On the
HORIZON. 2 0 1 5 A N N UA L R E P O R T | D E PA R TM E NT O F P O U LTRY S C I E N C E
poul.auburn.edu
O N TH E H O R IZO N
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elcome to the 2015 Annual Report for the Department of Poultry Science at Auburn University. This abbreviated report provides an overview of key activities and initiatives over the past year that will better position us to support poultry and food systems in Alabama, the USA and beyond. In reviewing this report you will see our department’s accomplishments, and gain insight into our future efforts and directions. Student engagement and preparation remains a top priority for us. To that end, we revamped our Poultry Production curriculum model to give students advanced knowledge in poultry management, and build their business and professional skillset. We will implement the new curriculum in Fall 2016. In keeping with our “farm-tofork” mission, we will also offer a stand-alone B.S. degree in Food Science beginning in Fall 2016. We continued to engage our students to develop ePortfolios, and our student clubs were active in service work. Collectively, our 2015 progress served to prepare our graduates for success in today’s and tomorrow’s workplace. Another departmental mission is to ensure that we are providing the scientific knowledge, technology and education needed in poultry and food systems. In 2015 we made significant progress in adding faculty with the needed expertise to achieve
this mission. We continued to expand our food safety research, and added faculty to address product quality and processing issues, as well. Additionally, we are leveraging the Poultry and Animal Nutrition Center (aka, feed mill) to train and educate feed mill personnel. I am excited about newly added faculty and believe that we are developing the comprehensive expertise to serve the industry well into the future. While having the key expertise is critical, it is also essential to provide the research and education infrastructure that will allow our students and faculty to excel. To that end, we renovated some existing buildings, but more importantly made significant progress in achieving new “farm” facilities. These new state-of-theart facilities will enable an outstanding educational experience and equip our students to be future industry leaders and innovators. Additionally, new facilities will afford our faculty the research precision and accuracy to develop new knowledge and technology that is needed to sustain and advance the industry well into the future. Again, much of our work over the past year allows us to have the needed educational and research capacity and capability to serve you, our stakeholders. I am extremely grateful for the support and guidance our friends, alumni and clientele have provided. This input has allowed us to build on our accomplishments and plot a path to achieving our vision of being the premiere academic poultry and food program.
Don Conner Department Head
IN THIS
issue
Thank you for your involvement and interest in our department this year. We are pleased to present to you our 2015 Annual Report, with updates on our programs in the areas of instruction, research, and extension.
3 | IM PROV ING
education
Curriculum revitalization Poultry & Food Science clubs Professional development through ePortfolios Record recruitment, by the numbers
5 | IN NOVATI V E
research
Addressing Salmonella Welcoming new faculty Dr. Starkey’s precision research facility Graduate student impact Research, by the numbers
7 | R EACHING OU R
community
Food Safety & Quality Extension Agents Partnering with 4-H Biosecurity & Avian Influenza Feed milling, by the numbers
9 | PHIL A NTHROPIC
goals
Experiencing Food Science with Girls Inc. Reconnecting with Cuba Alumnus gives back through leadership
INSIDE BACK COV ER Financial report, by the numbers
DEPA RTMENT
facts & figures
35
18
1200
OUTRE ACH E VENT S
REFEREED JOURNAL ARTICLES
DEPARTMENTAL NEWSLETTERS DELIVERED
36
3
98
INTERNATIONAL M EE T I N G S
CHAP TERS & BOOKS PUBLISHED
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
FAC U LT Y A N D S TA F F awards & accolades COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE • Ken Macklin, Grantsmanship Award • Jean Weese, Project Team Award (with Patti West, REA) • Ashley Wiskirchen, Employee of the Year 2015 (Professional) • Mitchell Pate, Alumni Service Award • Amanda Rials (Alumna), Outstanding Alumni Award
GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS
AUBURN UNIVERSIT Y
• Kurt Perryman: Certificate of Excellence, PSA • Kate Meloche: Certificate of Excellence, PSA, Alltech Manuscript Award, IPSF • Mingyu Qiao: Outstanding International Graduate Student, Auburn University
• Wallace Berry 2015 Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence
10 S TUDENT E VENT S ON C A MPUS
CLUB AWARDS • 1st Place, Product Development, SEIFT (Food) • 3rd Place, Club of the Year (Poultry)
TH
ANNUAL ALUMNI, FRIENDS & RECRUITING FALL BBQ
1 BOOTH AT THE COLLEGE’S FIRST AG AWARENESS DAY
STUDENT ambition
PROFESSIONAL workshops
What types of things are our Poultry and Food Science students do outside of the classroom?
