I’m a former 4-Her.

My mom heard locusts the other night. That means two things: school is about to start, but before that, fair season is upon us.

If you’re in the West Central Ohio viewing and listening region, you already know… “It’s that time of season, it’s that time of year. The Allen County Fair is here!” Yes, my home county fair has a jingle. And you bet your sweet behind that every time I hear it, I sing along. As one of the largest 4-H fairs in Ohio, the Allen County Fair is like the Super Bowl. Every year, I spent the other 11 months getting excited for the coming August.

If this were 2007, I’d be attending several club meetings, finishing my project books, discussing with my dad what birds and how many I would take to the fair, cleaning out the show box, washing birds, feeding broilers, participating in the livestock Skill-a-Thon, sending in my entries, attending Junior Fair Board meetings, helping set up the poultry barn and the 4-H displays, studying for showmanship, going to special interest judging with my guinea pig or my (short-lived) cooking and sewing projects, heading to band camp to rehearse for the Fair Parade and Kewpee Showcase of Bands, picking up my Fair ID, balancing 4-H and volleyball and a part-time job, and twiddling my thumbs until we would pack up chickens, ducks, and geese and drive 6 miles to coop them in. Everything I had waited all year for would commence on the third Friday in August.

Except the past few years, it has been very different. Of the past eight Allen County fairs, I’ve seen two. For one, I was lucky enough to judge the market poultry classes with my dad. The other, I was confined to the bleachers watching younger versions of myself doing all the things I used to live for. That’s the most unfair thing about the fair… it ends for you and someone else takes your place.

Since 2007, I have traveled with my dad judging fairs and shows all across the Midwest. I’ve been able to branch out on my own and conquer parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Deciding the fates of (what feels like) little baby 4-Hers at fairs big and small satisfies my need for holding chickens and eating fried Oreos, but it doesn’t quite hit that part of my heart that desperately wants to be 13 years old, twiddling my thumbs waiting and preparing for the fair. But, I have to remember my place.

My parents did everything they could to help me prepare for show day, but it was, ultimately, my job to earn (or not earn) a ribbon. Unfortunately, there are too many parents, guardians, club leaders, Ag teachers, and adults doing everything. Folks fitting the heifer, gluing the rocket, walking the pigs, feeding the rabbits, sewing the dress, ruthlessly drilling showmanship answers into their heads, selecting their animals for them, the list goes on. Helping with those things is wonderful, but doing all of those things establishes your place as a 40-Year-Old 4-Her. Who gets the credit? Who feels the pride? The adult, or the kid? To me, it feels like plagiarism… taking the credit for someone else’s work. 4-H is meant to educate and train a generation of young, confident, self-sufficient kids. To truly make the best better, kids have to learn to do for themselves. They either fail or fly on their own. That is not to say they won’t need your help. Trust me, they will. At the end of the fair, it’s the 4-Hers’ projects, their animals, their trophies, their club, their learning experiences, and their work, win or lose.

My place as a 4-H parent is light years away. However, I do feel privileged enough to be a 4-H cousin to my little poultry protégé, Michaela. I want her to succeed, like really, really want her to succeed. She’s a smart cookie and knows her stuff, just like I did. Sometimes I forget she’s not me and this isn’t 2007. I don’t want to become her 26-Year-Old 4-Her. All I can do is answer her questions and gently remind her to stand still, speak clearly, and smile. I trust her that she can do the work on her own. That’s all she needs me to do.

I genuinely miss my time spent as a 4-Her. There was so much work that led up to it, but the best part was spending time, hanging out with my family and friends. I needed my Fitbit back then to track the endless miles we ran around the midway, and one of those clicker counters for the times I begged my dad for $5 to try and win a rabbit or a goldfish. We definitely played more hands of cards than any Vegas blackjack dealer. I probably consumed my weight in sausage sandwiches, fried cheese on a stick, and Linda Green’s homemade dope (aka ice cream sundae syrup stuff.) But I also learned valuable lessons like: how to earn some easy money from parents by spying on the older kids at the Junior Fair Dance, “you can either raise turkeys or go to college,” a sash and a crown gets you free fries for a week, and the best locations for people watching, because county fairs are basically the Olympics of people watching.

This year, I will have two full fair weeks and an Ag Progress Days in Pennsylvania before I head home for my 167th Allen County Fair. On Saturday and Sunday, I’ll take my place in the bleachers, cheer on, and mouth/pantomime “SMILE!” to the 4-Hers who have taken my place. Then I’ll go get some fried Oreos, congratulate the kids, and continue reminiscing my own glory days.

Good luck to all the 4-Hers in the thick of fair season. Hope to see you at the fair!

