Commercial Poultry Newsletter FEBRUARY 2019 Commercial Poultry Newsletter FEBRUARY 2019

Commercial Poultry News

http://extension.umd.edu/

In This Issue:

3 - Very Cold Weather

Ventilation Tips

5 - People You Should Know

Shawna L. Weimer

Holly Porter

Maureen Duffy

6 - Mountaire Grower

Honored with State

Environmental Award

7 - Highly Pathogenic Avian

Influenza FQAs

Upcoming Events

Chore-Time Controller Workshop - Feb. 20 (Georgetown) and

Feb. 21 (Denton)

Annie’s Project Classes - February 21 - March 28, 2019 in Denton

Respiratory disease in broilers can occur any time of year, but it’s especially problematic in winter months, when air and environmental conditions may become compromised as producers try to keep costs under control.

Maintaining good air quality is essential and is heavily influenced by ventilation techniques. When a house is under-ventilated, ammonia levels and litter moisture can rise to the point where they’re detrimental to the health of birds, predisposing them to respiratory disease.

Elevated ammonia levels damage the cilia, those brush-like structures responsible for clearing debris out of the trachea. When the cilia are damaged or destroyed, birds may succumb to viral infections such as infectious bronchitis (IB), infectious laryngotracheitis (ILT) or Newcastle disease (ND). These viral pathogens can also cause ciliostasis, which can result in chickens displaying signs of lethargy, depression or coughing and snicking.

Poor litter quality due to inadequate ventilation is favorable for bacterial growth. That’s why it’s not uncommon for birds that have a respiratory virus to develop a secondary bacterial infection — usually Escherichia coli — which can lead to severe polyserositis, septicemia and even death.

Evidence of respiratory disease can show up at the processing plant as well as in the poultry house. Condemnation due to airsacculitis, often due to an underlying respiratory disease, may trend upward during cooler months, when maintaining an optimal environment becomes a challenge. An increased number of birds with airsacculitis can affect the efficiency of the processing plant. More birds will have to be rerouted and salvaged for parts, which can slow the line speed, and that’s costly.

Bigger houses, aging equipment

One trend that may influence ventilation practice is variation in house size. Today, many poultry growers are choosing to build larger houses in an effort to efficiently raise more birds. However, the methods traditionally used to ventilate smaller houses may not yield the same results in larger houses. Care must be taken to ensure that longer and wider poultry houses have the proper equipment and ventilation settings necessary to adequately move and exchange air. Air has to travel further and if airflow is uneven, birds at one end of the house might have fresh air, while birds at the other end don’t.

Broiler-house Management is Key to

Preventing Winter Respiratory Disease Tak Niino, VMD, for PoultryHealthToday.com

Chore-Time Controller Workshop - Feb. 20 (Georgetown) and Feb. 21 (Denton)

Annie’s Project Classes - February 21 - March 28, 2019 in Denton

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Broiler-house Management continued

Poorly maintained equipment is another problem that can lead to difficulty heating and ventilating the house. Old and unmaintained fans might still run, but that’s no guarantee that the cubic feet of air moved per minute is the same as it was when the fans were first installed. A fan may not be capable of moving the intended amount of air if shutters are dirty and belts need replacing. Air flow can be easily monitored using an air flow meter. Proper and regular maintenance is critical to make sure the systems are working properly.

Computerized, automated systems with preset programs are handy and can work well if used appropriately. Advancements in farm equipment make it easy for growers to monitor the house condition and ventilation settings without having to enter the house. However, never assume birds are comfortable just because the computer indicates everything is running smoothly. There is no one-size-fits-all setting since the conditions for keeping birds comfortable and healthy can vary flock to flock. Because of this, it’s important to look at the birds regularly to make sure they are comfortable. Visually checking birds is a fail-proof way to confirm that house conditions, including ventilation and litter quality, are appropriate.

Monitor ammonia

As for ammonia levels, those of us who spend a lot of time in poultry houses can easily become desensitized to the smell and may not realize ammonia levels are too high for bird health. A highly sensitive human nose is capable of detecting ammonia at a concentration as low as 1 ppm; however, I have been inside houses where ammonia levels exceeded 20 ppm but were unnoticed by the grower. For poultry, it’s imperative to keep levels below 25 ppm to prevent a loss in performance and increase in disease — and to protect the safety of workers.

