I N S I D E T H I S

I S S U E :

State Agriculture

Department Renews

High Path A. I.

Emergency Orders

1

MDA Announces

Animal Health

Requirements for

2017 Fair & Show

2

How Total Farm

Water Pressure and

Volume Affect

Commercial Poultry

Production

3

Study Ranks

Production Attributes

Most Important to

Consumers

10

Delmarva Poultry

Industry Honors Poul-

try Professionals and

Outstanding Chicken

Growers

11

Poultry Summit

Draws Ag College,

Industry Reps

12

Commercial Poultry N E W S L E T T E R M A Y 2 0 1 7 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 3

State Agriculture Department

Renews High Path Avian Influenza

Emergency Orders

The University of Maryland is an

Equal Opportunity Employer and

Equal Access Program

Poultry Entering State Must be Tested or Certified Healthy, Poultry Flocks Must

Maintain Biosecurity

The Maryland Secretary of Agriculture has extended Emergency Orders to prevent High

Path Avian Influenza from infecting Maryland poultry flocks. These measures are in

response to the continuing threat of an outbreak. USDA Animal and Plant Health

Inspection Service (APHIS) today detected the presence of the H5N2 strain of avian

influenza in a wild mallard duck in Montana. There has been no detection of associated

illness or mortality in domestic poultry, but this serves as a timely reminder of the

continuing threat of HPAI in the United States.

The state’s quarantine orders require all hatching eggs and poultry entering the state to be

tested within 21 days or come from certified clean sources. Poultry markets must maintain

records of all birds sold or purchased. The quarantine orders also, all commercial poultry

farms must meet basic biosecurity and sanitation practices, including:

Farms must have restricted access using a “Restricted Access” sign, gate or both;

Entry and exits to poultry growing areas must utilize footbaths, mats, boot washing

stations, foot covers OR footwear change to prevent movement of contaminants into or

out of the area;

Feed must be covered and secured to prevent wild birds, rodents or other animals from

accessing feed; and

Poultry carcasses, used litter, or other disease containing organic materials must be

covered and contained in a way to prevent animal access or movement of materials by

wind.

Poultry exhibitions–including those with waterfowl–will now be allowed, but all poultry

must be tested within 21 days of entry to an exhibition or originate from a U.S. National

Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) clean flock or state monitored AI H5/H7 flock. Poultry

Poultry 101 Symposium - May 10, 2017 - Chesapeake College, Todd Performing Arts Center, 1000

College Circle, Wye Mills, MD 21679. http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?

oeidk=a07eduo64x514a093e5&llr=ne7awrmab

Poultry Mortality and Composting Workshop - July 27, 2017 - Wye Research & Education

Center, 124 Wye Narrow Dr., Queenstown, MD 21658. Please register by July 21. Contact Sheila

Oscar at 410-742-1178 or soscar@umd.edu.

P A G E 2

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

State Renews High Path A.I. Emergency Orders (continued)

auctions are not currently impacted by the Order because Maryland Department of Agriculture Animal Health

officials are onsite at all auctions, examining and testing birds. However, if High Path Avian Influenza is suspected

in the region, poultry auctions, markets, and exhibitions will be closed down. This quarantine order will remain in

effect from January 1, 2017 until June 30, 2017.

“This highly virulent strain of avian influenza could be an economic disaster for

our largest agricultural sector if we don’t take steps to protect the birds,” said

Agriculture Secretary Joe Bartenfelder. “We have every reason to believe that

High Path Avian Influenza will remain a threat for years to come, and we are

making every effort to keep it out of our commercial chicken houses and

backyard flocks. I strongly encourage all flock owners and managers to take

this disease very seriously and to practice enhanced biosecurity at all times.”

High Path Avian Influenza entered the Pacific Northwest of the United States in

December 2014 and has infected backyard, commercial turkey and commercial

chicken flocks from December - August 2015, and one flock in January 2016. It

is carried by migratory waterfowl, such as ducks and geese, among others.

To date, High Path Avian Influenza has been confirmed at 231 locations in 15

states and has impacted over 50 million birds. The virus does not live in hot

temperatures so incidents of HPAI decline over the summer, but animal health

experts expect cases to appear again during the fall migratory season, which starts in Maryland in early September.

