Poultry News Apr/May 2024

News that you can use. Keep up with poultry and waterfowl news, new developments and fun stories from around the world.
By Kenny Coogan and Carla Tighman
Ancient DNA reveals how a chicken virus evolved to become more deadly
A team of archaeologists, disease biologists, and geneticists have recovered and reconstructed an ancient specimen of Marek’s disease virus (MDV) thought to be 1,000 years old. Their findings, published in the journal Science in December 2023, show how MDV has evolved over the last 100 years to cause more deadly lymphoid tumors in chickens. According to the paper, fatal infections caused by MDV in unvaccinated chickens now cost the poultry industry over $1 billion per year.
The University of Oxford’s press release about the study explains that, “When first described, this disease only led to mild symptoms in older chickens. As chicken consumption dramatically increased in the 1950s and 1960s, MDV has evolved and become increasingly aggressive despite the development of several vaccines.”
Lead author of the paper, Dr. Steven Fiddaman of the University of Oxford’s Department of Biology, said, “Our findings not only unravel the evolutionary history of the Marek’s disease virus but also provide a foundation for enhancing our current understanding of pathogen virulence. By combining ancient DNA techniques with modern genomics, we’ve opened a window into the past that can guide future strategies in managing viral diseases.”
Using the genetic sequences, scientists were able to show that the ancient strains were significantly milder than today’s virus. By understanding the disease’s evolution, they hope to develop more effective therapies against it.



EPA Seeks Public Input on Proposal to Reduce Water Pollution from Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposed regulation that would revise wastewater discharge standards for facilities that process meat and poultry products. Many processing facilities operate near communities that rely on bodies of water impaired by nutrient pollution, raising environmental justice concerns. The proposal would require processing plants to adopt modern pollution-control technologies that would ultimately cut the annual amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients discharged into water bodies by about 100 million pounds, improving water quality for downstream communities and ecosystems.
Bringing Poultry Science to Public K-12 Classrooms
Georgia’s top agricultural commodity is now poultry. To expose school-aged students to potential career paths in avian science, the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has teamed up with the Georgia Department of Education to bring poultry science into classrooms across the state. Jessica Fife, outreach coordinator for the CAES Department of Poultry Science, said in a recent interview with Backyard Poultry, “We had teachers and educators on all levels look through the curriculum and make sure the course curriculum was appropriate to those standards and something they’d want to use.”
While the materials are designed for high school students in Georgia, resources are also available for middle school students, and classrooms in California, Texas, and Michigan have utilized the poultry curriculum.
To learn more visit: https://poultry.caes.uga.edu/community-outreach/poultry-science-curriculum.html

President signs federal duck stamp into law
At the end of 2023, President Biden signed into law the Duck Stamp Modernization Act of 2023, which makes the Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, commonly referred to as the “duck stamp,” more accessible. The law requires hunters to purchase a Federal Duck Stamp and carry it while in the field. Funds from the sale of the stamps are invested in wetland preservation. The legislation is backed by several leading conservation and wildlife organizations, including the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) and Ducks Unlimited.
This tripartisan legislation was led by U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, John Boozman, Joe Manchin, and Angus King.
“Some of my fondest memories include hunting with my dad and now with my own sons back in Kansas,” Senator Marshall said. “I’m proud Congress advanced this commonsense legislation that makes accessing duck stamps easier and drives more dollars to conservation programs so families can continue to experience America’s vast wilderness for years to come.”
Ducks Unlimited CEO Adam Putnam applauded the legislation to make buying a duck stamp easier. “More than 8 million acres of wetland habitat have been conserved through the Federal Duck Stamp program. Now that the stamp is fully electronic, we hope that more birders, anglers, and conservationists will join us to increase the number of stamps purchased each year so that more wildlife habitat can be protected.”
Black Vultures
Black vulture (Coragyps atratus) populations have been growing in central U.S. states, including Kansas and Missouri, causing problems for livestock producers. More aggressive than turkey vultures, black vultures are known to prey on sick cows, cows in labor, and newborns. They’ll also kill small- to medium-sized animals, such as poultry, waterfowl, goats, and sheep.
Because black vultures are a federally protected species under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, farmers and ranchers currently must obtain permits before destroying any birds, nests, or eggs.
However, in late 2023, the Black Vulture Relief Act was introduced, which would eliminate the need for permits on farm properties. Permit information can be obtained from your state’s extension office. If you find dead black vultures on your property and are concerned about the possibility of Avian Influenza (H5N1), you can contact the Kansas or Missouri Department of Agriculture about their “black vulture necropsy reimbursement process.”
Sources
• https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adg2238
EPA Seeks Public Input on Proposal to Reduce Water Pollution from Meat and Poultry Processing Facilities | US EPA
• https://poultry.caes.uga.edu/community-outreach/poultry-science-curriculum.html
• https://www.marshall.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/duck-stamp-modernization-act-into-signed-into-law/
• https://agriculture.mo.gov/blackvultures.php#:~:text=Black%20vultures%20are%20increasing%20in,are%20ill%20or%20giving%20birth
• https://agriculture.mo.gov/black-vulture-necropsy.pdf