Poultry Times September 10 Edition

Poultry Times PERIODICALS

PoultryHealth

Since 1954, the nation’s only poultry industry newspaper

September 10, 2012

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DYNE-O-MIGHT from Preserve International has proven antimicrobial efficacy against the most highly resistant microorganisms for sanitizing poultry & livestock drinking water, footbaths and disinfecting poultry houses.

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DYNE-O-MIGHT’s patented formulation incorporates iodine’s osmosis mode of action to “bleed through” the microorganism to allow ingredients used within the DYNE-O-MIGHT formulation to access the interior of the microorganism, resulting in complete destruction or inactivation of the microorganism’s life cycle.

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September 10, 2012 Volume 59, Number 19 www.poultrytimes.net

IPPE pre-registration now open

Special

NCPF presentation: Scott Prestage of Prestage Farms, left, 2012-13 president of the North Carolina Poultry Federation board of directors, presents the Past President’s Award to Paul Nordin of Wayne Farms in recognition of his dedication to the poultry industry and for his services as the 2011-12 NCPF president. The award was presented during the NCPF’s recent annual meeting.

CDC notes new cases of swine flu strain The Associated Press

ATLANTA — Don’t pet the pigs.

That’s the message state and county fair visitors got on Aug. 9 from health officials who reported a five-fold increase of cases of a new strain of swine flu that spreads from pigs to people. Most of the cases are linked to the fairs, where visitors are in close contact with infected pigs.

This flu has mild symptoms and it’s not really spreading from person to person.

“This is not a pandemic situation,” said Dr. Joseph Bresee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But any flu can be a risk for some people, and people should be cautious when they can, he added.

The case count jumped from 29 in late July to 158 in early August, thanks to a wave of new cases in Indiana and Ohio, said Bresee, the agency’s chief of influenza epidemiology.

Most of the infected patients are children — probably because many were working closely with raising, displaying and visiting pigs at the agricultural fairs, Bresee said.

The recent cases include at least 113 in Indiana, 30 in Ohio, one in Hawaii and one in Illinois, Bresee said in a conference call with reporters.

The count is changing rapidly.

Indiana health officials on Aug. 9 said they had seven more confirmed cases than Bresee noted. That would raise the grand total to 165 so far.

Also, diagnosis of cases has be-

ATLANTA — Attendee and exhibitor pre-registration and hotel registration for the 2013 International Production & Processing Expo is now open. Online is the only way to pre-register for the discounted price of $40 through Jan. 11, 2013. After Jan.11, the registration fee will increase to $60.

The International Production & Processing Expo is comprised of three integrated tradeshows, the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s International Poultry Expo, the American Feed Industry Association’s International Feed Expo and the American Meat Institute’s International Meat Expo.

The new IPPE landing page, www.ippe13.org, provides links to the IPE, IFE and IME websites which focus on important attendee information including attendee registration, hotel reservations, a video describing the upcoming IPPE experience and a schedule of 2013 educational seminars offered during the Expo. The global poultry, come quicker. CDC no longer must confirm a case with its own lab. Now states are using CDC test kits to confirm cases on their own on, speeding the process along. The newly reported cases were likely infected a week or two earlier.

The CDC has been tracking cases since last summer. A concern: The new strain has a gene from the 2009 pandemic strain that might let it spread more easily than pig viruses normally do.

The good news is the flu does not seem to be unusually dangerous. Almost all of the illnesses have been mild and no one has died so far. Two of the recent cases were hospitalized, but both recovered and were

See Flu, Page 5

feed and meat industry trade show is scheduled Tuesday through Thursday, Jan. 29-31, 2013, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Resuming for 2013 is the popular “Members to Atlanta” (M2A) program, which waives the registration fee for attendees from member companies of all three associations engaged in the production of poultry, eggs and meat for consumption, and feed and pet food manufacturers.

The program is supported through the sponsorship of elite Expo exhibitors. They include Agranco Corp.

USA, Alaso, Alltech, Aviagen, Ceva, Cobb-Vantress, Diamond V, Dupont, ISI-Incubator Supply, Jamesway, Jefo, Marel Stork Poultry Processing, Kemin, Mosaic, Myuang and Pfizer Poultry Health.

“We recognize, appreciate, and thank these elite exhibiting companies for participating in the M2A program. M2A played a significant part in increasing attendance and contributing to the success of the 2012 Expo. We expect M2A to continue to generate excitement through the support of these elite sponsors,” said Mark Waller, Ingram Farms, Cullman, Ala., and chairman of U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

The Expo will highlight the latest technology, equipment and services used in the production and processing of poultry, meat and feed products. The week of Jan. 28-Feb. 1, 2013, has been designated as “IPPE Week” and will feature education programs addressing current industry issues. The education program schedule includes the annual line-up of the International Poultry Scientific Forum, Pet Food Conference, Animal Agricultural Sustainability

See IPPE, Page 5

AP Photo/Columbus Dispatch, Kyle Robertson

Swine flu strain: A participant checks on her pig in the Swine Barn at the Ohio State Fair, in Columbus on Aug. 1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there’s been a five-fold increase of cases of a new strain of swine flu that spreads from pigs to people. CDC adds that most or all of the cases appear to have spread from pigs to humans, meaning it’s not very contagious.

2

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Retailers brace for possible Eastern ports strike The Associated Press

NEWARK, N.J. — A union representing dock workers at the East Coast’s busiest port has authorized a strike if a contract deal isn’t reached by the end of September, lending urgency to preparations by retailers to send cargo elsewhere if labor talks affecting the entire seaboard remain at a standstill.

The negotiations affect ports up and down the East Coast and turn on key issues of overtime rules and container royalties, which are payments to union workers based on the weight of cargo received at each port. Talks broke down recently, and both sides said on Aug. 29 no new discussions had been scheduled.

Some retailers had already put contingency plans into action and

were rerouting ships to the West Coast or seeking other alternatives, while others were on the verge of acting, according to Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy for the National Retail Federation.

“Some already have decided to move cargo to the West Coast or to bring it earlier to the East Coast,” Gold said. “From what most folks have told me, they’re going to decide in the next week whether they’re going to pull the trigger.”

The Port of Los Angeles was prepared for the additional traffic, spokesman Phillip Sanfield said.

Any rerouted ships likely won’t arrive for a few weeks, he said.

A spokesman for Local 1804-1 of the International Longshoremen’s Association confirmed the union’s

strike authorization vote was entered late on Aug. 28. The local represents about 1,200 of the Port of New York and Jersey’s 3,500 longshoremen and consists of maintenance and repair workers, spokesman James McNamara said.

The local was supposed to have negotiations the week of Aug. 28, but those were canceled, he said.

In 2011, the New York-New Jersey ports handled cargo valued at $208 billion, up 18 percent from 2010, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

James Capo, head of the U.S. Maritime Alliance, which represents container carriers and port operators in the negotiations, has accused the union of taking advantage of loose overtime rules to make the New York-New Jersey ports the most expensive in the world. The alliance claims one-third of ILA workers there make more than $200,000 per year, not counting bonuses.

Those bonuses include container royalties that were negotiated in the 1960s to protect workers from job losses due to automation but now serve as a guaranteed payment of

more than $15,000 annually for East Coast workers, the alliance contends.

“Over the years, we’ve got a number of inefficient work rules and practices that have crept into the operation and need to be addressed,” Capo said. “It drives our costs up and makes us noncompetitive.”

McNamara accused the alliance of cherry-picking numbers and focusing only on a small minority of highly paid employees. He said the container royalties serve a valuable purpose by defraying benefits costs for union members in smaller ports, such as New Orleans and Jacksonville, Fla. “Up until last Wednesday (Aug. 22), we thought we were very close,” McNamara said of the negotiations. “Then they came in with a very hardline stance all of a sudden, and that resulted in the two sides as being very far apart.”

Georgia’s ports A port strike could be economically devastating for Georgia, especially at Savannah, the second-

busiest container port on the East Coast.

A strike would sideline roughly 1,500 longshoremen in Savannah, where the Georgia Ports Authority employs about 1,000 additional staff. And the economic impacts would ripple outward far from the docks on the Savannah River. A recent study by the University of Georgia said the ports in Savannah and nearby Brunswick directly support 153,884 jobs statewide.

“Right now, with the state of the economy in the United States, we don’t need any negative drag on it whatsoever,” Curtis Foltz, executive director of the Georgia Ports Authority, told The Atlanta JournalConstitution. “A work disruption on the East Coast certainly doesn’t help our recovery.”

Foltz was traveling out of the country on Aug. 29 and unavailable to comment further, Georgia ports spokesman Robert Morris said.

Willie Seymore, president of the Savannah chapter of the longshoremen’s union, did not immediately return a call from the Associated Press seeking comment.

Economy only grew at 1.7 percent rate for 2Q The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy grew at a tepid 1.7 percent annual rate in the April-June quarter, suggesting growth will stay weak in the second half of the year.

Slightly stronger consumer spending and greater exports were the main reasons the U.S. Commerce Department reported on Aug. 29 that growth was better than its initial estimate of 1.5 percent.

Still, growth has slowed from the 2 percent annual rate in the JanuaryMarch quarter and the 4.1 percent rate in the fourth quarter of 2011.

Economists expect only modest improvement in the second half of the year. Most believe the economy will keep growing, but at a subpar

rate of around 2 percent.

“The economy was sluggish in the second quarter and the slight upward revision . . . does nothing to change that picture,” said John Ryding, an economist at RDQ Economics, in a note to clients.

The report was the government’s second look at gross domestic product for the second quarter. GDP measures the country’s total output of goods and services, from the purchase of restaurant meals to construction of highways and bridges.

A third and final estimate of secondquarter growth will be released in September.

See Economy, Page 9

INDEX AEB Hotline.........................15 Business........................... 6--7 Calendar.............................11 Classified............................12 Nuggets..............................11 Viewpoint..............................4 A directory of Poultry Times advertisers appears on Page 15

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3

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

George Watts named secretary general of IPC PARIS — George Watts, who retired last year as president of the National Chicken Council, has been named secretary general of the International Poultry Council. He assumed the position during the IPC’s recent annual meeting in Praia do Forte, Bahia, Brazil.

Watts replaces George Winn, who recently stepped down as executive secretary of the IPC, a position he had held for the last four years. The IPC Executive Watts Committee also renamed the title from executive secretary to

secretary general.

Before his retirement from NCC, which is based in Washington, D.C., Watts served as its president for 39 years. Prior to joining the organization, he worked as a legislative assistant to two members of the U.S. Congress.

During his career, Watts served as a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Food and Agriculture Committee, president and director of the Commodity Club of Washington, and as chairman of the Food Group. He served on the USDA’s National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board from 2006-2009, and was an advisory member of the board of directors for the International Poultry Development Program joint-venture broiler project in Russia (Elinar Broiler).

Watts received the Poultry Industry Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Poultry and Food Distributors Association in January 2002, the Merial Distinguished Poultry Industry Career Award in 2009 from the Poultry Science Association, the Harold E. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award presented

by U.S. Poultry and Egg Association “for exemplary service to the poultry industry” in January 2011, and was inducted into the Meat Industry Hall of Fame in November 2011.

Watts holds a degree from the University of Georgia, where he studied journalism and political science.

He currently serves as a member of the board of directors of Case Foods and a consultant for Arrowsight Inc. He and his wife Barbara reside in Alexandria, Va.

Photo by David B. Strickland

GPIA chairman award: Joel Williams, left, Mar-Jac, was presented an award in recognition for his service as chairman of the Georgia Poultry Improvement Association for the past year during the group’s 76th annual meeting on Aug. 15, in Gainesville, Ga. Presenting Williams with the award is Brad Harp, Cagle’s Inc.

www.poultrytimes.net

Litter & vaccine management during VLT outbreak

By Drs. Casey Ritz & Louise Dufour-Zavala Special to Poultry Times

ATHENS, Ga. — When Vaccinal Laryngotracheitis (VLT) breaks into broiler flocks, many issues come into play as poultry companies, growers and state agencies attempt to suppress the spread of the outbreak. Modification of traffic patterns, flock placement schedules, litter management and vaccination programs all help to contain the disease. Most importantly, working together in a concerted effort towards the same goal is paramount to success.

Litter from broiler flocks that have the disease or have been vaccinated for it becomes seeded with virus that can spread to unaffected, unprotected flocks. Litter management at all levels, therefore, becomes important during an outbreak. The following voluntary guidelines can assist poultry growers and litter

haulers with litter management during VLT outbreaks: When the first case breaks — When a case of VLT is diagnosed and before it is determined whether it will be necessary to vaccinate, the positive farm’s biosecurity procedures must be enhanced, including longer downtime, keeping the litter in the house and heating it for 100 hours at 100 degrees F. For this strategy to work, it is critical that all stray birds and remaining mortality be properly disposed of immediately after catching. Houses should be kept closed as much as possible to prevent wild birds and other animals from picking up and spreading the virus.

Creation of a biosecurity zone — The farms within 5 miles of the first case are in a “Biosecurity Zone” and are asked to keep the litter inhouse. The reason being that the incubation period for VLT is long

(seven-10 days) and the disease is very contagious. There is a good chance that nearby flocks to the first case flock have been infected with the virus but have yet to show signs of the disease before they are processed. The litter of these flocks has great potential to spread the disease to its neighbors if it is taken out of the house and land applied.

As all farms are being vaccinated — As the disease spreads, it may be determined that broiler vaccination is necessary to control the outbreak. Broiler house cleanout must be delayed until at least six weeks after vaccination starts within a given zone. Keeping all litter in-house while all birds become vaccinated effectively reduces the number of new cases.

When all broilers are vaccinated — Once all broilers are vaccinated within a zone, the litter can be taken out and spread within that zone. Treated litter (composted,

deep-stacked for five days or more, or heat-treated) can be taken out of the zone into non-poultry producing areas by licensed manure haulers. Deep stacking litter for 21 days will help to decrease the microbial load in the material by denaturing pathogens with heat and microbial activity. Manure haulers must ensure that the hauling equipment is in good repair and that each load is covered with a tight fitting tarp in order to prevent any spillage of material during transport onto public roads. Transport vehicles need to be disinfected, especially the undercarriage, tires and wheel wells after leaving the farm and after off-loading of the litter.

When vaccination is discontinued — Once vaccination is discontinued, the same “keep the litter inhouse” rule applies for another six weeks while all farms return back to a non-vaccinated state. Litter

management is especially important when trying to get OUT of an outbreak situation where there are, for a period of time, vaccinated and susceptible birds in the same area.

Following these litter management guidelines during a VLT outbreak will help to reduce the spread and scope of the disease. Cooperation of growers, manure haulers and company personnel on litter management practices during disease outbreak will assist in a more rapid recovery.

Reminder: VLT is not transmissible to humans and does not affect the safety and quality of chicken food products.

Dr. Casey Ritz is an Extension poultry scientist with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service in Athens, Ga., and Dr. Louise Dufour-Zavala is executive director of the Georgia Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory in Oakwood, Ga.

4

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Viewpoint Compiled by Barbara Olejnik, Associate Editor 770-718-3440 bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

Drought challenging all sides of agriculture

By Bob Stallman

Special to Poultry Times

WASHINGTON — One of the greatest attributes of a general farm organization such as Farm Bureau is that it represents farm and ranch families who raise all different types of food and fiber. At the same time, one of the biggest challenges facing a general farm organization is that it represents farm and ranch families who raise all different types of food and fiber. This summer’s drought brought that fact clearly into focus.

For the third time in four years, corn prices have topped $7 a bushel.

This year, the price has shot past $8. Livestock farmers and ranchers are painfully Stallman seeing their revenues melt due to lack of forage supplies and high feed costs. Compounding their pain are low prices in the short term due to more animals going to market so they do not have to be fed.

Renewable fuels Feeling tremendous economic pressure, livestock producers are calling for relief. One highly visible target is our nation’s Renewable Fuels Standard. Many are calling for a waiver. In addition to the drought itself, they blame the government’s

renewable fuels mandate for higher feed costs. If Farm Bureau just represented cattle, hog or poultry growers, it would be pretty easy to determine our position. Similarly, if all of our members grew only corn, our position would be steadfast.

American agriculture is a big tent.

Farm Bureau policy supports livestock producers. It also supports expanding renewable fuels to the maximum amount possible. Therein lies the rub.

So, how does a general farm organization reconcile these two positions, which are both held as fundamental and vital, in a year like this?

The simple answer is with great difficulty and a lot of conversation.

But the complexities of this issue trump simple logic.

The economics behind renewable fuels reflect a new reality that goes well beyond the mandate. At today’s energy and livestock prices, a bushel of corn is simply worth more passed through a vehicle’s tail pipe than it is passed through a chicken or a hog’s stomach.

In fact, one can make a strong case that a bushel of corn is worth close to $10 per bushel by extracting all the energy and leaving the protein for an animal feed.

Nearly the entire petroleum refining industry is set up to refine oil to 84 octane content, with ethanol added to boost it to 87 octane. It is actually cheaper for the refining system to produce 87 octane gasoline using ethanol than it is to refine oil to a full 87 octane.

It took the RFS mandate to con-

vince the oil companies of that fact.

It is fairly certain that oil companies would revert to a full oil-based fuel – and raise the price of gasoline — if the renewable mandate were removed.

Further, with oil in the $80 to $90 per barrel range, one recent study suggested that waiving the RFS in the short-term would only lower the price of corn by roughly 25 cents.

Another suggested that corn prices next year would be affected anywhere between nothing and $1.30 per bushel.

What we are really facing is a problem of low grain stocks and of holding enough reserves to get through this temporary situation.

Let me be emphatically clear on this point: re-creating a government stocks program does not work for any sector of production agriculture.

History shows that significant price swings are a natural part of the marketing cycle — even before ethanol and exports were players in the agricultural sector. One must go back to the 1930s to find the last time we had a severe drought but did not have the dead weight of government stocks hanging over the market. And we saw price swings then very similar to what we are witnessing today.

As farmers and ranchers, whether a producer of crops or livestock, we know weather and markets are fickle, taking the shape of friend one minute and foe the next. Risk protection tools help smooth out those peaks and valleys, always with an eye toward a better tomorrow.

But there is no denying the fact that livestock producers are in a period of fundamental change.

The challenges they face cannot be minimized.

As an organization, Farm Bureau will continue to have the internal discussion and work through our policy process as we always have.

We are all of agriculture and will work toward finding the solution that represents the combined will and wisdom of our diverse membership.

We are all in this together and we are in it for the long haul.

“

‘American agriculture is a big tent. Farm Bureau policy supports livestock producers. It also supports expanding renewable fuels to the maximum amount possible. Therein lies the rub.’

Bob Stallman

American Farm Bureau Federation

Bob Stallman is president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, the nation’s largest general farm organization, based in

Washington, D.C. More information about the organization can be obtained at www.fb.org.

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5

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

New vaccine researched to assist in fighting Newcastle BELTSVILLE, Md. — Newcastle disease (ND), which can be deadly for domestic and commercial poultry as well as wild bird populations, is a major concern worldwide for the poultry industry. Newcastle disease virus (NDV), which typically affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and/ or nervous system, causes disease in more than 250 species of birds.

Symptoms of ND can include coughing, gasping, diarrhea, lack of appetite and drooping wings. Severe cases can result in mortality rates that exceed 90 percent in susceptible chickens. To complicate matters, a quick diagnosis of an ND outbreak may be difficult because it can be confused with a clinically similar disease — avian influenza.

Commercial poultry producers now use vaccines that protect vaccinated birds from disease, but these vaccines do not prevent poultry

from becoming infected and carrying virulent NDV or shedding it in their feces. Infected birds can still spread the disease to healthy, unvaccinated birds.

ARS scientists at the agency’s Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Ga., have developed a new vaccine that reduces mortality and severity of ND symptoms in poultry. The vaccine also decreases the amount of virulent virus shed from birds.

Microbiologist Qingzhong Yu in the ARS Endemic Poultry Viral Disease Research Unit and his colleagues in the ARS Exotic and Emerging Avian Viral Diseases Research Unit used reverse genetics technology to create a new vaccine that replaces a gene in the vaccine with a similar gene from the virulent NDV circulating in the environment today.

“Currently, most vaccines used in the United States are formulated with NDV isolated in the 1940s, which is similar to the virulent NDV circulating at that time,” Yu says. “Unfortunately, with time, new NDV strains have emerged that are genetically very different from commonly used vaccine strains.

“We found that when the new vaccine, which contains gene sequences similar to the virulent virus, was used in vaccination studies, the vaccinated birds were protected from disease and shed less of the virulent virus after challenge,” Yu says.

Vaccines have been used for more than 50 years to control ND and are successful in reducing mortality and the severity of symptoms, Yu says.

However, ND continues to threaten the commercial poultry industry.

The most recent U.S. outbreak

Conference — Current Issues for the Poultry & Egg Industry; USPOULTRY/United Egg Producers Conference on the Future of the U.S. Egg Industry; Meat & Poultry Research Conference; Processed Meats Workshop; Consumer Trends — Best New Meat and Poultry Products; Operations: Risk Management

& Lifestyle Analysis; and International Regulatory Topics for Meat.

