Determining the risks associated with scavenging raptors to the biosecurity of broiler farms on Delmarva.

Determining the risks associated with scavenging raptors to the biosecurity of broiler farms on Delmarva.

Summary

The data collection portion of the project has been completed.  Game camera and farmer scouting data was analyzed and presented to both Farmers and at 2 national poultry science conferences.  Information from the study was used to add to information at New Grower Workshops.  One such workshop was attended and data was collected on the farmer’s understanding of the laws surrounding wild birds (including scavenging raptors).

Objectives/Performance Targets

Curriculum Change:

The curriculum has been added to the already well-established waste management and compost management programs presented by both the Maryland and Delaware extension poultry specialists. The new curriculum includes information on bird ecology and also the laws regarding migratory bird species.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Four broiler producers completed scouting on their properties. Most indicated that scouting more often than once a week was too much for them to do and therefore did not complete the scouting. A student was hired to input survey data. Regularly scheduled meetings for the summer and fall of 2015 were cancelled pre-emptively in anticipation of an outbreak of Avian Influenza. The data obtained from the scouting and game cameras were presented at a New Grower meetings meeting for 30 people in December 2015 in Denton, MD.

One newly created broiler field day, held on October 31, 2014, was attended by 250 broiler farmers and both Drs. McCrea and Moyle, as well as Mr. Brown and the student, were in attendance to answer questions about the project.  A poster about the project was on display at the field day and the results to date were discussed with broiler farmers. 

On January 16, 2015, Dr. Moyle and the student presented the preliminary data from the project to 150 farmers at the 2015 Delaware AgWeek Commercial Poultry Session. This was an all-day event aimed at providing information to growers on topics both timely and pertinent to their operations.

An abstract for a poster on vultures at Delmarva composters has been accepted for presentation at the International Poultry Scientific Forum to be held in Atlanta, GA on January 26-27, 2015. A similar abstract, but on the topic of farmer scouting, was accepted for a poster at the Poultry Science Association Conference in Louisville, KY on July 27-30, 2016.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

At the meeting in December farmers were given a pre- and a post-test to determine knowledge gained with regard to vultures on broiler farms. The results are as follows for the PRE-TEST:

Have you ever seen vultures on a broiler farm? (Multiple Choice)

Have you ever heard other farmers talk about seeing vultures on a broiler farm? (Multiple Choice)

 What are you permitted to do to remove vultures from your farm? (Multiple Choice)

What laws govern the rights of wild birds? (Multiple Choice)

The results are as follows for the POST-TEST, which was given after the presentation on vulture ecology and laws regarding wild birds:

What are you permitted to do to remove vultures from your farm? (Multiple Choice)

What laws govern the rights of wild birds? (Multiple Choice)

These results indicate that the number of people who were willing to shoot vultures do not appear to be swayed by the information provided by the programming, however all appear to have a much better understanding of the laws that govern the rights of wild birds. Based on conversations with farmers after the meeting, they really do not like the birds if they do not fly away from the composters when the farmers pull up in their tractors or vehicles. Birds that hiss, behave aggressively toward farmers, and remain at the composters are the main reasons stated by farmers as to why farmers feel uncomfortable around the birds.

Collaborators: