Checklists, Consumer Trends,
Disease Control At Poultry Day
(Continued from Page A4O)
Responsibility also means
fixing problems quickly. “If
something malfunctioned and
there’s manure all over the road,
we immediately clean the road.’’
Stay educated on the latest
management technologies, rec
ommended Brubaker, and take
advantage of composting, inject
ing, and no-till techniques.
A responsible operator keeps
the farm neat and clean, the
yards mowed, weeds sprayed,
and equipment washed, which
also lends to good neighbor rela
tions and trust.
“We try to put ourselves in
our neighbors shoes as much as
possible,” said Brubaker. Not
spreading on holidays, driving
Speakers at Thursday's Lancaster County Poultry Progress Day included, from left,
Jim Shirk, PennAg representative; Tom Pantano, Tyson foods; Bill Achor, Wenger
Feeds; Dr. Robert Owen, Hubbard ISA; Nelson Groff, president, Lancaster County Poul
try Association; Dr. Eric Ginerich, University of Pennsylvania; Dr. John Schwartz, York
County extension director; Andy Bradford, secretary, Lancaster County Poultry Associ
ation; and Leon Ressler, Lancaster County extension director.
Shaping the future with 4-H and FFA.
First Union’s Agri-Finance Department
is proud to support 4-H and FFA
members and programs. We believe
preserving the family farm is one of the
most effective ways to ensure a better future
for everyone. So First Union is committed
to working with young people and
supporting their goals.
With guidance and encouragement,
they will develop the skills and
values they’ll need to be
successful in farming or wherever their lives
take them. And their achievements will
benefit us all.
*lo**
Jessica Schmidt (right) from Drumore sold her 4-H steer
at the 2001 PA State Faim Show to First Union Bank,
which donated the steer to the Lancaster County 4-H
! i\estock Banquet Pictured also ate >ed Bowers (left)
and scoll Hauseman, both lepicsentmg Fiim t tmon Bank
at reasonable speeds past the
houses for safety and dust rea
sons, and being careful of lights
consistently shining into homes
during night spreading keeps
good communications lines
open.
“We take every opportunity
we have to educate our neigh
bors and non-farm public on -
what we’re doing,” he said.
‘“We want to hear what they
have to say and act promptly.
After a complaint about flies,
for example, they tilled the field
at a less-than-optimal time be
cause it “lets them know that
they are heard and what they
said was important to us.
“Most people will be reason
able when given the chance.
Those who are not probably are
angry at more than just you,” he
said.
Communicating directly and
handling complaints not only
gives an opportunity for the pro
ducer to answer questions but
also keeps communications lines
open.
“We set the stage for agricul
ture in the future,” said Bru
baker. “I’d love to be able to
hand over to my children a great
way of life, not a hat full of
headaches.”
PEACCE
Amy Van Blarcom, PennAg
representative and public liai
son, explained the Pennsylvania
Environmental Agriculture con
servation Certification of Excel
lence (PEACCE). The program
attempts to promote environ
mentally safe agriculture prac
tices, encourage produces to
minimize environmental risks,
and recognizes producers who
meet or exceed PEACCE stand
ards.
Three components of the pro
gram includes an environmental
literacy and awareness course,
or the Penn State Livestock Cer
tification Course. Twenty-five of
these courses have already been
completed in Pennsylvania. The
second components includes a
voluntary, free, confidential on
farm assessment by America’s
Clean Water Foundation.
The assessment report pro
vides recommendations to help
improve water quality, odor, or
pests. The final components of
PEACCE is performed by the
county conservation district,
which assesses the operation
and then reports to the district
board which will then approve
or deny certification.
The national curriculum will
be administered twice a year
and producers who wish to
maintain certification will com
plete the credit program every
three years. Benefits include
good relations with the commu
nity, minimized risk of litiga
tion, possible insurance benefits,
and statewide recognition.
The program is being pilot
tested in Chester, Lancaster,
and Berks counties.
Bronchitis Situation
Dr. Eric Ginerich, University
of Pennsylvania, informed the
audience about the poultry in
dustry’s ever-changing bron
chitis situation. Infectious
bronchitis can mutate readily,
producing variant viruses, said
Ginerich, which means con
tinual monitoring is necessary
for effective vaccination pro
grams.
To broilers, bronchitis is an
upper respiratory disease which
causes difficulty in breathing. In
layers bronchitis, besides being
an upper respiratory disease,
causes a 2-50 percent drop in
egg production. The shell and
internal egg quality decreases.
The eggs may also be shaped ir-
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 3,2001-A4l
regularly because the virus at
tacks the oviduct tissue.
Bronchitis has no specific
treatment because it is a viral
disease. Supportive therapy
such as antibiotics, vitamins and
electrolytes in water, and de
creasing dust in the facilities are
treatments commonly used to
alleviate the symptoms.
Prevention includes careful
watch over the people entering
the facility or the equipment
used in the house. Egg material
on equipment, said Ginerich,
provides a place for the virus to
reside and consequently spread.
Broilers are vaccinated typi
cally at one day then at 18 days
with a sprayer. The layer vacci
nation program includes vacci
nation and boosters IS, 28, 42,
and 84 days, plus a booster every
weeks in lay.
Researchers wilt continue to
isolate problem flocks and
viruses and characterized the
viruses for vaccination strate
gies, according to Ginerich.
What We Can Learn
From Two Mice
Jim Shirk, PennAg represent
ative, and Dr. John Schwartz,
York County extension director,
combined to present highlights
from management advisor
Spencer Johnson’s book, “Who
Moved My Cheese?” The story
follows the progress of a mouse
in a maze that is learning how to
navigate to search for cheese.
Change happens, said
Schwartz, and each producer
needs to ask, “do I need to be
venturing out?” he said. Antici
pate change, said Schwartz.
Monitor it, adapt to it quickly,
move with it, enjoy it, and savor
the adventure, he said.
Consumers are “moving the
cheese,” said Shirk. “They are
dictating not just what they
want us to producer, but also
how to produce it . The chal
lenge is not only to recognize
what they are saying but decide
what to do about it.”
Consumers are reshuffling,
(Turn to Page A 42)