New probiotic shown to improve digestion in poultry and swine

By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A novel probiotic has been developed as a direct-fed microbial in both poultry and swine feed to improve gut health and weight-gain efficiency. Additionally, feed cost savings may be realized through greater utilization of soybean meal in diets.

NEW PROBIOTIC — A probiotic made from a Bacillus strain isolated by poultry science researchers was found to also be beneficial for swine gut health. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

The probiotic, which is a beneficial bacterium, is made from a Bacillus-strain isolated by poultry science researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and is being co-developed by KENT Nutrition Group.

KENT licensed the patented technology from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and is currently making probiotic-infused poultry and swine feed with the Bacillus strain. The experiment station is the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

“We are grateful for our second novel technology collaboration with UADA,” said Kale Causemaker, senior director of sales and business development for Innovative Solutions, a division of KENT. “These discoveries help improve animal agriculture sustainability and welfare. We are excited and optimistic to have this probiotic commercially available for producers in 2025.”  

Bacillus-strain advantages

Advantages of a Bacillus-strain probiotic, compared to common probiotic microorganism of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, include its ability to survive higher temperatures and lower pH environments.

The non-genetically modified Bacillus bacterium also eliminates the need for multiple genetically modified enzymes that are added to animal feeds to help the animal break down ingredients in protein sources such as soybean meal.

Being heat- and pH-stable improves survivability rate in the animal’s gastrointestinal tract and feed processing such as the manufacture of pelleted feed. The strain was originally found to work well in poultry diets and preliminary data suggest the probiotic may also work well in swine.

Overcoming a problem

Billy Hargis, distinguished professor of poultry science, said experiment station studies on the Bacillus strain showed it increased the animals’ ability to digest non-starch polysaccharides in protein sources such as soybean meal. Hargis is also director of the John Kirkpatrick Skeels Poultry Health Laboratory for the experiment station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

Non-starch polysaccharides are difficult-to-digest carbohydrates found in soybean meal, which serves as the primary source of protein for both layer and broiler chickens, as well as turkeys and swine, Hargis explained.

“The problem with these non-starch polysaccharides is that they cannot be digested and utilized by the animal, but rather they feed detrimental populations of microbes within the gut, adding to intestinal inflammation and susceptibility to other causes of enteric disease,” Hargis said.

The strain of Bacillus by KENT was isolated by former post-doctoral researcher Kyle Teague under the co-advisement of Hargis and Samuel Rochell. Teague is now the director of poultry nutrition at Life Products, Inc., in Nebraska, and Rochell is now an associate professor of poultry nutrition at Auburn University.

From lab to market

The Division of Agriculture’s Technology Commercialization Office, or TCO, shepherded the Bacillus-strain’s patent-pending status and commercial licensing to KENT.

“Translating research to commercial products is the name of the game,” said Parker Cole, associate director of TCO. “We always enjoy working with industry and have enjoyed working with KENT. They’ve been a great partner to work with and collaborate with, so we’re excited to see these products go into the marketplace.”

Earlier this year, Innovative Solutions also released EFFICOR, an L. plantarum probiotic for swine that was developed in conjunction with Division of Agriculture researchers. Research trials showed EFFICOR helped improve body weight gain and feed efficiency in growing and finishing pigs, with nearly $2 per pig cost savings because of improved efficiencies at the time of the trials, Cole said. The foundational research for EFFICOR came from Jiangchao Zhao, former professor of animal science for the Division of Agriculture.

“Our office sits at the interface of academic innovation and commercialization,” said Cole. “Being able to take a technology that was developed here, work with industry, confirm that it works in a particular product or formulation, and have that company excited about it to where they want to license it and implement it in their portfolio, I think that speaks to the research quality and to the inventors that we have within the Division of Agriculture.”

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

Arkansas net farm income projected to decrease for second straight year

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’ net farm income is projected to decline for the second straight year, a fall cushioned slightly by lower input costs, the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center said in its latest report.   

The center, working with agricultural economists from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said in its “Fall 2024 Arkansas Farm Income Outlook” that Arkansas’ 2024 net farm income is expected to drop by 10 percent from 2023 levels and reach $2.96 billion.   

Net farm income report for Arkansas, October 2024. (Image by RAFF)

 Arkansas' net farm income is expected to see a $1.06 billion drop from its 2022 record-high levels. The report also compares the projected 10 percent reduction in state net farm income to the projected 6.2 percent decline in the U.S. net farm income projected by Mizzou’s Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute. 

