to other diets. Antimicrobial diets lowered Lactobacillus proportion as comparted to control diets. Anticoccidial diets increased Bifidobacteria proportion as comparted to probiotic and zinc combined diets. Both probiotics and antimicrobial diets decreased D29-40 feed conversion ratio as compared to control diets. In conclusion, both dietary probiotic and antimicrobial supplementations improved the feed efficiency of broilers; however, they have opposing effects on cecal microflora diversity and composition. In addition, extra zinc supplementation may inhibit the growth of Clostridium pathogens in broiler ceca.

In the 3rd trial, the study was conducted to determine an optimal time to withdraw antimicrobials (antibiotics and anticoccidials) and replace them with probiotics in broiler diets without adverse effects on growth performance. Birds were fed in 6 phases: 0-14, 14-21, 21-28, 28-35, 35-46, and 46-56 days with 1 of 3 feeds including basal, antimicrobial, and probiotic diets during each feeding phase, so that antimicrobials were withdrawn at different phases. In place of antimicrobials, half of the diets were supplemented with probiotics. On day 14, all the birds were challenged by oral gavage of 10 × dose of commercial coccidial vaccine including live Eimeria. The results suggest that supplementing probiotics may alleviate the adverse effects of coccidiosis on growth performance of broilers fed diets with antimicrobial taken out on day 21 or 28.

MN also examined multiple antibiotic alternatives to improve preharvest safety of turkeys. A comprehensive project determining the potential of antibiotic alternatives to control multidrug resistant (MDR) Salmonella Heidelberg in turkeys was undertaken. Probiotics, prebiotics, and vaccination were tested individually and in combination in 2-week, 7-week, and 12-week old turkeys challenged with MDR S. Heidelberg. Dr. Anup Johny (PI), and Co- PI’s, Drs. Sally Noll, Tim Johnson, and Carol Cardona participated in this successful project. Microbiome analysis was also conducted. The project was partially supported by the Minnesota turkey industry and the Minnesota state legislature. In a different project, various inoculum levels of MDR S. Heidelberg were tested in turkey poults and adult turkeys to determine the potential of the pathogen to reach several organs and tissues, including skeletal muscles. Along with the PI, Dr. Johny, Drs. Sally Noll and Robert Porter Jr. participated in the project. Microbiome analysis is currently underway. In yet another project, essential oils were tested to control MDR Salmonella Heidelberg in turkeys and broilers. Overall, these projects have resulted in 4 scientific abstracts, 2 poster presentations, and 2 oral presentations this year. A graduate student won a national level competition presenting his research abstract from one of these projects.

CT examined investigated the antiviral efficacy of carvacrol (CR), a GRAS-status phytochemical from oregano oil, against two isolates of low pathogenic AIV, namely H5N2 and H7N2. A total of 42, eleven-day old, embryonated, specific-pathogen-free (SPF) eggs (21 each for H5N2 and H7N2) were randomly assigned to 6 treatments: a negative control [1 egg], virus (positive) control [4 eggs], solvent control [4eggs] and three CR treatments [4 eggs each] (0.2%; 0.1% and 0.05%). Carvacrol at 0.2% and 0.1% significantly reduced the virus titer of both isolates when compared to controls (P<0.05), suggesting potent antiviral activity of the phytochemical against AIV. Further studies to delineate the mechanism(s) behind the antiviral effect of CR are underway.

CT also looked at probiotic treatment of hatching eggs. Eggs in the treatment group were sprayed with probiotic cultures [Probiotic cocktail- PC (Lp - Lactobacillus paracasei DUP-13076 and Lr - L. rhamnosus NRRL-B-442)] (7 log CFU/egg) while control eggs were sprayed with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) prior to incubation and hatching. Following hatch, chicks were housed in floor pens at the UConn poultry research unit for six weeks and fed with feed containing PC (7 log CFU/g of feed) or PBS. Ten eggs/birds were sampled on d18 and 21 (day of hatch), wk1, wk3 and wk6 of the study. Results of the study revealed that early probiotic supplementation significantly (P ≤ 0.05) improved embryonic growth. On d18, when compared to the control, PC treated eggs demonstrated 6.6, 5.5 and 9.2% increase in embryo weight, crown rump length and tibiotarsal length, respectively. A similar improvement in morphometric measurements was also observed in the hatchlings and pullets. With respect to body weight gain, an average of 5.6-8.2% increase in live weight and a concomitant improvement in FCR was observed in PC treated chicks when compared to the control Likewise, tibia from PC treated pullets were found to be 22% heavier and 13% longer than the control samples. Additionally, tibial bone weight/length index was higher in the treatment group (0.77) when compared to the control (0.71). Furthermore, significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher numbers of Lactobacillus species (firmicutes) were recovered from the cecal contents of PC treated chicks (~ 9.2 log CFU/ml) when compared to the control (~ 6.84 log CFU/ml).

Nutrition.

KY looked at a series of experiments under objective 1 conducted a series of experiments to evaluate the nutrient strategies and the impact of dietary electrolyte balance, mineral sources and fatty acid profile on nutrient excretion. High sodium levels increased the loss of amino acids from endogenous origin resulting in increased nitrogen excretion. Organ minerals can be fed at lower levels in the diet with no effects on growth or egg production and less heavy metal excretion. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of 2 broiler breeder dietary Zn sources (ZnO vs. Bioplex Zn) on tibia characteristics and performance of broiler chick offspring. At hatch, no effect of breeder dietary Zn source was observed on offspring body wt. Chicks from breeders fed Bioplex Zn had greater tibia length (28.3 vs. 27.0, mm) and tibia distal condyle width (4.61 vs. 4.25, mm) than chicks from breeders fed ZnO. Chick tibia diaphysis width, proximal condyle width, and mineral content (Ca, P, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn) were unaffected by breeder dietary Zn source. At 3 wk of age, chicks from breeders fed Bioplex Zn had greater tibia proximal condyle width (16.9 vs. 16.0, mm) than chicks from breeders fed ZnO. No effect of breeder dietary Zn source was observed on tibia length, tibia diaphysis width, tibia distal condyle width, tibia ash %, or performance of chicks.

Objective 2. Evaluating commercial poultry production systems.  This will include collaborative efforts on the characterization of the performance of conventional, alternative, and organic poultry production systems relative to air and water quality, nutrient management, acoustic environment, and animal health and welfare.

Air Quality and NH₃ Emissions.

IL examined the effects of atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO₂) on production performance of turkey poults. In the commercial industry, brooding of turkey poults is still done by conventional methods of providing brooding temperatures from a propane fueled brooder hover. It has been documented that CO₂ levels can be relatively high during the early phases of brooding which may negatively affect early poults performance. To our knowledge, no study has determined the exposure limit of CO₂ above which turkey performance degrades. However, there is anecdotal evidence from the industry suggesting that concentrations as low as 4000 ppm may have adverse effects on poults in the first weeks of brooding. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of CO2 on turkey poult weight gain. In the first and second replication, many male poults were weighed post-hatch to obtain turkeys whose weights were within 10 g of the mean; these poults were transported to the laboratory, randomly distributed into three environmental control chambers and reared with standard temperature and humidity according to their age.

Three different fixed CO₂ concentrations (2000, 4000, or 6000 ppm) were used throughout the entire experiment. Poults were individually weighed weekly. Body weight gain at day 21 was greater for poults at 2000 ppm compared to the higher concentrations, however no significant statistical difference was observed. This preliminary (first and second replication) study showed that the tested concentrations of CO2 were not a strong contributing factor to reduced turkey performance in the initial phase of rearing. More replications are planned to further explore the influence of CO2 on turkey poult performance.