Biosecurity.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has reared it’s ugly head, once again in the U.S. The truth is, it actually never left. Avian Influenza has been nearly endemic in most wild bird populations in North America. These birds rarely show signs of disease and frequently pass over or through areas where we Americans produce the some 8 billion chickens consumed every year. Trust me, Monday, March 6, 2017 made me and several billion chickens go like this…

HPAI (H7N9) broke in two commercial chicken flocks in Tennessee in early March. Several other flocks have reported positive tests for LPAI, a less severe, but still scary type of Avian Influenza, in other parts of the country. This disease is not the same strain as the one currently affecting Europe and Asia, despite it bearing the same general name, Avian Influenza. The North American strains have not been proven to cause disease in humans, and it is no threat to the integrity or safety of the U.S. food system. All commercial poultry must be free and clear of disease before processing. That is determined by blood and fat samples. At this time, it is believed that HPAI and LPAI are transmitted and carried by wild waterfowl and other wild bird species through their droppings and the air.

I used to work in a very very very old commercial broiler hatchery. We used to say trying to keep ideal temperature in the building was like trying to heat and cool a Wiffle ball. There were just too many holes. The same can be said about preventing the spread of Avian Influenza and biosecurity for backyard, exhibition, and hobby poultry producers. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible.

Start by thinking of your flock as a giant plastic bubble… Kinda like this:

In a perfect world, our birds would live and thrive in a bubble. However, that is simply not going to happen. How do we keep wild birds from flying? How do we alert them to where our large commercial or small backyard flocks reside? How do we keep them from coughing or pooping near our birds? We can’t. So we have to do a few things on our own. Practicing top-notch biosecurity and having plans can get us closer to the bubble and further away from the Wiffle ball.

The following are 11 points that I can personally endorse and hope you can adopt to protect your flock:

1. Limit visitors to your farm.
   • Having an “open-door” policy puts a pin in your bubble real quick. If you do have a visitor, ask if they have been around wild, commercial, or backyard birds in the last 48-72 hours. Utilitize a footbath where visitors can dip their shoes into a disinfectant solution. Maybe keep a few Tyvek suits and boot covers on hand in case you do receive a guest. Isn’t Amazon.com great?
   • Try not to be anyone else’s visitor, either. When you expose yourself to another flock, you put your own at risk.
2. Keep your birds away from open water sources where wild waterfowl hang out.
   • Those who raise waterfowl will find it hard to keep their birds in condition without the use of a pond. Get creative: utilize kiddie pools and other small water sources.
   • NEVER EVER EVER use untreated surface water from a pond, creek, stream, or lake to water your birds. Just don’t do it.
   • Discourage wild waterfowl from landing on your property. In open hunting seasons, a good shot comes in handy. When wild waterfowl are out of season, netting over ponds, a good bird chasing dog, or other discouragement techniques will prevent these potentially dangerous birds from dropping by.
3. Have designated “barn wear.”
   • You don’t need biohazard Tyvek suits. Designating a few old t-shirts and jeans that you don’t care about getting dirty, and a pair of rubber boots or shoes will work great. If you’re like me, and there is still 2 feet of snow on the ground, having a designated barn coat also helps.
   • Keep these barn clothes and footwear away from your other clothes. Wash them separately and frequently.
   • Footwear is especially important. Rubber boots are great because they can be disinfected and won’t get soggy. Something similar to Crocs also work great. Just don’t wear them out in the garden after you go tromping through the chicken pcoop.
4. Clean and disinfect coops, equipment, and vehicles.
   • Ideally, you want to start with clean everything. However, established flocks can keep their barns, coops, and poultry areas free from used litter, excessive dust, and dirty equipment lying around. When cleaning coops, be sure to disinfect all surfaces, waterers, feeders, and nest boxes. There are several disinfectants available at local farm stores. Store your clean and dirty equipment separately so you know which is which.
   • If you visit an area with poultry or wild birds, disinfect your vehicle before you return home. This can be as simple as running your truck through the car wash. Throwing a little water and disinfectant in a portable garden sprayer works, as well, to disinfect tires, bumpers, and shoes.
5. Do not share equipment*.
   • *Unless you thoroughly clean and disinfect it before it comes in contact with your flock.
   • This includes, but is not limited to: tractors, vehicles, lawn equipment, power tools, rakes, shovels, trash cans, poultry transport crates, feed, dollies, carts, and trailers. Those are just the things I can think of off the top of my head.
6. Keep your birds confined inside, or in fenced and covered pens outside.
   • This isn’t easy right now. Day length is increasing, breeding and show season is starting. Birds have been cooped up all winter. However, the best way to keep your flock away from wild waterfowl is to keep them penned up.
7. Don’t mix species.
   • This isn’t always easy. However, the USDA-APHIS recommends that chickens, turkeys, and waterfowl should be kept separately and not on the same premises. Those of us who raise multiple species on our farms need to be aware of the risks that are inherent with waterfowl co-mingling with other types of poultry. Waterfowl may show no signs of disease while chickens and turkeys may be dying by the wheelbarrow load. You decide what risks to take.
8. Quarantine any new, adult additions to your flock for 3-4 weeks before mixing.
   • This means keeping them in a completely separate area from your flock where they are not sharing air. Even if the flock you acquired these birds from looks or tests healthy, you never truly know to what they have been exposed and to what your flock could be susceptible.
9. Control pests.
   • This includes, but is not limited to rodents, small scavenging mammals, cats, flies, other insects. Each of these can be a vector for disease. In New York City, it was discovered that several former feral barn cats had contracted AI from contact with poultry. Regardless of Fluffy’s mousing abilities, he really should be kept away from your flock.
   • Rodent bait, fly paper, and small mammal traps are available at farm stores and most supercenters. Keeping feed and litter cleaned up and stored in sealed containers eliminates the incentive for rodents and flies to come in.
10. Know your birds, their behavior, and be able to recognize abnormalities.
    • If you suddenly notice drops in feed or water consumption, obvious sickness, or high mortality, contact your veterinarian or state animal health commission.
    • You can’t notice abnormal behavior until you recognize normal behavior.

Know The Signs:

• Lethargy.
• Lack of water or food consumption especially in extreme weather.
• Weepy eyes, runny nose, dirty shoulders (where birds may be trying to wipe their faces), wheezing, coughing, sneezing, heavy breathing with rattling sounds (rales).
• Sudden increase in mortality.
• Poor balance or unsteady movement.
• Diarrhea.
• Drop in egg production or increase in soft shells or misshapen eggs.
• Swelling or purple discoloration in the head, eyelids, comb, or shanks.

If you suspect your flock may have Avian Influenza, the USDA has a 24-hour hotline staffed with veterinarians who can answer questions. Call 1-866-536-7593 at the first sign of disease!

If birds die suddenly with no clear cause, place them in plastic bags and refrigerate, do not freeze them, and contact your state’s animal diagnostic lab.

I can’t be certain they’ll be *this* excited when you make their hotline bling,

But they’re trained, knowledgeable, and ready to help.

 

Final thoughts:

Avian Influenza is not a commercial or backyard or wild bird issue, it is everyone’s issue.

You cannot raise your birds like the Bubble Boy. You can practice good biosecurity and plan for the worst to seal up some of the holes.

There are thousands of scientists, veterinarians, extension educators, wildlife and game commission officers, producers, consumers, and business people working night and day to prevent the spread of Avian Influenza. It takes the whole team effort to prevent further outbreaks.

Biosecurity is cheap and easy, but it only works when you do it every single time. It takes a change in mindset and culture to enact real change. One single break in the chain can cause catastrophic damage.

 

As always, send me your questions, or contact your state’s Extension and Department of Agriculture teams!

 

Controlling Wild Birds – Penn State Extension

HPAI Farm Plans – Penn State Extension

Basic Biosecurity – Penn State Extension

Defend the Flock – USDA-APHIS

Mr. President:

I promise this won’t be a political post. Unless you’re particularly involved or interested in the politics of show poultry. I’ll assume if you’re reading this, you probably are. The president in question isn’t #POTUS, but the #POTABA, the president of the American Bantam Association, Matt Lhamon, my dad.

Dad wraps up his 10-years of service to the ABA this April. He’s just wrapped up his last ABA National as president at the Pacific Poultry Breeders Association show in Modesto, California. He’s served in many capacities over the years and as he says, he’s done “politicking.” I, however, am certain he will still have a seat at the table wherever they’re serving bourbon and people are talking chickens. So, nothing will really change.

The biggest lessons I’ve learned from my dad through our (23) years of showing chickens together all revolve around responsibility. We have a responsibility to the animals we care for, to ourselves and our families, and to the next generation in the hobby.

Those of you who know my dad, he’s never one for a lot of sentiment or “life lessons.” He and I both learn by doing. Responsibility was nothing he ever explicitly taught me, but through actions, he made sure I figured it out (26 years later.) Never one to mince words, if my dad says it, I usually believe it.

“If you like actin’ like you’re the boss, if everything your daddy said is somethin’ you could put stock in, we should be friends.” – Miranda Lambert “We Should Be Friends”

Responsibility to our animals

I can’t say I was always the best zookeeper, but I can say the boss made sure the zoo was kept. Among the attractions:

• Chickens – just about every breed in the standard, usually in black, blue, white, or some combination of the three
• Ducks & Geese – and that time we fed several families of owls with our duck flock
• Rabbits – adorably fluffy and pure evil
• Goats – 2 of which far surpassed their life expectancy and taught us the value of friends in the funeral/cremation business
• Dogs – Heidi, Hank, and the free Coon hound puppy I brought home from Connersville
• Cats – well known fact: the Lhamons are cat hoarders
• Fish – my dad had tons of fish, my experience was more like Darla from Finding Nemo.
• 5 Guinea pigs – We got two girls. They were not both girls.
• Also, a summer where I was pretty sure we were raising raccoons

#TBT

Forbidden from the zoo:

• Old English Games – I won that war
• Silkies – My 4-H prodigy, Michaela, won that war. Hers was easier
• Turkeys – Dad took a page from our friend Ron Green’s book: you can raise turkeys, or you can go to college

Whether the animals were for meat, show, sale, or because I had conned one of my dad’s friends into them: they all needed feed, water, and a clean home. More credit for those three things goes to my dad than me. After all, he was much better at scraping rabbit pans. One of the first “life lessons” I remember was about clean water “if you wouldn’t drink that, neither will they.” One of the simplest and most memorable. I still tell 4-Hers and adult poultry keepers the same thing.

We didn’t always have a high-tech, heated, organized facility. We started in a storage shed. That grew to a metal pole barn with no insulation or source of water. So slowly, we added on. We dug a trench. We sunk a trench digger. (I say “we.” I mostly watched, I was far too young to operate machinery.) We added insulation and heat. (I did actually help hang sheet metal on the ceiling.) Then my parents moved, dad built a new barn, and I’m confident that those chickens and pigeons live better than some people I know. There may be a new barn, but he still has the same brooders that Zelotes Eschmeyer made. They have been brooding chicks since before I can remember and continue to. Dad drives farther than most would to get feed with the specific specs he wants despite there being a feed mill we can see from our house.

Raising quality, healthy birds is his joy and responsibility. Even better if he wins.

Responsibility to ourselves and our family

I never got away with much as a kid. I’m 26 and I still don’t get away with much. Granted, I was an argumentative, inquisitive child. I could, “argue Jesus off the cross” and “drive a wooden Indian insane.” <–Direct quotes from my parents. I never got into real trouble. (The speeding ticket for 90 in a 55mph zone will remain locked away in a file somewhere in Allen County Juvenile Court where it belongs.) I frequently remind my parents that I could be into much seedier activities, but really all I’ve done for the last 8 years is graduate from college twice and use their HBOGo password and Amazon Prime membership.

Master of Science commencement ceremony at Arkansas.

I’ll admit that there were times where I felt like Rockwell… Somebody’s watching me. Because my parents and my other “watch dogs” expected more from me, I didn’t push the limits, too much. It was made very clear, very early that I was responsible for myself and my actions. If they reflected badly, I needn’t bother coming home. I rather enjoyed not paying bills and sleeping indoors, so I kept my toes in line. It didn’t take much for me to be scared straight.

I owe it to both of my parents for their roles as the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of my upbringing. There were dating rules (set early and recited often,) plenty of executive orders, and a threat similar to Red Foreman’s…

I think I came out alright. I became responsible for myself. That was the goal. All thanks to the two people at the helm who set a great example. They only needed one of me because they did it right. 😉

Responsibility to the next generation

We traveled all over the Midwest showing poultry. While my dad was busy being a spectator or a judge, I was waiting in line to participate in showmanship. While we would do barn chores, I would stand on the goat milking platform and recite everything I knew about chickens and my dad would ask questions. I figured out quickly that it mattered what I knew, but it mattered more to the judge that I paid attention, smiled, spoke with integrity, and showed respect to my fellow showman. I learned how to talk to people because I did showmanship. Specifically, I learned how to talk to a lot of older men who showed chickens.

Everyone, just take a moment and take in how adorable I was.

As about 16, I started getting “volunteered” to judge showmanship classes. Anyone from the pee-wees to kids who I’m sure were older than me. I’m still not sure how anyone picked me to start judging showmanship. Maybe 10 years of waiting in line helped? Nevertheless, I’ve been volunteered for 10 years since. I’ve loved every second of working with these young showmen from Delaware to California.

This summer, I was fortunate to spend the week at my home county fair in Ohio. When you spend 12 years as a 4-Her counting down the days to your county fair, that never really leaves your bones. While waiting on my latest 4-H prodigy to do showmanship, I ran into a former Allen County 4-Her whom I had judged on a few occasions. She told me that I was still her favorite judge across all of the species she’s shown. I asked her why? I didn’t do anything different than my dad showed me. She said she appreciated that I took the time to teach her something each time we interacted. I was still floored. There are far better and more qualified judges than me. My dad has always interacted well with kids and really enjoyed judging fairs and youth shows. Watching him judge kids of all ages showed me how to have those “teaching moments.” I’ll admit that I’ve not always been at the top of my game. I have made mistakes in selecting class winners. In a class of 40 nine-year-old kids, it’s tough to weed through them. My dad will agree. It’s easy to pick out the ones who know their stuff. It’s harder to place the rest. In my experience, it’s not always the kids who take home the ribbon that are the champions. It’s important that they’ve learned something and had fun.

Dad and his new protege, Braxton, at the 2014 ABA Centennial National in Columbus, Ohio

 

So, el Presidente, it’s been a very cool experience being the First Daughter of the ABA (behind the First Dachshund, of course,) but it’s a far better ride being Matt Lhamon’s daughter. You’re pretty lucky to have a built-in clerk who works for a free trip to a chicken show. Thank you for all that you do and continue to do for me and the fancy. We do make a pretty good team. 😉

Love you, Dad.

VFD = BFD

It’s the holidays, y’all! I bring you glad tidings!

…And a teensy little reminder about the newest of federal regulations heading down the chimney straight into our chicken coops. Did I say teensy? I meant huge. It’s a big deal. A big freakin’ deal.

Beginning January 1, 2017, most antibiotics and antimicrobials used in animal production will be unavailable to producers without veterinary clearance. The FDA has put in place the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) to attempt to reduce antibiotic overuse and, in turn, antibiotic resistance.

I hate to Grinch y’all 4 days before Christmas, but the truth is, veterinarians, producers, feed mills, and extension folks like me have been gearing up for this since the regulation was in its early stages in 2015.

Lucky for us, Dr. Jacquie Jacob at the University of Kentucky conducted a webinar on this subject. She invited Dr. Michelle Arnold, an associate professor at the UK vet school, who does an excellent job explaining the components and regulations involved in the new VFD initiative. To view that webinar, click here. This post is basically a summary of the webinar with some added flair. I recommend you take a look. There are a lot of questions that can be answered there that I cannot in a short blog post.

I know most people aren’t a huge fan of the government’s encroachment on our flocks. So, before y’all go all George Orwell, “1984” on me, let’s discuss the implications of these governmental regulations and why they are necessary. Because, the VFD is a really, really BFD.

The BF-W’s:

Who does this effect?

• Anyone who currently produces livestock or poultry and uses antibiotic/antimicrobial feed (or water) additives to ensure flock health or performance.
  • For me, that’s chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, peafowl, quail, pheasants, and anyone that is considered under the “poultry” umbrella.
• Like George Strait always said, “Whether you have one acre or a thousand…” This affects the commercial industry, niche market industry, exhibitionists, hobby farmers, youth 4-Hers and FFA members, backyard growers, and those people who put sweaters and diapers on their chickens. (Not judging, just recognizing that growing trend.)
• The FDA is putting this regulation in place. It will inevitably include veterinarians, feed and drug distributors, and all of the aforementioned growers.

What drugs are affected?

• Drugs that were previously marketed or labeled for growth promotion, nutrient utilization, or health maintenance will no longer be available without veterinary supervision (read: prescription.)
  • These reasons have been deemed injudicious uses of antibiotics. The over use of antibiotics for these reasons may contribute to the growing antibacterial resistance problem. The FDA would rather the industry find a sustainable growth performance solution rather than abusing an antibiotic insurance policy.
  • Drugs that are used to treat, control, and prevent disease will still be available, but only with a valid VFD. These drugs will no longer be available over-the-counter.
• Here’s a handy chart of what drugs will and won’t be affected by the new VFD initiative.

Unaffected Drugs		Affected Drugs
*No Human Clinical Significance*		*Human Clinical Significance*
Drugs	Brand Names	Drugs	Brand Names
-Ionophores	Rumensin®	-Penicillins	Pennchlor SP 500™
-Polypeptides	Albac®	-Cephalosporins	Excede®
-Carbadox	Mecadox®	Quinalones
-Bambermycin	Gainpro®	-Fluoroquinalones	Baytril®
-Pleuromutilin	Denagard®	-Tetracyclines	Aureomycin®
-Narasin	Skycis®	-Macrolides	Pulmotil®
-Coccidiostats		-Sulfas	Aureomix S®
-Dewormer		Glycopeptides
		Others

• You can see that the big difference here is drugs that are significant to human medicine and drugs that are not. Most of the affected drugs are those that treat both humans and animals. Judiciously using these drugs significantly reduces the likelihood that they will develop resistance.
• Below are two more lists from Dr. Arnold’s presentation that indicate drugs that were previously available OTC but are now required to have a VFD.

What is a VFD? How do I get one?