In 2015 Jean Weese’s Food Quality & Safety REAs traveled the state to educate food industry employees, while Extension Specialists Ken Macklin and Joseph Hess connected with growers about practical biosecurity.
Play tuba in the Auburn University Marching Band, Cheer on Auburn Athletics as a cheerleader, serve as a Camp War Eagle Parent Counselor, and represent as Mr. College of Agriculture Just to name a few.
We’ve also offered Feed Milling workshops and Online Egg HACCP Certification. Learn more about our Workshops at poul.auburn.edu
STUDENT spotlight Trevor Lee (JR, Poultry Production), transferred from WSCC - Hanceville to Auburn in Fall 2015 ready to work. After attending IPPE with our department’s Transfer Student program in 2015, Lee remarked, “IPPE showed me a whole different side of the poultry industry.” Lee excels not only in the classroom but beyond, serving the department, Poultry Science Club and local FFA chapters.
TRE VOR LEE Junior, Poultry Science
C U R R I C U LU M I M P R OV E M E N T S TO E N H A N C E S T U D E N T P R E PA R E D N E S S The Department continually assesses curriculum models to ensure that our students are wellprepared for the workplace. In 2015, we embarked on two significant curriculum changes: 1. An overhaul of our Poultry Production curriculum, 2. Changing Food Science from an option within Poultry Science to a standalone B.S. degree. These changes were made based on industry input regarding present and future needs for innovators and leaders. The driving force for revamping the Poultry Production curriculum was the need for our graduates to have broader knowledge regarding modern poultry
THREE NEW THINGS FROM THE F O O D & P O U LT R Y S C I E N C E C L U B S 3 AG ROUNDUP Food Science Club’s activity booth in the Tiny Tigers area and our Aubie Dots in the main food area were a hit this year.
We attended the IFT Southeastern Section meeting October 20, 2015 and had 13 from our department attend, which is our largest turnout!
1 COLLEGE BOWL We’re getting ready for competition in the spring. We worked had over Christmas break to learn trivia, and concepts across the entire food science curriculum.
science discipline at Auburn University, which has been achieved. With recent growth in student interest and job demand, we obtained university and state approval to change the Food Science option within Poultry Science into a freestanding interdisciplinary major. This new B.S. in Food Science will continue to strengthening our farmto-fork approach, improve student recruitment, and allow for a more diverse array of graduates to meet new career demands. This new degree will be implemented in Fall 2016 and will continue to be administered and led by the Department of Poultry Science.
ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WITH AUBURN’S EPORTFOLIO
3 CAREER FAIR This year Poultry Science Club took a new approach to our career fair, creating break out sessions where students heard from industry representatives about their fields.
2 PHIL ANTHROPY
2 IFT SECTIONALS
production as well as improved business and professional skills. To broaden technical knowledge, the new curriculum will include new courses on feed milling, housing, and advanced production. The new curriculum will also have required courses in economics, accounting, marketing, and business management. Lastly, a senior level capstone course is being added to develop our students’ communication, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. This new model will be effective Fall 2016. In 2010, the Food Science program was moved from the College of Human Sciences to the Department of Poultry Science with a goal to strengthen the food
We sponsored boxes of food for hungry children in AL and raised $300 through lunch sales of poultry plates for breast cancer awareness this year!