IA examined particulate matter (PM) concentrations are in aviary hen houses due to accumulation of litter on the floor and hen activities. The use of spraying agent such as acidic electrolyzed water (AEW) to mitigate PM levels and disinfect houses has been reported, and high spray dosages will reduce PM to a low level. However, spraying a high dose of AEW may generate high levels of ammonia (NH3) due to an increase in litter moisture content (LMC). Lab-scale experiments were conducted to assess the effect of AEW spray dosage and pH on PM and NH3 emissions from litter of aviary hen houses. Four dynamic emission chambers (DEC’s) located in an environmentally-controlled room were used for the evaluation. Three spray dosages of 25, 50, and 75 mL [kg dry litter]-1d-1 and three pH values of 3, 5, and 7 at a free-chlorine concentration of 200 mg L-1 were tested.

Spraying occurred within 10 min once a day for 5 consecutive days. A no-spray regimen was used as the control. The results showed that higher spray dosages of AEW led to lower PM emissions. Specially, spraying dosages of 25, 50, and 75 mL [kg dry litter]-1d-1 reduced PM levels by (mean±SD) 71±3%, 81±1%, and 89±1%, respectively, immediately after spraying. The PM reductions were still significant after 24h of spraying, averaging 57±4%, 71±5%, and 83±1%, respectively. There was no significant difference (P=0.30-0.43) in reduction efficacy among the PM sizes (i.e., PM1, PM2.5, PM4, PM10, and total suspended particulates). For NH3 emissions, spraying 75 mL [kg dry litter]-1d-1 generated 5-6 times greater NH3 emissions when compared to 25 mL [kg dry litter]-1 d-1 due to difference in LMC (22.6% vs. 13.0%). Meanwhile, spraying AEW of pH7 yielded 2-3 times higher NH3 emissions than AEW of pH3 at the same dosage. Ammonia emissions of all spray treatments were found to be higher than those of the control, albeit no significant difference between control and the 25 mL [kg dry litter]-1d-1 dosage at pH3 or pH5 (P=0.81, P=0.47). Pearson correlation coefficients between NH3 and spray dosage (0.82) and pH value (0.46) indicated that the spray dosage is more linearly correlated to NH3 emissions than pH value (P<0.05). The results suggest that use of 25 mL [kg dry litter]-1d-1 dosage at pH3 is a prudent combination to control PM levels without causing the undesired elevation in NH3 emissions in the litter-based aviary hen houses. This lab-based finding provides the basis for field verification testing.

IA also looked at mitigating ammonia emissions. A number of restaurant chains, retailers, and grocers in the US have pledged to source cage-free (CF) eggs only in the foreseeable future (e.g., by 2025 or 2030) due to marketing reasons or concerns over animal welfare. However, CF housing has some inherent challenges and a predominant one is poor air quality (ammonia gas – NH3 and particulate matter – PM) and increased emissions. The high NH3 levels primarily arise from the extended accumulation of manure on the litter floor, whereas the high PM levels are generated from dustbathing and foraging activities of the birds on the litter. Spraying liquid agent such as electrolyzed water (EW) has been shown to effectively suppress PM from litter of CF hen houses. However, liquid spray could enhance NH3 emissions as it increases the litter moisture content (LMC). Application of low pH liquid to the litter would help control NH3 while suppressing PM, but concerns arise about the potential corrosive effect of acidic liquid on the housing equipment. The PLT application rates were 0.3, 0.6, and 0.9 kg m-2, denoted as Low-LA, Med-LA, and High-LA, respectively. The litter samples were placed inside dynamic emission chambers (DECs) and stirred to mimic hen scratching. PLT was topically applied onto the litter on day 1; NEW was sprayed daily for 11d, followed by a 3-d non-spray period (i.e., 14 d per trial); and each regiment was replicated four times. Ammonia emission rate (ER) of the control-no LA, Low-LA, Med-LA, and High-LA regimens (mean±SE) was 0.76±0.05, 0.55±0.06, 0.37±0.04, and 0.16 ±0.02 g (kg dry litter)-1d-1, respectively, namely 28-79% reduction by the treatments. The NH3 reduction efficiency is linearly proportional to the PLT® application rate, with higher application rate resulting in significantly lower litter pH (P<0.05). On the last day of each trial (d14), the Med-LA and High-LA regimens continued to show relatively low NH3 emissions, suggesting the need for a longer measurement period in the field verification that will follow. The NEW spray increased LMC by up to 60% after 11 once-a-day sprays, which reduced PM2.5, PM10, and TSP levels from 3.83, 6.39, and 7 mg m-3 to 0.07, 0.14, and 0.15 mg m-3, respectively. After a 3-day spray suspension, the PM levels rebounded to 0.72, 1.02, and 1.12 mg m-3 for PM2.5, PM10, and TSP due to decreased litter moisture. The trade-off between NH3 emission reduction and the cost associated with the litter additive application needs to be assessed under commercial CF production conditions.

IA looked at using an electrostatic air filtration system for reducing incoming particulate matter of a hen house to control any future high pathogenic avian influenza outbreaks. The removal efficiency of particulate matter (PM), the carrier of airborne pathogens, by such filtration systems has not been investigated. This field study was, therefore, conducted to evaluate the PM removal efficacy by an electrostatic air filtration system (consisting of a low-grade air filter and an electrostatic particle ionization or EPI system) installed at the inlet of a commercial high-rise hen house. The evaluation was performed in two test rounds over a one-year period. Results show that average PM removal efficiencies in rounds 1 (spring to summer) and 2 (late fall to spring) were respectively 66% and 29% for PM1, 66% and 30% for PM2.5, 66% and 31% for PM4, 68% and 36% for PM10, and 68% and 45% for total PM. Removal efficiency became unstable when the EPI system was inactivated (i.e. when solely relying on the filter for PM removal). House static pressure and ventilation rate indicated considerable clogging of the filter media by dust accumulation and the need for replacement after ~16 weeks of use in spring-to-summer time (round 1); however, clogging was not an issue during the entire late fall-to-spring sampling period (round 2, 24 weeks). The appearance of the filter changed gradually as dust accumulated with time, which can be captured by image analysis and used to judge filter dirtiness and lifespan. Findings of this field study provide insight into the efficacy of PM removal by such a low-cost air filtration system, which will help egg producers in their decision-making for disease prevention strategies.

Bird Health and Welfare.

CA looked at keel bone damage of hens in cage-free housing. In the last year my lab completed a study of risk factors for the development of keel bone damage by hens housed in enriched colony cage systems. The work was conducted in collaboration with Darrin Karcher (Purdue University) and Mike Toscano (U. Bern, Switzerland). In addition to raising animal welfare concerns, keel bone damage (KBD) in laying hens can increase hen mortality, and decrease egg quality, and carcass value. We aimed to determine the causes of KBD - fractures and deviations - in laying hens housed in enriched colony systems. We evaluated 1) the impact energy experienced at the hens’ keels as they navigate their environment, 2) behaviors and cage locations associated with these impacts, and 3) how impacts and behaviors relate to KBD development. Data collection focused on 10 of 60 Hy-line W-36 hens housed in each of 12 environmentally enriched cages (4 rooms of 3 cages). Changes in keel bone integrity was evaluated for each of the 120 focal hens from CT scans taken at the start and end of 2 3-week data collection periods (4 scans per hen). The impacts sustained at the hens’ keels were evaluated using tri-axial accelerometers; behavior was transcribed from video recordings made continuously over the course of the study. In total, 14,516 impacts were recorded. Of these, 52.37% had summed accelerations under 20G, 22.27% between 20 and 40G, 9.3% 40–60G, 4.94% 60–80G, 3.03% 80–100G, and 7.99% > 100G. Video recordings were matched with 7,887 impacts. The majority of impacts under 20G were linked with maintenance behavior (e.g., grooming), unlikely to cause major KBD. Collisions accounted for 80.22% of impacts with summed accelerations over 20G. Aggressive interactions among hens, scattering behavior, grooming and wing flapping accounted for 10.48%, 3.20%, 3.06% and 2.48% of impacts over 20G, respectively. Hens collided with the perches (74.35%), the wire floor (11.44%), other hens (6.92%), support beams (4.14%), the feeder (2.09%) and cage walls (1.06%). Collisions were most often the result of hens trying to navigate onto a perch, or being pushed by a cage mate. Binary logistic regressions (R, v.3.3.2) were used to determine the relationships between keel bone damage, number of collisions, and number of impacts < 20G experienced at the keel. No relationships were found, though statistical trends were found between the number of collisions a hen experienced and the incidence of keel bone fractures (P = 0.061) as well as the incidence of overall damage (P = 0.054). We conclude that issues pertaining to perch navigation are a key risk factor for keel bone damage, particularly the development of fractures, sustained by laying hens housed in enriched colony cage systems.

IA examined perching needs of laying hens as a welfare requirement. The objective of the study was to evaluate perching behaviors of laying hens as affected by horizontal distance (HD) between parallel perches. A total of 48 Lohmann white hens in three groups (16 hens/group) were used, 68 weeks of age at the experiment onset. For each group, hens were housed in an enriched wire-mesh floor pen (120 cm L×120 cm W×120 cm H) equipped with two round galvanized tube perches (120 cm long × 32 mm diameter, an average of 15 cm perch space/hen). HD was varied sequentially at 60, 40, 30, 25, 20 and 15 cm and then in reverse order. A real-time monitoring system was developed to continuously record hen’s perching behaviors. The number or proportion of perching hens, perching duration, and perching trip and frequency were analyzed using an automated VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) program developed in Microsoft Excel. Heading direction of the perching hens and pattern of the perch occupancy were determined manually by video observation. Results showed that reduction of HD to 25 cm did not restrain hens’ perching behaviors, whereas HD of 20 or 15 cm restrained perching to some extent. Specifically, at HD of 25 cm, hens perched interlacing with one another to maximize use of the perches during the dark period. As a result, the proportion of perching hens and perching duration for HD of 25 cm were not reduced as compared to HD of 30-60 cm. However, the proportion of perching hens was significantly reduced at HD of 15 cm (P = 0.001-0.025). HD of 15 and 20 cm also significantly reduced daily perching time of the hens. In contrast, perching trip or frequency and heading direction of the perching hens were not influenced by HD (15-40 cm) except for HD of 60 cm. The results suggest that although 30 cm is the recommended minimum HD, 25 cm may be considered for situations where additional perches are necessary to meet all hens’ perching needs.

IA studied enriched colony housing (ECH) as a relatively new egg production system. As such, information is lacking on design parameters to ensure the well-being of the hens and optimal utilization of housing resources. A new system has been developed at Iowa State University that enables automated monitoring and quantification of feeding and nesting behaviors of individual hens in ECH. Ultra-high-frequency radio frequency identification (UHF RFID) is employed to track individual animals. The UHF RFID system consists of four components: antennas, tags, readers, and a data acquisition system. The antennas for monitoring feeding behavior are placed inside the two feed troughs and covered with plastic boards. Each feed trough has six antennas aligned in series covering the length of the feeder. Four additional antennas are placed inside the nest boxes to monitor the nesting behaviors. All 16 antennas are connected to five 4-channel readers, two per feed trough and one for the nest boxes, that are further connected to the hosting computer via Ethernet. Feed and water consumption and egg production are continuously monitored using load cells. This article describes the development and testing of the RFID system for monitoring feeding and nesting behaviors and provides sample data. The system has proven to be able to characterize benchmark feeding and nesting behaviors of individual hens in ECH, such as daily time spent at the feeder and in the nest box, daily frequency of visiting the feeder and the nest box, number of hens feeding and nesting simultaneously, and variability in these behaviors among individual hens. Future applications of the system include assessing the impact of resource allocation and management practices on feeding and nesting behaviors and on the well- being of the hens. This information will provide a scientific basis for optimal design and management of alternative hen housing systems.

IA also examined feeder space allocation for laying hens. Animal welfare guidelines mandate enough feeder space (e.g., 12.0 cm/hen) so that all birds can feed at the same time. However, such guidelines remain justified or validated as it is unclear whether group-housed birds need or want to feed simultaneously. This study was conducted to assess the impact of feeder space on feeding behavior of 60 individual laying hens (W-36 breed) in an enriched colony housing (ECH). The feeder space investigated included 12.0, 9.5, 8.5 or 6.5 cm/hen, with 12.0 cm/hen being the “guideline” value. The target feeder space was achieved by blocking portions of the overall feeders while keeping the same number of birds and thus stocking density in the colony. Each feeder space treatment, randomly assigned over the course of the experiment, lasted for 5 consecutive days. Feeding behaviors of each hen were characterized as daily time spent at the feeder (TS, min/d-hen) and daily frequency of visits to the feeder (FV, #/d-hen). Monitoring of the individual hens in the ECH group was achieved using a newly developed RFID monitoring system. At the group level, the number of birds feeding simultaneously – maximum (MNB, %) or average (ANB, %) was quantified. In addition, group-average daily feed intake (FI, g/hen-d), water use (WU, g/hen-d), and hen-day egg production (HDEP) were measured. The results to dates show that there were no differences between 12.0 cm/hen and 9.5 cm/hen treatments in terms of TS, MNB or ANB; but differences were observed between 12.0 cm and the two lower feeder space treatments. No impact on FI, WU or HDEP was detected among all the feeder space levels. Hence, the current recommended feeder space of 12.0 cm can be lowered without compromising feeding behaviors or performance of W-36 laying hens in ECH. The results also demonstrate that it is not necessary to provide enough feeder space for all hens to feed simultaneously in ECH.

IN conducted experiments to address objective. A pullet molt study was conducted to evaluate the impact of an early production molt as a way to extend pullet-stay in the grower house in an event of disease outbreak. Results indicated that hens that were molted did not completely cease egg production, but molting hens at 10% production may prove advantageous to maintain pullets for a longer period of time in the pullet house during a disease quarantine scenario, resulting in sufficient egg production post-molt with little impact on egg safety once birds are moved into a multi-tier aviary. Another experiment evaluated the impact of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (Bio-D) on production, egg, and skeletal characteristics in early or late phase production of laying hens. Pullets were placed on 2 treatments either a control diet (con) or control + 500.5 µg of Bio-D/kg diet (BD). Bio-D supplementation did not have an impact on egg or skeletal characteristics but resulted in 16 more eggs per hen housed when introduced at 45 wk. of age. Lastly, an experiment examined the nest substrate preference (AstroTurf® flooring, bare wire flooring or plastic- coated wire flooring) of Hy-Line W36 hens in a cage-free housing system. The majority of eggs were laid in nests containing AstroTurf® (82.5 ± 2.4%), followed by the floor (10.7 ± 1.5%), in nests with plastic coated wire (4.2 ± 0.8%) and in nests with bare wire flooring (2.7 ± 1.4%), indicating that hens preferred nests lined with AstroTurf®.

Experiments were also conducted to address objective 2. As part of a larger USDA NIFA grant (Grant no. 2016-67015-24457) awarded to Drs. Sally Noll, Mike Hulet and Darrin Karcher, experiments were conducted to 1) determine baseline gait and force distribution in visibly unimpaired growing turkey hens and 2) evaluate the effects of stocking density and bedding source on the behavior and well-being of turkeys. To collect baseline gait data, 5 wk old turkey hens were walked across a pressure-sensing walkway (PSW, Tekscan, Boston, MA), one to three times and weighed at 5, 6, 8, 10 and 11 wk of age. Results demonstrated that some data were influenced by the hen’s adjustment to the materials or stage of growth; in contrast, some temporospatial data (gait cycle time) did not coincide with age. The PSW could be used to detect locomotor issues in commercially produced turkey hens providing another tool for assessing well-being. To examine the effects of stocking density (LOW: 4.2 birds/m2, MED: 5.3 birds/m2, HIGH: 7.1 birds/m2) and bedding source (pine shavings or giant miscanthus grass) on the behavior of turkey hens, behavior of turkeys at 13 and 14 wk of age was analyzed. Behavior was affected more by bedding source than by stocking density, with turkeys on pine shavings being more active than turkeys on Miscanthus grass.

MI has focused NE 1442 research effort on Objectives 2 and 3 with respect to laying hen performance, health, and welfare as it relates to alternative housing systems. Research effort has focused on skeletal development, maintenance and health as it relates to hen genetics and housing (enriched colony and aviary) with special emphasis on the keel bone; hen genetic strain differences in egg production, safety and quality, and space and resource use in aviary housing; and the general performance of hens of different strains in an aviary system. Two studies focus on the impact of hen strain on how birds (at the group and individual level) use the space, tiers, perches and nests in aviaries and access litter (Siegford).

Data collection is also being completed on whether hens can adapt to aviary housing if they are retained in pullet housing beyond the start of egg laying. Janice Siegford is collaborating with A. Stratmann and M. Toscano at the University of Bern to examine impacts of housing design during rearing on keel bone fracture in laying hens.

Results from previous work completed on the Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply project and research completed on turkeys (M. Erasmus now at Purdue) relating to fearfulness and its impact on meat quality and mitigation of PSE meat was published. MSU faculty participation over the past year includes Darrin Karcher (now at Purdue), Janice Siegford, Dana Campbell (former post-doctoral trainee), Cara Robison (Research Associate), Janice Swanson, and Mick Fulton. Cooperators on projects and publications include UC Davis (Makagon, Mench, Blatchford), Purdue (Karcher, Erasmus), USDA-ARS (Jones), NC State (Anderson) and the University of Bern (Toscano). The 2016 – to date publications include 15 journal articles and 12 abstracts/presentations related to the NE 1442 project.

KY worked on objectives 2 and 3. Some of the research conducted during the last 12 months included metabolizable energy (ME) values and ME corrected for nitrogen for different feed ingredients.

Specifically, studies were conducted to evaluate the effect of diet matrix (or sources of energy in a complete diet) on the ME and MEn of corn and wheat middlings in broiler chickens. The reference diets used in these studies included SBM-orts and SBM-wheat based. Furthermore, the effects of drying methods, drying temperature, and sampling methods on apparent ileal amino acid digestibility were evaluated. Results from these studies show that the diet matrix (i.e. dietary energy sources) do influence the ME and MEn values of individual heed ingredients (in this case corn and wheat middlings. In the second study, however, the drying method, drying temperature, and sampling method did not influence apparent ileal amino acid digestibility in broiler chickens.

KY also evaluated pasture systems for the raising of chickens for meat production. The effect of pastures on the nutritional needs of the birds and the impact on meat quality and sensory evaluation were determined. The effects of heritage breeds and strains were evaluated for pasture systems. The results of these studies indicated that heritage breeds were slower growing, had poorer feed efficiency and poor breast meat yield. However, the nutrient requirements were less for these birds. An untrained panel evaluated skinless breast meat samples. There was no significant effect of the parameters on tenderness. There was a significant interaction of breed, sex and location on juiciness of the breast meat with the broilers raised with or without pasture having a lower score than the heritage breeds.

There was no consistent effect of sex across breeds or location. Birds finished on pasture had a more detectable off flavor compared with floor- raised birds. Females had more of an off flavor than males. This sex difference was also evident with chicken flavor with females having a stronger chicken flavor. For overall acceptability, there was a significant effect of location with birds raised inside having a higher score than those finished on pasture. The breed, method of rearing as well as sex of the bird can influence the cooking loss and sensory evaluation of chicken meat.

VA worked on objective 2 this past year. An experiment was completed to understand the effects of feeding hulless barley to growing broiler chickens. This research quantified the nutritional value of the barley and also explored additional value of feeding the small barley grains in a whole form to reduce the cost of grain processing and to explore potential benefits from a gut health standpoint. The hypothesis of this research was that feeding whole hulless barley would increase the size and function of the gizzard resulting in slower passage rate, increased exposure of feed to low pH and overall a healthier intestinal tract. Results indicate that hulless barley does have appreciable nutrients and can be fed to growing broiler chickens, but it appears that the hull (fiber) is involved with the development of a larger gizzard associated with the feeding of intact small grains in poultry.

Additional research was conducted on the effects of high dietary Ca on the digestibility and utilization of various oil sources. Both DDGS derived corn oil and soybean oil were evaluated in growing broiler chicks at both commercial and higher dietary Ca concentrations. Overall the AMEn values of both oils were reduced by the high Ca diets, but corn oil AMEn was reduced at a greater rate when high concentrations of dietary Ca were present. This might indicate that corn oil would be a less available source of energy in laying hen diets that contain higher concentrations of dietary Ca.

Objective 3. Establishing parameters influenced by the production system and strains utilized within the poultry industry.  This collaborative research will encompass the areas of poultry nutrition, physiology, behavior, well-being, food safety and quality, and economic evaluation of poultry production systems.

Nutrition.

WI looked at characterizing turkey selenium (Se) requirements, PCR was used to clone and sequence full transcript sequences for 9 turkey selenoproteins, 3'UTR portions for 15 additional selenoproteins including SECIS element sequences in 22 3'UTRs, and to identify in-frame Sec (UGA) codons for 19 selenoproteins. In addition, the missing sequence for the turkey Sec-tRNA was cloned and sequenced, showing that 24 selenoproteins are expressed in the turkey, not just predicted (Sunde et al., 2015). To determine turkey Se requirements, poults were fed graded levels of dietary Se as selenite from 0.005-1.0 μg Se/g for 4 wk; minimum dietary Se requirements were 0.05 μg Se/g for growth, 0.3 μg Se/g for tissue GPX1 and plasma Gpx3 activities, and 0.05-0.15 μg Se/g for selenoprotein transcript levels, indicated that the NRC turkey requirement should be raised to 0.3 μg Se/g (Taylor and Sunde, 2016). Analysis of Se concentration in thigh, breast, kidney and liver in these same poults, and well as selenoprotein enzyme activities and mRNA levels, suggests that NRC chicken requirement for poults should be raised to 0.4 μg Se/g (Taylor and Sunde, 2017). To determine chicken Se requirements in a parallel study with chicks fed 0.005-1.0 μg Se/g for 4 wk, minimum dietary Se requirements were 0.025 μg Se/g for growth, 0.1-0.13 μg Se/g for GPX1, GPX4 and Gpx3 activities in liver, gizzard and plasma, 0.03-0.21 μg Se/g for tissue selenoprotein transcript levels, but 0.3 μg Se/g for GPX1 and GPX4 activities in pancreas, indicating that the NRC chicken requirement should be raised to 0.2 μg Se/g diet to provide a margin of safety (Li and Sunde, 2016). When these avian requirements were compared to those obtained previously in mice, rats, and lambs, it is clear the chicken requirement is 1.5-2X that of mammals, and that the turkey requirement is 3-4X that of mammals (Sunde et al., 2016). Differences in selenoprotein transcript expression between avians and mammals appear to underlie these differences. In these studies, no selenoprotein activities nor mRNA levels were effective biomarkers for super nutritional selenium status.

Food Safety and Quality.

