POULTRY IPM
RESEARCH FOR 1996
Dr. Charlie Pitts
Professor of
Entomology
One of the main users of inte
grated pest management (IPM)
technology in the animal produc
tion area is the poultry industry in
Pennsylvania.
This industry is valued at a little
more than half a billion dollars and
plays a significant role in the eco
nomy of the commonwealth.
Within the frameworic of the
industry that is, layer, broiler,
and turkey production and breed
ers the main entomological
problem is habitat pests.
The habitat pests pose the great
est threat to the poultry industry
because of two major insect prob
lems, the house fly and the lesser
mealworm. The house fly also
causes problems with the non
poultry producing neighbors
because flies migrate to surround
ing houses and are a nuisance as
well as presenting potential health
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hazards.
In addition, house flies can do
damage to the paint surface of
houses and other structures, many
times requiring a new paint job.
The lesser mealworm does
structural damage to poultry
houses by boring into the structural
timbers and insulation causing per
manent damage. In addition, at
cleanout time, the lesser meal
worm will migrate to surrounding
houses and becomes a household
pest for the neighbors.
During the last few years, poul
try producers have been using a
fad additive insecticide called
Larvadex. Many times feed
through insecticides, along with
residual sprays and fogs, were the
tools that producers utilized. The
feed additive approach for control
of flies can result in poor fly con
trol. which we think is due to deve
lopment of resistance by the house
fly to the insecticides.
Rapid development of resistant
populations is evidence of poor
pesticide management in controll
ing pests. It appears that in recent
years we have had more com
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plaints about flies around poultry
production units and we feel that
this is partially due to resistance to
Larvadex.
Integrated pest management
strategies being used in managing
insect populations consists of cul
tural, biological, and chemical tac
tics. The research for the basis of
these tactics has been done all over
the USA. Financed mostly by the
USDA.
Penn State has participated
mostly in the chemical control tac
tic. Most of the producers in Pen
nsylvania are using management
and chemical tactics with some
beginning to utilize parasites in
their programs.
The standard IPM program for
layers in a high-rise poultry house
consists of using cultural, biologi
cal, and chemical tactics. This
approach was started by Axtell at
North Carolina State University
where he First published on the
integrated approach to fly control
in caged poultry At that
time, the integrated approach was
basically selected use of
chemicals.
In 1981, Rutz and Axtell con
ducted a study on house fly control
in breeder poultry houses using
pupal parasites: both indigenous
species and releases or commercial
Mucidifurax Raptor, This study
laid the basis for many studies to
come on the use of parasites for
house fly control in poultry
houses.
Many studies have been com-
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pie ted but no one has answered the
question as to how many parasites
should be released to control house
fly populations in layer houses.
This year, the Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture has
funded a research program to
answer the questions: “How many
parasites do you release iaa high
rise poultry house?” and, “When
do you release the parasites?”
CINCINNATI, Ohio
National farm groups that have
found themselves on opposite
sides of an issue in the past found
that they have a lot in common.
The dialogue occurred at
National Farmers Union’s 94th
Anniversary Convention. The
farm leaders featured at the panel
discussion were John Lacey, pres
ident of the National Cattlemen's
Beef Association and David Sett
er, representing Farm Aid and the
Association of Farmer-Elected
Committee.
Following opening comments
by both panelists, including an
explanation of the recent merger
of beef producer organizations,
comments and questions from
Fanners Union members opened
the session. Audience questions
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Farm Groups Find
Common Ground
These results will be updated in
Poultry Pointers later in the year.
If there are topics or questions
that you would like to see
addressed in future articles, please
send them tojChatlie Pitts, Depart
ment of Entomology, SOI AS I
Building, Penn State University,
University Park, PA 16802, or
phone (814) 863-7789.
included concerns with the new
beef organization’s co-mingling
of administative funds from the
beef industry’s mandatory check
off with funds collected for
lobbying.
“We need to look at the big pic
ture. There needs to be better com
munication between the various
agriculture groups,” Lacey said in
response to a question on how
agriculture can avoid tunnel vision
and work together constructively.
“Agriculture groups need to get
together to discuss how we are
going to get respect for agriculture
back.”
“I believe family fanners are in
this together, so we had better
work; together,” Senter said. “We
had also better work with coalition
groups, such as consum
ers, environmental
organizations and bank
ers. all of whom play a
vital role in federal poli
cies affecting
agriculture.”
Very few people in
the U.S. have really
gone hungry, unlike in
Europe where agricul
ture is supported and
respected,” Lacey said.
The panelists and
audience seemed to
agree on importance of
agricultural groups do
agree. Proposals
included joint advertis
ing that educates the
public on the production
practices, environmen
tal stewardship, and val
ue of family agriculture,
as well as conferences
that involve all agricul
ture organizations. “We
don’t have an organiza
tion that unifies us, and
it’s high time we got
one,” Lacey said.
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