2024 Poultry Production Program

Author: John Fourqurean

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

This year the 2024 Poultry program had agents from McLean, Grayson and Ohio counties coordinate a program in cooperation with UK ANR Agents, IFF Wilmington Microbiology Center Specialist, KADF, University of Georgia Poultry Specialist, Purdue, and Poultry producers in McLean, Ohio and Grayson Counties. A grant from the KADF was received to help bring a UGA ventilation specialist to the area to visit with producers.  The ANR agents, Purdue Flock advisors and UGA Specialist made 8 different o

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Meat Bird Processing Workshop Supports Homesteading Movement

Author: William Crawford

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

Homesteading has been increasing in popularity since 2020. According to data from the Homesteaders of America website (homesteadersamerica.com), 59% of people engaged in this once mainstream production system, stated that food security was a primary incentive. Additionally, 58% noted that the desire for healthier food drove them, 56% longed for a simpler lifestyle while around 52% reasoned that government unrest and policies caused them to begin the homesteading journey. To address this phe

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Poultry Program

Author: Whitney Carman

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

Grayson County ranks 21st in Kentucky for poultry and egg production, with poultry being the county’s number one livestock commodity. According to the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture, poultry production in Grayson County contributes over $2 million annually to the local economy. In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in poultry production, marked by the construction of new poultry houses and the retrofitting of older facilities to meet the modern needs of poultry farming.Gra

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Incubation and Embryology Programs Reinforce STEM Initiatives

Author: William Crawford

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiative are at the forefront of current educational trends. Incubation studies utilizing candling to non-invasively view developing chicken embryos reinforces these principles. Candling involves the use of a bright light held to the large end of fertile egg, thus illuminating the blood vessels, eye and even the beating heart as early as three days into development. The highlight for many is being allowed to hold baby chicks after being t

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Small Scale Poultry Production for Profit Programs Offered

Author: William Crawford

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

Small scale farms and homesteads in Kentucky face challenges of economy to scale when compared to large corporate supported operations. No industry is more evident of this disparity than poultry production. With over 1.8 billion dollars worth of meat and eggs produced in the Commonwealth, they comprise the state's number one agricultural cash crop. Vertically integrated by design, large contract grower farms have every input selected for efficiency and affordability. Recent initiatives for a

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Hot Weather Management in Poultry Houses

Author: Gregory Comer

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

Ohio Co. ranks 4th in poultry and egg production in Kentucky, contributing over $93 million dollars in farm gate receipts. Heat stress in poultry is a serious problem for the poultry industry. Often resulting in productivity losses – which can include decreased body weight, reduced feed intake, lower breast muscle yield, decreased meat quality, increases in mortality and many other responses. Fortunately, broiler house designs have improved greatly to meet the requirements of the modern br

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Poultry Producers Improve Profits with Energy Savings

Author: Sam McNeill

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

Describe the Issue or Situation.Production from 280 million broiler chickens in Kentucky produced 1.8 billion pounds of meat in 2024 and generated $1.3 billion, placing the industry as the highest livestock enterprise that contributes to the state’s agricultural economy. Broiler production is highly energy intensive; fuel and electricity costs are the broiler grower’s largest variable expense. Records indicate that 20% to 30% of a grower’s gross income is used to pay the cost o

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Poultry medicine online course for practicing veterinarians

Author: Jacqueline Jacob

Major Program: Poultry/Small Flocks

More and more urban and suburban homes are now keeping small poultry flocks, mainly laying hens. Unfortunately, most veterinarians do not have poultry species as clients so are not able to help these people if a medical situation arises.With avian veterinarians at Utah State University and MIchigan State University, along with the American Association of Avian Pathologists, I developed an online course for practicing veterinarians to introduce them to the idea of including poultry in their pract

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