Ammonia levels should be monitored routinely throughout the life of the flock, and if they’re too high, ventilation settings must be adjusted to reduce the ammonia concentration. There are a number of different tools available for evaluating ammonia levels. Whichever tool you choose to use is fine as long as it yields consistently accurate results.

Vaccination

A vaccine program tailored to help protect against respiratory disease risks is essential and should be individualized, taking into account risks on the farm and in the geographic area.

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), for example, is always a concern for broiler flocks, and the key to protection is identification of the IBV strain that’s circulating. Diagnostic methods such as serology, hemagglutination inhibition and polymerase chain reaction analysis can determine the most prevalent IBV serotypes in a flock. Sometimes a heterologous program — using vaccines with different serotypes — may help provide cross protection in the field.

Producers in the Southeast US will need to determine if their flocks need protection against IBV strains such as Georgia 08, a particularly damaging IBV variant, whereas in the Northeast, Delaware 072 can be of concern. Along with IBV, other respiratory pathogens such as ILT and ND may be a problem based on region and time of year. Proper vaccination programs play a major role in helping to provide protection against these diseases.

Some US broiler producers with elevated condemnations due to secondary E. coli infections are evaluating the use of a modified-live, non-reactive E. coli vaccine. The vaccine has been credited with a marked reduction in E. coli-related mortality in layers,1 and field trials with the vaccine in broilers here and abroad have been promising.2-4

In short, vaccination along with managing the environment is crucial for maintaining bird health. For many growers, desirable ventilation can be challenging in cooler months, especially in light of high fuel costs. However, inadequate ventilation puts birds at risk for respiratory diseases that can lead to high rates of morbidity and condemnation. As a result, initiating good management and a solid vaccination plan are often more cost effective in the long run — and spare producers from a lot of headaches. Tak Niino, VMD, Technical services veterinarian, Zoetis Inc.

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Very Cold Weather Ventilation Tip - During very cold weather consider reducing your minimum ventilation timer cycle length, instead of increasing minimum ventilation run time. For instance, You have young chicks and are operating your minimum ventilation fans 30 seconds out of five minutes and feel you need more fresh air. Instead of increasing the min vent fan "on time", decrease the off time, essentially turning your five minute timer into a 4 1/2 minute timer. Want more fresh air, 30 seconds out of 4 minutes. Even more fresh air, 30 seconds out of 3 minutes. You are bringing in more fresh air without shocking the house with a large volume of cold air. It is the long "on times" that can cause excessive drops in house temperature, and increase

heater run time.

Running a couple of 36" fans in the typical house during brooding for 30 seconds can result in replacing 5 percent of the warm air in the house with cold outside air. One minute, 10%, two minutes, 20%. We want to bring in short pulses of cold, fresh air more often than a large volume of air resulting in potential big drops in temperature less often.

This should not be done all the time because it can cause excessive wear on inlet machines/cables as well as can reduce fan motor life. But, for relatively short periods during very cold weather, it is perfectly acceptable. It is not advisable to ever have a timer cycle length less than 3 minutes.

Very Cold Weather Ventilation Tip #2. The longer the air stays along the ceiling the more it will heat up/dry out before it moves down to floor level. The challenge is the colder it gets outside the more difficult it is to keep the air along the ceiling because the incoming air becomes heavier as the outside temperature falls. To keep the air along the ceiling we need to increase the speed at which it enters the house as the outside temperature falls. For instance, with properly designed/installed side wall inlet, opened approximately 2", inside temperature of 80 F, outside temperature of 40 F it typically requires a static pressure of 0.08 to get it to move 15' along the ceiling BUT...if the outside temperature falls to 20 F, the static pressure has to be increased to approximately 0.13" to keep the now much heavier air along the ceiling the same 15'! THE COLDER IT IS OUTSIDE THE HIGHER THE VELOCITY REQUIRED TO KEEP THE AIR ALONG THE CEILING WHICH MEANS THE HIGHER THE LEVEL OF STATIC PRESSURE REQUIRED.

The problem is if you increase the pressure by reducing the amount inlet opening, though the air will enter faster, it will not throw as far because of the fact that smaller inlet openings don't throw the air as far as larger inlet openings. If you increase the pressure by turning on more fans you will end up flooding the house with too much cold air. The best way to increase the pressure is to simply closing a portion of the side wall inlets.

