Source: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS submitted to
IMPROVING ANIMAL HEALTH, ANIMAL HANDLING, FOOD SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH IMPROVEMENTS IN WELLBEING.
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0228353
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
ARK02334
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jan 1, 2012
Project End Date
Dec 1, 2016
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Thaxton, Y. V.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
(N/A)
FAYETTEVILLE,AR 72703
Performing Department
Poultry Sciences
Non Technical Summary
Developing best management practices for handling and use of poultry litter continues to be an important area of research in concentrated poultry production areas such as northwest Arkansas. Great strides have been made in maximizing the usefulness of the litter as a nutrient source for pastures and meadows while at the same time minimizing loss of these nutrients to nearby streams and rivers. One aspect of the poultry litter problem has not received much attention, however, and this is the potential for nutrient runoff from litter that has accumulated around the poultry houses themselves. Poultry litter gets onto the ground around the houses in two important ways. First, during bird harvest and clean-out operations litter is often spilled onto the driveway leading into the house. Second, and perhaps more importantly, exhaust fans that ventilate and cool the houses suck the very finest, nutrient-rich dust fractions of the litter out of the exhaust vents and deposit them on the soil directly adjacent to the houses. Some dust also settles onto the roofs of the poultry houses. The poultry litter dust has been observed to accumulate to a thickness of several inches on the ground near these fans. These areas of dust accumulation may represent sources of nutrients that can enter nearby rivers and streams during rainfall events. The intent of the proposed study is, first, to document the extent of this problem by measuring the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in runoff from the area near the houses. Second, we intend to develop best management practices (BMPs) designed to minimize the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus leaving the poultry production site in runoff. These BMPs involve the use of waddles filled with a medium that will adsorb nitrogen and phosphorus from the runoff water as the water moves through the baffle. These waddles will be placed in such a way that all runoff water will have to pass through these waddles before leaving the site. In addition, we plan to place "socks" of waddle-like material filled with nutrient adsorptive media on the downspouts of the poultry houses to capture nutrients that had settled onto the roofs of the houses. Finally, after assessing the effectiveness of our proposed BMPs, we intend to write a manual that can be used by poultry growers everywhere to minimize nutrient losses to the environment from their operations.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
20%
Applied
40%
Developmental
40%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3153210106020%
3153220106020%
3153230106015%
3153310106020%
3153410106010%
3153510106015%
Knowledge Area
315 - Animal Welfare/Well-Being and Protection;

Subject Of Investigation
3220 - Meat-type chicken, live animal; 3510 - Swine, live animal; 3230 - Turkey, live animal; 3310 - Beef cattle, live animal; 3210 - Egg-type chicken, live animal; 3410 - Dairy cattle, live animal;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
To determine factors associated with animal husbandry that affect the animal's well being and identify ways to enhance the positive and minimize or eliminate the negative to the benefit of the animal and the environment.
Project Methods
Research protocols for a variety of variables including housing, management of animals during grow-out, transportation and slaughter will be examined for their potential to affect animal wellbeing. When the effect of the variable to be studied is determined to have potential as either a positive or negative impact on wellbeing, that variable will be added to the protocol. This method serves the purpose of expanding the amount of research that can be done while maximizing the value of the research. It also minimized the number of animals required to study a specific welfare component.