• In order to purchase and administer one of these VFD drugs, you must obtain written consent from a licensed veterinarian in your state.
• Here are Dr. Arnold’s quick reference list for the requirements of a VFD:

• You must have an established Veterinary Client Patient Relationship (VCPR)
  • Establishes that the veterinarian is responsible for judging:
    • The health of the animal
    • The need for veterinary treatment
    • The client’s ability to follow the prescription.
  • The vet knows and is acquainted with the flock and can indicate normal and abnormal behaviors.
  • The vet is readily available and reachable in a timely manner.
• To view the requirements for your state, visit: http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/ucm460406.htm
  • It is important to establish a VCPR so that in a time of crisis where birds need to be treated immediately, the veterinarian can issue VFDs quickly. It is also just a generally good idea to have a veterinarian that you trust on speed dial whether you have household pets or production animals.
  • If your vet is not confident in their abilities with poultry, they can connect you with some of their colleagues that are. The first step is to start the conversation.
• Most vets will have a form that includes all the applicable information needed to obtain VFD feeds or drugs. You can find examples of VFD forms here: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/GuidanceComplianceEnforcement/GuidanceforIndustry/UCM474640.pdf
  • Here is what that example form looks like:

 ***Once a VFD is obtained, you, your veterinarian, and the distributor must keep the signed copy on file for 2 years. This requirement allows for speedy investigation if there is a disease outbreak or other “chink in the chain” between veterinarians, distributors, and growers.

When does all of this go into effect?

• January 1, 2017. Firm.
  • The natural inclination would be to stock up on as much Tylan as you can on December 31. Not a good plan. Even if you have the drugs or feed in your possession before 2017, you need a VFD to legally administer them.
    • But why? Example: My birds are starting to show signs of Mycoplasma gallisepticum. These same birds came down with MG in the summer and I need to use up the rest of the Tylan I bought to treat the previous infection. I go ahead and medicate my birds. A week later, I give a dozen eggs to my neighbor. She makes an omelet for her granddaughter who is sensitive to tylosin. The granddaughter becomes critically ill. That’s 100% on me. If the investigation is traced back to me and the government finds that I do not have a VFD for the Tylan I used, I could be in serious legal trouble. Not only will I need a lawyer, I will have to live with the fact that my actions caused someone serious physical harm.
    • TL:DR (too long: didn’t read) – Don’t stock up. Don’t medicate without a valid VFD. You can’t afford it.
  • Former Ohio 4-Hers may remember “The Line in the Sand” video from Quality Assurance training. File this under “withdrawal times” and it drives home the message that we as livestock producers cannot and will not distribute products that are unsafe. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t even consuming the eggs or meat from your flock. It’s about protecting yourself and your neighbors. The FDA won’t think twice about suspending, quarantining, or depopulating your flock if you are caught red-handed not obeying this federal regulation.

Where do I start?

• Your veterinarian. If you already have a trusted vet who deals with poultry in your state, start there. Most veterinarians are already informed of the VFD process and procedures. If you don’t already have a vet, find one. Get on the horn and find someone in your state that can be accessible and establish that VCPR.
• Call your local or state extension staff. If your county staff can’t answer your questions, they can connect you with someone who can.
• The important thing here is that you are not alone. This initiative is new to just about everyone. It is okay to ask questions and one of the few cases where it is better to get permission than to beg for it after the fact.

As you can see, this affects each of us that grow and show poultry. While we may moan and groan at more red tape and regulation, we need to also understand the importance of useful antibiotics, a safe and regulated food system, and protecting our industry and hobby.

If you have further questions about the VFD, please see Dr. Jacobs and Dr. Arnold’s webinar here. Check out the FDA’s full report here. Contact your state’s Extension service for local help on finding veterinarians and distributors.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, folks. See you in 2017!

If I had a dollar…

Written while jamming to: “Rich” – Maren Morris.

If I had a dollar for every time I had to argue and defend the poultry industry against people who say something that sounds like:

“Chickens are just too big. They must be pumping them full of hormones.”

“I only buy Brand X because those chickens are ‘antibiotic-free’ and, therefore, healthier.”

“The commercial poultry industry is the reason why we have superbugs.”

Boy, I’d be rich.

Really rich. Rich enough that I wouldn’t have to work, and I could afford $9 a pound chicken and $6 a dozen eggs. It’s a hard life constantly dispelling these artfully crafted lies about the job you do, but someone has to.  Luckily, I have a community of scientists and Agvocates to help.

Unfortunately, they don’t give out free money for sticking up for the poultry industry. However, they do give us scientific research to share. Get ready folks, I’m about to shoot off some facts like a t-shirt gun at a football game.

Added hormones do not make sense or cents.

The FDA prohibits the use of added hormones for growth in poultry. Period.

The US Poultry and Egg Association has a great training resource video that addresses this issue.

Chickens, like humans, produce their own profile of natural hormones and steroids. These hormones must be transported throughout the body by the blood stream. Feeding hormones to chickens sends them directly to the acid bath that is their digestive tract. There, the hormone is broken down into amino acids and their function is destroyed. Therefore, in order to capitalize on hormones and steroids, the only way is to inject hormones into a live bird. Multiple times. Daily.