Generally speaking during very cold weather you should close at least 1/2 of the side wall inlets which will enable you to get both the inlet opening you need as well as the higher static pressure required to keep the frigid air along the ceiling. The fact is, one of the most cost effective tools to deal with very cold weather is a simple latch on every side wall inlet.

Cold Weather Ventilation Tip #3. How much below your target temperature your heaters are set to operate (heat offset) should increase with bird age. Using the same heat offset with a four-week-old bird as you do a one-week-old

Very Cold Weather Ventilation Tips UGA Extension’s Mike Czarick - Facebook Page - Jan 20 2019

https://www.facebook.com/UGA-Poultry-Housing-266716120065616/

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Very Cold Weather Ventilation Tips continued bird is typically not only unnecessary but can lead to excessive heating costs. With young chicks the heating system should be set to operate a degree or so below the target temperature. But as the birds get older this difference should increase. One rule of thumb is that heat offset should be roughly equal to the age of the birds in weeks. 1 week = 1 F, 2 weeks 2 F, 3 weeks 3 F...and so on. Why? Since chicks cannot regulate their body temperature you are essentially controlling their body temperatures with your heating system. Relatively small drops in house temperatures will result in chick body temperatures dropping as well. As a result we really need to turn on heat as quickly as possible when the house temperature drops below the target

temperature to avoid chilling the chicks. In contrast, older birds are much better able to regulate their body temperatures so they can tolerate the house temperature being a little below ideal...the older they are the more tolerant they become. Furthermore, the older the birds become the more heat they are producing and more likely the house temperature will recover after the minimum ventilation fans/timer fans turn off without the assistance of the heating system.

For instance, during cold weather with older birds when you may be operating the minimum ventilation fans two or three minutes out of five the house temperature will fall maybe 2 or 3 degrees. If your heaters are set to operate 2 degrees below your target temperature they will come on every time the minimum ventilation fans operate. BUT...if we just wait a couple of minutes the bird heat will often bring the house temperature back up to the target temperature by itself. By increasing the heat offset to let's say 4 F, we give the house time to recover from the cold air brought in by the fans before using the heating system unnecessarily.

In summary, older birds are simply not as fragile as are day-old-chicks. Though a 1 F heat offset may be necessary for a day-old-chick it is not only unnecessary for an older bird but wasteful as well. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Del. Charles Otto, left, reads a resolution from the Maryland House of Delegates to Bill Satterfield, center, who retired in December

from Delmarva Poultry Industry Inc., after 32 years. Richard Coulburn also presented Satterfield with a Secretary’s Citiation from

the Maryland Department of Agriculture. (Photo by Sean Clougherty)

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Shawna L. Weimer

University of Maryland Extension’s Newest Assistant Professor in Animal and Avian Science

Dr. Weimer is originally from Iowa, where she attended Iowa State University and earned a B.S. in Animal Science/Animal Ecology and a M.S. in Animal Physiology, with a specialization in swine ethology. She worked in the swine industry for two years in quality assurance and procurement at swine processing facilities in Iowa and Minnesota. Shawna received her Ph.D. from the University of Arkansas in 2017, focusing her research on validating noninvasive measures of stress and lameness in broilers. She also ran broiler nutrition trials for allied industry sponsors during her time in Arkansas. Her post-doctorate work at Purdue involved research on laying hens, turkeys and broilers

in the areas of physiology, health, management, nutrition, egg quality, meat quality, behavior and welfare.

Dr. Weimer is PAACO (Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization) certified in poultry, and offers her services to shadow audit poultry operations seeking animal welfare certification. She plans to develop internship programs for UMD students with Maryland poultry production companies.

Under the same umbrella, she plans to carry out her extension and research efforts to address the concerns of the poultry industry as well as to foster their sustainability. Her current research objectives are to improve the health, performance, and welfare of poultry through:

1) developing environmental and nutritional strategies

2) investigating the utility of noninvasive technologies and

3) validating audit criteria for animal welfare audits and assessments.

Holly Porter DPI’s New Executive Director

When Bill Satterfield retired after 25 years as executive director of Delmarva Poultry Industry Inc., he left huge boots to fill. But DPI, through careful succession planning, brought on Holly Porter in 2017 as assistant executive director to prepare her for ascension to the top post on Jan. 1.