Back by popular demand is the National Renderers Association’s International Rendering Symposium and the Poultry Market Intelligence Forum.

More information about the 2013 IPPE can be obtained at www. ippe13.org.

USDA Agricultural Research Service

Vaccine research; Microbiologist Qingzhong Yu examines recombinant Newcastle disease virus vaccine candidates in infected cells.

in 2002-2003 affected poultry in several states: Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. The industry suffered a devastating blow when more than 3.4 million birds had to be destroyed. California alone spent more than $160 million to control the outbreak.

The new vaccine protects birds from ND and reduces virus shed-

•IPPE (Continued from page 1)

Summit and AFIA International Feed Education Program.

New for 2013 are the following educational programs: Improving Food Safety, Sanitation and Maintenance; Animal Handling: Focus on Poultry Processing; Antibiotic

discharged, Bresee said.

More good news is that all of the recent cases appear to have spread from pigs to humans, meaning it’s not very contagious, at least between people. But there probably will be more cases in the weeks ahead, and

This article is drawn from Healthy Animals, an online compilation of animal health-related research news put out each quarter by the information staff of the Agricultural Research Service, the USDA’s chief scientific agency.

www.poultrytimes.net

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•Flu (Continued from page 1)

ding, which will ultimately decrease the spread of the virulent virus.

it won’t be surprising if at least a few of them involve person-to-person transmission, Bresee said.

Pigs spread flu virus just like people do, with coughing, sneezing and runny noses, so people can get it by touching pigs or being near them.

Health officials don’t think it’s necessary to cancel swine shows,

but are urging people to take precautions.

Fairgoers should wash their hands and avoid taking food and drinks into livestock barns, officials said, while pregnant women, young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems should be particularly careful.

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POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Business

Other Business News

Compiled by David B. Strickland, Editor 770-718-3442 dstrickland@poultrytimes.net

ENC recognizing teachers for ideas on fighting obesity PARK RIDGE, Ill. — Nutrition educators and physical education teachers that have fresh ideas for helping students kindergarten through 12th grade combat obesity, or have an existing program that has proven effective, are invited to share their concepts with ENC-Teacher Exchange for a chance to earn a $500 honorarium or national recognition.

The Egg Nutrition Center (ENC), science division of the American Egg Board, introduced ENC-Teacher Exchange (www.encteacher.org) this year to spotlight the best ideas developed by teachers to reverse the childhood obesity epidemic in America. ENC will award a $500 honorarium to a select number of teachers who submit new ideas or successful existing programs that are featured on the ENC-Teacher Exchange website. Separately, a handful of schools with the most innovative programs will be featured in a video story that will appear on the ENC-Teacher Exchange website and on www.

SchoolTube.com.

Teachers are invited to join ENC-Teacher Exchange online at no charge to receive e-mail notification when new videos, lesson plans or other easily replicated teaching tools for combating obesity are announced.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported recently that two-thirds of Ameri-

can adults and 15 percent of children are overweight or obese; in some states, notably in the Southeastern U.S., the rate of obesity among children exceeds 30 percent.

“Obesity is probably the number one health-related issue of our time,” said Dr. Mitchell Kanter, executive director of Egg Nutrition Center. “More innovative ideas are needed to combat obesity and there’s no better place to search for them than with the teachers who deal with these issues every day in the classroom.”

ENC recently featured Northeast Elementary in Danville, Ill., a K-5th grade magnet school that was the first grade school in the nation to earn the prestigious Gold Award from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation.

ENC-Teacher Exchange featured Northeast’s success story in a 9minute video that appears on its website: Gold School Danville.

Eggs are a 70-calorie, nutrient-rich whole food that belong in any well balanced diet, which is one reason ENC became involved in the fight against obesity. But Kanter emphasized that Egg Nutrition Center’s motives with ENC-Teacher Exchange are strictly educational.

“We want to be part of the solution by providing educators and other health professionals with new tools they can use in the battle against obesity,” Kanter said.

Tyson receives conservation award BRYANT, Ark. — Tyson Foods was recognized by the Arkansas Wildlife Federation as Corporate Conservationist of the Year at the Governor’s 2012 Conservation Achievement Awards Banquet held in Bryant on Aug. 25.

AWF noted Tyson Foods’ commitment to people, planet, profit and products, as outlined in the company’s sustainability report, as the reason Tyson was chosen for the honor. Some of the recent sustainability accomplishments that led to the recognition include:  Tyson Foods recently received an “Excellence in Sustainability” award from a major retail customer for sustainable packaging efforts that is expected to save more than 2.1 million truck miles annually.  Since October 2004, Tyson has reduced the number of gallons of water used per pound of finished product by 21.7 percent.  Tyson was named “Best of Sustainable Supply” winner in 2012 for its environmental efforts, which resulted in a 43 percent reduction in waste materials sent to community landfills by one of its major customers.  During its 2011 fiscal year, Tyson Foods recycled 26,434 tons of corrugated containers and plastics.

“Tyson has gone above and beyond what a lot of companies have done,” said Wayne Shewmake, president of AWF. “Being an Arkansas company they’ve done what they can to conserve our natural resources through conservancy, energy use and recycling programs.

Those were all factors in our deci-

sion process.”

“It’s an honor to receive accolades and we believe our team members deserve the recognition from the AWF,” said Kevin Igli, senior vice president and chief environmental and health officer. “But we don’t do these things for mere recognition, we do them because they’re the right things to do as a responsible company.”

More information can be obtained at www.tysonfoods.com.

Sanderson reports third quarter results LAUREL, Miss. — Sanderson Farms Inc. has reported its results for the third fiscal quarter and nine months ended July 31, 2012.

Net sales for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 were $624.9 million compared with $511.2 million for the same period a year ago. For the quarter, the company reported net income of $28.7 million, or $1.25 per share, compared with a net loss of $55.7 million, or $2.51 per share, for the third quarter of fiscal 2011.

Net sales for the first nine months of fiscal 2012 were $1,737.7 million compared with $1,418.2 million for the first nine months of fiscal 2011.

Net income for the first nine months of fiscal 2012 totaled $44.6 million, or $1.94 per share, compared with a net loss of $105.5 million, or $4.77 per share, for the first nine months of last year.

“Sanderson Farms’ financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2012 reflect improved market conditions when compared to last year’s third quarter,” said Joe F. Sanderson Jr., chairman and CEO of Sanderson Farms Inc. “Market prices for poultry products were higher than the third quarter of fiscal 2011, as the Georgia Dock whole bird price reached historic high prices during the quarter. These prices reflect steady retail grocery store demand and lower production. In addition, market prices for wings continued

a strong counter seasonal upward trend. While retail grocery store demand has remained steady, food service demand remains sluggish, keeping the market price for boneless breast meat under pressure during the third quarter. Boneless breast meat prices have strengthened during August.”

“Market prices for poultry products were higher in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 compared with prices in the third quarter of fiscal 2011,” Sanderson said. “As measured by a simple average of the Georgia Dock price for whole chickens, prices increased 8.6 percent compared with the third quarter of fiscal 2011.

Boneless breast prices improved when compared to last year’s third fiscal quarter, averaging 14.7 percent higher than the prior-year period, but still remained relatively weak given sluggish food service demand. Jumbo wing prices averaged $1.59 per pound for the third quarter of fiscal 2012, up 104.2 percent from the average of 78 cents per pound for the third quarter of fiscal 2011. The average quoted market price for bulk leg quarters increased approximately 12.2 percent for the quarter. Cash prices for corn delivered to the company decreased 5.7 percent compared with the third quarter a year ago, while the price for soybean meal delivered to the company increased 8.2 percent.

For the nine months ended July 31, 2012, the company’s cash prices for corn decreased 1.2 percent and soybean meal decreased 2.5 percent when compared to the nine months ended July 31, 2011.”

“While market conditions improved during our third fiscal quarter compared to last year’s third quarter, the company and our industry face a challenging environment going forward,” Sanderson added. “Market prices for grain are at historic highs, and ongoing drought conditions across much of the country have (Continued on next page)

7

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012 (Continued from previous page)

created considerable uncertainty regarding this year’s corn and soybean crops. While the quantity available and prices we will pay for grain during the coming months will ultimately depend on this year’s final crop performance, prices are certain to be much higher than those paid for grain this fiscal year. Based on current markets, cash paid for feed grains would be approximately $61.1 higher during fiscal 2012 compared to fiscal 2011. We have priced little of our grain needs going forward, and will remain on the market for our needs for now.”

“While market prices for chicken remain higher than they were last year and have strengthened over the past few weeks, they are not high enough to offset what we now expect to be significantly higher input costs during the coming months,” he said. “In light of these costs, beginning Aug. 6, 2012, we reduced our egg sets by 2 percent across all company divisions to lessen the impact of the higher grain costs we are facing. This reduction was in addition to the 4 percent reduction started Jan. 1, 2012, and we will run our plants at 6 percent below capacity until market conditions improve.”

“Despite challenging market conditions, we remain confident in the long term success of the company and our industry,” added Sanderson.

“We also remain confident in and committed to our growth strategy.

Toward that end, we announced today we have selected Nash County, North Carolina, as the site for a future new poultry complex. We have purchased land near Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on which a new hatchery will be built, and we own options to purchase property on which spray fields that will form a part of a waste water treatment facility will be located. However, the timing of building that complex remains on hold until market fundamentals improve, including sufficient confidence that the global supply of feed grains will be adequate to meet world demand at reasonable prices.

In addition to market conditions,

construction of the Nash County facilities remains subject to other contingencies such as obtaining the land on which the processing plant will be built, obtaining the necessary permits to construct and operate the facilities, and obtaining acceptable economic incentive packages from the State of North Carolina and the local government.”

Novus gives support to Chad poultry site ST. LOUIS — Novus International Inc. recently announced its support of a modern poultry production complex in Chad. The signing ceremony for the project, termed “Project Koundoul,” took place on July 19 in N’Djamena.

Participants in the ceremony included the country’s Prime Minister Emmanuel Nadingar, along with representatives from Globoaves, a Brazilian-based poultry breeder and production company and Novus.

“We are excited to support a project where Novus, our partner Globoaves and the Chad government are working together to establish a modern poultry production complex in their country,” said Luis Azevedo, executive director, Latin America at Novus. “This example of South-South partnership is important for capacity building, helping to improve food security and the livelihood of the Chadians. This project may serve as a model for the development of industrial meat production in Africa.”

The project dates to October 2010, when Novus President and CEO Thad Simons, met with the Prime Minister of Chad during an agribusiness conference in Uganda.

The Chad government attended a presentation of the Program of Family Poultry (PAF–Programa de Avicultura Familiar, www.paf.org. br) in Alagoas, a joint project by Globoaves and Novus.

The prime minister expressed interest in having Globoaves and Novus as partners with their government on a food security national program.

Novus and Simons collaborated

with Novus Africa to work with Globoaves in support of the program.

In addition to Simons, two other Novus employees were instrumental in the development of the agreement; Luis Azevedo, who managed the Brazilian involvement with Globoaves, and Bayella Thiam, executive manager, Novus Africa, who was involved on the ground and dealt directly with the Chad government.

“Besides bringing poultry production to an industrial level in Africa, the idea is to build a complete poultry ecosystem from industrial to small scale, and from genetics to farm and to fork,” Thiam said. “We expect to bring this model to subSaharan countries that are looking to develop agribusiness, especially chicken and egg business.”

Project Koundoul will be completed during a 24-month process, beginning fourth quarter 2012 through the end of 2014.

“The signing of the agreement for Project Koundoul represents the culmination of a lot of hard work by representatives of the Chad government, Globoaves and the Novus team,” said Dan Meagher, president, Global Animal Nutrition Solutions at Novus. “Novus is honored to support a project that will benefit all Chadians. We look forward to its success and to replicate this model in other countries as a means to feed the world affordable, wholesome food and achieve a higher quality of life.”

More information can be obtained at www.novusint.com.

Diamond V opens new global HQ CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Diamond V dedicated its new 17,000square-foot high-tech global headquarters on Aug. 24 at its 77-acre Diamond V campus here.

Its new, green headquarters relies on geo-thermal heat for even climate control, the company said, adding that, the new global headquarters sits adjacent to the stateof-the-art South Manufacturing

Business Facility. Dedicated just three years ago, the South Manufacturing Facility is now undergoing an expansion to accommodate growing demand globally.

“Our mission at Diamond V is to leverage technology and science to deliver nutritional solutions for the world,” said John Bloomhall, president and CEO of Diamond V. With the world population expected to reach 9 billion within 40 years, an increase of 2 billion individuals, food production will need to double. Seventy percent of that increase is expected to result from efficiencies gained through improving technology, Bloomhall said.

“Diamond V is a key player in answering the world demand for quality feed ingredients to optimize animal nutrition and health,” he added.

Diamond V received recognition and congratulations from American Feed Industry Association President Joel Neuman, Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, Mayor of Cedar Rapids Ron Corbett, U.S. Sens. Chuck Grassley and Tom Harken and U.S. Rep. David Loebsack. Sen. Grassley presented a certificate of recognition.

“Diamond V Original XPC and XP fully fermented yeast culture introduced the industry to the full benefits realized by optimizing digestive function and performance 70 years ago,” Bloomhall said. “The proprietary anaerobic fermentation technology known only to Diamond V leads the livestock industry thanks to research insights gained through first-hand experience and hundreds of objective, in-depth and unmatched scientific, peer-reviewed research trials.”

USB & Goodyear partner on soy tire ST. LOUIS — The United Soybean Board has announced a

partnership with Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. Goodyear recently announced field tests for a new tire featuring U.S. soy that the company says may offer consumers increased tread life and a greener alternative to those manufactured solely with petrochemicals, the companies said.

Goodyear’s announcement marked the public unveiling of a two-year, ongoing collaboration between the soy checkoff and the Akron, Ohio-based company.

“The soy checkoff welcomes the opportunity to partner with Goodyear in bringing this tire to the market,” said Russ Carpenter, a soybean farmer from Trumansburg, N.Y., and chairman of the USB New Uses program. “The checkoff constantly looks for ways to improve the value of soy oil to U.S. soybean farmers and this new tire highlights soy’s versatility in the marketplace.”

The partnership began two years ago, after the 2008 spike in crude oil prices prompted Goodyear to evaluate petrochemical alternatives and propose research exploring soy oil’s potential in its products. In full production, Goodyear estimates that it could use 7 million gallons of soy oil annually.

Goodyear’s testing found that using soy not only lowered petrochemical amounts from the tire’s manufacturing process, but also increased its efficiency by reducing energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, soy oil’s increased performance may yield up to 10 percent longer tread life.

If real-world testing runs smoothly, Goodyear expects the new soy-based tires to be available for purchase as early as 2015.

More information can be obtained at www.goodyear.com.

More information on the United Soybean Board can be obtained at www.unitedsoybean.org

8

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Salmonella control measures at the chill tank

By Mark E. Berrang Special to Poultry Times

OCEAN CITY, Md. — Control of salmonella on poultry meat should be in the form of a continuous effort from the breeder farm to the fully processed and further processed product, as well as consumer education.

However, control is often measured at the chill tank and efforts are made to relate prevalence to processing parameters. We have studied processing methodologies applied at commercial broiler plants and measured the affect on salmonella prevalence.

We tested the use of a scald water additive to increase the pH from near neutral to 9.89 in an attempt to lessen salmonella contamination before feather removal. Carcasses

subjected to the high pH scald were numerically but not significantly less likely to be contaminated with salmonella than those treated by standard scald. After proceeding through commercial automated defeathering which increased salmonella prevalence, a subsequent chlorine dip tank was found to be ineffective to lessen salmonella prevalence on carcasses previously treated with a high pH scald.

Moderating the increased microbial contamination during defeathering has been the goal of multiple research projects. One such project was conducted in a commercial plant and involved application of chorine dioxide through existing plumbing in feather picking machines. Carcasses subjected to standard feather picking with a water spray suffered a significant increase in salmonella

prevalence. Carcasses defeathered under a spray of 50 ppm chlorine dioxide did not have a co-incident increase in salmonella contamination.

Broiler processors also employ various spray and brush washers on both the kill and evisceration lines.

We examined the efficacy of multiple wash steps in a commercial broiler slaughter plant. When examined individually, no single spray or brush washer had a significant affect on prevalence of salmonella.

However, when applied in series as part of commercial processing, the result was a dramatic decrease in prevalence from approximately 80 percent pre-scald to 25 percent pre-chill.

Finally, chemical processing aids are approved for use in commercial broiler processing to lessen micro-

bial contamination. We conducted a one year study in 20 randomly selected large commercial broiler plants, using different combinations of processing aids, to determine salmonella prevalence at re-hang and post chill.

We found eight different types of processing aids (including none) being employed in on-line reprocessing. Some plants were also applying chlorine in washers and chill tanks.

Salmonella prevalence ranged from 32 percent to 97 percent at re-hang and from 2 percent to 60 percent post-chill.

Regardless of chlorine use, or type of chemical aid, broiler processing significantly lessened salmonella prevalence in all plants and all replications. We found that serotype of salmonella detected had more to do

with the incoming population than the antimicrobial chemicals used in processing.

Overall, broiler processing is very effective to lessen microbial contamination of carcasses. Salmonella prevalence is reliably lessened to a significant degree through modern processing techniques.

Further research and ongoing optimization of processing parameters will help processors as they continue to improve the microbiological quality of poultry meat products.

Mark E. Berrang is a microbiologist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service’s Russell Research Center in Athens, Ga. This article is drawn from a presentation given at the 2011 National Meeting on Poultry Health and Processing, held in Ocean City, Md.

USDA partners with foreign countries to enhance safeguards WASHINGTON — USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is hosting a series of seven courses this summer designed to teach foreign agricultural officials about animal and plant health safeguarding practices in the U.S. and enhance their ability to develop science-based regulatory systems that effectively prevent the introduction and establishment of harmful pests and diseases.

Through APHIS courses, foreign regulatory officials are able to come to the U.S. to learn skills and processes — including disease control strategies, risk analysis and assessment and laboratory network support — that will enable these countries to have stronger agricultural infrastructures and, potentially, a brighter future in international trade.

These programs are consistent with the goals of the Global Food Security Initiative, which aims to build countries’ capacity to fight

hunger and malnutrition.

The classes will also help to guard against the introduction of pests and disease in the U.S., thereby safeguarding the U.S. agricultural economy.

“APHIS has long recognized the importance of partnering with other countries to combat agricultural health issues overseas in order to better protect our nation’s agricultural industries,” said Marketing and Regulatory Program Deputy Undersecretary Rebecca Blue. “These courses will further strengthen APHIS’ partnerships, as

well as foreign agricultural officials’ ability to address pest and disease situations in their home countries that threaten agriculture around the globe and limit their ability to engage in trade with the United States and other countries.”

By helping developing countries establish regulatory frameworks based on sound science and formal protocols, APHIS is also helping to facilitate export opportunities for U.S. producers who want to expand their markets to developing nations but lack a clear understanding of those countries’ import procedures.

Topics The courses offered by APHIS cover an array of topics, including:  Risk Analysis for Animal Health  Emergency Poultry Disease Response  Diagnostic Laboratory Network Systems

 Veterinary Epidemiology  International Transboundary Animal Disease Control  Plant Health Systems Analysis  Plant Health Pest Risk Assessment APHIS’ overseas offices promote participation in the courses, which have been held for the past three summers and trained 343 foreign agricultural officials.

Foreign officials apply to the classes most relevant to their job functions.

Participants This year, countries sending participants to APHIS’ courses include Bangladesh, Chile, Egypt, Haiti, India, Iraq, Israel, Kenya, Korea, Mexico, Pakistan, Uganda and Ukraine.

The courses typically last five to 10 days and are held at APHIS’ two regional offices located in Raleigh,

N.C., and Fort Collins, Colo., as well as the agency’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, and at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center off the coast of New York.

“We are thankful to the governments of the participating countries, as well as the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Department of Defense’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency for contributing funding for these courses,” said Blue.

“As a result of their sponsorship, we can continue forging new partnerships, better address agricultural pests and disease around the world and strengthen international trade, including exports of U.S. agricultural products abroad,” she added.

More information about APHIS international courses and capacity building efforts is available at www. aphis.usda.gov/international_safeguarding/index.shtml.

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9

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Minn. wild bird die-offs under investigation

Photo by David B. Strickland

Lonestar: Country music group Lonestar entertained the crowd at the Georgia Poultry Federation’s Night of Knights event Aug. 25, in Atlanta, Ga.

•Economy (Continued from page 2)

Growth at or below 2 percent is not enough to lower the unemployment rate, which was 8.3 percent in July. Most expect the unemployment rate to stay above 8 percent for the rest of this year.

A weak economy and high unemployment could hurt President Barack Obama’s re-election chances and bolster Mitt Romney’s campaign. Republicans were in Tampa, Fla., during the week of Aug. 29 to formally nominate Romney and have pointed to the dismal growth in making the case to elect their candidate.