“Fertilizer and pesticides and fuel oils are going to decline by 9 percent year over year,” said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the Division of Agriculture. “These markets are finally stabilizing. They're coming off these market shocks from COVID, the supply chain issues, the trucker strikes in Canada, and the Ukraine war is kind of baked into the market now.”  

The report said total production expenses are estimated to decline 5 percent in 2024, as fertilizer, feed and fuel expenses retreat. An additional 5 percent decrease in production expenses is forecasted for 2025. 

Unfortunately, “the decrease in fertilizer, pesticides, fuel oils, and feed expenses are offset by the increase in purchased livestock expenses, which amount to a rise of $1.34 billion in 2025,” Loy said.

Cash receipts 

Farm cash receipts represent the total revenue a farm receives from the sale of its agricultural products, government program payments, and private insurance payments.  

The report said that in 2024, total cash receipts for Arkansas would decline by 2 percent or $317 million. Livestock receipts increased 5 percent, or $361 million, while crop receipts tumbled 10 percent, or $580 million. 

Ironically, 2024’s near-record yields are contributing to lower commodity prices. 

Hunter Biram, extension economist for the Division of Agriculture, said that Arkansas had  

Nearly a million and a half acres of rice which is the highest since 2020. Yield is near the record set in 2021 at 7,600 pounds per acre.  

“The price is the lowest that we've seen since 2021 when it came in right under $14 a hundredweight,” he said. 

Corn, which has had the fewest number of Arkansas acres since 2015, is forecast to have a near-record high yield. However, “the price for corn is the lowest that we’ve seen in five years.” 

Cotton was in the same boat.  

“The acreage is the highest that we've had since 2011,” Biram said. “We've got a lot of cotton acres out there, despite having the lowest price since 2020 and it’s at a near-record yield.” 

Arkansas’s 3 million acres of soybeans are projected to have a record yield of 55 bushels an acre, Biram said. “The price for soybeans is the lowest that we've seen since 2019, which is similar to corn.” 

Livestock and poultry 

However, the low prices that bedevil row crop growers is helping the cattle and poultry industry, which relies on crushed soybean and corn for feed.  

Higher egg, broiler, and cattle prices support 5 percent higher total livestock receipts in 2024, the report said, adding that poultry receipts are projected to increase by $287 million, while cattle and hog receipts are also projected higher, by $97 million.   

Loy noted that “feed prices declining this year pretty significantly – 18 percent. 

“Cattle prices are up 6 percent year over year. Most of the uptick over the last few years is due to the severe drought in the western U.S., which led ranchers to reduce herds,” he said. However, with cheaper feed, cattle prices are “expected to decline again in 2025.” 

Government assistance

The report also shows the proportion of government assistance has shifted from primarily market-based programs such as Agricultural Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage — known as ARC and PLC, to supplemental and ad hoc disaster assistance across this same period.

The Fall 2024 Farm Income Outlook is co-published by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and RaFF at the University of Missouri, which provides objective policy analysis and informs decision makers on issues affecting farm and rural finances. The center collaborates with a number of states to develop farm income projections with local expertise.  

“RaFF’s Farm Income Outlook for calendar years 2024 and 2025 is intended to inform policymakers, industry analysts, and agricultural practitioners about the expected profitability of the local agricultural sector and its main drivers. RaFF’s state-level projections complement and add granularity to national projections by the USDA and FAPRI-MU, providing valuable insights on local agricultural trends,” said RaFF Director Alejandro Plastina.   

The full report and data tables are online.  

 To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.  

Port strike would have impact on U.S. cotton, meat, poultry exports

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

JONESBORO, Ark. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that consumers shouldn’t expect food shortages in the near term because of the port strike; however, economists say a long strike could prompt changes on grocery shelves and at the checkout.

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association went on strike Tuesday after it and the United States Maritime Alliance failed to reach a settlement by the  Sept. 30 deadline.

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen's Association have walked off the job, halting port operations on the East and Gulf Coasts. The strike may have impacts on cotton, meat and poultry exports. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image by Scott Stiles.).

The strike has shut down ports along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, key to the movement of U.S. cotton, meat and poultry exports. These commodities are important for Arkansas, which is No. 3 in the U.S. for broilers and cotton, No. 24 in cattle and calves, according to the 2024 Arkansas Agriculture Profile.

USDA said that “our analysis shows we should not expect significant changes to food prices or availability ... we do not expect shortages anytime in the near future for most items.”

USDA also said that bulk shipping of products such as grains would be unaffected by this strike. Bulk grain loading facilities typically operate with their own employees or with different labor unions.  