Progress 01/01/12 to 12/01/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience consists of domestic and international scinetific communities as well as students and the general public. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Aseries of video training films made for use by both educators and poultry industry personnel along with a series of presentations to groups outside of agriculture has helped to forster the need for a better understanding of the issues involved in producing food from both animal and vegetabel soruces. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Sole speaker for a meeting of a group of 20+ chefs from Nashville, TN in April a presentation and open discussion of how animal welfare impacts their operations. Spent the day of April 26, in Ashdown, AR High School lecturing all agriculture classes on Farm Animal Welfare. In May , I spoke to the Purdue University, Center for Animal Welfare Science Symposium attendees on talking to the public about animal welfare and the issues with perception., Stand Up for Animal Welfare , West Layfayette, IN On September 28, was the keynote speaker for the Arkansas Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care, Agriculture and Laboratory on Welfare Issues for Research Animals and their similarity to food animal issues. Little Rock. Lectured on animal welfare to 4 sessions throughout the year to Tyson personnel attending the Poultry Short Courses What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Continued reserach into ways to improve the management and environment of broilers in contract poultry facilites in collaboration with extension faculty is leading to improved management techniques. This is enchanced with a series of video training films made for use by both educators and poultry industry personnel. Finally a series of presentations to groups outside of agriculture has helped to forster the need for a better understanding of the issues involved in producing food from both animal and vegetabel soruces.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Vizzier-Thaxton, KD Christensen, JA Mench, KR Rumley, C Daugherty, M Parker, P. Siegel, CG Scanes. Symposium: Animal welfare challenges for today and tomorrow. Poutlry Science 95(9): 2198-2207.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Accepted Year Published: 2017 Citation: Values, trust and science  building trust in todays food system in an era of radical transparency. Poultry Science 00:16 http://dx.doi.org/10.3382/ps/pew168
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Martin, Jessica E, Karen Christensen, Yvonne Vizzier-Thaxton and Dorothy E F McKeegan. Effects of analgesic intervention on behavioural responses to Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 180:157-165.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Martin, Jessica E, Karen Christensen, Yvonne Vizzier-Thaxton, Malcolm Mitchell and Dorothy E F McKeegan, 2016b. Effects of light on responses to Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning. British Poultry Science. British Poultry Science, (doi:10.1080/00071668.2016.1201200) (PMID:27352226) (Early Online Publication).
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Martin, Jessica E, Karen Christensen, Yvonne Vizzier-Thaxton, Malcolm Mitchell and Dorothy E F McKeegan, 2016. Behavioural, brain and cardiac responses to hypobaric hypoxia in chickens, Physiology and Behavior 163: 25-36.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Awaiting Publication Year Published: 2017 Citation: Martin, Jessica E., K. Christensen, Y. Vizzier-Thaxton & D. E. F. McKeegan, Effects of light on responses to Low Atmospheric Pressure Stunning in Broilers, British Poultry Science, DOI: 10.1080/00071668.2016.1201200


Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Target audience consists of domestic and international scientific communities as wellas students and the general public. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The video has been distributed to various groups both, domestic and international, needing improved training materials for euthanasia of poultry. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Produced and published training video for euthanasia of chickens which facilitates training of the process to insure proper technique to eliminate unnecessary suffering of sickand injured animals. Worked with an equipment company and major poultry producer to develop a tool for assisted euthanasia of large birds, such as turkeys and broiler breeders. Wroking with various groups and reserachers on improved methods for enchancing the life of chickens by improving the housing management systems.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Brown, A. C. , J. G. Powell, E. B. Kegley, M. S. Gadberry, J. L. Reynolds, H. D. Hughes, J. A. Carroll, N. C. Burdick Sanchez, Y. V. Thaxton and J. T. Richeson. Effect of castration timing and oral meloxicam administration on growth performance, immunity and behavior of beef calves Journal of Animal Science, 2015. 93:2460-2470. Schilling, M. W., Radhakrishnan, V., Vizzier-Thaxton, Y., Christensen, K., Williams, J. B., & Joseph, P. (2015). Sensory quality of broiler breast meat influenced by low atmospheric pressure stunning, deboning time and cooking methods. Poultry science, 94(6), 1379-1388.


Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: The primary target audience includes Students, General Public, Food Animal Agriculture Industry and Scientific community Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Serving on granting committees has been a direct result of involvement in this project. This allows a thorough understanding of issues and methods of funding potentially available. In addition, attendace at meetings such as the International Poultry Exposition, International Poultry Scientific Forum, Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting, the American Meat Institute's Animal Welfare Meeting, and a variety of other meetings where I was an invited speaker. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Dissemination of information was accomplished in a variety of ways. For the present year it was primarily in formal presentations at meetings and in conventional classrooms and industry short courses. In addition, attendace at other meetings afforded the opportunity to discuss the topic with potential collaborators. And, establishing collaborations with other researchers at the University of Arkansas, University of California, Oklahoma State University, Georgia Institute of Technology and Perdue University offerend opportunities to identify areas of reserach to enhance the positive and minimize or eliminate the negative to the benefit of the animal and the environment. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? A variety of projects involving broiler chickens and turkeys are planned which should yield more knowledge concerning welfare issues with handling, transportation and managment of these birds.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? We completed a research project on Balking Behavior of Cattle that identified both positive and negative handling techniques that affect the animals' behavior at processing. Work on three other projects is ongoing with results expected in the upcoming year.

Publications

  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: M. Wes Schilling, Y.V. Thaxton, C.Z. Alvarado, Slaughter-Line Operation, in: Encyclopedia of Meat Sciences, Academic Press, 2014 Vizzier-Thaxton, Y. and F. D. Clark, Animal Welfare Basics, FA81084. University of Arkansas, USDA, Country Governments Cooperating. Vizzier-Thaxton, Y., K.D. Christensen, F.D. Clark, FSA8019,The Five Freedoms for Good Animal Welfare. . University of Arkansas, USDA, Country Governments Cooperating. M.L.Thomas, Y.V. Thaxton, A.H. Brown Jr., K.E. Pfalzgraf, K.S. Anschutz, K.D. Christensen, E.R. Rumley, W.B. Smith, and C.F. Rosenkrans . Balking behavior incidence in fed cattle at the slaughter plant and carcass implications. J of Animal Sci. Submitted. M.L.Thomas, Y.V. Thaxton, A.H. Brown Jr., K.E. Pfalzgraf, K.S. Anschutz, K.D.Christensen, and C.F. Rosenkrans Behavioral responses during handling of fed Holstein steers at the feedlot and balking behavior at the slaughter plant. J of Animal Sci. Submitted M.L.Thomas, Y.V. Thaxton, A.H. Brown Jr. , K.E. Pfalzgraf , K.S. Anschutz , J.G. Powell, K.D. Christensen, J.T. Richeson, and C.F. Rosenkrans Behavioral responses to handling in Angus and Hereford-Angus crossbred steers under different environmental conditions and carcass implications. . J of Animal Sci. Submitted M.L. Thomas, Y.V. Thaxton, A.H. Brown, Jr, J.T. Richeson, J.G. Powell, and C.F. Rosenkrans. Behavior and carcass weight of Angus and Hereford-Angus crossbred steers are associated with heat shock protein 70 genetic polymorphisms. J of Animal Sci. Submitted


Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

Outputs
Target Audience: This year, both my graduate students and I presented work to a variety of groups including the scientific community, the general public, industry and government personnel. The primary target audience is made up of all of these groups with special emphasis on the scientific and industry groups. Changes/Problems: A series of studies involving various videoobservations of broiler chickens has been planned, but difficulties in getting broadband internet service to the farm has delayed the projects. These are anticipated to begin in the 1st quarter of 2014. A study on the behavior of various breeds of cattle for slaughter is completed with published results anticipated in calendar 2014. This is the first completed project in this series. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project has provided significant professional development for a PhD candidate and a variety of student helpers. in addition, it has aided in the training of industry personnel to improve the wellbeing of the animlas being handled. In addition, presentations to youth groups has started the process of traing them to mimize the stress on farm animals. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Various meetings including: January 28, 2013 The U. S. Poultry & Egg Association, International Exposition, Atlanta, GA, Animal Care and Handling Seminar “Stunning Systems for Chickens & Turkeys – CO2- LAPS – Electrical.” January 24, Crawford County 4-H, Animal Welfare: Why do we care?, Van Buren, AR February 5, 2013 North American Gamebird Association, Kansas City, MO. “A Perspective on Animal Welfare: Looking Back to Move Forward.” February 14, 2013 Sebastian County Arkansas Natural Resources Conservation Service, Poultry Grower’s Workshop, “Answering Critics of Modern Farming.” March 12, 2013 Butterball Annual Sale Meeting, Looking Back to Move Forward, Raleigh, NC April 6, 2013. Meeting of Helping Paws of Northwest Arkansas, Challenges in Animal Welfare, Rogers, AR April 10, 2013. Cobb-Vantress Welfare Committee Meeting, Update: New Technology for Euthanasia & Stunning at Slaughter, Siloam Springs, AR April 18, 2013. National Chicken Council’s Chicken Media Summit, Issues in the News: Poultry Welfare, New Bern, NC May 7, 2013 Training Session, Animal Welfare; Modern Perspective, Animal Handling and Mob Grazing , Livestock and Forestry Branch Station, Batesville, AR May 17, 2012 The U. S. Poultry & Egg Association, Processors Workshop, Atlanta, GA, “LAPS A New Humane Method of Poultry Stunning” May 23, 2013; Japanese Delegation: Animal Welfare – Why do we Care?, Fayetteville, AR August 12, 2013. Springdale Rotary Club, Controversies with Modern Agriculture, Springdale, AR August, 2013, Arkansas Cattlemen’s Association Annual Convention September, 5, 2013, Nutrition- An Animal Welfare Challenge, Annual Arkansas Nutrition Conference, Rogers, AR September 17, 2013, Canadian Delegation and Faculty from Mississippi State University, LAPS – A New, Novel and More Humane Method of Poultry Slaughter, Koscuisko, MS September 18, 2013, U. S. Poultry & Egg Association Poultry Production & Health Seminar, New NCC Welfare Guidelines. September 28, 2013 National Beef Ambassador Competition Awards Banquet, Animal Well Being – Current Issues Graduate Student Presentations: May 29, 2013: Breed-type Effects for Balking Behavior in Cattle M.L. Thomas, Y.V. Thaxton, A.H. Brown, Jr., K.E. Pfalzgraf , K.S. Anschutz, C.F. Rosenkrans, Jr. University of Arkansas, S-1045 Regional Project meeting February 8, 2013: Balking behavior in cattle breed-type predominance with welfare and carcass implications, M.L. Thomas, Y.V. Thaxton, A.H. Brown, Jr., K.E. Pfalzgraf, K.S. Anschutz, and C.F. Rosenkrans, Jr., Abstract to Contract poster presentation, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. February 4, 2013: Balking behavior in cattle breed-type predominance based on coat color and carcass implications, M. L. Thomas , Y. V. Thaxton , A. H. Brown, Jr , K. E. Pfalzgraf , K. S. Anschutz, C. F. Rosenkrans, Jr. Southern Section American Society of Animal Science, Orlando, FL October 17, 2012: Speaker: Balking Behavior in Cattle: Current Research, Beef Track; American Meat Institute Animal Care and Handling Conference, Kansas City, MO February 2012: Breed group effects for chute exit velocity as an indicator trait for temperament in weaner cattle, M.L. Thomas, A.H. Brown, Z.B. Johnson, S.W. Coleman, M.A. Elzo, S.M.DeReouen, D.E. Frank, W.E. Wyatt, R.C. Vann, G.R. Hansen, and D. G. Riley, American Society of Animal Science, Southern Section, Birmingham, A What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Fourresearch projectsare planned for the next reporting period, one with swine and three with poultry.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The firstexperiments within this project involved the determination of behavior of various breeds of cattle in feed lots and other holding facilities to determine which were best suited for slaughter. The willingness of the animal to move smoothly through the system was the primary observation. The effects of handling prior to slaughter were also examined. Identifying the breeds behaviors can help in scheduling animals through the various systems as well as adjusting handling procedures, from feed lot to slaughter, to minimize the stress on the animal and thus minimize the negative effects on the animal.

