USDA acts on recommendations of avian flu committe
WASHINGTON, DC - The U.S.
Department of Agriculture will
accept most of the recom
mendations of a scientific com
mittee appointed to review avian
influenza eradication efforts,
Assistant Secretary C.W. Mc-
Millan said today.
“USDA endorses the com
mittee’s stand opposing the use of
LIVESTOCK
LATEST
Centre County
annual Club Pig
CENTRE HALL The second
annual Centre County Club Pig and
Lamb Sale was held recently in
Centre Hall. This sale featured
consignors from across Penn
sylvania.
The high selling pen of pigs was
consigned by John Strawbridge of
Stewartstown. This pen included
the high selling single feeder pig
which sold for $225 to Kenneth
Wetzel of Rossiter, PA.
The other buyers of this pen of
pigs included: Ken Wetzel at $206,
Margaret Herr of Narvon for $135,
and Harry Bachman of Annville,
two head at $l2O each.
The second highest selling in
dividual pig was a Hampshire
consigned by John Strawbridge of
Stewartstown which sold to Kama
Homan of Centre Hall for $2lO.
The high selling Duroc pig was
consigned by Clyde McConaughey
of Smicksburg and sold to Jack
Decker of Centre Hall for $155.
Egg industry adjusts to price change
UNIVERSITY PARK - Once
again the egg industry, from
January through April, demon
strated how rapidly it can adjust to
high prices after a long, drawn-out
adjustment to low prices. High egg
prices in December and January
encouraged producers to keep
layers in production for longer
intervals either with or without
force molting. Some producers
who force molt layers every year
delayed force molting while prices
were well above the cost of
production. Others timed force
molting so the layers would be
back in production before the
expected pre-Easter price in
crease. On April 1, there were
about one percent more layers on
farms.
In states where a relatively high
proportion of the layers on farms
are force molted, year after year,
short-run changes in output can be
achieved by shifting the date
layers will be force molted. When
this occurs, total egg production
changes within a specific period
while the number of layers on
farms may not change.
In California, there were three
percent more layers on farms in
February, but production in
creased five percent. In March,
there were four percent more
layers on farms and production
decreased two percent.
The relationship of percent in
crease in egg production to percent
change in the number of layers on
vaccination in the quarantined
areas,’’ McMillan said. “We have
not used vaccine and will not do so
in the future.”
“USDA supports more stringent
security to keep the virus from
spreading beyond the quarantined
area, and better sanitation
education. And we feel there
should be more research on the
and Lamb Sale
The High selling Yorkshire was
also a Strawbridge consignment
and sold to Ken Wetzel for $145.
Christy Bums of Warriors Mark
purchased the top selling
Berkshire for $145 which was
consigned by Kenneth. Fetterholf
and Gary Homan.
The high selling Spotted pig was
consigned by Gary Homan and
sold for $135 to Donna Dietrich of
Beliefonte.
The volume buyer in the pig sale
was Warren Heisey of
Elizabethtown who took home 10
head.
In the lamb sale, Craig Fleck of
Centre Hall purchased the top two
lambs at $B5 and $BO respectively.
This pair of show prospects were
consigned by Dave Harpster of
Centre Hall.
Other lamb buyers included
Brian Barkley of Manns Choice
who purchased a Pete LeVan
consignment for $7O, Tracy
farms varied considerably among
states for the three-month period
of December through February.
The rates of lay among states in
February 1984 ranged from 3
percent above to about 8 percent
below rates in February 1983. The
percentage change in number of
layers on farms and eggs produced
in the United States was about the
same in February as in December
and January. There was a greater
change in some states than in
others. This meant reshifting
movement of eggs from those
areas which increased to those
which decreased output in
February. Some of the change in
February in the South and Midwest
can be attributed to the recovery of
flocks from the adverse affects of
the extreme cold weather in
December and January. In March,
price strength could also be at
tributed to building inventories for
Easter.
On April 1, about 14 million more
force-molted layers were on U.S.
farms. This is reflected in the
reduced number of layers
processed under federal inspection
through mid-April this year. The
additional force molted layers
were more than 1.2 times the
number of laying hens depopulated
in Pennsylvania through March
1983. Perhaps the chief reason the
U.S. flock is not more than one
percent above a year earlier on
April 1 is the required down time
for completing sanitizing facilities,
nature of the virus causing the
disease,” McMillan said.
“However, we haven’t yet made
a decision on the committee’s
recommendation that producers
be permitted to market some birds
from recovered flocks,” he said.
“We need to see what impact this
would have on our over-all
eradication program.”
tod
hosts second
Kauffman of Remholds who
purchased a Dirk Wise con
signment for $65, and Linda Rudy
of Pennsylvania Furnace who
purchased a lamb consigned by
Ned Kocher for $65.