One of her first tasks as the new Executive Director is to lead implementation of the strategic plan approved by the board of directors last September. Key elements of the plan include “solidifying our mission statement which talks about advocacy, education, and member relations,” she says.

(Photo and article by Nancy L. Smith)

People You Should Know

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People You Should Know continued

Maureen Duffy DPI Member Relations Manager

Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. (DPI) announced the hiring of its first member relations manager, Maureen Duffy. She will be responsible for recruitment, retainment and relationship for recruitment, retainment and relationship building with all DPI members. Duffy started work at DPI on Nov. 1, 2018.

Before joining DPI, Duffy worked as the operations manager at Jaykal LED Solutions, Inc. in Harbeson, Del., where she had a variety of duties, including working with a wide range of vendors and clients. She has extensive experience in marketing and sales throughout her career and has worked in both the corporate and non-profit sectors. (Picture and article by James Fisher, DPI)

On January 17, 2019, Chad and Joanna Carpenter are runners-up for Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award. For the past four years, Chad Carpenter has spent his days visiting poultry farms and helping poultry growers be successful. As a Flock Supervisor for Mountaire Farms, his knowledge also comes from personal experience. At night, he checks in on his own flocks to make sure they are healthy too. He has built his career around his chickens.

But his hard work shows and Carpenter and his wife, Joanna, were recently honored by the Delaware Department of Agriculture as runners-up for the Delaware Environmental Stewardship Award.

“Chad’s operation is an example of what all our growers should strive to achieve,” said Mountaire Grow Out Manager, Brian J. Smith. “Chad keeps his farm in excellent condition both inside the poultry houses and outside. He’s a tremendous asset to Mountaire both as an employee and a grower.”

The prestigious award was presented to Carpenter by Chris Brosch, nutrient management administrator at the Delaware Department of Agriculture, and Kenneth Bounds, Delaware Department of Agriculture deputy secretary, during Delaware Ag Week. Recipients were nominated based on excellent environmental stewardship farm practices, including the usage of effective vegetative buffers, water quality protection measures and land application initiatives.

Chad and Joanna live in Georgetown, Delaware, and have been growers for Mountaire since 2010. They own and operate under East Piney Grove Farms LLC, and manage four poultry farms, named in honor of their four children, including Brooke’s Biddies, Madison’s Big Birds, Charlotte’s Cluckers and Birds 4 Cash. Chad is also a Broiler Flock Supervisor for Mountaire, joining the Grow Out team four years ago.

The Carpenters were awarded $500, a commemorative plaque, and yard sign, for their outstanding

accomplishments to protect the environment and being good neighbors in the rural Georgetown area.

Mountaire Grower Honored

with State Environmental Award WATTS

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What is Avian Influenza? Avian Influenza (AI) is a viral disease that affects all species of birds. It is caused by the type “A” influenza

virus.

AI viruses can be classified into two categories: those that cause mild to no disease in poultry (low

pathogenic avian influenza or LPAI) and those that cause severe disease (highly pathogenic avian influenza

or HPAI).

Waterfowl are the natural reservoirs (carriers) of AI viruses. While the viruses may cause marked illness and

fatality in domestic poultry, waterfowl often show little to no signs of infection.

What are the signs of HPAI?

Some birds may exhibit flu and cold‐like symptoms. Signs may include: loss of appetite, lack of vocalization,

drop in egg production, coughing, swollen face, diarrhea and paralysis.

Sudden and rapid death loss. How is HPAI spread?

AI is spread easily through droppings or nasal discharge of an infected bird, which contaminates dust and

soil. The virus may also be spread by wind blowing it in and out of poultry houses.

People can carry the virus on their shoes, clothes, equipment and vehicles.

Control methods are limited; therefore, it is better to prevent infections with biosecurity at an individual

farm and regional level. Influenza viruses follow the movement of people and equipment and can only be

controlled if everyone communicates openly.

Does it affect people? Can people get AI from eating poultry? The risk of human infection is very low. To date, the HPAI strains that have been found in the United States

have not been detected in humans.

Risk of infection is limited to people in direct contact with affected birds.

All poultry identified with HPAI are prohibited by law from entering the marketplace.