NC also estimated the demand functions for conventional eggs and chickens where the presence of organic prices as the right-hand-side variables enable us to obtain cross-price elasticities of conventional demands with respect to organic prices. In line with the extant literature, our results show highly inelastic and statistically significant own price effects for both conventional chickens (elasticity equals -0.117) and conventional eggs (elasticity equals -0.139). The cross-price elasticities of conventional chicken meat demand with respect to the price of organic chickens and the cross-price elasticity of conventional eggs demand with respect to organic eggs price, which are rarely found in the literature, confirm the intuitively expected result that the conventional and organic varieties of the same product are substitutes. The estimated cross-price elasticity of conventional chicken meat demand with respect to organic chicken price equals 0.217 and the cross-price elasticity of conventional eggs demand with respect to organic eggs price equals 0.679.

Laying Hen Performance and Economic Returns.

NC conducted collaborative research that encompassed the areas of poultry nutrition, physiology, behavior, well-being, food safety, quality, and economic evaluation of poultry production systems. The NCLP&M Program is conducting the 40th North Carolina Layer Performance and Management Test (NCLP&MT) with the current flock entering its 61st week of production. To date the Hatch and Grow Reports have been published the, 40th NCLP&MT Reports Vol 40, No. 1 and 2. The NCDA&CS Piedmont Research Station-Poultry Unit Layer facilities have been updated to remain relevant to the egg industry evaluating, conventional cage, enrichable cage, enriched environmental housing system, cage-free and free-range production environments that are used in the US. Though molting in the US egg industry is declining over 60% of the hens are molted with increasing use in cage free and free-range systems and remains a viable management tool used to extend the productive life of the hen and enhance the production planning needed by the producers. Molting practices are expanding into the Cage-free, and Free-Range production systems both here in the US and in Europe so looking at molting with the inability to restrict light is increasing in demand.

NC also evaluated VSD as a humane depopulation method. This project provided an evaluation of VSD, VSD combined with heat (VSDH) and CO₂ (VSDCO). We developed chambers to profile individual

hens in environmental conditions of temperature, relative humidity (RH), and CO₂ recordings to understand the dynamics within the environment for each method. We determined the duration to time of death (TOD) and profiled environmental conditions associated with the methods. Using the parameters from Phase 1 of Environmental temperature 107 ºF and RH to 66.0%, and in VSDCO level of CO₂ at 31.5%. We scaled up the processes to evaluate the effectiveness of VSD, VSDH, and VSDCO in a multi-tier cage system was conducted using white leghorns housed in 2-tier stair step cage system at industry densities (72 in2/hen). The environment was a force ventilated negative static pressure room sealed to prevent air exchange of any type. An inner chamber around the cages emulated the building volume per hen found in the industry. The data collected included CO₂, RH, environmental temperature profiles, CBT, and HSP70. We found that VSD by itself did not result in 100% euthanasia of the flock with 4% of the hens surviving. When we added heat or CO2 to the VSD system we accomplished 100% mortality. The duration to TOD was no different between VSDH and VSDCO. Based upon field studies, VSDH and VSDCO appear to be the most humane methods of depopulating large numbers of poultry.

NC also looked at the organic food market. Organic foods are one of the most rapidly growing sectors of the food market. Organic price premiums and patterns of substitution between related organic and conventional products are important for organic products certification and market entry and expansion decisions of organic producers. In this project, we analyzed price differentials (premiums) between organic and conventional eggs and between three categories of organic and conventional chicken products: whole birds, boneless breasts and whole legs. Farm level prices for delivery to first receivers for the period January 2004 and December 2013 show that, in absolute terms, the highest average organic premium is commanded by boneless skinless breast meat followed by organic eggs.

USDA-ARS GA conducted within the Egg Safety and Quality Research Unit of the USDA-ARS US National Poultry Research Center focused on the impact of hen housing systems and management practices on egg safety and product quality. A study was completed to assess the physical and functional quality of eggs from 4 genetic strains of laying hens housed in commercial aviary systems. Eggs are stored for 12 weeks and assessed every 4 weeks. The study was conducted for a full 50 wk. production cycle (Michigan State). A study was conducted to assess when during early lay phase consistent egg physical and functional quality data could be attained. Beginning at 19 wks. of age, eggs were evaluated each week thru 25 wks. of age. Three genetic lines each of brown and white egg layers were compared. A full profile of egg physical and functional quality measurements were conducted each week (NCSU). A study is underway to determine the influence of various shell egg processing methods and storage temperature on egg physical quality during extended storage. Each week, eggs from various processing and holding conditions are assessed for physical quality characteristics (Purdue). A study was conducted to determine the influence of various strategies for holding pullets on-farm during disease quarantine conditions and the resulting impact on egg physical quality. A full profile of physical egg quality parameters was assessed during the on-farm holding phase and subsequent move to cage-free aviary housing (Michigan State, Purdue, NCSU).

A study was initiated to determine the impact of 4 hen housing systems and 3 genetic strains of laying hens on egg and environmental microbiology. Samples are being collected every 8 wks. from a collaborative commercial style research farm. Indicator populations (total aerobes, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeasts and molds) are enumerated. Pathogen (Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria) prevalence is also being determined (NCSU). A study is in progress to determine the impact of 4 housing systems and 3 genetic strains of laying hens on Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria shedding. Beginning at hatch, fecal samples are collected monthly and assessed for pathogen prevalence (NCSU). A study is in progress assessing the impact of 4 hen housing systems and 3 genetic strains of laying hens on egg physical quality parameters. Bi-monthly egg samples are evaluated for egg shape, shell characteristics, interior quality, and yolk physical characteristics (NCSU). A study is in progress examining the influence of hen housing system on functional characteristics of eggs. Eggs from a single genetic brown egg strain of laying hen are collected bi-monthly and assessed for foaming, emulsification, and coagulation functions in food matrices. Consumer quality traits are also compared (NCSU).

KY

Pescatore, Anthony, McKenzie Bear, Gregg Rentfrow, Jacqueline Jacob, Tatijana Fisher, Marquisha Paul, and Michael Ford. 2017. Sensory evaluation and cooking yields of chicken meat from Heritage breeds or broilers reared on pasture or in floor pens. Presented at the PSA meeting in Orlando, FL. July 16-21.

Fisher, Tatijana, Anthony J. Pescatore, Jacqueline P. Jacob, Austin Cantor, Michael Ford and Tuoying Ao. 2016. Effect of sex and feed ingredients on carcass yields of commercial broilers and Rhode Island Reds. Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):7

Fisher, Tatijana, Anthony Pescatore, Jacquie Jacob, Austin Cantor, Mike Ford, and Tuoying Ao. 2016. Effect of feed ingredients and breed of chicken on meat quality. Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):172

Jacob, Jacqueline P., Anthony J. Pescatore, Michael J. Ford, Tatijana M. Fisher, Sunday A. Adedokun, and Tuoying Ao. 2016. Growth performance of broiler chickens and heritage breeds raised on pasture. Poult. Sci. 95(E- Suppl. 1):125

Paul, Marquisha, Anthony Pescatore, Tuoying Ao, Michael Ford, and Karl Dawson. 2017. Effects of broiler breeder dietary zinc source on the tibia characteristics and performance of broiler chick offspring. Presented at the PSA meeting in Orlando, FL. July 16-21.