High Path Avian Influenza is not known to threaten human health. It can, however, wipe out flocks of chickens

in days. The Department encourages all flock owners of all sizes to exercise enhanced biosecurity measures and to

be vigilant in ensuring others on their farms do so as well.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has created a page on its website dedicated solely to HPAI information and

news. It also contains information on biosecurity measures flock owners should take to protect their birds.

Visit mda.maryland.gov/AvianFlu for more information.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture today announced animal health requirements for the 2017 fair and show

season. Under the new regulations, all cattle and swine entering Maryland fairs and shows will be required to have a

radio frequency identification (RFID) tag. The new requirements also extend the previous Avian Influenza testing

interval from 10 days to 21 days. Also, private sale of poultry will be allowed this year with a record of sale maintained

by the fair or show operator for one year.

These new requirements are designed to safeguard Maryland’s animal industries and prevent the introduction and

spread of infectious and/or contagious diseases. The continuing threat of High Path Avian Influenza (HPAI) has made

poultry restrictions a continued point of emphasis in this year’s requirements.

“I strongly support Maryland’s fairs and shows because they showcase the best in Maryland agriculture,” said Dr.

Michael Radebaugh, State Vet. “However, these are extraordinary times, and until the threat of avian influenza has

passed, the new requirements for poultry exhibits and Maryland fairs and shows will remain in effect.”

For details, please see the 2017 Maryland Animal Health Fair and Show Requirements. More information is available

on the Department’s Fairs and Shows website. Follow Maryland Department of Ag on Twitter @Md AgDept

Maryland Department of Agriculture Announces Animal

Health Requirements for 2017 Fair & Show Season

For current status of A.I. in Maryland, see the Bird Flu Blog at: http://news.maryland.gov/mda/bird-flu-blog/

and follow @MdBirdFlu on Twitter. See the Bird Flu Press Kit at: http://mda.maryland.gov/Pages/Bird-Flu-Press-Kit.aspx

P A G E 3

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Everyone raising chickens knows that an adequate supply of water is necessary to be successful. However,

not everyone understands the importance that both water pressure and water volume play in providing an

adequate supply. Pressure and volume are two different things, and both are critical to chicken production.

Water pressure refers to the force that allows water to flow through pipes, fittings, filters, and distribution

lines, overcome elevation, and still reach the drinkers and cool cell pads. The amount of water coming

out of the pipe or hose is the volume. A deficiency in either pressure or volume will cause serious water

restriction issues.

Perhaps the simplest way to understand the difference is this: Pressure is how much force is needed for water

to overcome resistance or drag; volume is how much water to supply to meet drinker and cool cell

demands. It is possible to have excellent water pressure but only a small amount of water coming out of the

pipe. It is also possible to have a pipe full of water coming out of the line but almost no pressure behind it.

Both of these situations are bad when it comes to commercial chicken houses. You must have proper water

pressure and volume to be successful. Let’s take a closer look at the importance of each.

Pressure versus Volume

An adequate water supply must be available on every commercial poultry farm and should be verified before

the houses are constructed. This supply is often either multiple wells or perhaps a well (or multiple wells) and

a municipal supply. Multiple wells should be connected so water can still go to all houses in case you have a

problem with a well. The water supply should be tested for mineral content and absence of bacterial

contamination to ensure the water is safe for poultry to drink. Once you know the water is safe, you must also

determine if the supply is adequate to meet demands of both the chickens and the evaporative cooling system.

Well-drillers can usually tell you how strong your well is by pumping it for approximately 24 hours and

telling you how many gallons per minute it was capable of pumping. Your poultry company will have

guidelines on how many gallons of water per minute your water supply sources must be able to deliver.

(Remember, it is better to oversize the system than install a system that does not meet your needs. Also, a

larger system will allow you to expand in the future.)

If it is determined that you have an adequate amount of water in your wells, you still aren’t out of the woods.

You now have to deliver that water to the chicken houses with enough pressure at sufficient flow rates to

meet demands of the birds for both drinking and cooling. There are multiple ways to make mistakes between

the well and the chicken houses. Installing a pump that is unable to meet the demand of the chicken houses is

a common mistake. If you install a pump capable of pumping 50 gallons per minute but the total water supply

demanded by all your chicken houses is 70 gallons per minute, you are going to have serious water-restriction

problems, especially in those houses farthest from the well. Having an adequate supply of water in the well is

useless if you can’t get it pumped to the houses in a timely manner.

How Total Farm Water Pressure and Volume Affect

Commercial Poultry Production Mississippi State University Extension

P A G E 4

Another common mistake is installing a supply line from the well to the chicken houses that is too small to

carry the volume of water needed. If the water demand on your farm is 60 gallons per minute and you

have a 2-inch supply line from the well to the chicken houses, you cannot supply 60 gallons per minute! A

2-inch pipe will only supply about 48–50 gallons per minute. You may have plenty of water in the well, and

you may have a pump that can pump 75 gallons per minute, but if you want to pump 60 gallons per minute

out the end of the pipe, you will need a 2.5-inch supply line. If you want to pump 75 gallons per minute,

you will need a 3-inch supply line. Pressure and volume must work together. If one is less than adequate,

regardless of which one, you will not be able to provide your chickens with an adequate water supply.

Adequate Water Supply

Adding additional houses to a farm without increasing the size of the supply line is another common

mistake. Your four-house farm may be just fine with a 2-inch supply line. However, if you build two

additional houses and do not upgrade to a 3-inch supply line or add an additional water source, you are likely

going to have water-restriction issues. You must have properly sized and installed pumps, supply lines, and

other equipment to get enough water to the chicken houses. For the past few years, conventional thinking has

been that a typical 40-by- 500-foot broiler house requires about 2 gallons per minute (gpm) for drinking and

about 8 gpm for the cool cell pads (for a total of about 10 gpm per house; naturally, bigger houses will require

even more water). However, chicken genetics change every year. Chickens today eat and drink more than they

did just a few years ago. Conservatively, it might be better today to consider 3 gpm for drinking and 9 gpm for

the cool cells. PVC pipe is inexpensive compared to what it will cost

if you make a mistake and undersize your supply line and cannot pro-

vide adequate water to your farm.

Another common mistake is switching from growing small birds (4.5

pounds or less) to large birds (9 pounds or more) without upgrading

the supply line. Growing larger birds requires more water for both

drinking and cooling purposes. Improved cooling is typically

achieved by adding an additional 20 feet or more of cool cell space to

each side of your house and an additional one or two tunnel fans,

which will require a lot more water. If you have an older farm with a

¾- or 1-inch supply line (Figure 1) that worked fine for smaller birds,

that line likely cannot adequately handle the drinking and cooling

water demands of larger birds during the later stages of the growout.

You may need to increase the size of the well pump and the supply

line in order to meet water demands of larger birds.

You must size your equipment to meet peak demand in summer with big chickens on the farm. You may only

reach peak demand once or twice a year, but you must have the ability to meet that demand. Otherwise,

drinking and/or cooling water will be limited, which could prove disastrous with large birds in hot weather. To

improve your water supply management, you should be able to answer the following common questions

related to poultry house water supply:

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Water Pressure and Volume… (continued)

Figure 1. Three-quarter-inch supply line may

restrict water supply to drinkers and cool cells.

Water Pressure and Volume… (continued) P A G E 5

How much water does a poultry house use?

How much water do all my poultry houses use?

What size should my main supply line be from the well to the houses?

How can I tell if I am short on water?

Do I need water storage tanks?

What are my options (bigger pump, larger supply line, stronger well, etc.)?

If I was short on water last summer, what steps should I take now?

To answer these questions, there are a number of things you need to know:

Tunnel fan capacity: How many fans and how big? How many cubic feet per minute (cfm) of air can be

moved?

Type and thickness of pad (cool cell or fogger pad; 2, 4, 6 inches)

Number of birds per house and bird size

Drinking water needs

Cooling water needs

Main supply line and meter size (¾, 1, 2 inches, etc.)

Farm layout: Is water pushed uphill from the well?

Location: house distance from well or municipal water supply

The following tables will provide information to help you make informed decisions concerning water

demands on your farm and how best to meet those demands. Table 1 lists various total tunnel fan air-moving

capacity based on cubic feet per minute (cfm) and the maximum amount of water usage (gals/min) associated

with either a 6-inch cool cell pad or a 2-inch fogger pad at the various cfm capacities. While 2-inch fogger

pads are becoming less common, there are still some older houses growing smaller birds that continue to use

them. Interior fogging nozzles are a common sight in many poultry houses today. However, some growers

have moved away from using them as they can increase humidity in the house to high levels, which can make

it more difficult for the birds to cool themselves. The amount of water used by fogging nozzles is listed in

Table 2.

Table 3 lists peak dr inking water use in gallons per minute per 1,000 birds for birds at var ious days of

age. Knowing the number of birds in your house, you can use these figures to calculate the gallons per minute

per house, gallons drunk or consumed per hour, and total gallons consumed in 24 hours per house. As

mentioned previously, chicken genetics improve each year, and each round of genetic improvements results

in an increase in water and feed intake. Table 4 lists the estimated per-house water consumption in gallons per

minute at various bird numbers per house. Table 5 lists various house sizes and fan capacities (cfm), along

with the estimated peak water demand for a 6-inch cool cell pad system (calculated using an outside air

temperature of 90°F and an outside relative humidity of 20 percent) and estimated peak drinking demand.

Table 6 lists var ious house sizes and fan capacities (cfm), along with the water demand for the pad

system and the birds, a specified number of houses on the farm, and the estimated total farm water demand in

gallons per minute. This total farm water demand in gallons per minute is what your well pump and supply

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Water Pressure and Volume… (continued) P A G E 6

line must be able to provide at the time of peak water use. A bottleneck anywhere in the system will limit the

ability of the system to provide adequate water flow rates. A pump that is not sized to deliver the flow rate

needed at the required pressure or a too-small supply line that leads to pressure loss will mean a restriction in

water availability. Water is the most important nutrient that a chicken consumes. Therefore, restricting water

availability will affect feed intake, growth rate, bird performance, and, if severe enough, mortality rates.

Table 7 lists estimated farm supply line pipe size based on estimated farm water demand, house size,

and fan capacity. Note that bigger houses require bigger supply lines to adequately deliver the flow rates of

water needed. Bigger houses will hold more birds and will have additional cool cell area to keep those birds

cool during summer, which will place heavier demands on the water supply and delivery system. Make sure

your supply line can furnish what your farm needs (Figure

2). Table 8 lists PVC pipe sizes required to meet various

flow rates in gallons per minute. Most new house

construction today and many retrofits require in excess of

30 gallons per minute. This means anything less than a

2-inch supply line will likely not be adequate to meet

demands of a modern chicken house.

Potential Problems

Water filters can further restrict flow and create additional

problems. Water pressure will decrease approximately 5

pounds per square inch (psi) for each in-line water filter

that the water passes through. In addition, pushing water

uphill results in a significant pressure loss. Water

pressure loss due to rise in elevation can be calculated by the following equation: Feet rise in elevation x

0.433 = pressure loss

Therefore, a 50-foot rise in elevation would result in a pressure loss of 21.7 psi (50 x 0.433 = 21.7).

Most chicken house controllers today are capable of monitoring daily water use by the drinkers. You should

know what your peak 24-hour water demand is. This peak is likely in summer (July or August) with big

chickens on the farm. Watch for changes in water consumption (it should always be increasing each day).

Water and feed intake should increase each day to support the growth rate. If consumption tends to plateau for

several days toward the end of the flock, this could be an indication that there is a water restriction somewhere

in the system. If your controller can record hourly data (or smaller increments), watch for plateaus of a couple

of hours during the hottest part of the day when demand is greatest. It could be the pump, supply, supply line,

or perhaps a combination of all three. Water lines for the drinkers should come off the supply line first before

the line(s) supplying the cool cells and possibly foggers. Cool cell water should not come off first because, if

there is a restriction, it will be the drinking water that suffers the most. If there is not a water meter on your

cool cell line, you might consider adding one to track cool cell water being used. On hot days with big

chickens, cool cells can use as much or more water than the drinkers.

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Figure 2. Four-inch supply line from well (upright pipe)

with 1-inch drinker lines (brood and off end) and cool cell

line (above) coming off of it.

Poultry 101 Symposium - May 10, 2017 - Chesapeake College, Todd Performing Arts Center, 1000 College Circle, Wye

Mills, MD 21679. http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07eduo64x514a093e5&llr=ne7awrmab

Poultry Mortality and Composting Workshop - July 27, 2017 - Wye Research & Education Center, 124 Wye Narrow

Dr., Queenstown, MD 21658. Please register by July 21. Contact Sheila Oscar at 410-742-1178 or soscar@umd.edu.

Some growers have water storage tanks on their farms to help meet water demands during peak usage. How much water

storage is enough? You most likely will never have too much water, but a quick rule of thumb is 100 gallons per 1,000

birds. However, this could quickly become a huge amount of water on a 6- to 10-house farm.

With 25,000 birds per house, this would mean 2,500 gallons of storage per house (25,000/1,000 = 25 x 100 = 2,500

gallons). Therefore, a 6-house farm would require 15,000 gallons of storage, while a 10-house farm would require

25,000 gallons.

There are a variety of problems that can threaten both the pressure and the volume of the water supply at your chicken

houses. Several common problems include:

Poor planning

Undersized main line

Undersized water meters

Distance between farm and well or municipal line

Changes in elevation

No municipal supply available

Insufficient well capacity

Failure to maintain drinker system

Not checking water availability before building

Too many houses for the amount of water availability

Adding additional houses that overload water availability

Retrofitting beyond water supply capability

Failure to regularly test water supply

No backup plan in place should something happen

A quick and easy estimation of how much water you can deliver is the 5-gallon bucket test. Fill a 5-gallon bucket with

water from the control room and time how long it takes for the bucket to fill. It will likely make a difference whether

you have birds in the house and what age they are, so it is best to conduct this test when birds are not present. (The

bucket will fill more slowly with birds in the house.) Here is a quick estimation:

5 gallons in 10 seconds = 30 gallons per minute

5 gallons in 15 seconds = 20 gallons per minute 5 gallons in 30 seconds = 10 gallons per minute

Water Pressure and Volume… (continued) P A G E 7

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Pad system

Tunnel fan

capacity (ft3/min)

–

1Adapted from Czarick, 2007.

P A G E 8

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Water Pressure and Volume… (continued)

Maximum water use (gal/min)

number of nozzles water use

1Adapted from Czarick, 2007.

1Adapted from Czarick, 2007.

Number of birds per

house Estimated per-house

maximum (gpm)

Estimated peak demand

for 6-inch pad system

(gpm)

40'x500' @ 228,000

50'x500' @ 285,000

60'x500' @ 342,000

66'x600' @ 450,000

Summary

Both water pressure and water volume are critical to commercial poultry production. Having enough of one without

the other will limit your ability to be successful. Water pressure is how fast water is flowing, while water volume is

how much water is flowing. You must have enough of each to supply your chicken houses with the drinking and

cooling water they need for the birds to perform at their best. Pump size must be adequate to supply the amount of

water recommended by your integrator. Supply line size must also be large enough to deliver the amount of water the

well pump can pump.

A bottleneck on either pump or supply line size will restrict the amount of water reaching your chicken houses and

likely limit the ability of the chickens to reach their full potential. Becoming familiar with the tables in this publication

will help you better understand how much water your chicken houses need and how you can better meet those needs.

Knowing common problems associated with providing an adequate water supply to your chicken houses can help you

avoid making mistakes when initially building houses, adding additional houses, or retrofitting older houses. For more

information on poultry water well placement and sizing, please see MSU Extension Publication 2953 Private Water Well

Placement and Sizing for Poultry Production at http://extension.msstate.edu/ publications/publications/private-water-

well-placement- and-sizing-for-poultry-production.

# of hous-

es on

farm

Estimated total

farm water demand

(gpm)

40'x500' @ 228,000

50'x500' @ 285,000

60'x500' @ 342,000

66'x600' @ 450,000

Estimated total

farm water demand

(gpm)

Farm supply line re-

quired pipe size

(inches)

40'x500' @ 228,000

50'x500' @ 285,000

60'x500' @ 342,000

66'x600' @ 450,000

Required flow

rate (gals/

min)

Pipe

size

(inches)

1Adapted from Donald et al., 2000.

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

P A G E 9 Water Pressure and Volume… (continued)

P A G E 1 0

A recent University of Illinois study ranks which of these production attributes are most important to buyers for four dif-

ferent products: beef, chicken, milk, and eggs.

The study determined the importance of seven specific on-farm practices in consumers' purchasing decisions:

Animals were not administered growth hormones.

Genetically modified organisms were not used in the production of this product (non-GMO).

Animals were humanely raised.

Animals were not administered antibiotics.