Publications


    Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

    Outputs
    OUTPUTS: January 24, 2012 The U. S. Poultry & Egg Association, International Exposition, Atlanta, GA, Animal Welfare Seminar "LAPS A New Humane Method of Poultry Stunning" National Chicken Council Technical Regulatory Meeting; "The Center for Food Animal Wellbeing Activities and Goals" January 25, 2012 The U. S. Poultry & Egg Association, International Exposition, Atlanta, GA, General Session for Broiler Industry: "Casting a Vision for the American Poultry Industry: Social Issues" February 23, 2012 Cargill Turkey Growers, Southern Missouri Group, Cassville, MO, "Looking Back to Move Forward" March 14, 2012 George's Inc. Animal Welfare Training, Springdale, AR, "Animal Welfare - Why Do We Care" March 20, 2012 Alltech Short Course " Animal Wellbeing - What You Should Know" March 27, 2012 Tyson Short Course " Animal Wellbeing - What You Should Know" April 13, 2012 NW Arkansas District Dietetic Association Annual Meeting, Springdale, AR, "Controversy with Modern Animal Agriculture - Why" April 21, 2012 Cargill Turkey Growers, Northern Missouri Group, Eldon, MO, "Looking Back to Move Forward" April 23, 2012 Fieldale Farms, In, Baldwyn, GA, "LAPS A New Humane Method of Poultry Stunning" April 25, 2012 The Poultry Federation, Spring Symposium, Rogers, AR, "Looking Back to Move Forward" May 17, 2012 The U. S. Poultry & Egg Association, Processors Workshop, Atlanta, GA, "LAPS A New Humane Method of Poultry Stunning" June 26 , 2011 PAACO Poultry Training, Fayetteville, AR "Poultry 201 - Slaughter of Broilers and Turkeys" PARTICIPANTS: Collaborators included: Karen D. Christensen, OK Foods, Inc. Fort Smith, Arkansas; TechnoCatch, LLC, Koscuisko, Mississippi, C. D. Scanes, U of Wisconsin - Madison, Alejandro Corzo, Mississippi State University. Partners providing "in kind" funding included OK Foods, Inc., Fort Smith, Arkansas; TechnoCatch, LLC, Koscuisko, Mississippi; Cargill, Wichita, KS, and Butterball, Kings Mountain, North Carolina TARGET AUDIENCES: This project's target audience consists of consumers, retail outlets, news media and scientists all of whom have been and will be reach using meetings, publications and presentations which are aimed at expanding their knowledge and thus affecting change in practices which will benefit all groups. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Not relevant to this project.

    Impacts
    During the first year of the CRIS project, it was necessary to disseminate the information to-date to the widest possible audience in order to facilitate the work for subsequent years. The nature of this project using animal welfare parameters as a part of research to improve animal health, animal handling, food safety and productivity on a broad scale is somewhat unique. The result of the variety of presentations has been an impact on the knowledge base and attitude of the various stakeholders which will lead to changes in practices resulting from research.

    Publications

    • M.W. Schilling, V. Radhakrishnan, Y. Vizzier-Thaxton, K. Christensen, P. Joseph, J.B. Williams, T.B. Schmidt, The Effects of Low Atmosphere Stunning and Deboning Time on Broiler Breast Meat Quality. 2012 Poult. Sci. 91:3214-3222
    • K. Christensen, Y. Vizzier Thaxton, J.P. Thaxton and C.G. Scanes, Changes in Body Temperature During Growth and in Response to Fasting in Growing Modern Meat Type Chickens. 2012 British Poult Sci, 53:4, 531-537
    • K. Christensen, Y. Vizzier Thaxton, J.P. Thaxton and C.G. Scanes, Metabolic and Hormonal Responses of Growing Modern Meat Type Chickens to Fasting. British Poul Sci. In press for publication in 2013