Cotton and shipping

“Cotton is entirely dependent on containerized shipment,” said Scott Stiles, an extension economics program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 20 percent of the U.S. cotton crop has been harvested. 

“Eleven-point-eight million bales of the 2024 crop are projected to be exported,” Stiles said. “I would conservatively estimate that 55 percent of the 11.8 million bales would be shipped out of ports affected by this strike.”

Stiles said that some shipments bound for Asia can be diverted to the West Coast. 

“The East Coast has largely handled cotton shipments to markets such as Turkey,” he said. “If the strike is prolonged like the last one in 1977 that lasted six weeks, will Turkey switch its cotton purchases to Brazil or West Africa?”  

U.S. export sales of cotton are already off to the slowest start since 2015, Stiles said, and any “interruption in the U.S. ability to export only makes this situation worse." 

Eight-six percent of U.S. cotton demand is attributed to exports. 

“Producers have watched market prices slide from 85 cents in February to 66 cents in August,” Stiles said. “Prices have recovered recently to the 73- to 74-cent area but have stalled as it became apparent that the port labor dispute would not be resolved by the Sept. 30 deadline."

December cotton futures closed 52 points lower today to settle at 73.09 cents per pound.

Meat and poultry

Should the strike be prolonged, consumers could be seeing changes.

“Approximately 20 percent of broilers are destined for export markets,” said Jada Thompson, poultry economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. With the volume of ocean-bound freight that runs through East Coast ports, the strike “could have very real consequences either in spoiled products, lost revenues, or additional, unexpected storage costs.”

James Mitchell, a livestock economist with the Division of Agriculture, said, “this could have a significant impact on beef and pork trade flows. Beef trade to Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras, for example, is affected, accounting for approximately 12 percent of beef exports through July 2024. The Caribbean makes up 4 percent of pork exports through July 2024.”

The strike "doesn’t impact all beef and pork exports uniformly.  We export a wide variety of products to many different places. And those products are all valued differently," he said. "The dollar impact will depend on which types of products are affected, the quantities, and the value of those specific export products.”

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. 

New parasite affecting Canadian partridges named for Arkansas poultry scientist

By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With a newly discovered poultry pathogen named in his honor, Billy Hargis has a permanent place in the annals of science. And now, the pathogen has a permanent place on Hargis.

NAMESAKE — Billy Hargis, Distinguished Professor of poultry science for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, is the namesake of a newly discovered pathogen. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Eimeria hargisi is a parasite discovered by the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph following studies of a recurring disease at a commercial chukar partridge farm in Ontario, Canada.

Hargis, Distinguished Professor of poultry science and director of the John Kirkpatrick Skeeles Poultry Health Laboratory, considers having the parasite named after him an honor when coming from his longtime colleague and friend John Barta, professor of parasitology at the Ontario Veterinary College. Hargis took an image of the newly named microbe to a tattoo artist for it to be linked in ink.

“John Barta is big in the world of parasitology, so this means a lot coming from him,” Hargis said. “I wanted to commemorate it a little differently.”

The oval-shaped tattoo is on the side of his right calf, shaded in areas with pink and blue.

The Skeeles lab is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Hargis teaches courses in the poultry science department through the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

MEMENTO— An image of Eimeria hargisi tattoed on the leg of its namesake, Billy Hargis, Distinguished Professor of poultry science for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Paden Johnson)

Barta noted that his team of student researchers led by Ph.D. student Jessica Rotolo at the Ontario Veterinary College discovered the new species of Eimeria. The Eimeria parasite family causes a deadly disease called coccidiosis that can infect a wide range of animals, from poultry, cattle and sheep to rabbits, bats, fish and seals. The discovery of the newly named species was published in the December 2023 edition of the Journal of Parasitology.

“The parasite is named to honor Dr. Billy Hargis for his exemplary research record in support of poultry gut health and his past and ongoing advancement of coccidiosis research through the training and mentorship of future scientists,” the research team states in the study.

The last time an Arkansas poultry researcher had a parasite named after them was 2021. Barta said that previous research on the same coccidiosis infections in the Ontario-based commercial chukar partridge farm resulted in the naming of Eimeria chapmani for retired experiment station researcher David H. Chapman.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.

New instructors cultivate poultry youth programs

By Jessica Wesson
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences are taking steps to further connect the state’s youth with the thriving Arkansas poultry industry.

NEW IN POULTRY — Andrew Bolton joined the Cooperative Extension Service as an instructor in November 2023.

The Department of Poultry Science recently hired two new poultry science instructors, hoping to bolster statewide recruiting efforts.

