Avian flu (Continued from Page Al) development. According to Dr. Kradel, the program is made up of four major components; serological testing, incident reporting, improved utilization of diagnostic labs and com munication of poultry health in formation. In the testing phase, processing plants are requested to submit 10 cull eggs from each flock on a monthly basis. Hatcheries will also participate in the program. These eggs will be tested for AI an tibodies, says Dr. Kradel, adding that about 1400 flocks will be monitored when the program is in full swing. A blood-testing program will offer similar insurance to the broiler, turkey and gamebird industries. Ten samples from each flock (an individual poultry house is considered a flock) will be collected at slaughter. “We estimate we’ll be testing 40 to 60 flocks a week by this means,” notes Dr. Kradel, adding that testing will be done at the diagnostic labs located at New Bolton Center, Delaware Valley, WHITE WASHING with DAIRY WHITE • DRIES WHITE • DOES NOT RUB OFF EASILY • NO WET FLOORS • IS COMPATIBLE WITH DISINFECTANT A FLY SPRAYS • WASHES OFF WINDOWS & PIPELINES EASILY BARN CLEANING SERVICE AVAILABLE WITH COMPRESSED AIR To have your barn cleaned with air it will clean off dust, cob webs & lots of old lime This will keep your barn looking cleaner & whiter longer We will taka work within 100 mile radius of Uncoster MAYNARD L. BEITZEL Witmer, PA 17585 717-392-7227 Bam Spraying Our Business, not a sideline. Sprtying since 1961. High Pressure Washing And Disinfecting Poultry Houses, Veal Pens, Hog Units And Dairy Barns SERVICE REMINDER Agri-Equipment, Inc. has an answering service to pick-up “EMERGENCY” Service Calls. By dialing our regular office phone number, (717) 354-6520, after the regular business hours of 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM, your phone call will auto matically be answered by one of the answering service staff members. They will in turn get in contact with our service man. COMPLETE SYSTEMS, EQUIPMENT, SALES, INSTALLATION, SERVICE FOR CATTLE, HOG, POULTRY AND GRAIN EQUIPMENT,inc AGRI" RD 4, East Farmersville Rd Ephrata, PA 17522 (Lancaster County) (717) 354-6520 Store Hours Mon.-Fri. 7:30 to 4:30; Sat.7:3o to 11:30 (Parts Only) Penn State and PDA’s Sum merdale facility. Other phases of the testing program include sampling at poultry auctions on a weekly basis. PDA has three avian health in spectors, two of which attend the auctions to collect blood samples in an effort to monitor the small backyard operations. The testing phase will also include samples submitted from show stock, as well as flocks participating in other disease control programs for pullorum, MG (mycoplasmae galhsepticum) and MS (mycoplasmae synoviae). “In the incident reporting component of the program, we’re attempting to get the cooperation of all people who diagnose problems relating to avian health,” says Dr. Kradel, adding that the category would include poultry servicemen, veterinarians, Extension specialists and county agents. Those participating are asked to fill out data sheets on suspect flocks and submit them to Penn State, where the information will be collated. Servicemen will We Specialize In Aer* Us Bi T' 320 King St. We Have Poles In MyerStOWH, PA 17067 stock 25 30,35 145 Phone: 717-866-7544 also be provided with kits for sampling blood and collecting material for virus isolation and microscopic examination. Improved and increased use of diagnostic laboratory facilities is the program’s third component. Finally, the program will provide better communication of poultry health information. In the immediate future is a bi-weekly newsletter that will go out to servicemen, Extension personnel, processors and others involved in poultry health. The letter will keep participants apprised of health problems, as well as the overall progress of the monitoring program. A more ambitious undertaking will be the development of a statewide poultry health computer network that will integrate the diagnostic lab computer network with the Extension computer network developed by Penn State. In addition to giving the industry immediate access to the latest AI information, disease alerts on a host of other poultry maladies, such as laryngotracheitis (LT) and Newcastle disease will also be provided. Dr Kradel emphasizes that data on individual flocks will be considered confidential, and will be provided to only those authorized to receive it, such as flock owners, servicemen and feed companies. Dr. Kradel stresses that the program is totally voluntary and no penalties are involved for those electing not to participate. “But I have some real reservations that a tew people that might not cooperate would jeopardize the entire industry,” he says. Thus far, industry acceptance of the program has been heartening, reports the program’s field coordinator Shirley Pflieger, of Manheim. Since coming on board as the program’s first coordinator in early April, Pheger has covered 25 of the 47 counties with hat cheries, processing businesses and slaughter plants. “I still have about 65 processors and hatcheries to contact,” she says, noting that 74 processors and hatcheries, as well as a dozen slaughter plants have agreed to participate.“ Whenever you have a new program, there’s always a handful that give you problems,” notes Pflieger, ‘‘but the cooperation among the larger processors and slaughter plants has been really good.” One component conspicuously absent from the program is fun- Plan erosion control now, says Montgomery Co. SCS Now that small grain crops are being harvested, it’s time to think about correcting erosion problems in those fields, says district con servationist Edward J. Brzostek, of the Soil Conservation Service’s Montgomery County office. Brzostek states, “Many farmers in Montgomery County are building their own erosion control practices at low cost through the use of their moldboard plows.” The first step in the process is for the farmer to call SCS and review possible solutions for erosion ■■Bs I i ■■■■ ■ Sb*^® B ® * fco ' 7 rtie e - Straight wall farm buildings. Use all the building you pay for Wmßm* PERMA straight wall farm buildings are designed to provide everything you bargained for Straight wall construction means more storage space wall to wall and floor to ceiling Get Your FREE Perma book Lto perma building systems ■ Bo« 35 I Christiana, PA 17509 ■ Name | Address I Town/City County Telephone No Postal Code I lam interested in the following type of building | Width Length Size of Door or Call Now I Implement Shed Dairy Hog Other (215)593-2511 I Workshop Loose Housing Stable I Industrial Commercial Riding Arena j Date of Planning To Build Lancaster Farming. Saturday, June 29,1985-A37 ding for indemnity, and Dr. Kradel emphasizes that providing some way to compensate farmers is crucial to any monitoring program. “Industry and govern ment have got to develop a program so people aren’t afraid of the consequences of coming out in the open with their problems.” And Pennsylvania Poultry Federation spokesman Tim Allwein concurs. “We’re acutely aware of the problem, and we’re hoping to get it solved as soon as possible,” Allwein states, adding that several options, including a pledge system, insurance and a check-off program have been explored. Thus far, however, the industry has come up with nothing favored by a majority. Allwein did note that Federation members are united in their op position to a feed tax such as the Sl/ton tax on all livestock feed proposed last year. Such a system would have been burdensome to the poultry industry, Allwein said, since the tax would be levied only on commercially mixed feed. The poultry industry relies more heavily on commercial feeds than any other livestock segment, he pointed out. Meanwhile, as the poultry in dustry struggles over the question of indemnity funding, proponents of the new monitoring program hope to have it running on all cylinders by the middle of July control in the field. Then once an acceptable control measure is agreed upon by the farmer, SCS surveys and designs the con servation practice. Interested farmers should contact the SCS office in Mon tgomery County at 489-6071. The ASCS office also has some cost sharing funding still available for construction of conservation practices. They can be contacted at 489-4158 for details on cost-share eligibility. PERMA Building Systems 1 Frames 2 Purlins 3 Girts 4 Bracing 5 Eave struts The illustration shows the simplicity and in herent strength of the PERMA straight wall build mg Any way you look at it we have the straight deal (or you zjr! ■ I'. e/>e ">e
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers