January
PIP Innovation Showcase 2024 series launched in January 2024 with Dr. Rob Renema discussing Management to Optimize Broiler Gut Health Without Antibiotics. Dr. Renema covers management aspects that promote a healthy gut.
The U of A Heritage Chicken Program resumed in January, now in its eleventh season! The program was developed to support the rare breeds and genetic diversity of the heritage chicken flock housed at the university. Supporters receive eggs from the heritage hens every two weeks for nine months. Josue Romao took the reins as the new HCP Coordinator in January 2024.
RDAR (Results Driven Agriculture Research) Research Showcase: On January 11, 2024, RDAR hosted Feet in the Field, Eyes on the Stars – RDAR’s second annual research showcase. The showcase featured over 30 researchers sharing tangible outcomes and results that producers can readily incorporate into their farming practices.
The International Processing and Production Expo (IPPE) 2024 IPPE had 1,432 exhibitors and more than 31,353 registered attendees from the poultry and egg, meat and animal food industries. Representing 133 countries, Canada made up 14.9% of registered attendees.
February
The February Innovation Showcase continued with Emanuele Goes, Ph.D., sharing her research on Strategies to control Necrotic Enteritis in broilers through gut health optimization. Non-antibiotic strategies, the potential of novel products and future perspectives for the control of necrotic enteritis in a post-antibiotic era were covered.
The National Poultry Show (PIC) took place in the Western Fair District, Ontario, on February 7.
The Magic of Experiential Learning and Mentorship Profiles. The PIP Newsletter began a series profiling poultry professionals who found their career path after meeting their mentors, experiencing hands-on learning, and discovering the welcoming and diverse poultry community. February featured Victoria Sikur, Canadian Hatching Egg Producers (CHEP’s) Food Safety Officer. Read her story here.
A Celebration of Veterinary Talent! Dr. Teryn Girard, DVM and Tracy Tee, RVT, both with Prairie Livestock Veterinarians of Red Deer, were recognized in 2024 with awards from the ABVMA and the ABVTA. Dr. Girard won the ABVMA Young Veterinarian of the Year Award and Tracy Tee won ABVTA Registered Veterinary Technologist of the Year Award.
PIP Presents: Flock Forum: Mystery, Mayhem & Mastery of Fiber on February 26 in Red Deer. AB. The highly successful event took a deep dive into the use of fiber in poultry nutrition with engaging keynote presentations, break-out sessions and hands-on activities. 186 producers, researchers, academics and students attended the Forum. To learn more, read Leveraging Insights from the Fiber Flock Forum.
The four Alberta feather boards, including Alberta Chicken Producers, Alberta Hatching Egg Producers, Alberta Turkey Producers and Egg Farmers of Alberta held their Annual General Meetings on February 27 in Red Deer, AB.
March
Innovation Showcase features Dr. Victor Palomino-Tapia exploring Viral and Bacterial Arthritis – A tale of two pains. Listeners learned how controlling bacterial and viral arthritis in poultry requires rigorous biosecurity measures, vaccination programs, and prompt veterinary intervention to minimize the impact on bird welfare and farm profitability.
The Magic of Experiential Learning and Mentorship Profiles featured Tony Krynski, BSc, Western Canada Technical Service Manager at Aviagen. The combined mentorship of three powerful professors and a challenging assignment lit a spark that would ultimately fuel both passion and profession in the commercial poultry industry for Krynski. Read his story here.
April
April Innovation Showcase continued with Dr. Mohammad Afrouziyeh discussing Precautions and Checks for Poultry Drinking Water Quality During Seasonal Transitions. Viewers learned proactive water management strategies for all seasons.
HCP Small Flock Course: Designed to help small flock farmers with topics such as feed, disease, coop design, breeds, biosecurity practices and more, the courses took place on April 13, 15 and 16 with 58 participants both in-person and online.
The Magic of Experiential Learning and Mentorship Profiles: Featuring Jerry Emmanuel, Poultry Nutrition Specialist and Feed Sales Consultant with Cargill. Experiential learning experiences and inspiring professors shifted his vision from vet school to poultry nutrition. Read his story here.
May
For the May Innovation Roadshow, the PIP team visited Ontario to learn about Sustainability and Burnbrae’s Ralos Solar Egg Farm. The presentation includes details about solar as an energy option and Burnbrae’s sustainability mission to reduce waste and GHG emissions.
HCP Chick Program A total of 3,400 heritage chicks from various heritage breeds were sent to 21 Peavey Mart Stores across Alberta where they were sold or taken by customers who registered in advance through the HCP website to buy and raise heritage chicks.
Student Defense. On May 6, PhD student Emanuele Goes presented her Thesis seminar titled: Evaluation of potential alternatives to replace antibiotic growth promoters in broiler chicken diets.