Economist Robert Brusca said the various changes in the second estimate should be positive for growth going forward. He noted more consumer demand in the spring than previously thought, which drives 70 percent of economic growth.

And he pointed to less restocking of shelves, which suggests businesses could replenish their stockpiles in

the current quarter. Faster inventory growth increases factory production, which boosts growth.

But Paul Dales, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics, said the small revision to second-quarter growth “offers little comfort.”

“We are already two months through the third quarter and more up-to-date figures show that the economy is still struggling,” Dales said.

Slow growth could prompt the Federal Reserve to take greater steps to boost the economy when policymakers meet again on Sept.

12-13. In late July, Fed policymakers spoke with increased urgency about the need to provide more help for a weak U.S. economy.

Some suspect the Fed will wait to see how the economy performed in August, especially after July’s data was better than expected.

Employers created 163,000 jobs in July, the most since February.

Consumers stepped up retail spending, factories produced more goods

and the housing recovery continued with increases in both new and previously occupied homes.

The upward revision to secondquarter growth was largely because consumers spent at a slightly faster pace than first estimated. Consumer spending grew a 1.7 percent rate, better than the 1.5 percent initial estimated. Exports, which add to growth, were also stronger, growing at a 6 percent rate.

Government spending, which has been a drag on growth for the past two years, contracted again in the second quarter. But the decline at an annual rate of 0.9 percent was less than the initial estimated drop of 1.4 percent. That reflected a much smaller dip in defense spending than first estimated.

All of the changes boosted economic output by $6.5 billion more than previously estimated, leaving total GDP at $13.56 trillion, after adjusting for inflation, in the second quarter.

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Hundreds of double-crested cormorants and ring-billed gulls on Pigeon Lake in Meeker County and Minnesota Lake in Faribault County, Minn., have died from an avian virus suspected to be Newcastle disease, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

As of early August, an estimated 700 cormorants, 100 pelicans and a small number of gulls, herons and egrets had been found sick and dead at Pigeon Lake, which is near Litchfield in west-central Minnesota.

Fewer than 100 birds were affected at Minnesota Lake.

Newcastle disease is a viral disease that most commonly infects cormorants, but also affects gulls and pelicans. Clinical signs of infection in wild birds are often neurologic and include droopy head or twisted neck, lack of coordination, inability to fly or dive and complete or partial paralysis. Juveniles are most commonly affected.

Additional bird die-offs have been reported this summer on Leech Lake, Lake Vermilion and the Ontario, Canada, side of Rainy Lake.

Test results are pending.

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U.S., DNR and the USDA’s Wildlife Services conduct site clean-ups and collect samples for lab analysis.

Cleanup and incineration of the carcasses at Pigeon and Minnesota Lake began Aug. 6.

Newcastle disease outbreaks in Minnesota occurred during 2008 and 2010, when several thousand birds died across the state. In 1992, multiple mortality events occurred in double-crested cormorant colonies across the Great Lakes, upper Midwest and Canada, killing an estimated 35,000 birds.

Wild birds can be a potential source of the disease if they come into contact with domestic poultry.

Owners of domestic poultry, including small flocks, should not come in contact with birds believed to have Newcastle disease.

Area farmers need to practice sound biosecurity procedures, including monitoring their poultry flock for signs of illness and taking steps to prevent wild birds from having contact with their domestic birds. If domestic birds show signs of sickness, producers should contact their veterinarian or the Minnesota Board of Animal Health at 320-231-5170.

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10

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Seven reasons why chickens are NOT fed hormones

By Michael Czarick & Dr. Brian Fairchild Special to Poultry Times

ATHENS, Ga. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; It seems to occur with increasing frequency.

Sometimes it crops up in a conversation with someone seated next to you on an airplane, or perhaps at a social gathering.

If you happen to mention you are involved in poultry nutrition, sooner or later the question is bound to arise: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Why do you add hormones to chicken feed?â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The form of the question . . . asking why? Instead of if? . . . emphasizes the degree of misinformation prevalent among the general public.

As all nutritionists know, it is simply not true. Hormones are not added to poul- Czarick try feeds.

At this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Poultry Exposition in Atlanta, more than a thousand companies exhibited their products to the poultry industry. And not a single company that was there mar-

kets hormones for poultry, it may be questioned where the general public gets the idea that these substances are an integral part of poultry production.

During the past several years, some poultry producers have in their advertising campaigns emphasized that Fairchild they do not use hormones.

Whether this position puts the matter to rest in the mind of the public is not certain.

Perhaps, such advertisements might be interpreted to imply that other producers use hormones, or that this was a common practice at some time in the past. It would take a public relations expert to interpret the mental impressions.

Another possible reason for suspecting hormone use is that todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broilers grow so incredibly fast that those not familiar with poultry production might well assume that â&#x20AC;&#x153;magic bulletsâ&#x20AC;? are needed.

Whatever the case, the misconception that hormones are added

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to poultry feed is, of course, totally inaccurate and detracts from the image that the poultry industry likes to project to health-conscious consumers.

In the interest of refuting this belief, it is the authorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; purpose to not simply deny the use of hormones, but rather to go one step further and provide solid reasons why hormones are not and, in fact, cannot be used in poultry production. ď&#x201A;&#x2014; 1. Hormone use is illegal.

In the United States and many other countries, extremely strict controls are placed on the use of hormones and hormone-like substances in animal feeds. In no case is the supplementation of hormones approved for poultry.

While it might be alleged that illegal use of hormones might occasionally be practiced, as will be made clear below there is no logical reason to use these compounds in poultry production. ď&#x201A;&#x2014; 2. Hormones are not effective.

The administration of growth hormone does not lead to increased growth in chickens. In a similar vein, injecting growth hormone into humans will not lead to development of a winning basketball team.

Growth is an extremely complex combination of metabolic functions, depending on a wide array of endocrinological signals. ď&#x201A;&#x2014; 3. Administration is extremely difficult.

Like insulin, which is used in the treatment of diabetes, growth hormone is a protein. If either of these hormones were consumed orally, they would be quickly digested in the same way as protein from corn or soy.

As is well known, diabetics must receive injections of insulin. Thus even if a positive effect were likely, growth hormone would need to be injected into chickens on a very frequent basis.

The logistics of injecting hundreds of thousands of chickens with hormone illustrates the impossibility

of this scenario. Research indicates that the release of natural growth hormone in chickens is pulsatile, peaking every 90 minutes.

This could imply that if growth hormone were to be administered effectively, the only feasible way to do this would be through frequent intravenous administration. ď&#x201A;&#x2014; 4. High cost.

As chicken growth hormone is not produced commercially, its cost would be extremely high. If 1 mg. were to be administered to a broiler, the cost would be far in excess of the value of the chicken itself. Obviously, this makes no commercial sense. ď&#x201A;&#x2014; 5. Negative impact of chicken performance.

The modern broiler has been genetically selected to grow so rapidly that it occasionally encounters physiological limits. All are familiar with the cases of young men who, as they enter puberty, experience a sharply increased rate of growth.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;growth spurtâ&#x20AC;? is usually accompanied by joint inflammation and other problems.

In the same way, the modern broiler lives literally on the edge of its metabolic maximum. In fact, feed restriction is occasionally recommended (either by physical restriction or reduced nutrient density) in order to reduce growth rate and limit the incidence of lameness, heart attack and ascites.

In tropical regions, a sharply increased growth rate would almost certainly double, triple or possibly quadruple the rate of mortality from heat stress.

Thus, it would be highly counterproductive to suddenly force a higher rate of growth on broiler chickens. ď&#x201A;&#x2014; 6. What about anabolic steroids?

The occasional abuse of anabolic steroids by athletes is periodically documented in the press. There is

certainly no question that their use leads to increased muscle mass.

However, this effect in athletes is only possible when steroid use is combined with rigorous physical training, such as weightlifting.

What makes the steroid question even more unlikely is that the most valuable part of the chicken â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the breast â&#x20AC;&#x201D; is composed of muscles used to raise and lower the wings.

Chickens have not flown for several thousand years. No exercise . . . no benefit from anabolic steroids. ď&#x201A;&#x2014; 7. Hormones are simply not needed.

The extremely rapid growth of broilers is very easy to explain without resorting to hormones. Reviewing the records of genetics firms, it will be noted that for the past several decades birds have reached a specified market weight one day earlier per year.

The challenge to poultry producers is to provide high quality feed (proteins, vitamins, minerals, etc.) and a healthy environment in the poultry house, including roof insulation, ventilation and adequate numbers of feeders and waterers to meet the broilerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prodigious genetic potential.

For those familiar with the technical aspects of poultry production, the rapid growth of modern broilers is a logical consequence of slow but consistent improvements in genetics, nutrition, management and disease control. Hormones are simply not needed. (â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Hormone Mythâ&#x20AC;? reprinted with permission of Nick Dale and Adam Davis, University of Georgia.)

Michael Czarick is an Extension engineer and Dr. Brian Fairchild is an Extension poultry scientist, both with the University of Georgiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cooperative Extension Service in Athens, Ga. More information can be obtained at www.poultryventilation.com.

11

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Nuggets

Bo Watson, Tyson Foods Inc.; and Dr. Charles Starkey, American Proteins Inc. Registration for the seminar is available at http://www.uspoultry.org/educationprograms/index. cfm#ppfs

Compiled by Barbara Olejnik, Associate Editor 770-718-3440 bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

GEORGIA Seminar to focus on technology TUCKER — Protein conversion continues to play an increasingly important role in today’s poultry industry. This year’s Poultry Protein & Fat Seminar will provide the latest information regarding rendering systems and technical processes.

Sponsored by U.S. Poultry & Egg Association and the Poultry Protein & Fat Council, the seminar will be held Oct. 4-5, at the Doubletree Hotel in Nashville, Tenn.

“Rendering plants are not the end of the road when it comes to poultry processing. For renderers, it’s just the beginning of ensuring that rendered ingredients provide quality and nutrition,” said program committee chairman Dan Henson, Simmons Food Inc. “We strive to

ensure that the final product is of the highest quality while abiding by safety and regulatory requirements.

This year’s seminar will continue the trend that we have become accustomed to — providing the latest technical tools that will help reassess where we are in our plants, as well as help continue to produce a valued product,” Henson added.

The program topics include A Top Management Perspective of the Rendering Industry; Poultry Protein & Fat Council Report; Update; Transportation Safety and Regulatory; Processing Quality versus Nutritional Quality; A Rendering Industry Recruiting Program; Stabilizer Options; Odor Control Technology; Managing Hauling Costs Through Load Efficiencies; and Foreign Material Exclusion; Worker Safety/OSHA Update.

The program committee included Jonathan Green, American Proteins Inc.; Brandon Lairmore, Pilgrim’s Corp.; James Fulk, Perdue Farms;

Calendar

SEP 13-14 — CPF ANNUAL MTNG. & CONF., Monterey Plaza Hotel, Monterey, Calif. Contact: California Poultry Federation, 4640 Spyres Way, Suite 4, Modesto, Calif.

95356. Ph: 209-576-6355; calif-

poultry@cs.com;

Conference topics are sales, service UNIVERSITY PARK — The Pennsylvania Poultry Sales and Service Conference will be held Sept.

26-27 at the Penn State Conference Center Hotel at State College, Pa. The conference will be preceded on Sept. 26 by the 84th Northeastern Conference on Avian Diseases (NECAD), when diseases of public health significance will be discussed. This will be followed by the General Session for the Sales and Service conference.

General Session topics include an update on the Humane Society of the United States-United Egg Producers agreement on layer hen housing; and presentations on LED lighting, nutrient management and best management practices for odor

Hwy., Georgetown, Del. 199474881. Ph: 302-856-9037; dpi@dpichicken.com; www.dpichicken.org.

SEP 21-22 — PF TURKEY COMMITTEE MTNG. Contact: Poultry Federation, P.O. Box 1446, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Ph: 501-375-8131; w w w. t h e p o u l t r y f e d e r a t i o n . c o m .

Compiled by Barbara Olejnik, Associate Editor 770-718-3440 bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

SEP 12-14 — AFIA LIQUID FEED SYMPM., Grand Hyatt, Denver, Colo.

Contact: American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 916. Arlington, Va. 22201. Ph: 703524-0810; afia@afia.org; www.afia.org.

PENN.

www.cpif.org.

SEP 13-16 — MPA ANNUAL CONV., Hilton Sandestin Beach Hotel, Destin, Fla. Contact: Mississippi Poultry Association, 110 Airport Road, Suite C, Pearl, Miss. 39208. Ph: 601932-7560; beard!mspoultry.org.

SEP 17-19 — NAT’L. MTNG. POULTRY HEALTH & PROCESSING, Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel, Ocean City, Md. Contact: Delmarva Poultry Industry Inc., 16686 County Seat

— LISTERIA SEP 24-25 MONOCYTOGENES WKSHP., Hyatt Regency, Chicago, Ill. Contact: American Meat Institute Foundation, 1150 Connecticut Ave., N.W., 12th Floor, Washington 20036. Ph: 202-5874200; www.meatami.com/lmworkshop.

SEP 25-26 — GEORGIA POULTRY CONF., Classic Center, Athens, Ga. Contact: Dr. A. Bruce Webster, Department of Poultry Science, 226 Poultry Science Building, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. 30602-4356.

Ph: 706-542-1325; jmosko@uga.edu.

SEP 25-26 — POULTRY PRODUCTION & HEALTH SMNR., The Wynfrey

management.

On Sept. 27, concurrent programs will be held for the broiler, turkey and egg/layer sections of the industry. NECAD will also hold a scientific session for research presentations, student awards and a business meeting.

The conferences are presented by the Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, Pennsylvania State University and the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech.

More information on the conferences can be obtained by contacting Patti Burns, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa.; 814-865-5573; plb8@psu.edu.

VIRGINIA FPSA and IDFA to co-locate in 2013 MCLEAN — The Food Processing Suppliers Association (FPSA) and the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) announce that they have signed an agreement to

co-locate PROCESS EXPO and the International Dairy Show in Chicago, beginning in 2013.

The two shows will take place Nov. 3-6, 2013, bringing together more than 800 exhibitors and 15,000 industry professionals in the North and South Halls of McCormick Place. Attendees will have unlimited access to both show floors and educational programs.

Staff from the two organizations will continue to be responsible for their respective shows, including conducting sales and marketing activities, developing educational programs and meeting the operational needs of their exhibitors.

Exhibit space sales for both the International Dairy Show and PROCESS EXPO will begin in May. For information regarding PROCESS EXPO, visit http://www.myprocessexpo.com; to reserve space, contact FPSA Sales Director Grace Cular Yee at gyee@fpsa.org.

For information regarding the International Dairy Show, visit www. dairyshow.com; to reserve space, contact International Dairy Show Sales Executive Katherine Madison at exhibit@dairyshow.com.

Hotel, Birmingham, Ala. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 300847303, Ph: 770-493-9401; info@ uspoultry.org; www.uspoultry.org,

Nashville, Tenn. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 300847303, Ph: 770-493-9401; info@ uspoultry.org; www.uspoultry.org,

SEP 25-26 — AFIA/FANI-QS FEED SAFETY WKSHP., Rosemont, Ill. Contact: American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 916, Arlington, Va. 22201. Ph: 703524-0810; afia@afia.org; www.afia.org.

OCT 4-7 — NPFDA FALL MTNG., San Diego, Calif. National Poultry & Food Distributors Association, 2014 Osborne Road, St. Marys, Ga. 31558, 770-5359901, kkm@npfda.org, www.npfda.org.

SEP 26-27 — PA. SALES & SERVICE CONF. / N.E. AVIAN DISEASES CONF., Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, State College, Pa. Contact: Patti Burns, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pa. Ph: 814-865-5573; plb8@psu.edu.

OCT 6 — CAL POLY ANIMAL SCIENCE REUNION, Animal Nutrition Center, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo. Contact: Wendy Hall, College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences, Cal Poly State University.

Ph: 805-756-5398; whall@calpoly.edu.

OCT 3-4 — PF PROCESSORS WKSHP. Contact: Poultry Federation, P.O. Box 1446, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Ph: 501-375-8131; w w w. t h e p o u l t r y f e d e r a t i o n . c o m .

OCT 9-12 — UEP ANNUAL BOARD MTNG. & EXECUTIVE CONF., Loews Coronado Bay, San Diego, Calif. Contact: United Egg Producers, 1720 Windward Concourse, Suite 230, Alpharetta, Ga. 30005. Ph: 770-360-9220; gene@ unitedegg.com; www.unitedegg.com.

OCT 4-5 — POULTRY PROTEIN & FAT SMNR., Doubletree Hotel,

12

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

U.N. food agencies urge action to avoid food crisis The Associated Press

ROME — The three United Nations food agencies urged governments on Sept. 4 to take quick action to curb rising prices of corn, wheat and soybeans and avoid a repeat of the 2007-2008 food crises.

The sharp rise in food prices in recent months threatens to make life even more difficult for tens of millions of people, particularly in poor countries, the heads of the U.N. World Food Program, Food and Agriculture Organi-

zation and International Fund for Agriculture Development warned.

A prolonged drought in the U.S. — the number one exporter of corn, wheat and soybeans — has helped drive up commodity prices.

The FAO’s last global food price index report found global prices had risen 6 percent in July after three months of decline, in part because of the U.S. drought and worsened crop prospects for Russia’s wheat harvest because of dry weather.

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manded the government relax biofuel production quotas because corn feed is becoming so expensive. Forty percent of the U.S. corn crop goes to ethanol production.

Finally, the three agencies called in a joint statement for poorer countries to expand assistance to small-scale farmers and provide nutrition programs for mothers and small children and meals for school-aged children — and to promote sustainable food production through better investment in farming.

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The three agencies urged countries to avoid panic buying and refrain from imposing export restrictions when production falls, saying that while it may temporarily help consumers at home it makes life difficult for others. In the past, Russia has imposed export bans to offset low domestic wheat production.

They also said countries should adjust biofuel production requirements when food supplies become scarce.

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POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Fed. panel supports Kan. biosecurity lab project The Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. — A government-backed committee of the National Research Council has issued a report saying the U.S. would have adequate biosecurity protections even if plans for a proposed $1.14 billion lab in Kansas are scaled back.

The study was prepared by a subcommittee formed this spring to look at three options for the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility that is to be built in Manhattan near the Kansas State University campus.

The report was in response to tighter federal revenues and budget controls that are forcing agencies to rethink spending priorities.

DHS asked the National Research Council to review the threats of foreign animal disease, the capabilities needed to address such threats and analyze options for building the lab as proposed or scaling back the size

and scope.

While the committee found that the need for a lab hadn’t changed since the project was first proposed in 2006, it did find that DHS had two options for completing the goal of developing the capabilities with a laboratory designed specifically to respond to a biosecurity threat.

However, the report concluded that both options had drawbacks.

“We really did not rank any of the options that we were given,” said Terry McElwain, chairman of the committee. “There is a really more thorough and comprehensive analysis that would need to be made by decision-makers before a decision is made, and we didn’t feel we could do that.”

so-called Level 4 security to handle such deadly diseases as foot and mouth. However, because the costs for the project have escalated, the committee suggested DHS look for alternative funding sources.

Options The first option would be to continue designing and constructing the new lab in Kansas, which would give the U.S. a large-animal lab with

Funding It was noted that certain research programs at a lab in Australia have been supported through public-private partnerships with the agriculture industry.

The second option would be to scale back the size of the project and disburse research of diseases across the country.

A third option, which would leave current research at Plum Island and rely on foreign labs to conduct research and deter threats, was rejected by the committee.

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback and Republican U.S. Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran issued a joint statement applauding the committee’s report.

imposed on Brazilian chicken.

South Africa imposed anti-dumping duties on U.S. poultry imports over two decades ago using the “same flawed theory” that it recently used against Brazilian imports, the letter explained.

Using a weighted average export price for U.S. bone-in chicken cuts from 2000 through the first quarter of 2012, the effective average duty levied by South Africa on these products is 258.8 percent, the letter said.

If South Africa opens its market to U.S. bone-in chicken parts, exports would increase to 127,000 metric tons annually according to an analysis by USAPEEC, and U.S. bone-in chicken parts price would increase 4 percent at the wholesale level.

“At every step, the South African government acted on the assumption that it would violate WTO rules with impunity, and U.S. inaction has confirmed and rewarded that approach. Worse yet, U.S. tolerance of South Africa’s illegal actions has emboldened other countries, including China, Ukraine and Mexico to bring almost identical anti-dumping cases against U.S. poultry. Countries like South Africa are illegally blocking U.S. exports at a time when the president’s policy is to double U.S. exports over a five-year period.

And, U.S. poultry is perhaps the most competitive and potentially successful export sector in U.S. agriculture,” the letter said.

Poultry industry urges USTR to match Brazil dumping case WASHINGTON — In a letter sent to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, the National Chicken Council and USA Poultry & Egg Export Council said that they “strongly urge you to match Brazil’s commitment to its industry by filing a World Trade Organization (WTO) challenge on behalf of U.S. chicken exporters” against the anti-dumping duties South Africa imposed on U.S. chicken nearly 12 years ago.

Further “we urge the U.S. government to support Brazil as a third-party in its case if Brazil will agree to reciprocate and support the United States in its case,” the letter added.

On June 21, Brazil filed a challenge with the WTO against the anti-dumping duties South Africa

They called on DHS to move forward with acquiring the land in Manhattan and beginning construction.

“The NAS fittingly recognizes that the need for a centralized laboratory focused on research, diagnostics and surveillance is imperative.

That laboratory should be NBAF, and it starts with construction of the central utility plant. We are pleased this promising review concludes any outstanding evaluations of NBAF,” they said.

Costs McElwain said it was unclear why costs have risen from estimates of $450 million when the project was first announced.

One reason, he said, could be the changes in the facility’s design to “harden” it to protect against the accidental release of deadly pathogens from a tornado or other natural disaster.

State officials had actively promoted northeast Kansas as a potential site for the lab, seeing it as crucial to efforts to create a strong biosciences industry and create more than 300 jobs that would pay an average of more than $75,000 a year.

The state is committed to issuing up to $105 million in bonds to help with the project.

Brownback spokeswoman Sherriene Jones-Sontag said Kansas was open to further discussions with DHS “to move the project forward as soon as possible.”

She added that the state had a network of private and public partners supporting the project.

Congress has approved $90 million in construction funds for the project, which has yet to be released pending recent DHS studies.

In May, a House committee approved $75 million more for the next fiscal year to continue the project.

14

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Markets Compiled by David B. Strickland, Editor 770-718-3442 dstrickland@poultrytimes.net

Nat’l. Broiler Market:

majority prices were 3¢ lower in the East, lower in the Midwest and unchanged in the West when compared to the previous week prices.

Offerings were moderate ot heavy for early week business. Retail and foodservice demand was light to

(Sept. 4): Whole broiler/fryer prices were steady to weak in the East, steady to lower in the Midwest and steady to firm in the West. Final

moderate at best following the Labor Day holiday weekend. Floor stocks were mixed. Market activity was slow to moderate. In the parts structure, movement was light to moderate as dealers assessed market conditions following the extended holiday weekend. Prices were steady to firm for tenders, steady to weak for wings, breast items and dark meat items. Offerings of tenders were light with good movement. Breast items, dark meat and wings were moderate to heavy. Market activity for parts was slow to moderate.

In production areas, live supplies were moderate at mixed, but mostly desirable weights.

F owl: Aug. 31: Live spent heavy fowl

Final prices at Farm Buyer Loading (per pound): range 9½-21¢

P arts: Georgia:

The f.o.b. dock quoted prices on ice-pack parts based on truckload and pool truckload lots for the week of Sept. 4: line run tenders $2.10; skinless/boneless breasts $1.77½; whole breasts $1.03½; boneless/skinless thigh meat $1.30½; thighs 73¢; drumsticks 76¢; leg quarters 53¢; wings $1.85½.

N ational Slaughter: Broiler: Estimated slaughter for week ending Sept. 1 is 156,925,000.

Actual slaughter for the week end-

The following chart provides an annual high and a comparison of recent activity of major poultry company stocks.

USDA Shell Eggs AMS weekly combined region shell egg prices Average prices on sales to volume buyers, Grade A or better, White eggs in cartons, delivered warehouse, cents per dozen.

Annual High

Cal-Maine 42.40 Campbell Soup 36.28 ConAgra 27.34 Hormel 30.70 Pilgrim’s Pride 8.68 Sanderson Farms 55.87 Seaboard 2349.99 Tyson 21.06

Aug. 21

Estimates: The estimated number of broilerfryers available for slaughter the week ending Sept. 1 was 153.9 million head, compared to 163.4 million head slaughtered the same week last year, USDA noted.

Broiler/Fryer Markets

Industry Stock Report

Company

ing Aug. 25 was 159,748,000.

Heavy-type hen: Estimated slaughter for the week ending Sept. 1 is 1,751,000.

Actual slaughter for the week ending Aug. 25 was 1,960,000.

Light-type hen: Estimated slaughter for the week ending Sept. 1 is 1,629,000. Actual slaughter for the week ending Aug. 25 was 1,900,000.

Total: Week of Sept. 1: 160,305,000.

Week of Aug. 25: 163,608,000.

Sept. 4

39.21 40.36 34.81 35.12 24.86 25.65 28.51 28.92 4.89 4.95 40.45 44.64 2260.05 2076.55 15.32 15.89

Aug. 31

Extra Large Regions: Northeast 110.50 Southeast 114.50 Midwest 105.50 South Central 116.50 Combined 111.96

Large

Medium

109.00 112.50 103.50 113.50 109.78

83.00 81.00 78.50 83.50 81.58

Computed from simple weekly averages weighted by regional area populations

USDA Composite Weighted Average For week of: Sept. 4 81.60¢ For week of: Aug. 27 84.33¢ Chi.-Del.-Ga.-L.A.-Miss.-N.Y.--S.F.-South. States Aug. 20 Sept. 4 For delivery week of: Chicago majority 76--85¢ 62--74¢ Mississippi majority 83--87¢ 82--87¢ New York majority 83--86¢ 80--83¢ For delivery week of: Aug. 21 Sept. 4 Delmarva weighted average 72¢--$1.04 67¢--$1.00 Georgia f.o.b. dock offering 95¢ 95½¢ Los Angeles majority price $1.04 $1.05 San Francisco majority price $1.04½ $1.05½ Southern States f.o.b. average 64.85¢ 64.34¢

Grain Prices

Turkey Markets

OHIO COUNTRY ELEV. Aug. 21 Aug. 30 Sept. 4 No. 2 Yellow Corn/bu. $8.15 $8.10 $8.03 Soybeans/bu. $16.84 $17.53 $17.57 (Courtesy: Prospect Farmers Exchange, Prospect, Ohio)

(Courtesy: A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc.)

Weighted avg. prices for frozen whole young turkeys Weighted average (cents/lb.) F.O.B. shipper dock

Broiler Eggs Set/Chicks Placed in 19 States

Ala Ark

Ca,Tn,Wv

Del Fla Ga Ky La Md Miss Mo. N.C. Okla Pa S.C. Tex Va

19 States Total Prev. year % Prev. yr.

EGGS SET (Thousands)

CHICKS PLACED (Thousands)

Aug. 11

Aug. 18

Aug. 25

Sept. 1

Aug. 11

Aug. 18

Aug. 25

Sept. 1

27,840 21,057 10,378 3,279 1,352 31,773 7,738 3,211 7,254 17,075 8,036 19,222 6,276 3,398 5,328 13,789 6,074

27,551 20,944 10,076 3,176 1,353 31,810 7,639 3,135 7,341 16,724 8,022 19,474 6,891 3,655 5,040 13,066 6,043

27,927 20,651 10,347 3,286 1,349 31,721 7,641 3,167 7,346 16,168 8,032 19,688 6,686 3,726 5,265 13,491 6,049

27,193 20,757 10,620 3,259 1,347 31,331 7,616 3,211 6,944 16,326 7,708 19,445 6,693 3,579 4,721 12,731 5,985

19,688 18,903 9,913 4,085 1,010 28,416 6,683 2,794 6,135 15,357 5,711 15,503 3,896 2,911 4,049 12,224 5,224

19,877 19,160 11,084 4,394 1,304 26,860 5,893 2,796 6,483 15,258 5,029 15,323 4,892 2,901 4,453 12,010 4,721

20,005 19,431 10,859 4,577 1,248 26,659 6,126 2,836 5,682 15,202 5,723 15,684 4,163 2,953 4,587 11,882 4,918

20,043 19,027 11,073 4,947 1,186 26,271 6,404 2,871 5,738 14,397 5,854 15,827 4,437 2,845 3,847 11,448 3,877

193,080 194,164

191,940 193,090

192,540 193,007

189,466 189,258

162,502 162,336

162,438 161,039

162,535 162,943

160,092 160,923

99

99

100

100

100

101

100

99

1/Current week as percent of same week last year.

National

Week ending Aug. 31 Hens (8-16 lbs.)

107.57 Toms (16-24 lbs.)

110.33

Last year 107.40 107.50

Week ending Aug. 24 Hens (8-16 lbs.)

Toms (16-24 lbs.)

Aug. avg.

108.53 109.04

111.65 111.82

Egg Markets USDA quotations New York cartoned del. store-door: Aug. 21 Sept. 4 Extra large, down 6¢ $1.22--$1.26 $1.16--$1.20 Large, down 6¢ $1.20--$1.24 $1.14--$1.18 Medium, up 6¢ 85--89¢ 91--95¢ Southeast Regional del. warehouse: Aug. 21 Sept. 4 Extra large, down 14¢ $1.25½--$1.51 $1.11½--$1.19 Large, down 13¢ $1.23--$1.47½ $1.10--$1.17 Medium, up 5½¢ 74½--85½¢ 80--88¢

CMYK

15

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

AMERICAN EGG BOARD HOTLINE AEB Hotline appears regularly in Poultry Times and provides an update on programs and services provided for egg producers by the American Egg Board. Details on any item mentioned may be obtained by contacting AEB at 1460 Renaissance Dr., Park Ridge, Ill. 60068. Phone: 847296-7043.  The feedback from AEB’s Speakers’ Bureau illustrates how this grassroots efforts impacts local perceptions of egg farmers and modern agriculture.

Consumers are hungry for information about where their food comes from, and these audience members are powerful tools to help achieve the objectives of the Good Egg Project, an initiative launched from industry demand that focuses on educating the public about modern egg production.

AEB’s Speakers Bureau has already outpaced 2011’s placements and stayed within budget.

Below is a sampling of feedback on those speakers who have been scheduled by the Center for Food Integrity (CFI) this year.

— Bill Glass: “Sometimes the newspapers will run a sensationalized article. This sets the record straight.”

— Greg Herbruck: “Greater appreciation for what needs to be done on a daily basis.”

— Mark Oldenkamp: “Simply said; it was extraordinary! When you were first recommended by another Rotary club to invite an egg organization as a guest speaker, I tended to have some

hesitations: Really? The subject of eggs will draw a crowd? Holy Cow was I wrong!”

— Greg Satrum: “A wonderful presentation today. This is an excellent way to reach influential members of the community. Two of the people in our club are former Rotary District Governors, and many are the leaders of businesses in the community.”  Issue three of the Breakfast Beat newsletter is hot off the press. This Quick Service Restaurant-focused (QSR) quarterly publication contains data and insights concerning the growth and opportunities that exist for eggs and breakfast in a quick and easy-to-read format.  Jim Sumner, president of USA Poultry & Egg Export Council and AEB’s export marketing advisor, has been honored by the Georgia Egg Commission with the presentation of its Golden Egg Award for 2012.

Commission board chairman Jerry Straughan presented the award during the annual meeting of the Georgia Egg Association stating, “Since February of 1990, Sumner has served our industry and our country as a true ambassador, being responsible for the promotion of U.S. poultry and egg products worldwide.” As president of USAPEEC, Sumner has presided over a significant increase in poultry exports, from $700 million to more than $4 billion during recent years.

Sanderson to build N.C. plant, hire 1,100 The Associated Press

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — A Mississippi poultry processor has selected a site in Nash County, N.C., for a new chicken plant that will employ more than 1,000 people, but it’s unclear how soon it will be constructed.

Sanderson Farms said Aug. 28 it has purchased land for the plant near Interstate 95 and N.C. 97 southwest of Rocky Mount.

The company will hire 1,100 employees when the plant is completed, said Joe F. Sanderson Jr., chairman and CEO of the company.

“The timing of building that complex remains on hold until market fundamentals improve, including sufficient confidence that the global supply of feed grains will be adequate to meet world demand at reasonable prices,” Sanderson said.

Chief financial officer Mike Cockrell said the prices of corn and

soybeans, keys to providing a highprotein diet for the chickens, are up more than 25 percent this year compared with last year.

Land purchased on N.C. 97 will serve as a hatchery. The company also has options to buy property for a wastewater treatment operation.

Nash County owns the 142-acre tract that would be used for the processing plant.

Other issues to be resolved include obtaining the needed permits to construct and operate the plant, as well as getting economic incentive packages from the state of North Carolina and local government, Sanderson said.

The city of Wilson has been fighting to halt the plant, saying the construction of chicken houses near the plant could jeopardize the environment.

Sanderson’s announcement comes a week after the North Caro-

lina Court of Appeals rejected a lawsuit that Wilson officials and local residents had filed in an attempt to derail the project. The courts have said Wilson lacks legal standing to sue Nash County.

Sanderson also has faced questions from state officials and local governments about the environmental risks of waste runoff into the Neuse River Basin.

Opponents have said they will take their fight to the state Department of Natural Resources, which would have to approve a permit for Sanderson to use spray fields to handle wastewater.

The plant would process about 50 million chickens a year.

Sanderson Farms is the nation’s fourth-largest chicken processor with 1,400 employees in Kinston, N.C., and other operations in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Georgia.

Index of Advertisers Acme, 8G........................................................................................................................................................... 918-682-7791; www.acmeag.com Agrifan, 2........................................................................................................................................................ 800-236-7080; www.envirofan.com Aviagen, Cover C........................................................................................................................................................................www.aviagen.com American Proteins, 8B.............................................................................................................................................. www.americanproteins.com Bayer, 8C....................................................................................................................................................................................... www.bayer.com Beneficial Insectary, 8H.................................................................................................................................................................... 800-477-3715 Binkley & Hurst, 8H............................................................................................................................................ 888-414-7518; binkleyhurst.com Chickmate, 8H............................................................................................................................................... 800-331-7509; www.chickmate.com CID Lines, 8B..............................................................................................................................................................................www.cidlines.com Clear View Enterprises, 9...................................................................................................................................... 866-361-4689; www.cvear.com Creek View, 8G...................................................................................................................................................................................717-445-4922 Danisco, 8E......................................................................................................................314-771-7766; www.danisco.com/animalnutrition.com DSM, 8F....................................................................................................................................................... www.unlimitednutrition-na.dsm.com Elanco, 8G........................................................................................................................................................... 800-428-4441; www.elanco.com FPM, 8G...............................................................................................................................................................402-729-2264; www.fpmne.com Goldin Metals, 10......................................................................................................................................288-575-7735; www.goldinmetals.com IPS- Carefree Enzymes, 13..................................................................................................................262-878-3899; www.naturesenzymes.com Jones-Hamilton-PLT, Cover B...........................................................................................................800-379-2243; www.joneshamiltonAg.com Lubing, 8A..........................................................................................................................................................................................423-709-1000 Merck Animal Health, Cover III........................................................................................................................................... www.ihc-poultry.com Motomco, Cover D......................................................................................................................................... 800-237-6843; www.motomco.com Preserve, Cover II...............................................................................................................................................................................800-995-1607 Pro Tech, 5................................................................................................................................................... 800-438-1707; www.pro-techinc.com Randy Jones, Cover A, 8D . ...............................................................................................................................................................800-648-6584 Reeves, Cover IV.......................................................................................................................................888-854-5221; www.reevessupply.com Star Labs, 8H....................................................................................................................................................800-894-5396; www.primalac.com Weigh Tech, 8B......................................................................................................................................... 800-457-3720; www.weightechinc.com

16

POULTRY TIMES, September 10, 2012

Cracking down on poultry disease

By Sandra Avant

Special to Poultry Times

BELTSVILLE, Md. — It’s not mother’s milk, but egg yolk may be the closest remedy for boosting the immune system of newly hatched chickens against infectious diseases such as coccidiosis.

A major disease of chickens, coccidiosis is caused by intestinal parasites — single-celled protozoans in the genus Eimeria. Disease-affected birds are unable to absorb feed or gain weight, costing the poultry industry more than $600 million annually in the U.S. and $3 billion worldwide.

Scientists at the Agricultural Research Service Henry A. Wallace Beltsville (Md.) Agricultural Research Center (BARC) and collaborators from different universities and the Mexican company IASA (Investigacíon Aplicada, S.A.) have developed a novel, antibiotic-free method that uses hyperimmune egg yolk antibodies to control intestinal poultry diseases.

“Coccidiosis is associated with other pathogens, such as the one that causes necrotic enteritis — a prevalent gut disease of poultry,” says avian immunologist Hyun Lillehoj, who works in BARC’s Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory. “By controlling one, you’re also reducing the impact of the other.”

Good management practices and live vaccinations reduce the spread of coccidiosis, but alternative strategies are needed to help control drug-resistant strains and to enhance organic farming for the poultry industry.

Generally, a host can develop two types of immunity — active and passive — to resist infection.

Passive immunity allows immune molecules that are already formed to be transferred from the hen, via the yolk, to the chick. Active immunity relies on vaccines to build immunity in the birds.

“When chicks hatch, they have no immunity to this pathogen. But if we give preformed immune proteins to 1-day-old progeny, they are ready to fight infection,” she says. “It’s similar to how immunity is passed to newborns through milk.”

The method involves extracting antibodies from yolks of eggs from pathogen-free birds that have been hyperimmunized, meaning they possess greater-than-normal immunity due to an abundance of antibodies against the disease.

Egg yolk is spray dried, mixed with feed and given to chicks that have no immune protection right after hatching.

Lillehoj teamed up with ARS visiting scientist Sung Hyen Lee from the Rural Development Administration in South Korea, IASA scientist Eduardo Lucio and other researchers to conduct different experiments to demonstrate the efficacy of inducing passive immunity against coccidiosis.

One-day-old broiler chickens were continuously fed a standard diet containing a commercially available egg yolk powder prepared from hens hyperimmunized with multiple species of Eimeria.

They were then given a challenge infection with live coccidia.

Body weight gain between days zero and 10 and fecal shedding between days five and 10 postinfection were analyzed. Chickens given 0.5 percent or less of the hyperimmune egg yolk antibodies had a significant increase in body weight gain, reduced fecal Eimeria shedding and fewer gut lesions compared to control birds fed a non-supplemented diet.

Based on these results, one company has developed a commercial product that can be fed to chickens to control coccidiosis.

Sandra Avant is a public affairs specialist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Md.

Special

NCPF executive board: The 2012-13 Executive Board of Directors for the North Carolina Poultry Federation was elected at the federation’s recent annual meeting. They are, left to right, Paul Nordin, Wayne Farms, past president; Ronnie Park, Circle-S-Ranch, secretary-treasurer; Scott Prestage, Prestage Farms, president; Jeff Hancock, Tyson Foods, second vice president; and Dan Peugh, Allen’s Hatchery, first vice president.

APHIS working to remove trade barriers WASHINGTON — USDA’s Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has worked in conjunction with federal, international and industry partners to arrange for the release of 209 shipments of U.S. products valued at more than $39 million in 2012. The goods had been detained at foreign ports of entry pending resolution of various animal and plant health questions. In addition, APHIS has helped to open or maintain more than $51 million in overseas markets for U.S. agricultural products.

“APHIS works diligently every day to help ensure overseas markets for our country’s agricultural products,” said Rebecca Blue, deputy undersecretary for marketing and regulatory programs. “In the past six months, APHIS has negotiated to reopen the Chinese market for U.S. log exports in a six-month pilot program, facilitated the first export of 1,400 cattle to Angola, helped California producers ship their stonefruit to important markets in Mexico and

arranged for the release of six shipments of cherries and $1.5 million of cotton held at Chinese ports.”

APHIS addresses animal and plant health concerns that limit the export of U.S. agricultural goods and negotiates with international trade partners to remove trade barriers and resolve trade-related issues. APHIS personnel stationed in countries overseas work closely with foreign regulatory counterparts to exchange information on agricultural health issues and ensure the safe trade of agricultural products.

By working on these technical trade matters with overseas officials, as well as within international standard-setting organizations, APHIS personnel are in key positions to support U.S. agricultural exports and ensure that trading partners adhere to agreed-upon standards.

When U.S. shipments are detained at foreign ports of entry, APHIS and other USDA officials negotiate with international officials to resolve the issue. APHIS’ team of technical ex-

perts certify that U.S. animal and plant products are free of pests and diseases and meet the entry requirements set by our trading partners. In negotiations to protect, expand and open new trade markets, APHIS advocates on behalf of U.S. agricultural industries to ensure a free flow of U.S. agricultural products in international markets.

APHIS has launched a new website that will contain trade-related information and accomplishments.

The website will help exporters find information on APHIS’s services, including trade information and regulations. It also serves as the news hub for APHIS trade updates, with links to trade-related feeds from the APHIS’ Newsroom, Twitter, and the USDA blog. The website is located at: www.aphis.usda.gov/trade/ The agency added that U.S. agriculture is currently experiencing one of its best periods in history thanks to the productivity and resourcefulness of U.S. producers.

It’s hard to fIx a reputatIon. When you make BronNewcavac® SE part of your salmonella prevention protocol, you protect your commercial layer flock, your business and your reputation. For the confidence that comes with long-lasting control, ask your Merck Animal Health representative for BronNewcavac SE. Part of the Merck Poultry program of total bird health.

Copyright © 2012 Intervet International B.V., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA. All rights reserved.

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