Dudley, Megan M., Ryan S. Samuel, Michael J. Ford, Anthony J. Pescatore, and Kristen M. Brennan. 2016. Interaction of dietary microalgae and trace mineral source in 14-day old broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):133

Ao, Tuoying, Marquisha A. Paul, Lizza M. Macalintal, Anthony J. Pescatore, Austin H. Cantor, Ryan S. Samuel, Mike J. Ford, and Karl A. Dawson. 2016. Total replacement of inorganic micro minerals with reduced levels of proteinates in laying hen diets: Effect on productive performance, egg characteristics, and bone quality. Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):155

Ao, Tuoying, Lizza Macalintal, Marquisha Paul, Anthony Pescatore, Austin Cantor, Mike Ford, and Karl Dawson. 2016.Effects of dietary supplementation of Actigen® and Allzyme SSF® on the performance and carcass yield of broiler chicks. Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):290

Macalintal, Lizza, Tuoying Ao, Anthony Pescatore, Austin Cantor, P. Glenney, Michael Ford, and Karl Dawson. 2016. Maternal dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidant compound affect levels of trace minerals in eggs and docosahexaenoic acid content in progeny tissues Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):297

Adedokun, Sunday, Anthony Pescatore, Austin Cantor, Michael Ford, Jacqueline Jacob, Tuoying Ao, and Ariane Helmbrecht. 2016. Energy source and not dietary electrolyte balance influenced ileal endogenous amino acid losses in 21 d-old broilers fed nitrogen-free diets. Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):287

Adedokun, Sunday, Anthony Pescatore, Austin Cantor, Jacqueline Jacob, Michael Ford, Tuoying Ao, and Ariane Helmbrecht. 2016. Examining the effect of dietary electrolyte balance, energy source, and length of feeding of nitrogen-free diets on ileal endogenous amino acid losses in broilers Poult. Sci. 95(E-Suppl. 1):242

IA

Chai, L., Y. Zhao, H. Xin, T. Wang, A. Atilgan, M. Soupir, K. Liu. 2017. Reduction of particulate matter and ammonia by spraying acidic electrolyzed water onto litter of aviary hen houses – a lab-scale study. Transactions of the ASABE 60(2):479-506.

Li, L., Y. Zhao, J. Oliveira, W. Verhoijsen, and H. Xin. 2017. A UHF RFID system for studying individual feeding and nesting behaviors of group- housed laying hens. Transactions of the ASABE 60(4): (in press)

Lin, X., R. Zhang, S. Jiang, H. El-Mashad, and H. Xin. 2017. Emissions monitoring of ammonia, carbon dioxide and particulate matters in two Californian cage-free layer houses. Atmospheric Environment 152(2017):246-255.     http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2016.12.018

Liu, K. and H. Xin. 2017. Effects of horizontal distance between perches on perching behavior of Lohmann hens. Appl. Animal Behaviour Sci. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.05.001

Liu, K. H. Xin, and P. Settar. 2017. Effects of a commercial LED light versus a typical CFL light on growing performance and activity levels of W-36 pullets. Animal http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1751731117001240

Lu, Y., M. Hayes, J.P. Stinn, T.M. Brown-Brandl, H. Xin. 2017. Evaluating ventilation rates based on new heat and moisture production data for swine production. Transactions of the ASABE 60(1):237-245. DOI 10.13031/trans.11888

Ponciano, P.F., T. Yanagi, Jr., H. Xin. 2017. Performance of chicks subjected to thermal challenge. Pesq. agropec. bras. 52(2), doi.org/10.1590/s0100- 204x2017000200005

Shepherd, T.A., H. Xin, J.P. Stinn, M.D. Hayes, Y. Zhao, and H. Li. 2017. Ammonia and carbon dioxide emissions of three laying-hen housing systems as affected by manure accumulation time. Transactions of the ASABE 60(1):229-236. (doi: 10.13031/trans.11860)

Wang, Y., H. Dong, Z. Zhu, P.J. Gerber, H. Xin, P. Smith, C. Opio, H. Steinfeld, and D. Chadwick. 2017. Mitigating greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions from swine manure management: a system analysis. Environ. Sci. Technol. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b06430

Xin, H. and K. Liu. 2017. Precision livestock farming in egg production. Animal Frontier 7(1): 24-31.

Chen, H. H. Xin, G. Teng, C. Meng, X. Du, T. Mao, and C. Wang. 2016. Cloud- based data management system for automatic real-time data acquisition from large-scale laying-hen farms. Int J Agric & Biol Eng 9(4):106-115. doi: 10.3965/j.ijabe.20160904.2488

Lao, F. T.M. Brown-Brandl, J.P. Stinn, K. Liu, G. Teng, and H. Xin. 2016. Automatic recognition of lactating sow behaviors through depth image processing. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture 125:56-62. doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2016.04.026

Long, H., Y. Zhao, T. Wang, Z. Ning, and H. Xin. 2016. Effect of light-emitting diode (LED) vs. fluorescent lighting (FL) on laying hens in aviary hen houses: Part 1 – Operational characteristics of lights and production traits of hens. Poultry Science 95(1):1-11. doi.org/10.3382/ps/pev121

Long, H., Y. Zhao, H. Xin, H. Hansen, Z. Ning, and T. Wang. 2016. Effect of light-emitting diode (LED) vs. fluorescent (FL) lighting on laying hens in aviary hen houses: Part 2 – Egg quality, shelf life and lipid composition. Poultry Sci. 95(1):115-124. doi.org/10.3382/ps/pev306

Ma, H., H. Xin, Y. Zhao, B. Li, T.A. Shepherd, and I. Alvarez. 2016. Assessment of lighting needs by W-36 laying hens via preference test. Animal 10(4): 671-680. doi.org/10.1017/S1751731115002384

Roberts, S.A., H. Xin, R. Swestka, M. Yum, and K. Bregendahl. 2016. Spatial variation and sampling strategy of manure nutrients in high-rise laying-hen houses. J. App. Poult. Res. doi.org/10.3382/japr/pfw013

Zhao, Y., D. Zhao, H. Ma, K. Liu, A. Atilgan, H. Xin. 2016. Environmental assessment of three egg production systems – Part III: airborne bacteria concentrations and emissions. Poultry Sci. 1-9. doi.org/10.3382/ps/pew053

VA

Barrett, N.W., B.M. Singh, M.D. Lewis, M.E. Persia. Effects of dietary calcium and energy source on performance, nitrogen corrected apparent metabolizable energy, and body composition of broiler chickens. Presented at PSA, Orlando, FL. July 16-20.

Foltz, K.L., L. Gardner, S. Hill, C. Griffey, W. Brooks, W. Thomason, and M. E. Persia. Effects of various cultivars of hulled and hulless barley on broiler amino acid digestibility and performance. Presented at PSA, Orlando, FL. July 16-20.

Foltz, K.L., M.M. Ritzi, N.W. Barrett, N.P. Evans, D. Collins, N. Sriranganathan, H. Mahsoub, R.A. Dalloul, J. Sewell, and M.E. Persia. 2017. Efficacy of Lactobacillus plantarum supplementation in broilers challenged with avian pathogenic Escherichia coli and Salmonella Typhimurium. J Appl Poult Res. DOI: 10.3382/japr/pfw074.

PA

Burley, H. K., P. H. Patterson, K. E. Anderson, and P. B. Tillman. 2016. Formulation challenges of organic poultry diets with readily available ingredients and limited synthetic methionine. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 25:3:443-454. IF-0.801.

Burley, H. K., P. H. Patterson, and K. E. Anderson. 2016. Alternative feeding strategies and genetics for providing adequate methionine in organic poultry diets with limited use of synthetic amino acids. Worlds Poult. Sci. J. 72:1:168-177. IF-0.974.

Chalova, V.I, J.H. Kim, P.H. Patteson, S.C. Ricke and W.K. Kim. 2016. Reduction of nitrogen excretion and emissions from poultry: a review for conventional poultry. Worlds Poul. Sci. J. 72:509-520. IF-0.974.

Coban, H. B., A. Demirci, P. H. Patterson, and R. Elias. 2016. Enhanced phenylpyruvic acid production with Proteus vulgaris in fed-batch and continuous fermentations. Prep Biochem Biotechnol Feb 17,46(2):157-160.  DOI:10.1080/10826068.2014.995813. IF-1.114.

Coban, H.B., A. Demirci, P. H. Patterson, and R. J. Elias. 2016. Enhanced phenylpyruvic acid production with proteus vulgaris by optimizing of the fermentation medium. Acta Alimentaria, An International Journal of Food Science. 45(1): 1-10. DOI: 10.1556/066.2016.45.1.1. IF-0.380.

Denagamage, T., P. Patterson, E. Wallner-Pendleton, D. Trampel, N. Shariat, E. G. Dudley, B. M. Jayaroa and S. Kariyawasam. 2016. Longitudinal monitoring of successive commercial layer flocks for Samonella enterica Serover Enteritidis. Foodborne Pathogen Disease. 13:618-625. IF-2.37.

Burley, H. K. and P. H. Patterson. 2017. Brazil nut meal and spray-dried egg powders as alternatives to synthetic methionine in organic laying hen diets. Poult. Sci. DOI 10.3382.

Denagamage, T. N., B. M. Jayarao, E. Wallner-Pendleton, P. H. Patterson, and S. Kariyawasam A retrospective study of Salmonella Enteritidis isolated from commercial layer flocks. Avian Disease. (accepted 4/24/17, in Sept. Issue).

Hristov, A. N., A. T. Degaetano, C. A. Rotz, E. Hoberg, R. H. Skinner, T. Felix, H. Li, P. H. Patterson, G. Roth, M. Hall, T. L. Ott, L. H. Baumgard, W. Staniar, R. M. Hulet, C. J. Dell, A. F. Brito and D. Y. Hollinger 2017. Climate change effects on livestock in the Northeast US and strategies for adaptation. Climate Change. DOI 10.1007/s1058-017-2023-z

Patterson, P.H. and H.K. Burley. 2016. Modifying Protein in Feed. Chapter 31, 29 pp. in Egg Innovation and Strategies for Improvement, Section 5: Improving Production and Commercialization. P.Y. Hester, ed. Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Patterson, P., M. Hulet, P. Dunn, H. Lu, S. Kariyawasam, L. Kitto and A. Mayer. 2016. Poultry carcass ensiling for biosecure preservation and virus destruction. International Poultry Sci. Forum, Atlanta, GA. Poul. Sci. 95:(E-Suppl. 1).

Mayer, A., P. Patterson, R. Hulet and M. Hile. 2016. Chopped Miscanthus grass vs. softwood shavings as a bedding material for broiler grow-out. International Poultry Sci. Forum, Atlanta, GA. Poul. Sci. 95:(E-Suppl. 1).

Hulet, R. M., E. A. Wallner-Pendleton, P. J. Clauer, G. P. Martin, P. A. Dunn and P. H. Patterson. Educational program development in response to 2014-2015 avian influenza outbreak. Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. Poul. Sci. 95:(E-Suppl. 1).

Kitto, L.D., P. H. Patterson and R. M. Hulet 2016. The effect of herbal- vs. DL- methionine on broiler live performance and carcass parameters. Poultry Sci. Assoc. Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA. Poul. Sci. 95:(E-Suppl. 1).

Barkley, A. M. 2017. Vegetative Buffers: From Biomass to Bedding. Poul. Sci. 96:(E-Suppl. 1).

Barkley, A., P. Patterson, R. Michael Hulet, and J. Liu. 2017. Commercial application of switchgrass as renewable alternative bedding for broilers in a single-cycle production system. Poul. Sci. 96:(E-Suppl. 1).

Barkley A. , P. Patterson, J. Liu, R. M. Hulet 2017. The effects of physically modified switchgrass bedding on broiler production. Poul. Sci. 96:(E-Suppl. 1).

Rogers, E., P. Patterson and R. M. Hulet. 2017. Hen manure nutrients and production in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Poul. Sci. 96:(E-Suppl. 1).

Rogers, E., P. Patterson and R. M. Hulet. 2017. Broiler litter nutrients and production in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Poul. Sci. 96:(E-Suppl. 1).

WI

Sunde R. A., Sunde G. R., Sunde C. M., Sunde M. L., Evenson J. K. 2015. Cloning, sequencing, and expression of selenoprotein transcripts in the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo). PLoS. ONE. 10: e0129801. PMID: 26070131

Li J. L., Sunde R. A. 2016. Selenoprotein transcript level and enzyme activity as biomarkers for selenium status and selenium requirements of chickens (Gallus gallus). PLoS. ONE. 11: e0152392. PMID: 27045754

Taylor R. M., Sunde R. A. 2016. Selenoprotein transcript level and enzyme activity as biomarkers for selenium status and selenium requirements of turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). PLoS. ONE. 11: e0151665. PMID: 27008545

Sunde R. A., Li J. L., Taylor R. M. 2016. Insights for setting of nutrient requirements, gleaned by comparison of selenium status biomarkers in turkeys and chickens versus rats, mice, and lambs. Adv. Nutr. 7: 1129-1138. PMID: 28140330

Taylor R. M., Sunde R. A. 2017. Selenium requirements based on muscle and kidney selenoprotein enzyme activity and transcript level in the turkey poult (Meleagris gallopavo). Exp. Biol. Med. (submitted 8/29/17)

Sunde R. A. 2016. Selenium regulation of the selenoprotein and non-selenoprotein transcriptomes in a variety of species. In: Selenium: Its Molecular Biology and Role in Human Health (Hatfield D., Schweizer U., Tsuji P. A. & Gladyshev V., eds.), pp. 175-186.

Li J. L., Sunde R. A. 2015. Selenium status biomarkers and selenium requirements of chickens (Gallus gallus). FASEB J. 29: 759.4. (abs.)

Taylor R. M., Sunde R. A. 2015. Selenium status biomarkers and selenium requirements in the turkey (M. gallopavo). FASEB J. 29: 122.7. (abs.)

Sunde R. A., Taylor R. M., Li J. L. 2016. Selenium requirements in rats, mice, lambs, chicks and turkeys based on selenoprotein enzyme activity and transcript level. FASEB J. 30: 148.8. (abs.)

Taylor R. M., Bourget V. G., Sunde R. A. 2016. Selenoprotein mRNA as biomarkers of selenium status in the turkey. FASEB Trace Elem Biol Med #52. (abs.)

Taylor R. M., Bourget V. G., Sunde R. A. 2017. Minimum selenium requirements based on muscle and kidney glutathione peroxidase activity in the turkey. FASEB J. 31: 802.19. (abs.)

Sunde R. A. 2017. Selenium requirements and upper limits in mammals and avians from enzyme and molecular biomarkers. Intl. Symp. Se Biol. Med. O9 (abs.)

Taylor R. M., Sunde R. A. 2017. Selenium requirements of the turkey based on enzymatic biomarkers and next-generation sequencing. Intl. Symp. Se Biol. Med. O13 (abs.)

MS

Linhoss, J.E., J.L, Purswell, and J.D. Davis. 2017. Radiant flux preference of neonatal chicks during brooding. Trans. ASABE (under review).

Zhao, Y., L. Chai, B. Richardson, H. Xin. 2017. Field evaluation of an electrostatic air filtration system for reducing incoming particulate matter of a hen house. Trans. ASABE (Under review).

Harmon, J.D., S.J. Hoff, T.J. Baas, Y. Zhao, H. Xin, L.R. Follet. 2017. Evaluation of conditions

during weaned pig transport. Trans. ASABE (Under review).

Chai, L., Y. Zhao, H. Xin, T. Wang, M. Soupir. 2017. Mitigating airborne bacteria emissions from litter of cage-free hen houses by spray of acidic electrolyzed water: A laboratory study. Biosyst. Eng. (Under review).

Li. L., Y. Zhao, J. Oliveira, W. Verhoijsen, H. Xin. 2017. A UHF RFID system for studying individual feeding and nesting behaviors of group-housed laying hens. Trans. ASABE (Accepted).

