New products, services highlighted at the 2011 IPE

Among the products and services offered by the 900 exhibitors at the 2011 International Poultry Expo in Atlanta, a number of categories and items stood out as potentially beneficial for egg producers. Highlights are noted for our readership:

Computer applications  

• Brilliant Alternatives operated by Bob Brill is now offering software and support for the U.S. A variety of software packages are available including Excel Export/Import, which stores formulas, ingredient descriptions and prices; Medicated/Derivative Formulas which creates new formulations by adjusting a parent formula; Watchdog comprising a track and trace reporting system operating in conjunction with Sequel Server/Access Database. The Laboratory Decision Maker collects data from NIR or other assays and automatically updates matrices.
• AgriSoft/CMC offers Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software that incorporates general ledger, accounts payable and receivables, sales, orders, purchases and inventory. The AgriSoft product line includes an animal inventory management program derived from the original Chilson’s software. The company offers consulting, accounting and payroll services training and support.
• Decimal Software of Quebec, Canada offers accounting packages used for administration, modeling, variance analysis with the capability to import and export data. Decimal Software Solution has been developed to optimize internal control systems and to comply with financial regulations, control costs and optimize profitability.
• Poultry Management Systems manufacturers of the NOAH range of environmental control systems have introduced the Atlas System. This will display the egg-load along the length of a cross conveyor and will analyze flow-density over the entire belt. The system is designed to identify problem areas to optimize egg flow and prevent shell damage. The Windows-based NOAH IV environmental system reports and stores records for each flock including house temperature, egg production, feed consumption and flock livability. The Responsive Egg Flow system counts and controls the flow of eggs from each house to the in-line processing plant of the complex. This system allows batching for selective blending of houses, sequential filling and emptying of conveyors and variable speed control of egg belts. Diagnostic reports and egg weight readings allow optimization of product flow and plant operation. Recently PMS introduced the Command III HACCP system for egg-breaking plants. This controls and monitors systems facilitating implementation of GMPs, SSOPs and evaluation of CCPs in a plant. The system analyzes cooler temperature, pH levels, CIP temperature, boiler function and product flow rates. Deviations from a set level result in alerts including strobe lights and remote wireless notification.

Chick processing  

• Nova-Tech Engineering of Wilmar, Minn., demonstrated a mechanized processing line which included modules to manually load poults onto mobile cradles and then pass them through successive stations for sequential infra red beak treatment, subcutaneous injection of vaccines and removal of claws. The system which has been under development for a number of years incorporates CIP capability and auto-diagnostic computerized master control. This system which applies some of the technology of the Nova-Tech beak treatment for day-old chicks may be adapted for pullets offering the capability of greater uniformity in vaccination and beak treatment at machine rates of 4,000 per hour.

 SE Assays  

The Food and Drug Administration has determined that two rapid test kits and a PCR procedure are equivalent to the protocol described in Chapter 5 (salmonella) of the FDA Bacteriological Analysis Manual “environmental sampling and detection of Salmonella in poultry houses” in accordance with 9 CFR 147.12, to isolate and identify Salmonella from environmental samples, cloacal swabs, chick box papers and meconium.

• ABI Life Technologies Real-Time PCR Salmonella enteritidis detection kit can be applied either with or without the 96-hour hold time as recommended in the BAM. The PCR system has been validated in studies conducted by the University Of Pennsylvania College of Veterinary Medicine by Dr. Shelley Rankin. The SE detection kit applies the Biosystems ABI Taqman technology to determine the presence of SE in egg samples or in aliquots from enrichment broth used to process environmental samples.
• The sdixRapidChek SELECT Salmonella enteritidis specific test kit. This system requires enrichment of environmental samples for 16 to 22 hours at 42C or egg pools at room temperature for 40 to 48 hours. Following primary enrichment a secondary enrichment stage is required for 6 to 8 hours for egg pools or 16 to 22 hours for environmental samples. The immuno-based test strip provides a result within 10 minutes and negative samples can be differentiated from positive results by viewing red lines which form on the strip. Claimed benefits compared to the BAM method include a faster time to obtain a result, no instrumentation costs and high sensitivity and specificity.
• Neogen of Lansing, Mich., has received approval for the Reveal 2.0 Salmonella enteritidis test kit. As with the sdix system, the Neogen system uses the same enrichment protocol as specified by the FDA BAM procedure and allows rapid and specific screening of environmental samples and egg pools to confirm a negative SE status.

The rapid test kits are suitable for screening environmental and egg samples and for internal quality control. The PCR system which costs in the region of $100,000 requires trained technicians and will probably be restricted to high-volume automated processing of numerous samples in a regional or state diagnostic laboratory.

• The Professional Group Services and Silliker Laboratories offer conventional microbiological assay for SE.

Manure handling  

• Farmer Automatic of America manufacturers the CompostCat that has a low profile (80” tall) to operate under cages to agitate and aerate manure in pits. These units effectively eliminate fly breeding when their use is combined with effective ventilation. The company also supplies more extensive composting systems for either on-complex location or remote installation. Farmer Automatic also supply zig-zag conveyor belt drying systems which reduce the level of moisture in manure, facilitating handling and subsequent drying or composting.
• Binkley and Hurst of Richmond, Pa., manufacture a range of LVI composters which can be attached to tractors or skid-steer loaders. These implements are effective for small units and especially barns with litter where agitation and aeration is beneficial.
• Kohshin Engineering of Japan can supply large-scale composting installations. Innovations include the use of solar engineering to provide heat. The company also supplies pelleting mills to sift, compact and pelletize composted manure.

BioSecurity  

• Valco of Pennsylvania manufactures the Sentry Vehicle disinfectant system which can be erected and operated to dispense disinfectants over vehicles entering and leaving farms. The components comprise a pump, nozzle system, support gantry and an optional hand sprayer for tires.
• Kuhl Corporation of Femington, N.J., supply plastic egg tray washers with automatic stack loaders, conveyors, dryers and re-stackers. The company also supplies a manual spin dryer for trays suitable for small plants. Combination washer-drying modules are available with capacities up to 2,400 trays. Decontamination of egg trays is critical to prevent dissemination of SE and AI in addition to other pathogens which may be carried to farms through off-line plants.

Breeds  

• For a number of years the U.S egg industry has been supplied by the two major primary breeders, Hy-Line International and Hendrix Genetics. Tetra Americana will distribute the Tetra Brown strain as a new product to the U.S. market through an affiliate company Centurion Poultry.

Vaccines  

• Ceva-Biomune has introduced a series of multivalent Vectormune vaccines based on a fowl pox virus vector. The two products which will find application in the egg industry include the fowl pox-vectored MG and AE combination vaccine and a bivalent fowl-pox vectored MG product. In addition for regions where MG vaccine is not required, producers can select Marek’s disease virus-vectored LT and AE vaccine administered at the hatchery.

The items listed represent new additions or modification of existing products which have been noted for the convenience of readers. Selection of products for this article does not represent an endorsement. Non-inclusion of products does not imply inferiority but is due to restraints of space – Editor.