1 AG AWARENESS We held our College’s first Ag Awareness booth on AU’s concourse. We asked students “How would you feed 9 billion people?” and heard their opinions on campus while sharing what we know about poultry. PAGE 3
The ePortfolio project at Auburn University is a campus-wide professional development initiative, helping students showcase their skills and knowledge. An ePortfolio is an online collection of a student’s body of work, extra curricular experiences, and personal history of skills and certifications. Similar to a resume, an ePortfolio gives potential employers an understanding of the student’s capabilities. Because ePortfolios are housed online in the form of a personal web page, the possibilities of displaying information greatly improve a student’s ability to tell the story of their undergraduate experiences in greater depth than a paper resume can. Codi Plaster (Student
Coordinator), and Ashley Wiskirchen (Comm. & Marketing) are helping students understand and invest in building an ePortfolio to showcase their undergraduate experiences throughout each undergraduate semester at Auburn. “We know the professional development offered with the ePortfolio program can prepare students for employment after graduation, as well as personal and professional growth in writing, comprehensive and critical thinking, and editing,” Plaster said. “We also believe this project encourages students to grow beyond classroom experiences while pursuing their degree.”
STUDENT SERVICES facts & figures 73
2
Poultry & Food Science students are enrolled in our undergraduate programs for the 2014-2015 academic year.
Are international students, hailing from South America.
18 Of those students transferred from a community college.
FOR 2014-2015 OUR DEPARTMENT PROVIDED
TOTAL IN SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OUR STUDENTS.
$138,450
$28,000 OF OUR SCHOL ARSHIP DOLL ARS ARE AWARDED TO STUDENTS BY THE AL ABAMA POULTRY & EGG ASSOCIATION G R A D E P O I N T AV E R A G E D E PA R T M E N T I N V O LV E M E N T COUNT Y SPECIFIC FINANCIAL NEED
Scholarship applications are reviewed and awarded by the department’s scholarship committee, which takes into account these four factors.
R ECRU I T I NG breakdown This chart represents potential students seen by our departmental student recruiter for 2015. 78% OF POTENTIAL RECRUITS WERE SEEN AT FFA CDE’S
75 H. S . VISITS 10 FALL BBQ 16 C A MPUS VISITS
500: FFA CDE’ S 20: FDSC 101 5: IPPE TR ANSFERS 10: FDSC C A MPERS
FOOD SCI ENCE
club
POU LTRY SCI ENCE
club
33
5
76
12
Active club members
Events held on and off campus
Active club members
Found internships at IPPE in 2014
3
5
Professional Development Events
Campus events publicizing the Poultry Industry
S A L MO N E LL A R E S E A RCH : U N D E R S TA N D IN G FA RM E XP O S U R E With new diets and lifestyles, chicken is one of the most affordable and healthy protein source available on the market, however there is a fear of how to properly cook and store chicken due to food-borne illnesses like Salmonella. The Salmonella strains that can make humans sick are known to grow regularly in the gut of chickens but it is not understood if this bacterium can grow on any other part of the body. Even with regulations at the processing plants to monitor this bacterium, there is still a drastic increase of Salmonella with ground chicken products. Ken Macklin, Professor of Poultry Science, and Elle
INTRO D U CIN G N E W FACU LT Y ME MB E R S
Chadwick, graduate research assistant, are trying to determine the areas of bacterial colonization in chickens at the farm so that there can be a decrease in the chance of exposure of Salmonella on poultry before they reach the processing plant. This project is funded by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. This project will also help create better management and biosecurity practices at the farms, which can also help prevent the spread of poultry diseases such as Avian Influenza.
E M E FA M O N U , P H D Food Microbiology
A M I T M O R E Y, P H D Further Processed Products
W I L M E R PA C H E C O, P H D Feed Milling
New faculty members bring with them fresh perspectives, interest in new technologies and new approaches to industry challenges, along with their passion for research. We are pleased to welcome Drs. Monu, Morey & Pacheco into the department.
JESSICA S TA R K E Y Inspects water lines inside the Individual Bird Growth Performance Laboratory
IN N OVATI V E FACILIT Y A LLOWS FO R PR E CI S I O N PE R FO RM A N CE S TU DY Dr. Jessica Starkey’s Individual Bird Growth Performance Laboratory is equipped to house over 300 birds in individual pens with access to individual feed, and exclusive water lines as pictured right. Traditionally, growth performance trials utilize facilities that hold multiple birds in each pen, using calculations of total feed intake per pen, rather than per bird. But this facility allows Dr. Starkey’s team to calculate feed intake and growth rates more accurately, ultimately resulting in feed conversion efficiencies on an individual bird basis. “This also allows us to
P O U LT R Y & F O O D S C I E N C E G R A D U AT E S T U D E N T S Gather in the lobby of the Poultry Science Building
match up what’s going on with each bird with the information we collect from the tissue samples taken from individual birds harvested at different time points during the grow-out period,” Starkey mentions. This lab facilitates Dr. Starkey’s skeletal muscle growth and stem cell biology serial harvest research studies.