Let’s do some math… There are about 8 billion chickens consumed in the US each year. That’s 153.8 million chickens a week. 21.9 million a day. The lifespan of a broiler in the US is anywhere from 42-49 days. If we were to inject growth hormones into each chicken three times a day throughout their life, that would mean 2.76 trillion injections. And that’s just for the chickens we produced in one day! The yearly amount of injections racks up somewhere around 1 quadrillion a.k.a. 1,000,000,000,000. That’s 12 zeros.

What company in their right mind would pay for the immense amount of labor it would take to make that happen? It doesn’t make any practical sense, or economical sense. Therefore, no one in the poultry industry does it.

So, if it doesn’t make sense to feed hormones, or inject them, it definitely shouldn’t make sense to defy the federal laws and regulations that prohibit the use of added hormones in poultry production. Poultry companies do not deliberately disobey federal regulations. Those who do go directly to jail, do not pass “go,” and do not collect $200.

What this comes down to is marketing a labeling. Even though all poultry products are hormone free, some companies can get away with marketing their products differently (and charging a higher price for adding a “value” that doesn’t exist.) Therefore, placing doubt in the consumers’ mind that one brand is less healthy than another because it lacks a few magic words on the label. In reality, any poultry product label with the words “no added hormones” should be followed with “duh, obviously.” Luckily, the FDA requires that there must also be a disclaimer statement that no hormones are used in poultry production. This, my friends, is why it is important to read the fine print.

When consumers actually stop, take the time, and think about this issue, it simply does not make sense. Antibiotics are a different monster.

All chicken, eggs, and turkey sold in the US are “antibiotic-free.”

Poultry products that come from a USDA inspected production facility, are required by law to be rid of antibiotics before slaughter. Period.

I can personally attest to this being true. In my former life as a corporate shill *insert sarcasm here* I was in charge of taking the blood and fat samples that were analyzed for antibiotic residues. If those samples came back positive, the flock was not slaughtered. Simple as that.

So by the time the bird reaches slaughter, or the egg rolls onto a processing belt, it is inherently antibiotic free. This means the bird was clear and free of antibiotic residues that could possibly cause harm to the human that eats it. The USDA prohibits labeling of chicken as “antibiotic-free” but allows labeling with “raised without antibiotics.” And this is where it gets dicey.

For many years, poultry producers have used small amounts of antibiotics in the feed to prevent disease and promote overall flock performance and health. This is where hormone and antibiotics differ. Antibiotics can withstand the digestive acid bath, where hormones cannot. Just like you and I, chickens and turkeys have a whole ecosystem of bacteria and other microbes living in their guts. Generally, these “bugs” live peacefully and even help the digestive system. However, when birds come under stress or their immune systems are compromised, the gut micro flora have an opportunity to grow, flourish, and attack the bird. When birds get sick, they do not convert feed into protein or they stop laying eggs. They don’t grow.  With the added kick of antibiotics in the feed, the natural gut micro flora are kept at bay and the producer does not see a marked drop in performance. Therefore, “growth” is “promoted.” In all actuality, we are not using antibiotics to make chickens bigger, we use them so the chickens can live healthier and unlock their genetic potential.

When birds are raised without antibiotics, there in an increased risk of disease outbreak. Most companies do use antibiotics to treat widespread disease within a flock. Therefore, making the “raised without antibiotics” label a lie. Those birds must then be sold for a lower price and can not legally bare the magic words on the label.

The problem with raising birds without antibiotics, at least for me, becomes an issue of animal welfare. Animals should not be forced to suffer through a treatable disease so a company can charge 50 cents more per pound. Animals should be treated with respect and antibiotics when necessary. Recall I said that there were *small* amounts of antibiotics fed to poultry. We’re talking just enough to keep the gut micro flora in check. Not enough to wipe it out entirely. Take E. coli for example. We all have colonies of E. coli in our guts, on our skin, and in the environment around us. They are not generally considered pathogenic (or likely to make us sick.) If we were to kill off all the established E. coli in the gut with an overuse of antibiotics, the pathogenic E. coli on our hands, phone screens, coffee cups, etc. would have the opportunity to invade a clean slate and make us sick.

That brings me to my next point…

“Superbugs” and food borne illness.

Antibiotic resistance, or the creation of “superbugs” is a huge hot-button issue on the minds of the American public. There is also an opinion that because we use antibiotics “all the time” in poultry production, we are allowing these bugs to become more and more resistant. The fact is that 40% of the antibiotics used in animal agriculture are of no human clinical significance. That means they can not and will not be used on humans. Their likelihood to cause antibiotic resistance is slim. Antibiotics are only used in the face of a disease outbreak or to promote good bacteria in the gut. In a 2007 study, it was found that on 13% of all antibiotics used were to promote growth. The rest were to treat disease. “Growth promoters” come under fire because they are considered to not be a judicious use of antibiotics. However the vast majority of antibiotics are used to treat diseases. Not for the entire life of each bird. Just to treat and rid a flock of disease, quickly and efficiently.

