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JUST HATCHED

Dr. Dale King, who served as a faculty member for the Poultry Science Department from 1930-1967 and the first department chair from 1947-1960, has been awarded the Alabaman Agriculture Pioneer Award. His research and pioneering spirit helped position Alabama as one of the nation’s leading poultry producers and has made poultry the state’s number one agricultural industry.

King introduced the method of cage management systems into the Southeast in 1947. Alabama poultry producers were quick to adopt this new method, which revolutionized the state’s poultry industry. He was also responsible for building the first caged broiler house in the world. King was also well known for his research in egg production. Overall, his research and experiments led to advancements in the use of light to stimulate production and increase egg yield.

Former students of King remember the man as a pivotal figure, not only in the poultry industry, but in their lives. He was a great professor who took a sincere personal interest in student success.

YOURS, MINE….NO, OURS For almost 25 years now, I have been blessed

to be associated with the Department of Poultry Science. When I take a look at our Department what I see are our faculty, staff, students, alumni and industry stakeholders, as well as their extraordinary level of engagement, accomplishment and impact. As department head, I have a great vantage point from which to see all of this activity; however, you as a stakeholder in our program, often only get a glimpse of what is truly going on in our Department and the impact we are making. Therefore, we are now implementing a more deliberate strategy to communicate with you, which brings us to this inaugural issue of JUST HATCHED. We have crafted our newsletter to highlight key student accomplishments, Extension efforts, and activities with our alumni and industry stakeholders. I hope you too will now have a vantage point from which to better see all the amazing things going on in our Department.

Students continue to be our priority - more specifically: student recruitment, retention, and career placement. I am quite impressed

with our student body. Not only are they working hard academically, but are excelling in their extracurricular activities to enhance their professional growth and prepare for great careers. Both our Food Science and Poultry Science Clubs were extremely active at the local and national level. Our graduates typically receive multiple job offers at graduation and this year is no exception. Congratulations to all of our graduates and best wishes on the next phase of your life’s adventure! We are pleased that our enrollment is strong, as we have accepted 39 new students for Fall 2014!

Besides helping equip the next generation of industry leaders, our Department is committed to developing and applying new knowledge in support of the poultry and food industry. Our research endeavors encompass all phases from the “farm-to-fork,” and in this issue we have chosen to highlight two projects that represent this comprehensive approach to our research. Not only do these projects showcase efforts that are highly relevant to sustaining a safe food supply, but they provide a chance to highlight how graduate students fit into our research program (actually they enable our research in most cases!).

Our Extension efforts follow this same approach. For this issue, we are highlighting highly applied research focused on energy use and management and performance on broiler farms. This is just one example of our efforts to provide education and technical assistance to the industry and individuals. Our Extension specialists work day-in-day-out on real world problems in the poultry and food industry, particularly in the areas broiler management and health, food safety, food product innovation, environment stewardship, processing, hobby & game bird support and youth development. Our goal is to offer educational programs, technical assistance, and workforce training programs that will improve the economy and societal wellbeing in the State and region.

As I said earlier, you – our alumni and industry friends – are an important and integral part of our Department. So we always look for great events to host you back on The Plains. This April, we hosted the Alabama Poultry and Egg Association Board Meeting at our new feed mill facility, followed by the Friends of Poultry/Ag Classic dinner and golf tournament. We enjoyed the company of more than 140 alumni and friends! This was a great spring opportunity to have all of you back in Auburn, and we look forward to seeing you this Fall at our 15th Alumni, Friends and Recruiting BBQ.

I hope that you enjoy our newsletter and that you find a renewed connection with our Department. I invite you to also visit our website (www.ag.auburn.edu/poul) and Facebook page to keep up to date with all the “going-ons” in the Department. Thank you for your interest in our Department!

WAR EAGLE!

A LETTER FROM DR. DONALD CONNER, Department Head

SEMESTER HEADLINESPHOTO FEED MILL TOURWith our new Poultry & Animal Nutrition Center up and running, we’ve been able to produce and manage the feed for our research farm. We want you to see the facilities, and understand the process. Visit our the facilities section under our “Research” page on our website for a photo tour of the facilities. www.ag.auburn.edu/poul/research

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTSHave you wondered what our Alumni are up to? Each month we feature an Alumni story under the “Spotlights” Section of our Alumni Page! See this month’s spotlight and archives of past months on our website! www.ag.auburn.edu/poul/industryalumni

SHOWCASING OUR STUDENTSVisit our “Student” page to see how student life, academics, clubs and outreach programs, and professional development are thriving within our department. www.ag.auburn.edu/poul/students

TURNING HEADS WITH OUR NEW MARKETING EFFORTSWWW.AG.AUBURN.EDU/POUL

WWW.FACEBOOK .COM/AUBURNPOULTRYSCIENCE

WWW.INSTAGR AM.COM/AUPOULTRYSCIENCE SCAN HERE TO VISIT OUR WEBSITE >>>

Dr. K ing In the hall of fame

ALABAMA AGRICULTURE PIONEER AWARD, 2014

Have you ever heard the terms “white-striping” or “wooden breast”? In poultry production, these terms signify myopathies that cause minor visual and sensory differences in breast meat. Recently, these differences have been found to be undesirable to consumers. Though perfectly harmless in nature, these quality defects alter the familiar appearance of white meat, and seem to be raising some eyebrows from the average grocery shopper. Innovative research into nutrition and management factors that may affect white-striping and wooden breast is now being carried out through collaborative efforts our department. Dr. William Dozier, Dr. Sarge Bilgili, and Ph.D. student Kate Meloche are forging a new path through the use of raised pens that allow for a more controlled and accurate account of the nutrients each bird receives daily.

Our current research focuses on quality defects of the breast fillet (Pectoralis major muscle) in broilers. Specifically, we are interested in characterizing the development and progression of white striping, wooden breast, and idiopathic necrosis. Numerous anecdotal reports indicate that these breast meat quality issues are becoming more prevalent worldwide. These quality defects are entirely aesthetic in nature, with no health risk to consumers. Because these issues affect the appearance of breast meat, they may influence visual acceptance of raw products in a retail setting. Additionally, textural differences in affected fillets may result in negative consumer experiences when encountered in a restaurant or fast-food setting. Changes in breast meat composition may alter the functional properties of poultry meat, and thus may also impact the sensory attributes of further-processed products. Breast meat accounts for as much as 25% of live bird weight in modern broilers. At approximately $2.10 per lb, boneless-skin-less breast fillets are a primary driver of profitability for broiler integrators. Strategies to improve meat quality issues through nutrition and management have been investigated; however the paucity of information regarding the underlying mechanism of these quality defects has impeded the development of targeted practical interventions for application in the poultry industry...

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON OUR “RESEARCH PAGE” ONLINE!

The Food Science program boasts an I.F.T. (Institute of Food Technologists) certified program, excellent students and faculty, and the Food Science Club. This group of dedicated Food Science majors work together to compete, learn, and explore other aspects of Food Science.

This semester, the club branched out into some new activities. They competed in I.F.T.’s Disney competition, provided “Aubie Dots”, a frozen ice cream treat, at various College of Agriculture events, and hosted a children’s booth at “Get Ag-tive Day” during Ag Week. Their meetings have hosted Food Science Alumni as speakers to help develop their professional skills.

With 13 members, this club is paving the way for Food Science majors to find fellowship and new and exciting ways to apply what they’re learning in class. They hope to attend next year’s I.F.T. Conference in New Orleans as a group - where they can further their club experiences with seminars and product expos. President, Emma Williams, knows events and opportunities like these will be eye opening to Food Science Majors.

High energy prices and scarcity of energy sources this winter have increased poultry grower interest in alternative heating sources for broiler houses.

A recent field trial completed by Auburn examined Wood pellet burning furnaces (Lee Energy Corp.) in paired broiler houses on four broiler farms during fall and winter grow-outs for two years to determine influences on house ammonia, moisture control and temperature. Litter ammonia levels (measured as the ammonia leaves the litter) were meaningfully reduced 80% of the time with the pellet burning furnaces, with an average reduction of 15 ppm.

Research has shown that reductions of this magnitude improved broiler body weight by 0.15 lb per bird or 15,000 lbs per four-house farm. This would be worth $750 per flock to the grower. Increases in income to the integrator would be enhanced further by the improvement in 1 to 1.5 points in FCR expected with this sort of reduction in ammonia levels.

Brooding humidity levels, important in the maintenance of air quality and crucial in the control of litter moisture, were reduced 75% of the time when birds were brooded with wood pellet furnaces. Reductions averaged 8%, with 15% humidity reductions not uncommon during the most difficult portion of the winter season.

Contributed by Dr. Joseph Hess, Dr. Ken Macklin, and Dr. John

JOIN US FOR FUN HANDS -ON LEARNING ABOUT POULTRY & EGGS

CALLING ALL CAMPERS!