The Canadian Poultry Research Forum (CPRF) took place virtually on May 28, 29 and 30. Keynote speakers included Dr. David Swayne (Critical Research Gaps and Control of Avian Influenza) and Dr. Frank Robinson (Mini – Internships – Enhancing the Student Experience) as well as multiple research and tech transfer presentations. There were 100 attendees, with 40 scientific presentations and posters. In addition, three new members were inducted into the 2024 Hall of Fame.
Hall of Fame Inductees: Dr. Craigmyle Riddell, Dr. Doug Korver and Dr. Wilhelm Guenter.
May Experiential Learning Profile: Rachelle Foss, Technical Services Supervisor at Maple Leaf Foods Inc. Rachelle began her educational journey with thoughts of medical school until she stumbled into an Animal Science class and never looked back. Read her story here.
Hinke Therrien of Ment2B Farms in Red Water AB, was named one of four Top Four Under Forty by Canadian Poultry Magazine. Congratulations to Hinke, who is a broiler and turkey producer, and active ambassador for Alberta’s poultry industry. You can read more and listen to her CP podcast here.
U of A grad student Yingxin Zha receives the prestigious 2023 Aviagen/CPRC Poultry Science Scholarship. The award was announced in May 2024. After completing her doctorate, Yingxin plans to continue working on sustainable agricultural technologies.
Egg Farmers of Canada announce the winners of its inaugural Student Innovation Challenge. Mariève Dallaire-Lamontagne from Université Laval and Ravneet Kaur from University of Alberta tied for first place, with Violet Hipkin from the University of Guelph receiving the third-place award for their innovative research ideas and creative solutions to help shape the future of Canada’s egg sector.
Annex Business Media’s Agriculture group has named the seven honourees of the 2024 Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture (IWCA) program. Sabine Banniza, Saskatchewan, Chris Brown, Kimberley Cathline and Mel Luymes, Ontario, Liz Robertson and Cheryle Warkentine, Manitoba and Kendra Donnelly, Alberta. Congratulations to all!
June
June Innovation Showcase featured a panel of experts presenting Long life layers – an environmental, economic, and animal welfare cost/benefit analysis. Dr. Pelletier, Dr. Doyon and Dr. Turner discuss the costs and benefits of extending laying cycles in Canada.
RDAR Round-UP! RDAR held its 3rd Round-Up on June 6th, 2024, at Cremona’s beautiful Heritage Centre in the heart of Mountain View County. The event brought together producers, researchers, and agriculture stakeholders from across Alberta to discuss aspects of water management and trends; national, provincial, municipal, and on-farm. For more details, visit the RDAR Round-Up Recap.
People of Poultry Volunteer Profile: Art Van Zanten, Owner, Integrated Feed Solutions. Art explains why producer peer support groups are critical in 2024. Reaching out, sharing, finding time to help and giving back is a mainstay in his life. Read his story here.
Western Poultry Conference (WPC) 2024 took place on June 13, at the Westerner Park in Red Deer AB. 165 participants enjoyed topics which included supporting each other in good and bad times, vaccination Tips (Dr. Teryn Girard), improving ventilation by managing summer heat stress and winter humidity (Raymond Funk), info on emergency depopulation equipment (Brandy Addai), using data to improve your bottom line (David Speller) and three student presentations showcasing their research.
PIP Team member Dr. Mohammad Afrouziyeh takes on a new role with RDAR. Dr. Afrouziyeh accepted the position of Research Program Officer with RDAR. Congratulations to this highly valued member of the PIP team who will bring his vast knowledge and experience to RDAR in this new position.
On June 11th, RDAR hosted a forum of over 100 cervid producers, academic researchers, stakeholders, and government representatives to restart discussions about the challenges of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
July
Calgary Stampede July 5-14. Egg Farmers of Alberta Ambassador farmers manned booths and displays with live birds, engaging with the public and answering questions. The Egg Guess Container contest was revived with 1600 people trying to guess the number of eggs in the jar. (answer – 577!)
On July 22, 2024, Parks Canada reported a wildfire northeast of the town of Jasper, which shut down the entire park. On July 24, the fire reached the townsite, and roughly 25,000 people were evacuated. The Jasper wildfire complex was estimated to be 32,000 hectares in size.
August
August Innovation Showcase featured Dr. Darko Mitevski presenting Inclusion Body Hepatitis – We Care and Continue Working toward the Solution. He covered ongoing efforts to design and develop autogenous vaccines and implement practical measures to mitigate the impact of IBH.
Alberta Open Farm Days: Showcasing everything from farm-to-table dinners and wagon rides to alpaca tours and historic farm attractions, Alberta Open Farm Days brings Albertans together through educational and experiential agricultural-based initiatives. You can read more stories about it here.