Animals were raised in a free-range (or cage-free) environment.

Animals were grass-fed (or raised on a vegetarian diet).

The product is certified organic.

The top 3 attributes overall were "no growth hormones", "non-GMO", and "humanely raised", though there were differ-

ences in importance based on product type. The "organic" attribute was ranked lowest in importance for consumers.

"The biggest surprise in the study is that 'no growth hormones' is the number one concern consumers have across the

board on all of these products," says U of I food economist and lead researcher Brenna Ellison.

"It's odd because growth hormones are already prohibited for poultry products. Further, products that are certified

organic or humanely-raised also prohibit the use of growth hormones in animals. Ultimately, it means consumers are

spending unnecessary time looking for labels that reflect this particular attribute."

The presence of such labeling claims can determine the sales of one product over another identical product. If one

producer labels its packages of chicken as having "no growth hormones" and another producer doesn't, the latter is at a

disadvantage when consumers are selecting for that specific attribute. Even though both brands of chicken are

hormone-free, by government mandate, the producer who didn't pay to add a label may suffer. Products that carry the

"no growth hormones" claim must note that these are prohibited by the government on the packaging, but this is usually

in the fine print where consumers may or may not be looking.

The lack of importance of the "organic" claim was also surprising to Dr Ellison and her co-authors, Kathleen Brooks and

Taro Mieno of the University of Nebraska.

"When most people hear the term 'organic,' they think of produce, fruits, and vegetables. I don't think the term translates

as well to animals. Consequently, consumers may not understand that the organic certification for meat and other animal

products actually already includes a lot of these other production attributes."

Dr Ellison says the fact that producers keep putting multiple claims on their products, even though broad claims like

"organic" and "humanely raised" encompass almost all of the other production attributes, suggests that producers may be

skeptical that consumers know the full definition of these labels. "They keep adding more labels to make sure consumers

can find all of the things that they want even though one label might do the job."

Labels also provide a way for consumers to express their opinions by voting with their dollars. They can purchase

products labeled with concerns that are important to them.

"Choosing to buy milk without traces of hormones or antibiotics may be driven more by concerns for our own health

than the health of the animal," Dr Ellison says.

"But treatment of the animal is also important to people. The results of the study show that consumers place a greater

importance on the 'humanely raised' attribute for milk and eggs - animals that keep producing, versus those that go to

slaughter." ThePoultrySite News Desk Top image via Shutterstock

Study Ranks Production Attributes

Most Important to Consumers The Poultry Site News Desk

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Senator Gerald Hocker, Paul Downes and Dave Lovell were among those honored at the recent DPI, Inc. banquet.

AgNet.com April 19, 2017 During its annual membership dinner, DPI recognized 11 outstanding chicken growers and

four individuals for their work on behalf of the industry

Hundreds of farmers, chicken company employees, and allies of the Delmarva Peninsula’s chicken community gathered

on April 18 in Salisbury, Md., for the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc.(DPI) Booster Banquet—the annual dinner for the

1,800-member trade association.

J. Frank Gordy, Sr. Delmarva Distinguished Citizen Award

DPI’s highest honor was presented to Paul Downes of Sussex County, Del. Downes is the CEO and President

of Mountaire Farms, where he has worked for 34 years. Under his leadership, Mountaire has grown to become the

seventh largest chicken company in America, and the nation’s largest private label chicken company.

Downes started his career in Delmarva’s poultry industry as a flock supervisor before working his way up to leadership

positions. On a national level, he serves on the National Chicken Council’s board of directors. With him at the helm,

Mountaire demonstrates its willingness to boost the community by feeding thousands of families at Thanksgiving,

Christmas, and Easter events, as well as year-round donations to food banks. When wildfires struck North Carolina in

2016, the state’s governor called on Mountaire seeking emergency food donations for firefighters and the company

responded immediately with assistance.

Edward H. Ralph DPI Medal of Achievement

The Edward H. Ralph DPI Medal of Achievement was presented to Dave Lovell of Melfa, Va. The award goes to a

non-elected person for outstanding service on behalf of Delmarva’s chicken industry.

Lovell, who served on DPI’s board of directors, has been raising chickens since 1991, and he owns eight chicken houses.