G R A D UATE S TU D E NT IMPAC T An integral part of our research program is graduate education. Graduate students earn their M.Ag., M.S. or Ph.D. degree primarily through research. The Department continued to attract top level graduate students, due in part to the active research in which faculty are engaged. Our graduate program has national and global appeal. Currently we have graduate students from six different states (AL, CA, GA, IL, MN, PA) and three different countries (Canada, China, Indonesia). Through PAGE 5
their graduate program, each student is involved and responsible for a specific research project(s). Therefore, graduate students gain experience in experimental design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, and presentation (written and oral) of scientific information. Advanced degrees equip students for technical position in industry, government or academia.
R ESEA RCH
facts & figures
3
62
16
FACULT Y POSITIONS FILLED
T R I A L S AT RESEARCH UNIT
FULL USE L AB SPACES
3
33
27
ON-GOING FACULTY SEARCHES
ADDITIONAL FEED TRIAL S O F F -S I T E
G R ADUATE A SSIS TANT S
36
5
INTERNATIONAL MEE TINGS
CROSS-C A MPUS CO L L A BO R AT I V E REL ATIONSHIP S
Our faculty travel the world to present and contribute to with international initiatives in the poultry industry. In 2015 we ended up in: • • • • •
Belgium Canada Cuba China Czech Republic
• • • •
France Mexico Taiwan Turkey
We know collaboration results in innovative ways of thinking, and encourage our staff and faculty to engage with Colleges across Auburn’s campus. In 2015, we participated in collaboration with the following Colleges: • • • • •
College of Agriculture (Other Units) Samuel Ginn College of Engineering Raymond J. Harbert College of Business College of Science and Mathematics College of Veterinary Medicine
R ESEA RCH FU NDING highlights
$15 M
$1.01 M
38
GR ANT DOLL ARS APPLIED FOR
GRANT DOLLARS AWARDED
PROJ EC T S FUNDED
Base state and federal funding continued to be static. Therefore, our faculty competed vigorously for extramural funding to support their research programs. The federal funding environment is extremely competitive, and a 10% or less success rate is typical. Given this environment, our faculty were successful in obtaining outside dollars to support the department’s research mission.
Food Safety & Quality Extension Agents Serve Alabama The Food Safety & Quality Extension Agent team, provide workshops and certifications to teach relevant food safety & quality information and standards across the state of Alabama. Led by Dr. Jean Weese, Professor & Extension Specialist in Food Science, they reached over 300 food industry representatives in Alabama in 2015. From Seafood HACCP courses, to their “Farmto-School Course” taught in Huntsville, AL, they
were able to reach out to Department of Public Health inspectors, food service workers, food processors, and food entrepreneurs. Through personal contacts with the Alabama Department of Public Health and the Department of Agriculture and Industries, Weese has also developed an on going GAP training program, a Cottage Food Law certification course, a Farmer’s Market Training Course, and an Egg Safety Course.
To aid Food Entrepreneurs, an Entrepreneur Conference was developed, hosting 75 participants with three noteworthy speakers who own successful businesses in Alabama. At this conference alone, over 115 Nutrition Facts Labels were created for entrepreneurs and 55 food products were tested for acidification. Helping food entrepreneurs develop successful business practices while maintaining a safe and high-quality product is just one piece of
the pie, so to speak, and all of their endeavors are not only noteworthy, but much needed throughout the state. To learn more about this REA Team visit: www.aces.edu/fcs/fspp
DR. JE AN WEESE Professor & Extension, Food Science
A D D R E S S IN G AV I A N IN FLU E N Z A
E L M O R E C O U N T Y C H I C K C H A I N S H O W & AU C T I O N Department mascot, Rocko the Rooster, poses for a picture with a blue-ribbon winner in Elmore County, AL.