Andrew Bolton

Andrew Bolton joined the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach and education arm of the Division of Agriculture, as an instructor in November 2023. In his new role, Bolton manages poultry youth activities across the state through 4-H and similar poultry youth programs. 4-H is designed to prepare young people to meet the challenges in their communities and provide youth with the skills to lead for a lifetime. 

“Andrew has an impressive background as a high school ag teacher and Pulaski County extension agent. Both experiences have prepared him well for this role in our program,” said David Caldwell, poultry science department head and director of the Center for Excellence for Poultry Science.

Bolton’s duties include coordinating the 4-H Poultry Chain distribution, conducting the 4-H poultry BBQ contests, poultry judging contests and assisting with in-school poultry projects.

“This is a vitally important position for stakeholders and youth throughout the state, and we clearly expect that Andrew’s leadership of these programs will allow them to be impactful and productive,” Caldwell added. “We are very glad he decided to join our program, and I look forward to working with him in the coming months and years.”

Bolton said he is excited to be part of a program that gave him his start in agriculture.

“I got my start in agriculture raising broilers for the state fair and judging poultry in FFA, so it’s exciting to get back to having a hands-on role in those events,” he said.

Bolton received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural education from the University of Arkansas.

RECRUITMENT CHIEF — Joshua Gilstrap joined the department on Jan.1. He is responsible for student recruitment and retention in the academic department for Bumpers College. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Joshua Gilstrap

Joshua Gilstrap joined the department on Jan.1. He is responsible for student recruitment and retention in the academic department for Bumpers College.

“Having a robust undergraduate enrollment is very important for assisting our industry stakeholders with employment and staffing needs,” Caldwell said. “We are confident that Josh’s approach will allow us to meet our enrollment goals as a department.”

Gilstrap will work alongside Arkansas FFA and agriculture education teachers to conduct poultry judging contests and workshops for students. His other duties include high school visits, hosting prospective students on campus and developing the University of Arkansas Poultry Judging Team.

“He’s had a distinguished career as an agricultural education teacher in eastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas, and he has extensive experiences with FFA programs with a specific emphasis on poultry CDE competitions like poultry judging,” Caldwell said. “Josh’s main responsibilities involve directing programs for new undergraduate student recruitment. His experience leading high school FFA programs makes him uniquely qualified for this role with us, and we are already seeing new momentum within our recruitment program.”

Gilstrap said he is eager to give back to the poultry industry because of its impact on his life.

“As an agricultural teacher, I always enjoyed training teams and teaching about the poultry industry,” Gilstrap said. “I am excited to continue to help the next generation learn and grow into the industry leaders of the future.”

Gilstrap received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Arkansas and his master’s degree in educational leadership from Southern Nazarene University.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Poultry nutritionist joins Arkansas poultry science faculty

By Jessica Wesson
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Poultry science nutritionist Benjamin Parsons plans to bring his passion to the poultry science department and Center of Excellence for Poultry Science through research.

NUTRITION — Poultry nutrition researcher Benjamin Parsons joined the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science in January. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Jessica Wesson)

Parsons joined the University of Arkansas System’s Center of Excellence for Poultry Science and the poultry science department as an assistant professor in January. In his new role, Parsons carries out research through the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Parsons will also teach through the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas. The Division of Agriculture, with the Bumpers College, provides the traditional land-grant triad of teaching, outreach and research.

“We are very excited to have Ben join the department as a tenure-track assistant professor working in the research focus area of poultry nutrition,” said David Caldwell, poultry science department head and director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science. “Our department has made very impactful advances in this field, and we are thrilled to have Ben join us and develop a program that I am certain will be of tremendous value to our industry stakeholders.”

Parsons’ research program will focus on the evaluation of nutrient availability in feedstuffs by determining its digestibility, retention and bioavailability. Bioavailability is the amount of a nutrient that is absorbed in the intestine, transported and used for metabolic functions within the body. He also plans to investigate the ability of feed additives to improve nutrient digestibility and study the effect of dietary components on intestinal secretions and nutrient losses. Parsons said that poultry nutrition research is vital for producers to be able to address industry challenges.

“This research is important for improving the precision by which we feed poultry, to ensure that their nutrient requirements are met and that optimal performance is achieved, while also minimizing the amount of inputs needed per unit of product produced,” Parsons said. “I also want to identify ways in which we can improve the quality of feedstuffs that we need for poultry and increase the availability of nutrients within the diet, while also minimizing wastage of nutrients.”

Parsons received a Ph.D. in poultry science from the University of Arkansas. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in animal science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

“I’m excited and honored to join the department as a faculty member and do my part to ensure the success of our students and the poultry industry as a whole,” Parsons said. “We have a truly great group of faculty, staff and students, as well as a rich history.”