I find it hard to believe that animal agriculture is the only scapegoat for increased antibiotic resistance. When I come down with a sinus infection (every fall and spring like clockwork,) I go to the doctor and am usually prescribed an antibiotic. However, I don’t go to the doctor for an antibiotic every time I sneeze or cough. For one reason, I know that the overuse of antibiotics can wipe out the bacteria in my gut and I will come down with a secondary infection, often much worse than the primary infection. Second, I don’t want to increase the risk of my next sinus infection being resistant to whatever antibiotic I am prescribed. Unfortunately, in a world of relatively cheap, accessible healthcare, doctors can and will prescribe an antibiotic for anything. By now, I know that my bi-yearly sinus infections are mostly bacterial. That’s why I ask for an antibiotic. Antibiotics do not treat viral infections, yet some doctors prescribe antibiotics anyway. This can be filed under “non-judicious use of antibiotics” and fuels the resistance argument. In terms of the poultry industry, companies work closely with trained veterinarians and diagnostic laboratories to prescribe the most effective treatment options for poultry diseases. These companies can’t afford to make a disease problem worse by giving an antibiotic that will not work for their situation.

The consumer perception is that animals raised without antibiotics, organically, kosher, or other niche market production systems are healthier. This study debunked the perception by proving there were more colonies of food borne pathogens in carcasses from these production systems. The study actually found a higher incidence of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Enterococcus, and extra-intestinal pathogenic, E. coli. There is no scientific evidence that proves a difference in health benefits of poultry and eggs from conventional or niche market production systems.

Now that I’ve effectively bored y’all to tears with science mumbo jumbo…

I hope you can better understand hormone and antibiotic usage in poultry. Maybe even commiserate with my frustrations. I want to hear from you! Leave your questions and comments below!

P.S. If you know of someone willing to back-pay me the $3 for those points I just argued… Make checks payable to PoultryBabe.

Thanks,

Welcome to PoultryBabe

Hi! My name is Emily.

 

^Picture of me from 100 years ago. I’m much taller in person.

I’m calling this blog PoultryBabe because I feel there is a disproportionate ratio of pro-to anti-animal agriculture advocates. I find myself on the pro- side of that ridiculously misinformed see-saw. Also, I despise the rhetoric popularized by “FoodBabe” Vani Hari. But dang it if that name isn’t catchy.

Let me be completely clear that I do not consider myself a “babe.” But I do consider myself a big fan of scientific fact, accredited research, food safety, food security, and all things poultry. But PoultryFan didn’t sound as cool.

How did I get here?

Featherless and scaleless chicken at the University of Arkansas Research Farm.

Great question.

I’ve been breeding, raising, and showing exhibition poultry projects since I was three years old. I have traveled all over the country showing poultry with my dad. I participated in 4-H for 12 years in my home state of Ohio. I was the 2006 Allen County Junior Fair Poultry Queen (ah, the glory days.) Because of my experience with poultry, I decided to continue my education at the University of Arkansas where I studied poultry science. While at Arkansas, I was involved in:

• Sigma Alpha Agricultural sorority,
• the Poultry Science Club,
• Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences Ambassadors,
• Collegiate Farm Bureau,
• and a whole host of other clubs and activities.
• Volunteered at P. Allen Smith’s Moss Mountain Farm and the Heritage Poultry Conservancy,
• Studied abroad in Mozambique on a poultry farm,
• Judged fairs and shows in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

I came, I saw, I called the hogs. After 6 years in school, I made it out with a bachelor’s and a master’s in poultry science. I went to work for a major food company* (*Name changed to protect the innocent. Let’s say it’s something like Fyson Toods) and spent 15 months working in live poultry production. It was a great experience, but I decided it was time for me to make a professional change. In July, I accepted a position with Penn State University Extension as a poultry educator.

I was raised in the Big10, but the SEC stole all of my money.

My position at Penn State is to educate the public, industry, and small flock growers about how to safely and efficiently produce meat, eggs, and show birds. I work closely with the very diverse Pennsylvanian poultry industry as well as the folks with 6 chickens in their backyard. And everyone in between. I am still in the beginning stages of this new position, but I’m working hard to meet as many PA poultry peeps as I can!

Outside of chickens, I enjoy the internet, Remy the Wonder Cat, Texas country music, cheese, Dr. Pepper, and online shopping. My friends say I have a wide variety of useless pop-culture knowledge. I say you never know when you’ll get called for Jeopardy.

That’s enough about me… Here are my goals for the readers of this blog:

• Learn something.
• Share something.
• Ask questions.

I will be the first to tell you, I don’t know everything about poultry science. I am, however, blessed with a community of individuals who, when combined, do. My goal is always to learn something from those that I teach. If there’s a better way to accomplish something, I’m all ears. Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences and ask questions. I’ll do my best to fill in the blanks or connect you with someone who can.

Thanks for stopping by!