Linhoss, J.E., J.L. Purswell, J.D. Davis, and Z. Fan. 2017. Comparing radiant heater performance using spatial modeling. Appl. Eng. Agr. 33(3): 395 – 405.

Chai, L., Y. Zhao, H. Xin, T. Wang, A. Atilgan, M. Soupir, K. Liu. 2017. Reduction of particulate matter and ammonia by spraying acidic electrolyzed water onto litter of aviary hen houses – a lab-scale study. Trans. ASABE 60(2): 497-506.

Shepherd, T.A., H. Xin, J.P. Stinn, M.D. Hayes, Y. Zhao, H. Li. 2017. Ammonia and carbon

dioxide emissions of three laying-hen housing systems as affected by manure accumulation time. Trans. ASABE, 60(1):229-236.

Zhao, Y., H. Xin, J. Harmon, T.J. Baas. 2016. Mortality Rate of Weaned and Feeder Pigs as

Affected by Ground Transportation Conditions. Trans. ASABE 59(4):943-948. (ASABE Superior Paper Award)

Zhao, Y., D. Zhao, H. Ma, K. Liu, A. Atilgan, H. Xin. 2016. Environmental assessment of three egg production systems – Part III: Airborne bacteria concentrations and emissions. Poult. Sci. 95:1473-1481.

Ma, H., H. Xin, Y. Zhao, B. Li, T.A. Shepherd, I. Alvarez-Castro. 2016. Assessment of lighting

needs by W-36 laying hens via preference test. Animal 10(4):671-680.

Long, H., Y. Zhao, H. Xin, H. Hansen, Z. Ning, T. Wang. 2016. Effect of light-emitting diode

(LED) vs. fluorescent (FL) lighting on laying hens in aviary hen houses: Part 2 – Egg quality, shelf life and lipid composition. Poult. Sci. 95:115-124.

Long, H., Y. Zhao, T. Wang, Z. Ning, H. Xin. 2016. Effect of light-emitting diode (LED) vs.

fluorescent (FL) lighting on laying hens in aviary hen houses: Part 1 – Operational characteristics of lights and production traits of hens. Poult. Sci. 95:1-11.

MI

Campbell, D.L.M., A.B.A Ali, D.M. Karcher, and J.M. Siegford. 2017. Laying hens in aviaries with different litter substrates: behavior across the flock cycle and feather lipid content. Poult. Sci. doi: 10.3382/ps/pex204.

Villanueva, S., A.B.A Ali, D.L.M. Campbell, and J.M. Siegford. 2017 Nest use and patterns of egg laying and damage by four strains of laying hens in an aviary system. Poult. Sci. 96:3011-3020. doi: 10.3382/ps/pex104.

Hunniford, M.E., C. Woolcott, J. Siegford, and T.M. Widowski. 2017. Nesting behavior of Hy-Line hens in modified enriched colony cages. Poult. Sci. 96:1515-1523. doi: 10.3382/ps/pew436.

Ali A.B.A., D.L.M. Campbell, D.M. Karcher, and J.M. Siegford. 2016. Influence of genetic strain and access to litter on spatial distribution of four strains of laying hens in an aviary system. Poult. Sci. 95:2489-2502. doi: 10.3382/ps/pew236.

Campbell, D.L.M., D.M. Karcher, and J.M. Siegford. 2016. Location tracking of individual laying hens housed in aviaries with different litter substrates. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci. 184:74-79. doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2016.09.001.

Campbell, D.L.M., S.L. Goodwin, M.M. Makagon, J.C. Swanson, and J.M. Siegford. 2016. Failed landings after laying hen flight in a commercial aviary over two flock cycles. Poult. Sci., 95:188-197.

Campbell, D.L.M, M.M. Makagon, J.C. Swanson, and J.M. Siegford. 2016. Laying hen movement in a commercial aviary: enclosure to floor and back again. Poult. Sci. 95:176-187.

Campbell, D.L.M., M.M. Makagon, J.C. Swanson and J.M. Siegford. 2016. Litter use by laying hens in a commercial aviary: Dust-bathing and piling. Poult. Sci. 95:164-175.

Campbell, D.L.M., M.M. Makagon, J.C. Swanson and J.M. Siegford. 2016. Perch use by laying hens in a commercial aviary. Poult. Sci. 95:1736 -1742.

Mench, J.A., J.C. Swanson and C. Arnot. 2016. The Coalition for Sustainable Egg Supply: A unique public-private partnership for conducting research on the sustainability of animal housing systems using a multi-stakeholder approach. J. Anim. Sci. 94:1296 - 1308.

Ali, A.B.A., D.L.M. Campbell, D.M. Karcher, and J.M. Siegford. 2017. Nighttime preference for roosting height and substrate type among four strains of laying hens in an aviary system. 10^th Europ. Poult. Welfare Symp., Ploufragan, France.(Abstr.)

CT

Indu Upadhyaya, H.-B. Yin, M. Surendran Nair, C.-H. Chen, R. Lang, M. J. Darre, and K. Venkitanarayanan (2016) Inactivation of Salmonella Enteritidis on shell eggs by coating with phytochemicals. Poultry Science (September 2016) 95 (9): 2106-2111 first published online June 1, 2016 doi:10.3382/ps/pew152

GA

Harris, C. E., K. A. Gotilla, D. V. Bourassa, R. J. Buhr, and B. H. Kiepper. Impact of scalding duration and scalding water temperature on broiler processing wastewater load. International Poultry Scientific Forum, Atlanta, Georgia, January 30-31, 2017.

Harris, C. E., L. N. Bartenfeld, D. V. Bourassa, B. D. Fairchild, B. H. Kiepper, and R. J. Buhr. Evaluation of cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) on water usage and Salmonalla retention in broilers following feed and water withdrawal. PSA Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, July 16-20, 2017.

Bourassa, D.V., J. B. Hess, A. Tigue, and J. Elmore. Methods, equipment, and considerations during training for backyard chicken processing. PSA Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida, July 16-20, 2017.

Hess, J.B., W. D. Berry, D. V. Bourassa, C. M. Kwon, and R. W. Wallace. Can a dried Chlorella vulgaris algae / duckweek feed ingredient enhance skin pigmentation for chicken skin and egg yolks? XVII European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products and XXIII European Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, September 3-5, 2017.

Bourassa, D.V., B. C. Bowker, H. Zhuang, and R. J. Buhr. Impact of low atmosphere pressure stun/killing of broilers on breast skin Salmonella and Campylobacter post-defeathering and breast fillet meat quality. XVII European Symposium on the Quality of Eggs and Egg Products and XXIII European Symposium on the Quality of Poultry Meat, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, September 3-5, 2017.

Bourassa, D. V. Perdas no abate por “sinovite” associada à “fraqueza nas pernas”: rupture do tenadão gastrocnêmio. aviNews Brasil. P38/42, Março 2017.

Bourassa, D. V. Decomisos por “synovitis” asociada a “patas verdes” – rupture del gastrocnemio. aviNews A. Latina, Marzo 2017.

Bourassa, D. V. Raw Poultry Products. What do all those labels mean? ACES ANR-2386.

Bourassa, D.V. Wooden Breast – Emerging Technologies for Identification. WOGS Newsletter, May 2017.

Bourassa, D.V. Pre-Scald Removal of Fecal Contamination. WOGS Newsletter, June 2017.

Bourassa, D.V. Stormwater Runoff – Minimizing Escherichia coli. WOGS Newsletter, July 2017.

IL

Candido, M.G.L., Y. Xiong, R.S. Gates, and K.W. Koelkebeck. 2017. Effects of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on turkey poult performance. Poult Sci. 96 (submitted).