DEPARTMENT PARTNERSHIP BENEFITS 4- H CH I CK CH A IN PROJ E C T In 2015, 61 of Alabama’s 67 counties participated in the 4-H Chick Chain program in which students receive chicks from Extension, raise them for 5 months, then bring a selection of birds back for a show and sale. Auburn Poultry Extension helped support this program by securing hatcheries from which to order the chicks and participating in poultry
husbandry training with Extension personnel that work with youth. Dr. Brigid McCrea from Delaware State University (an AU Poultry Alum) and Dr. Laura Bauermeister from the Department of Poultry Science also participated in training. To see pictures from the Elmore County Show & Auction visit: bit.ly/elmorechickchain
PAGE 7
Dr. Ken Macklin, Professor of Poultry Science at Auburn University has been involved with Alabama Avian Health Advisory Board and more specifically with Dr. Tony Frazier, the state veterinarian, in working on strategies to prevent Avian Influenza (AI) from getting into poultry operations in Alabama. Dr. Macklin has also been instrumental in developing strategies in disposing the mortalities associated with AI. He notes, “Really the only effective prevention to AI is biosecurity on the farm. To that effort Joe Hess and I have given three talks to commercial poultry growers and over two dozen talks to small flock (or backyard) poultry producers across the state.” At each talk Dr. Macklin and Dr. Hess (Professor &
Extension Specialist for Poultry Science) provide good biosecurity advice. They also mention and discuss the results of a survey that Dr. Macklin and his former student Katrina English had conducted showing how several growers failed to follow good biosecurity. They also incorporate the USDA conclusion that it was a failure of biosecurity that led to the devastating AI issues in the upper Midwest with growers.
FEED MILLING
facts & figures
800
2
TONS OF FEED M ADE
FULL TIME EMPLOYEES
1800
96
40
HOURS IN OPER ATION
TRIAL S SERVED AT AUBURN
E VENT S & TOURS
10 INDUS TRY REL ATIONSHIP S
2ND ANNUAL FEED MILLING workshop S P O N S O R E D B Y U S P O U LT R Y & E G G A S S O C I AT I O N
FEED M I LLI NG WOR KSHOP
impact across the nation
40
25
6
AT T EN D EE S
F EED M I L L I N G M A N AG ER S
PRESENTATIONS & DISCUSSIONS
10
12
3
S TAT E S R EP R E S EN T ED
MILLS R EP R E S EN T ED
T EC H N I C A L DEMONSTRATIONS
Our 2nd Annual Feed Milling workshop for feed mill supervisors presented educational material and hands-on demonstrations that covered topics managers face in their day-to-day operations. Presentations covered conditioning and pelleting, cooling operations, and effects of moisture in finished feeds. Additional presentations addressed poultry feed efficiency and post-pellet liquid systems. Each presentation welcomed discussion from managers. Hands-on demonstrations of cooling maintenance, conditioning and pelleting troubleshooting, and manging feed moisture in the cooler gave technical insight to managers. These demonstrations brought together ideas from across the country.
BRING ING FO OD SCIENCE E XPE RIENCE S TO H I G H S CH O O L S TU D E NT S WITH G IR L S IN C . On April 18, 2015 twentysix members of the Girls, Inc. Birmingham Chapter traveled to Auburn’s campus to participate in the first Food Science 101 Workshop. The girls and chaperones were divided up into groups that rotated through stations which included hands-on activities covering many aspects of food science including: food labeling, sensory, super taster testing, food chemistry, and microbiology. After lunch the group enjoyed “Aubie Dots”, liquid nitrogen ice cream, a recipe that the Food Science Club has perfected through many (delicious) trials. One of the goals of this event was to promote science careers for
middle and high school aged girls. When asked if there were any other areas of Food Science they wanted us to talk about, one attendee said, “Anything I didn’t learn today!” It was a successful and fun event. We hope to expand in 2016 and invite all three Girls, Inc. chapter of Alabama to participate. Two attendees and a chaperone were selected to attend the IFT conference in Chicago during the summer of 2015.
THE CHEMISTRY OF FOOD Students with Girl’s Inc. participate in labs throughout their Food Science 101 experience.
To read more about their organization visit: www.girlsinc.org
S TO R E E X P LO R E Food Science 101 Students sample common products purchased at the grocery store to compare tastes and textures between gluten free, reduced sugar, “name brand” vs. grocery store brands, and other product variations.
To see pictures from this event visit: bit.ly/girlsinc101
A LUM N U S N A ME D PR E S ID E NT O F WO R LD P O U LTRY FO U N DATI O N
R E CO N N E C TIN G WITH CU B A
R E CO N N E C TIN G WITH CU B A Don Conner represented the Department of Poultry Science as a member of a delegation from Alabama that traveled in July to Cuba in support of resuming shipments of poultry from the Port of Mobile to Havana. Other members of this delegation were representatives from the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industry, Alabama Port Authority, and Alabama Poultry and Egg Association. The delegation met with
Cuban government and trade representatives, and had a brief tour of Cuban agriculture. Poultry shipments resumed in October. Auburn’s College of Agriculture established an agreement with Cuba to develop ties with scientists and educators. Dr. Giambrone traveled to Cuba in October in support of this agreement. A study-abroad program in Cuba is scheduled for May 2016. PAGE 9
Poultry Science Alumnus, Randall Ennis, (B.S. Poultry Science from Auburn University, ‘83) continues giving back to the poultry industry as he takes up leadership in the World Poultry Foundation. Appointed in August 2015, Ennis will contribute to the World Poultry Foundation’s mission of educating and training others to help increase poultry production world-wide. Ennis’s successful 30+ year career in the industry has
included serving as the CEO of Aviagen, the president of Alabama Poultry and Egg Association and various other volunteer positions. His involvement with the World Poultry Foundation is another link in the chain of this alumnus serving the poultry industry and seeking a solution for world hunger within poultry production. To learn more about the World Poultry Foundation visit: www.worldpoultry.net
R ANDALL ENNIS President, World Poultry Foundation
2015 FINA NCI A L I NCOM E 2%
report
EX PEN DITU R ES 1%
5%
21% 75% OF INCOME COMES FROM STATE APPROPRIATIONS
7%
15% 72% OF EXPENDITURES SUPPORT SALARIES AND BENEFITS
75% STATE APPROPRIATIONS 21% GIF TS/CONTRACTS AND GRANTS 2% AUXILIARY 2% OTHER
72% SAL ARIES & BENEFITS 15% FARM OPERATIONS 5% DEPARTMENT OPERATIONS 7% RESE ARCH EXPENDITURES 1% OTHER
The 2015 departmental budget was $4,919,000, of which 75% came from state appropriations. State funding was provided via three routes: Auburn University Instruction, AAES support, and the ACES support.
The primary expenditure, 72%, was personnel costs, and the remaining 28% represents operational costs. Operation of farm and feed mill facilities, accounted for 15% of our operational costs while additional departmental costs accounted for just 1%.
The remaining 25% of income comes from extramural sources. This funding scenario is similar to that seen in past years. Total expenditures for 2015 total $4,861,000.
Expenditures for research, accounted for 7% of total expenditures. For 2015, expenditures & income were generally balanced.
DEV ELOPM ENT FU N DS In 2015 we also obtained an additional $3,846,000 in gifts and pledges that are specifically designated for development and construction of our new Poultry Science farm facilities. As such, these funds are not used for operations, therefore, are not reflected in figures above.
Our department thrives with support from stakeholders like you. TH A NK
you.
Undoubtedly, the Department had a successful and productive year, and is on the horizon of a very bright future. We look forward to working in concert with our stakeholders to advance our mission of serving and protecting the poultry and food systems in Alabama and beyond. With your continued support we are evolving as the premiere poultry science - food science program; a vision we continually strive to achieve. Thank you for your interest and support, and as always‌
WA R EAGLE!
#ThisIsOurWork AUBURN UNIVERSIT Y IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNIT Y ED U C AT I O N A L I N S T I T U T I O N/E M PLOY ER .