Caldwell noted that Parsons will also assume responsibility for teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in poultry nutrition that are fundamental to the department’s academic program.

“Ben’s background and training make him a perfect fit for this position, and we couldn’t be happier about having him join our faculty,” Caldwell said.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Wayne Sanderson Farms to invest $43 million in new Danville feed mill

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

Oakwood, Ga.-based Wayne Sanderson Farms announced Tuesday (Feb. 27) it is building a $43 million feed mill at the company’s processing plant in Danville, Ark., with completion expected in April 2025. The new operation is estimated to add 15 jobs.

The mill, to be built on 21 acres next to the processing plant, will support 125 poultry farms in the region, according to the company. The mill is estimated to produce 8,500 tons of feed a week, with some of the raw materials purchased from local row crop farmers.

“Farming and poultry are the economic drivers here,” Toby Tapp, Danville complex manager, said in a statement. “Poultry is big business in Yell County and across the region. We just took the mayor, city administrator, county judge and other officials on a tour of the construction site and we’re getting lots of support – the entire community is excited to see construction begin.”

Wayne Sanderson Farms to invest $43 million in new Danville feed mill

Computer rendering of the planned new feed mill in Danville, Ark.

Tyson Foods expected to report 65% earnings decline

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Springdale-based Tyson Foods is expected to report a 65% decline in net earnings per share for the second quarter ending March 31. The consensus estimate is $285.68 million in net income on higher revenue of $13.62 billion, an annual gain of 3.8%.

The meat giant will report fiscal second-quarter earnings on May 8. Some analysts recently raised their earnings guidance for Tyson Foods based on better-than-expected performance in the company’s beef and prepared foods segment. That said, none of the segments are expected to outperform the year-ago period, with the exception of a small gain in the company’s international division.

Tyson’s chicken business continues to struggle, though margins have likely improved during the recent quarter. according to Ben Bienvenu, an analyst with Stephens Inc. He said margins would likely remain under pressure given elevated grain costs that should abate later in the year. Chicken prices also remain amid higher production and weaker consumer demand.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/tyson-foods-expected-to-report-65-earnings-decline/

Tyson Foods’ early origins were in downtown Springdale more than eight decades ago with the Tyson Feed & Hatchery business founded by John W. Tyson.

Record number of Poultry Chain participants learning animal husbandry, flock management

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LONOKE, Ark. — The sound of 38,000 peeping chicks filled the air at the Lonoke County Fairgrounds on April 12 as the birds awaited their distribution to more than 2,000 youth across Arkansas.

POULTRY CHAIN — On April 12, 38,000 two-day old chicks awaited distribution to more than 2,000 youth across the state. Arkansas 4-H and FFA members will raise the birds for poultry competitions at county, district and state level fairs this fall. The chicken distribution is part of the Poultry Chain program organized by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

The event marks the start of preparations for poultry contests at county, district and state fairs in the fall. It’s part of the Poultry Chain program organized by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The program’s goal is to educate Arkansas 4-H youth about poultry management and animal husbandry.

Members of Arkansas 4-H and the National FFA Organization from 69 counties each received flocks of 15-16 two-day-old chicks. Scharidi Barber, extension poultry instructor for youth programs for the Division of Agriculture, said 2,260 youth will receive chicks this year— the largest number of participants in the program’s more than 40-year history.

“It has really taken off, and I think a lot of that has to do with egg prices, and everyone is wanting to raise their own,” Barber said. “I just hope they took into consideration the feed prices and that you don’t get eggs for five or six months. But when they do, they’ll have an awesome project in their backyard that they can expand on later in their program.”

Barber said participants learn and practice many skills through the project, but “the biggest thing is responsibility.”

“You now have a life you’re taking care of. It’s not like a plant that you water every now and then, it has a heartbeat,” Barber said. “It takes daily feed and water, and you have to provide the right environment, which we call husbandry. The husbandry that you provide will really show in the end. You’ll see the kids who win these competitions are the ones that had the best environment for their birds.”

Participants will raise Lohmann White chickens, a year-round egg layer that can begin laying eggs around 18 weeks. Barber said this breed is “more feed-efficient,” making them a cost-effective option for the program amid high feed prices.

“You can feed your birds less, and you’ll get higher egg production,” she said.

Level playing field

An additional benefit of all participants raising the same breed of bird is that this creates a level playing field for poultry competitions, Barber said.