He has been an innovator in putting environmentally friendly features into practice on his farm and has been deeply

involved in sustainability issues that affect the entire industry. He is an active member of the Eastern Shore Soil and

Water Conservation District and has worked with the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to promote understanding of the

chicken industry.

Delmarva Poultry Industry Honors Poultry Professionals and

Outstanding Chicken Growers

P A G E 1 1

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Princess Anne, Md. (April 18, 2017) Hoping to maintain the growth and sustainability of the poultry industry on

Delmarva, regional agriculture colleges and industry representatives met in the first-of-its-kind Delmarva Poultry

University-Industry Partnership Summit.

The summit opened with heads of university animal science departments of the University of Delaware, University of

Lovell also participates in the Delmarva Land & Litter Challenge, a private-sector group working to find new ways to

use chicken litter while preserving the chicken industry and improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

DPI Medal of Achievement

The DPI Medal of Achievement for an elected official was awarded to Delaware State Senator, Gerald Hocker of Sussex

County. Sen. Hocker has been a voice for the business community in the Delaware legislature since he was first elected

in 2002. He championed a 2014 bill that would have required state agencies to document regulatory effects and costs

that new regulations would impose. Last year, he was instrumental in stopping the state from enacting onerous and

potentially industry-stopping storm water management rules. Sen. Hocker is also a small business owner, with five

businesses that employ more than 200 people. He may not directly participate in the chicken business, but as a grocer he

sells a lot of chicken. His southeastern Sussex County senate district is one of the most densely concentrated chicken

farm areas in the state and the well-being of the chicken industry matters to him a great deal.

Special citation

A final special citation in recognition of accomplishments was awarded posthumously to Bill Brown, a longtime chicken

grower and University of Delaware Extension poultry agent, who died in an accident on his farm in April 2016. Brown

was an exceptional educator, who worked to improve all segments of the chicken industry and was always willing to

share his knowledge with people unfamiliar with the industry. After his death, his colleagues have carried on his work

by reinforcing the importance of taking safety precautions on farms at all times.

Outstanding chicken growers

Additionally, DPI recognized 11 outstanding chicken growers, selected by their companies from Delmarva’s more than

1,600 poultry growers.

This year’s recipients are:

Choudry Asif – Perdue Farms

Pat Cahall – Perdue Farms

Donald Howard – Tyson Foods

Dave Lovell – Perdue Farms

Sherman & Patty Jones – Mountaire Farms of Delmarva

Ryan Marshall – Mountaire Farms of Delaware

Burton & Sue Ockels – Amick Farms

Dale Phillips – Allen Harim

Chittle Saylor Jr. – Allen Harim

Ruby West – Mountaire Farms of Delmarva

DPI Booster Banquet… (continued) P A G E 1 2

Poultry Summit Draws Ag College, Industry Reps Sean Clougherty, Managing Editor

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

P A G E 1 3

Maryland’s College Park and Eastern Shore campuses, Virginia Tech and the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary

Medicine, detailing the research projects underway at their respective colleges.

Dr. Tom Porter, a University of Maryland professor of animal and avian sciences, was among many attendees hoping

the summit was not a one and done event. “This is the first time in my memory that we’ve had a summit involving

poultry that involved all the universities,” he said. “We need a summit, a conference like this on a regular basis.”

“The study of poultry is more than just the study of avian health,” said Dr. Calvin Keeler of UD’s Department of Animal

and Food Sciences. Interactions with people and the environmental are key components and each university

representative spoke to how their school is approaching the broader scope.

More information on the research projects is available at http://agresearch.umd.edu/topic/poultry. Keeler said land grant

research has largely focused on disease prevention and cures to benefit animal health but the University of Delaware’s

Avian Biosciences Center is in re-evaluation mode to better integrate research on human health, engineering and animal

welfare as it relates to poultry production. “It’s a different era,” he said.

Following the university presentations, Dr. Cyril Clarke, a veterinarian and dean of Virginia-Maryland College of

Veterinary Medicine asked those in the audience representing the poultry industry what their concerns are and needs

from the area research community.

Don Ritter, veterinarian and senior director of health services and food safety for Mountaire Farms of Delaware, said the

question “is a moving target” with changes in the marketplace and regulations guiding company decisions but there are

still some continued issues to focus on. Ritter said maintaining poultry health as antibiotic use decreases or is removed

from the marketplace is needed along with better treatment for infectious laryngotracheitis.

With activist groups pressing for companies to grow chickens with slower growth rates, Ritter said there’s little to no

research objectively comparing different animal-raising systems. “We need some objective measurement to talk to our

customers,” Ritter said.

Bill Satterfield, executive director for Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc., said objective research on air quality in and

around poultry houses is lacking. Activist groups make claims about pollutants produced on chicken farms, he said, and

“we don’t have any data to disprove them so they carry the day in policy making.”

A bill that was proposed but failed in this year’s Maryland legislative session sought to require the State Department of

the Environment to conduct a one-year study of air emissions from concentrated animal feeding operations, Satterfield

said the study was poorly designed and scientifically weak. “It’s going to come back and we need the universities’ help

on that,” Satterfield said.

Dr. John Brooks, a veterinarian and member of the Maryland Agriculture Commission, asked with shrinking research

funding in general, what measures are taken to collaborate across university campuses to eliminate redundancy of

research.

The question prompted a chorus of examples from the department heads of projects involving multiple universities and

funding streams that require collaboration.

Dr. Chad Stahl, chairman of the University of Maryland’s Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, said 80 percent of

researchers in his department are working on collaborative grants. “It’s not that we live in bubbles,” Stahl said. “We

certainly try to seek out collaboration to make our research better.”

Poultry Summit… (continued)

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y

Dr. Mark Reiger, dean of UD’s College of Agriculture and Natural Services, echoed Stahl’s comments. “In this day and

age, the solo investigator doesn’t exist anymore,” he said. “They have to work together.”

In three breakout sessions, focused on animal production, animal health and the environment, attendees offered thoughts

on what the universities were doing well and not doing well, what challenges and opportunities the industry and univer-

sities faced and how to move forward with a stronger partnership. Collaboration and advancing bird health and nutri-

tion were noted as strengths along with diagnostic lab support for the industry. Funding, regulations and communication

were commonly mentioned as challenges.

Moving forward, clear shared goals, accountability and continued regular communication were cited as needed in an

effective partnership.

Dr. Craig Beyrouty, dean of the University of Maryland’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said all the

suggestions will become “data points” used to forge a better partnership. The summit concluded with a panel of industry

representatives reacting to the event and giving further feedback. Ashley Peterson, senior vice president of scientific and

regulatory affairs for the National Chicken Council, called the summit a “good first step” in improving the “two-way

conversation” between researchers and the region’s poultry industry. “I think it’s important that we all talk,” Peterson

said. “It’s not a one-way street. We need to be coming to you as well.”

Dr. Ritter advocated for developing a leadership committee to keep researchers, growers and industry officials

communicating effectively.

Throughout the day, others brought up the idea of creating a “center of excellence” for Delmarva poultry which could

prioritize research needs and communicate project results and conclusions. “We need a long-term coordinated strategy

that would avoid competition and duplication for the same resources,” he said. “We have a lot of chickens here. We

have a lot of researchers here but we’re not very connected.”

Ritter added the strategy should also include a public information component with a unified voice backed by science.

“We have to look at this as an opportunity and go away from here as ambassadors to promote what is good about the

poultry industry,” he said.

Offering a grower perspective, Larry Thomas of Somerset County said he’d like to see universities create websites

detailing research projects “in language we can understand.” He said that information also needs to be more effectively

translated to the general public. “A lot needs to be done to change public perception and it needs to be personal,”

Thomas said. “We’ve got to do a lot better job of improving public perception and helping our farmers.” He also urged

organizers of future meetings to consider timing of the growing season as they plan to allow more farmers to attend.

Poultry Summit… (continued) P A G E 1 4

To help combat A.I. in our area, please take advantage of the University of Maryland Poultry Extension’s

BIOSECURITY VIDEOS:

Commercial Poultry Growers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTkfTdz32EU

Technical Service Personnel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qd10vQuT6KM

Backyard Flock Owners: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFEYn9V0d7s

These videos are a major component of our project, “Preventing Outbreaks of Avian

Influenza Through Timely Dissemination of Practical Science -Based Infor-

mation”, which was funded in par t by a USDA-NIFA Smith-Lever Special Needs

grant designed to enhance knowledge and understanding of avian influenza and pro-

mote biosecurity awareness and preventive practices.

C O M M E R C I A L P O U L T R Y