Inside Food Science EXTENSION AT A GLANCE

PEEPS Camp will be held on June 19th & 26th this summer. Enrollment is $25.00 and includes snacks, supplies for projects, and a trip to the Raptor Center! Find more information on our website or contact Codi Plaster, plastcr@auburn.edu

Innovative graduate RESEARCH BUILDS NEW PENS

WOOD PELLET BURNING STOVES AND BROILER HOUSE ENVIRONMENT

Looking back AT OUR SEMESTER

SENIOR SEND OFF INCOMING FRESHMEN

GRADUATE STUDENt JAKE SMITH RESEARCHES FOOD SAFETY

This year’s Friends of Poultry event and golf tournament paired with the Auburn University College of Agriculture’s 17th Annual Ag Classic was a hole-in-one. With beautiful weather, a picturesque golf course, and camaraderie with our friends in the industry, we truly enjoyed sharing the day together on the greens. Thank you to all those who came to play! We will feature photo albums under our Alumni/Industry page on our website if you missed the fun, or want to revisit that perfect score.

FRIENDS OF POULTRY HIT THE COURSE

Our students are astounding, participating in clubs and events that reflect strong character, hunger for knowledge, and devotion to their contributions to the industry. This year we are proud of our graduating seniors, who are moving on to great opportunities with companies like Aviagen, Dixieland Egg Company, and Cal-Maine, American Proteins, Wayne Farms, and Tyson. We wish all the best luck to Andrew Adams ,

Abbie Adcock, John Blinkhorn, Lauren Bradley, Jarrod Bryant, Clara Fisher, Hannah Fisher, Jake Gossett, Jimmy Hagood, Ryan Odom, Matthew Roberts. We know you will go on to be a leading voice in the industry with your well-earned degrees.

This semester began with cold temperatures, and determined students. In January, students with the Poultry Science Club traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to participate in the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) as seen in this picture. Despite snowy conditions, the students ventured boldly to the expo to interview for summer internships, build networking connections with members of the industry, and experience the world of production and processing on the show floor.

In February, students helped organize the Spring Judging Clinics for FFA students. Poultry Science students at Auburn were each in charge of a station that helped educate FFA students about the different aspects of judging at Career Development Events. Stations ranged from carcass evaluation, to egg evaluation, and placing of layers and broilers. The clinics, led by Student Coordinator, Codi Plaster, were very successful, and a fun experience for all involved.

The spring Smoked Chicken Sale was another great success this

Ph.D. Candidate Jake Smith is pursuing research in food borne pathogens that can negatively impact the food supply and consumer health in America. He began studying antimicrobial levels in poultry when pursuing a M.S. in Food Science, but has chosen a more direct and specific study for his Ph.D. research.

Jake now focuses primarily on salmonella Heidelberg and Listeria monocytogenes in chicken meat. “Salmonella Heidelberg and Listeria monocytogenes have been implicated as two of the top food borne pathogens by the USDA,”

says, Jake. This is what attracted him to choose these two pathogens in specific. S. Heidelberg is the most commonly isolated salmonella strain

from poultry, and Listeria monocytogenes can survive and thrive in cold environments, such as your refrigerator. It can be commonly found on processed meats such as lunch meat or hot dogs.

Jake studies these pathogens by using different temperatures to observe their response to heat. So far, he’s found that pathogens survive well at different temperatures, but if the chicken is cooked to suggested temperature (165 °Fahrenheit) then dangerous

pathogens will be eliminated. Learning about the response

of bacteria when products are not cooked to the correct temperatures is extremely important. Jake notes, “Sometimes people look at what they’re cooking, and think well maybe 160 °F is close enough, all of our other food is ready, let’s just pull this off now.” But is it really done yet? He’s found so far that though these pathogens will reduce in quantity over time, they will actually survive

all the way up until 165 °F. For this reason, Jake’s research will prove with hard evidence that cooking your poultry to 165 °F is the only way to definitively kill the salmonella Heidelberg and Listeria monocytogenes...

READ THE FULL ARTICLE ON OUR “RESEARCH PAGE” ONLINE!

“MY RESEARCH WILL SHED LIGHT ON HOW THE ACID ADAPTATION OF BACTERIA AFFECTS I TS SURVIVAL IN FOODS”

year. Members of the Poultry Science Club sold over 1,000 chickens. Club members are responsible for the process, which begins with a special brine recipe, smoking for 7-8 hours, and finally packaging and labeling the chicken for sale.

With the election of our new Club Officers in March, we are looking forward to another successful year for our club. If you are an incoming student, please learn more about the club on our website!

We are proud to announce our acceptance of:8 new students into the Food Science program16 new students into the Production program, and15 new students into the Pre-Professional/Pre-Vet program!

WITH NEW STUDENTS, WE SEE NEW PROMISES & OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR PROGRAMS