There is no evidence that people can acquire AI by eating poultry products.

As a reminder, all poultry and eggs should be handled properly and cooked to an internal temp. of 165° F.

What is being done to prevent and stop the spread of HPAI?

Early detection is the key to preventing the spread of the virus.

Maryland’s AI surveillance program has been in place since 2004. The United States has the strongest AI

surveillance program in the world. The USDA along with poultry industry partners are actively looking for

the disease.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture (MDA) immediately quarantines potentially infected flocks and

collects samples for AI testing.

Once a flock is confirmed positive, MDA and the USDA work with the producer/bird owner to create a flock

plan. The plan includes appraisal, indemnity and depopulation of remaining birds, carcass disposal, and

cleaning and disinfection of the premises.

To meet federal requirements for HPAI response, MDA also conducts surveillance testing within a 10 kilome‐

ter control zone of the infected farm and notifies all other poultry owners within a 20 kilometer area.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Frequently Asked Questions

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88 Commercial Poultry Newsletter FEBRUARY 2019 Avian Influenza FAQs continued What role do waterfowl play in the spread of HPAI?

Waterfowl are the natural reservoirs (carriers) of AI viruses.

Ultimately wild birds are involved as a reservoir but the specifics of how this virus got into these farms is an

ongoing investigation. Owners of domestic poultry can use biosecurity to protect their flocks.

What is Biosecurity?

Biosecurity is a term used to describe the procedures and practices that are followed by the poultry industry

in order to contain or prevent the spread of influenza viruses in a poultry flock. These practices include

isolation, sanitation and traffic control of people, animals and equipment.

What steps can I take to protect my flock(s)?

Discourage co‐mingling of waterfowl and domestic birds and poultry. This includes eliminating feed or water

available which attracts waterfowl and other wild birds.

Avoid on‐farm traffic patterns that cross waterways. Wear appropriate footwear that can be cleaned and

sanitized.

Prevent access to surface water and the surrounding environment by poultry and prevent wild birds access

to poultry feed, water and other environments strictly for poultry.

Avoid the use of surface water for watering poultry unless it has been treated/disinfected. What should I do if I observe signs of illness or increased mortality in my birds?

Call MDA at 410-841-5971 or 1-800-492-5590.

The USDA at 866‐536‐7593.

Your local/flock veterinarian.

Visit www.mda.maryland.gov/avianflu for additional information.

In Delaware: If you have sick or dead birds, call 302-698-4500 or 800-282-8685 (Delaware only). The staff at Delaware Department of Agriculture can make sure your birds get tested so you know why they are sick.

Types of Avian Influenza

Low Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (LPAI): Most AI strains are classified as low pathogenicity and cause few clinical signs in infected birds. LPAI generally does not pose a significant health threat to humans; however, LPAI is monitored because two strains of LPAI – the H5 and H7 strains – can mutate into highly pathogenic forms. There are few clinical signs, but they include mild respiratory disease (coughing and sneezing) and decreased egg production.

High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI): This is a more pathogenic type of avian influenza that is frequently fatal to birds and easily transmissible between susceptible species. Clinical signs include:

Sudden death without clinical signs o Purple discoloration of the wattles, combs, and legs

Lack of energy and appetite o Nasal discharge

Decreased egg production o Coughing, sneezing

Soft–shelled or misshapen eggs o Lack of coordination

Swelling of the head, eyelids, comb, wattles, and hocks o Diarrhea

The virus is shed in fecal droppings, saliva and nasal discharge of some avian wildlife species and infected domestic poultry.

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Below are photos of specific signs of highly-contagious illnesses in poultry, including avian influenza and virulent Newcastle disease. For a full list of potential signs of illness click here.

If you see these signs of illness in your birds, report them immediately to USDA APHIS at 1–866–536–7593. You can also contact your local cooperative extension office, local veterinarian or your State Veterinarian.

Purple discoloration of comb and Swelling and purple discoloration of Open mouth breathing with moderate

waddles. waddle and eyelids. swelling of the comb and waddle.

Purple discoloration and swelling of legs. Swelling of eyelid and around the eye; Purple discoloration, congestion and

purple discoloration of the comb and swelling of the comb and waddle; swell-

waddle. ing around the eyes; ruffled feathers