“The cool thing about this project is that it’s probably the fairest project, as far as livestock and poultry goes,” she said. “It’s not like Mom or Dad could afford a better steer than somebody else. For this project, they are all the same genetics and all from the same hatch. At the end of the day, we find out who can raise the best bird using husbandry, environment and your feed program.”

Kaitlyn Caswell-Mogish, 15, a 4-H member in Lonoke County, began participating in the Poultry Chain at age 7 and said she looks forward to it every year.

BOUNTY OF BIRDS — Kaitlyn Caswell-Mogish, 15, picks up her order of chicks at the Poultry Chain on April 12. Caswell-Mogish is a member of the Lonoke 4-H Club and has participated in the Poultry Chain since age 7. She said her favorite part is "getting to exhibit the hard work I’ve put in by showing my Poultry Chain" at county, district and state fairs. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

“My favorite part is getting to exhibit the hard work I’ve put in by showing my Poultry Chain,” Caswell-Mogish said. “That blue ribbon, when you get it, is an amazing thing because it shows that you put in the time and effort to raise quality animals. It teaches you responsibility and the basics of managing a bigger flock.”

On her family’s farm, Caswell-Mogish also raises rabbits. When she’s finished exhibiting her Poultry Chain birds, she puts them with the rest of her family’s flock, and members of her community purchase eggs from them. She said participating in 4-H has inspired her future career plans.

“Through 4-H, it sparked a love for agriculture, and I’m planning to become an ag teacher in the future,” she said.

Learning economics

Like Caswell-Mogish, Barber said many Poultry Chain participants begin selling their birds’ eggs, creating a sustainable project with educational and monetary benefits.

“When these birds reach sexual maturity and start laying, kids can turn it into an economics project,” Barber said. “They ask, ‘How can I make money off of this?’ They look up the proper ways to do this, including the Arkansas laws for it, so they can sell their eggs properly and turn it into a business. Then we have little entrepreneurs everywhere. It’s a really great project that doesn’t take a whole lot of space, and they can breed their birds and continue the cycle.”

For more information about Arkansas 4-H poultry science programs, visit the Cooperative Extension Service’s 4-H Plant and Animal Science website.   

Arkansas 4-H is a youth development program operated by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture. The program teaches participants life skills through the “learn by doing” model. Program participants gain knowledge through non-formal, science-based, experiential education activities.

For more information about 4-H, contact your local county extension agent or visit 4h.uada.edu.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

‘Homesteading with Independence’ conference planned for March 1

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

BATESVILLE, Ark. — Homesteading appeals to those who seek self-reliance and self-sufficiency, so what better place to host a homesteading conference than in Independence County?

HOMESTEADING — Independence County will hosts its first homesteading conference on March 1. U of A Division of Agriculture graphic

The Independence County Extension Office will host the first “Homesteading with Independence” conference on March 1, with experts from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture sharing their expertise in bees, backyard poultry, small ruminants, gardening, food preservation and more.

The event will run 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the Independence County Library, 267 E. Main St. in Batesville. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and workshops begin at 9:30 a.m. Space is limited to 75 people, and registration is required. The cost is $20 per person and includes lunch.

“This is our first year to have this conference,” said Julian Carpenter, family and consumer science agent with the Independence County Extension Office, part of the Division of Agriculture. “We have noticed people are becoming interested in learning how to be more self-reliant, and we want to provide the research-based education they may need.”

Experts will offer the following sessions:

• Are Bees Right for Me? — Jon Zawislak, extension apiary specialist and assistant professor in urban entomology, Division of Agriculture

• Backyard Poultry — Dustan Clark, extension poultry veterinarian and director of John Tyson Center for Excellence in Poultry Science, Division of Agriculture

• Small Ruminant Production — Dan Quadros, extension small ruminant specialist, Division of Agriculture

• Soil Health — Bill Robertson, retired extension cotton agronomist, now agronomist with CWC Farm

• Food Preservation — Julian Carpenter, Independence County extension agent, Division of Agriculture

• Growing Your Garden — Michelle Mobley, Independence County extension agent, Division of Agriculture

• Choosing Your Enterprise — Carey Robertson, adjunct agriculture instructor, University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville

For more information and to register, contact the Independence County Extension office at 870-793-8840.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

USDA funds Arkansas research on grain production greenhouse gas emissions

By John Lovett
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Most greenhouse gas emissions in commercial poultry operations are linked to feed production, and methods to reduce those emissions are the focus of a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

CLIMATE-SMART — Soybeans grow in a field at the Rice Research and Extension Center near Stuttgart. Soybean meal is one of the primary components of poultry feed. A new study will measure greenhouse gases produced in crops that go into poultry feed. (U of A System Division of Ag photo by John Lovett)

The Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, has been tapped to conduct measurements of greenhouse gas emissions on farms that grow the two main components of poultry feed — corn and soybean. The measurements will be used to quantify the differences in practices such as conventional tillage and conservation tillage to develop value-added, “climate-smart” products.