The sale totals showed an
average of $93.50 on 66 head of
feeder pigs, and $54 on 33 club
lambs.
This sale was organized by
Kenneth Fetterholf and Dave
Harpster of Centre country. It is
■ becoming more popular each year,
showing buyers from eight
counties this year. Plans to con
tinue this as an annual event are
being finalized.
Other consignors include;
Charles Hall, Julian; Greg In
nerest, Red Lion; Scott Hummel,
Sunbury; Joyce Harpster,
Boalsburg; Bill Hoffman, Penna.
Furnace; Dave Decker, Centre
Hall; and Dick Todd, Centre
county.
with no positive tests before laying
houses can be repopulated in
Pennsylvania.
This holds back expansion of the
nation’s laying flock. As the rest of
the houses where flocks were
depopulated are repopulated, the
egg situation will become less
favorable. Pullets available for
housing in June through August
could average over 10 percent
above a year earlier. The number
of layers on farms in March was
less than one-half percent below a
year earlier. Egg production could
equal a year earlier in April and
May unless proportionately more
hens than a year earlier are
removed from the nations laying
flocks.
Unless a sizeable proportion of
the force-molted layers are
marketed, the industry could be in
trouble by summer. Will the in
dustry exercise restraint? It hasn’t
in the past. Remember, in the past,
prices well above cost of
production have been short lived;
below cost much longer.
if/
iVft!
USDA appointed the committee
as part of a request by Virginia
poultry industry representatives to
look for alternatives to destroying
flocks found infected with avian
influenza.
“While the committee’s review
and recommendations were based
primarily on data from Virginia,
USDA must carry out on
eradication program that is
uniform in both Virginia and
Pennsylvania,” McMillan said.
Research has shown that the
virus in both states is genetically
identical, even though death losses
have been higher in Pennsylvania,
McMillan said.
He said USDA also will consider
several other committee recom
mendations including a request to
shorten the waiting period for
restocking infected premises
following cleaning and disin
fection.
“As temperatures get warmer it
may well be that we can reduce
this time,” McMillan said. “We’ll
i —* *ir
*1
Limousin launches Awards
of Excellence program
DENVER, Colo. - The North
American Limousin Junior
Association (NALJA) has announced
that it has finalized an achievement
program to honor outstanding young
people in the Limousin breed.
The program is called the NALJA
Awards of Excellence, and the first
recipients of the $750 cash awards will
be announced at the Limousin
National Junior Heifer Show in Rapid
City, S.D. on Aug. 7.
NALJA members between the ages
of 19 and 21 (as of Jan. 1, 1964) are
eligible to apply for the Awards of
Excellence. Selection will be based on
“hands on” experience with
Haygood to judge Limousin show
DENVER, Colo. - The North
American Limousin Foundation
has announced that Wayne
Haygood of Canadian, Texas will
judge its national junior heifer
show on Aug. 7 in Rapid City, S.D.
Haygood has judged numerous
cattle shows, including the In
ternational Prado Show in Mon
tevidea, Uruguay and most of the
major Hereford and Polled
Hereford shows in this country. He
judged the Limousin National Sale
Show in 1983 in Denver.
Haygood, the owner of Indian
Mound Ranch, has been very
active in the American Hereford
Association, having served as its
base our decision on the results of
tests monitoring the environment
for the virus.”
Other committee recom
mendations USDA will accept
include:
• Retaining the present criteria
for release of areas from
quarantine and
• Keeping the present
requirement that no live birds be
permitted to leave quarantined
areas.
Committee members, who are
scientific experts from academia,
government and industry, com
plemented the state-federal
industry task forces that have been
fighting the outbreak of avian
influenza. Over 13 million birds on
35 premises have been destroyed to
stop the spread of the disease.
Indemnities now total $30.4
million.
While avian influenza can cause
devastating losses among poultry,
the virus does not affect humans,”
McMillan said.
Limousin, leadership and in
volvement in Limousin activities and
other organizations, and the ap
plicant’s ability to set and achieve
worthy career goals.
Applicants must complete and
submit an extensive application form
before July 9. Finalists will be
selected based on the written ap
plication, and each finalist muk
attend an oral interview to be
scheduled during the week of the
national heifer show in Rapid City.
Anyone interested in applying for
this award should call Laura Smith at
the Limousin office, (303) 296-8835,
and request an application form.
president and on the board of
directors. He was the president of
Hereford Publications Inc. for two
years, and currently serves on the
executive committee of the Texas
Hereford Association board of
directors. He is also currently on
the board of directors- for the
Southwestern Exposition and Fat
Stock Show.
In 1982, Haygood was honored as
a Graduate of Distinction of
Oklahoma State University for his
accomplishments as a leader in
beef cattle organizations and as a
Hereford seedstock producer.
Haygood holds a bachelor’s degree
in animal science from the
university.