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A quick note: The Multi-State Poultry Feeding and Nutrition Conference 2010 takes place May 25-27 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The valuable educational program kicks off on Wednesday the 26th with early presentations like Advances in Environmental Nutrition by Dr. Park Waldroup and Early Broiler Responses to Dietary Amino Acids by Dr.

PoultryCast 0224 Show Notes:

• USDA Agricultural Research Service Microbiologist Walter Mulby discusses ongoing research into low-cost algae-based systems to reclaim nutrients from manures.

PoultryCast^® Conversations

Why Agro-Terrorism Is Limited

David Silverberg, Founding Editor of Homeland Security Today magazine, responds to the audience question of why the food supply has not been targeted.

Survey information just released shows new home sales at an ‘all-time’ low. With the slow down in both consumer and commercial building markets, the availability of our preferred pine shavings continues to tighten. Research on river-sand as an alternative where the product is available has yielded positive results in turkey poults. It seems once the birds reach a weight where heat loss is less of a problem, they’re able to thrive for a multitude of reasons.

Poor feed quality will likely play a role in industry productivity throughout the United States in the coming months. The Poultry Science Association warns nutritionists who rely on bushel weight as a prime factor for assessing quality may be missing an important part of the quality-evaluation picture.

“Adverse growing conditions and the potential for reduced bushel weight are one component of the corn quality equation. Unfortunately, determining a precise relationship between variability in bushel weight and the nutritional value of corn is problematic,” said Dr. Mike Lilburn, a poultry nutritionist in The Ohio State University’s Department of Animal Sciences.

PoultryCast 0209 Show Notes:

• The Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production Report is often referenced as a primer on the direction U.S. agriculture needs to move. However, a recent review of the report by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Federation of Animal Science Societies identified some weaknesses in the methodology used. Joining us today, and representing the Federation of Animal Science Societies, are Science Policy Director Lowell Randel and Chair of the Animal Care Committee Janice Swanson.

PoultryCast 0208 Show Notes:

• Researchers at the University of Georgia looking at ways to use utilize biofuel byproducts discover a process to limit ammonia volitilization by feeding 'char' to broilers.