Kris Brye, University Professor of applied soil physics and pedology with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, will lead the emissions measurements, and Mike Daniels, professor and soil and water conservation scientist with the Cooperative Extension Service, will lead an outreach and educational component of the grant.

The Division of Agriculture’s program includes plans for a monitoring and verification system of greenhouse gases that include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. It will also evaluate local market opportunities for direct sale and tracking of grain to broiler operations.

Arkansas is third in the nation for production of chicken broilers. The state harvested over 3 million acres in soybeans and 830,000 acres in corn for grain in 2021, according to the 2022 Arkansas Agriculture Profile. A 2020 life cycle assessment found that feed production contributed about 72 percent of greenhouse gas emissions associated with broiler production.

As part of the USDA’s Partnership for Climate-SMART Commodities program, the Division of Agriculture will be funded for at least three years to demonstrate the viability of growing more climate-friendly grains for sale to poultry feed operations. SMART stands for “Scaling Mechanisms for Agriculture’s Regenerative Transformation.”

Support for the project includes funding to create a companion education program with post-doctoral and graduate students, as well as a Climate-SMART instructor and a technician in the Division of Agriculture’s crop, soil and environmental sciences department.

The project will take place on selected Arkansas Discovery Farms and other private landowners’ fields that produce soybean and corn crops. The Division of Agriculture’s Discovery Farms program engages farmers in conservation through collaborative research. There are about a dozen farms in Arkansas associated with the Discovery Farms program.

Mississippi State University is the lead partner in the grant titled “Developing Climate-Smart Grain Markets in the Mid-South through Diverse Partnerships and a Farming-Systems Approach to Practice Integration to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” Other partners include Alcorn State University in Mississippi, Southern Ag Services Inc., and Conservation Solutions LLC.

The USDA states that the Climate-SMART program will reach across 28 states and aim to “catalyze a self-sustaining, market-based network to broaden farmer access, scale adoption of climate-smart practices, and sustainably produce grain and dairy commodities with verified and quantified climate benefits.”

The Division of Agriculture will also take part in these projects funded through the USDA Partnerships for Climate-SMART Commodities program: 

• Climate-Smart Cotton through a Sustainable & Innovative Supply Chain Approach, with Bill Robertson, professor and extension agronomist.

• Climate-Smart Grasslands: The Root of Agriculture Carbon Markets, with Dirk Philipp, associate professor of animal science

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.

Persistent avian influenza outbreaks pushing up turkey, poultry prices

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Expect to pay more for the Thanksgiving turkey as growers continue to deal with a potent and persistent strain of avian influenza.

TURKEY PRICES — Expect turkey prices to be up this year as avian influenza cuts supplies.

High pathogenic avian influenza, or HPAI, has been reported in 40 states as of Oct. 3 and confirmed in 492 flocks, with more than half — 262 — being backyard flocks. The flu has so far affected nearly 47 million birds.

As of Oct. 4, only nine states had zero cases in poultry this year: Arkansas, Alabama, Arizona, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi,  Rhode Island, South Carolina and West Virginia. On Oct.6, APHIS confirmed a finding of HPAI in a backyard flock in New Mexico.

That’s a plus for Arkansas, which is the nation’s No. 3 turkey producer.

During the last major outbreak in 2014-2015, HPAI was confirmed in 15 states, affecting some 50.4 million birds from 211 commercial and 21 backyard flocks. At the time, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the U.S. Agriculture Department labeled the event the largest animal health emergency in the U.S.

Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza, known as H5 and H7, can kill 90 to 100 percent of poultry quickly; often within 48 hours of infection.

The disease spreads through wild birds and their droppings and direct contact with sick birds. The good news is that there is no evidence that humans can contract bird flu by eating poultry.

“We are expecting tighter frozen whole-bird supplies and higher retail prices this holiday season,” said James Mitchell, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The turkey industry has had a tough go with HPAI this year, which is reflected in the data.

“Year-to-date weekly turkey production totals 4.37 billion pounds and is running 5 percent below year-ago levels,” Mitchell said. “Turkey in cold storage builds up through the summer as we hit the holiday season. Currently, turkey in cold storage is 0.8 percent above year-ago levels but 24 percent below the previous five-year average.”