The Magic of Experiential Learning and Mentorship Profiles: Brenda Reimer, Knowledge Mobilization Coordinator for the Poultry Innovation Partnership. This article explores Brenda’s experiential learning fueled journey into the poultry industry and her generous work as a volunteer for industry and community. Read her story here.
Brenda Reimer was awarded the 2024 Tyson Foods Support Personnel Award, presented on July 18 at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Poultry Science Association (PSA) in Louisville, KY. The Tyson Foods Inc award recognizes the contributions of support staff to poultry science research, extension, and teaching through exceptional talent, dedication and hard work.
September
Innovation Showcase series continues in September with Nitrogen Whole House Gassing (NWHG). Speaker Jeff Hill talked about the effectiveness of NWHG in large-scale depopulation and the innovations and adaptations for Western Canada’s unique needs.
The fourth annual Get Set for your Future 2024 industry and student mixer took place on September 12. Agriculture students connected face-to-face with industry experts in a speed-dating style format, providing networking experiences that can be career changing for students.
September Ask The Expert – PIP Newsletter Series: September Question: “Is there any specific reason why necrotic enteritis outbreaks typically occur between 3 and 4 weeks of age in broilers?” Our Experts: Dr. Chantel Caughlin, Dr. Teryn Girard, Dr. Hayley Bowling, Prairie Livestock Veterinarians. Click here for the answer.
October
October Innovation Showcase: Integrating Solar Thermal Air Heating into Poultry Barn Operations with Alex Scott who talked about the benefits that SolarWall can bring to the heating, cooling and drying needs of your poultry barn operation.
Ask The Expert: October Question: “How do the different seasons affect underground water in Alberta?” Our Expert: Dr. Mohammad Afrouziyeh, Livestock Research Program Officer at RDAR. Read the answer here!
The Poultry Science Association (PSA) held the 2024 PSA Professional Development Conference in Columbus, Ohio (USA), on October 28-29. Key highlights include talks from company executives, PSA journal editors-in-chiefs, award-winning speakers, a networking reception, and panel discussions.
Influential Women in Agriculture Summit 2024 took place on October 22 at 12 p.m. ET. Seven IWCA honourees took part in the event. The live, free event provides a platform for invaluable mentorship and knowledge.
November
November Innovation Showcase: Mary Foy discussing Water Quality and How it May Be Affecting Bird Performance. Discover key factors to monitor and actionable solutions to enhance water quality, ensuring optimal conditions for your flock.
An investigation into the case of a teenager infected with avian flu in British Columbia has found no new cases or evidence of human-to-human transmission, while failing to identify how the teen caught the virus. Read the Canadian Poultry article here.
Ask The Experts: November Question: “Which feed form is better to control gut health – pellet or coarse?” Our Expert: Dr. E. Nancy Fischer. Read the Answer here!
HCP Adopt-A-Chicken Program 2025 opened for registration in November 2024. To learn more about the program and sign up, visit the Adopt A Chicken website.
December
December Innovation Showcase: What we know so far – Avian Metapneumovirus (aMPV) in the Prairie Provinces with Dr. Chantel Caughlin of Prairie Livestock Veterinarians. Learn what to do if you suspect your birds are infected with aMPV and how to support your flock in case of a positive result.
Student Defense. On December 6, MSc student Etseoghena Obi defended her Thesis titled: Effect of maternal feeding level and growth patterns on broiler performance using a precision feeding system.
Status of Ongoing Avian Influenza Province by Province (CFIA/Government of Canada)
The City of Lethbridge is using a new device called the ‘Goosinator’ to address the growing number of waterfowl — like geese and ducks — causing issues at a lake in the Lethbridge area. Designers hope to change future migratory patterns for the flock. Watch the video here.
2023/2024 Research Showcase: compiled by PIP team member Thania Moraes, the Research Showcase is a compilation of cutting edge research by Alberta researchers and scientists.
For Your Interest!
PIP 2024 Innovation Showcase Stats! 744 people registered for the Innovation Showcase webinars, a total of 749 webinar minutes, 156 questions were answered.
The PIP newsletter was opened 6,220 times over the year.
PIP 2024 Social Media Stats! Growth in every social media platform. Facebook increased by 8%, Instagram 19.8%, LinkedIn 11.6%, and Twitter by 15.5%. YouTube subscribers increased by 41.9%.
Total people reached by PIP: 73,080.
PIP wishes all in the poultry community a Happy New Year and all the best for 2025!
Dawn has an MMUS from Northwestern University and worked from 2017 - 2021 as the U of A Heritage Chicken Program Coordinator. With extensive experience as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor, Dawn is the scribe for the PIP team. Duties include transcribing minutes, creating action lists, organizing team ideas and projects, editing, writing articles, and interviewing subjects for the People of Poultry series in the PIP newsletter. Dawn also assists in PIP tech transfer initiatives.