Mitchell said wholesale breast prices have averaged $5.61 per pound or 156 percent higher year over year, “which reflects tighter supplies and the industry diverting more of available supplies to whole-bird production.”

All of which means consumers need to be ready.

“I hate to say it, but this year will probably be just like last year, where a little planning is warranted,” he said.

The higher prices aren’t just confined to turkeys.

“You can see prices are higher. Broiler, turkey and egg prices all reflect a short supply,” Jada Thompson, assistant professor of agricultural economics for the Division of Agriculture, said.

However, because the current outbreak is spread over a broader area “it allows for repopulation,” she said. “In the egg industry, they started hatching replacement pullets earlier than they did in 2015. We need to start increasing our hatch counts, so we can have these birds in the pipeline.”

“From a global perspective, the EU is having a similar spread of HPAI, and Asia has seen it spread,” Thompson said. “If we are going to continue to have these globally and this continues to simmer, how do we address that going forward? Everyone is wanting to know what happens next.”

Differences between 2014-15 and 2022

There are key differences between the 2022 outbreak and that of 2014-15, said Dustan Clark, extension veterinarian for the Division of Agriculture.

“During the last outbreak, about 10 percent of the flocks were hobby flocks,” he said. “This time, over half the flocks are hobby flocks.”

Clark said this suggests a change in the way the disease is spreading. “The current thinking is that during the last outbreak in commercial farms, it was probably inadvertently spread from an infected farm to other farms rather than by point source introductions, as is the current thinking in how AI is getting into the backyard flocks.”

Commercial poultry and egg growers have been using what was learned during the earlier outbreak and have been very proactive in dealing with the current outbreak, rapidly responding to infected flocks to prevent spread between farms, Thompson said.

The current outbreak is also far more widespread, with detections in 40 states in 2022 vs. 15 in 2014-15. For Clark, that indicates backyard flocks “are likely getting it from the wild birds. It’s popping up everywhere.”

As of Sept. 27, APHIS reported HPAI detections in 2,650 wild birds this year, in every state except Arkansas, Hawaii, Louisiana, New Mexico and West Virginia. The types of birds not only included migratory species such as teals, mallards and Canada geese but also predatory and scavenging birds such as turkey vultures, owls and hawks.

“In owls, hawks and vultures, they’re probably feeding off a wild bird that was either sick or had died of AI,” Clark said.

With fall wild bird migration just getting started, “we are greatly concerned about it popping up in Arkansas. Everyone is doing their best to be more and more vigilant,” he said. “If you see something, call your county agent, the state veterinarian or the USDA hotline. It’s important to get help as fast as you can, especially for backyard flocks.”

The USDA hotline is 1-866-536-7593.

The Cooperative Extension Service has online biosecurity resources for backyard flock owners and commercial operations.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Arkansas farmers brace for impacts of Avian influenza

KUAR | By George Jared/ Talk Business & Politics

A flu that is nearly 100% lethal to poultry is spreading across the U.S. Thirty-four states have had confirmed cases of the deadly H5N1 avian influenza, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and poultry farmers in Arkansas should continue taking precautions.

The most recent outbreaks were in backyard cases in Oregon and Washington state. Oklahoma was added to the list of states after the disease was confirmed in a commercial breeder flock in Sequoyah County on May 1, the USDA reported.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2022-05-18/arkansas-farmers-brace-for-impacts-of-avian-influenza

Mary Hightower/UA Division Of Agriculture

A backyard chicken seen wandering the streets on October 30, 2021.

Tyson Foods signs $2.25 billion credit agreement, settles lawsuits

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Tyson Foods has renegotiated a credit line with JP Morgan Chase Bank that provides up to $2.25 billion in credit through September 2026. The deal requires Tyson to keep its gross earnings to consolidated interest expense ratio at 3.5 to 1 at the end of each fiscal quarter.

Tyson said it also used cash on hand to repay all outstanding obligations under the company’s existing term loan agreement, dated as of March 22, 2021, which was roughly $500 million, according to the filing Monday (Oct. 4) with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The company is also continuing to settle the antitrust price fixing cases brought against it and most of the poultry industry five years ago. Tyson agreed last week to pay $42.5 million to settle price fixing charges brought by some of its customers. This case was filed in the Northern District of Illinois and also involved Pilgrim’s and Mar-Jac poultry who settled for $44 million and $5.99 million, respectively. Tyson Food did not respond to multiple requests for comments on the recent $42.5 million settlement.

https://talkbusiness.net/2021/10/tyson-foods-signs-2-25-billion-credit-agreement-settles-lawsuits/