AgSpeak Blog

Thee 2024 IPPE Recap

The 2024 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) had the largest trade show floor ever with 621,350 square feet of exhibit space and 1,427 exhibitors.  This year, IPPE has more than 31,000 poultry and egg, meat, and animal food industry attendees representing 130+ countries. Sponsored by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, American Feed Industry […]

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2023 A Year in Review

2023 A Year in Review   2023 was a year for growth and new developments. We saw record attendance return to the industries biggest tradeshows. We released a slew of innovative new products, and we lost one of the industries most notable inventors, Fred Steudler. While IPPE’s attendance might have waned a bit, the rebranding […]

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Biosecurity Practices that Everyone Should Follow

  Biosecurity Practices That Everyone Should Follow Control of human traffic: Restrict visitors to essential personnel only. Ideally, from a biosecurity standpoint, there would be no visitors at all. All people moving onto and within the site should be approved and records kept,  including all contractors, service people, maintenance personnel, site visitors, friends, and neighbors. […]

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Observe Don’t Disturb

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AI Vaccinations

The 2022 Avian Influenza pandemic has run rampant for more than a year now. It has killed more than 58 million birds to date. It has affected egg and meat prices dramatically and it is starting to feel like there is no end in sight. The current means of control focus on higher impact biosecurity […]

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Grower Spotlight: Mark Strouth

From the late 1980s onward, Mark’s father and brothers started a legacy of family farming, and they haven’t given it up yet. Somewhere in the windy plains of Iowa, Mark and his three brothers own and operate a menagerie of swine barns that they have collected over the years. Around ten houses in total are […]

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Supreme Court Upholds California’s Prop 12

On May 11, 2023, the Supreme Court upheld California’s Proposition 12, a landmark animal welfare measure that bans the sale of pork from sows that are confined in small spaces. The 5-4 decision was a victory for animal welfare groups and a setback for the pork industry. In 2018, California voters passed Prop 12 (also […]

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Water Usage & Consumption

Water is an important nutrient that directly affects a flock’s health and wellbeing. Birds must have adequate access to clean water for optimal consumption. It’s important to understand the difference between water usage and water consumption. Water usage is what goes through the water meter. It measures the water used for cooling systems, as well […]

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Clean Drinking Water in Four Simple Steps

Clean drinking water in the poultry house is arguably the most important resource that we should provide. There are tons of tips and tricks out there to ensure that your water is the best water it can be, so we’ve narrowed it down to 4 main points. Check these things regularly and rest assured your […]

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IPPE 2023 Recap

In case you missed it, the 2023 IPPE took place this week at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, GA. The show halls were brimming with renewed energy and excitement as the industry moves forward from AI, Covid, and economic challenges. This year, VAL-CO showcased some of the newest developments that we have been […]

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California’s Proposition 12

In 2018, California voters passed Proposition 12 (Prop 12) which is a ballot initiative to provide more space for farmed animals, in particular laying hens, breeding sows and veal calves in California. Prop 12 is also known as the Farm Animal Confinement Initiative and offers protections to egg-laying hens, mother pigs, and calves raised for […]

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2022 A Year in Review

2022 brought back what is arguably the most exciting event in the industry, the International Production & Processing Expo. It also brought new COVID strains and the stress of pandemic business, but regardless, spirits remained high as poultry professionals from all walks of life came together. Traffic and attendance were notable reduced as so many […]

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Why is Water So Important?

Why is water so important?   Water is an essential nutrient, and it plays an important role in all bodily functions including digesting nutrients, metabolism, and transporting nutrients through the bloodstream. It aids in digesting of feed and flushing fecal and uric acid waste products. Also, water plays a key role in regulating body temperature. […]

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8 Reasons You Should Eat Eggs

8 REASONS YOU SHOULD EAT EGGS Eggs are loaded with 13 essential vitamins and minerals and provide a good source of nutrients essential for a healthy diet. They are a valuable source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. Basically, they’re a superfood. Eggs are nutrient rich and contain 82% of your daily vitamin D […]

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Poultry Bedding

Poultry Bedding Bedding acts like a sponge and absorbs moisture from fecal waste, while providing a dry, comfortable medium for birds to scratch and rest upon. It should be quick-drying, soft, compressible, and absorbent as it provides a cushion for the breast muscle and feet. It should be lightweight and have medium particle size. Birds […]

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Life After Avian Influenza

AI UPDATE – FALL 2022 The arrival of summer brought hope that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak may phase out like it did in the 2015 outbreak. Fewer cases were popping up and sites that had been affected were already starting to repopulate. However, as we move into fall, we are seeing an […]

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9 Factors that Influence Egg Size

9 Factors that Influence Egg Size Consumers tend to prefer and are willing to pay more for larger eggs, so knowing what may influence the size of egg produced may be beneficial for maximum return. A large egg is not always a good egg. The larger the egg is, the thinner the eggshell thickness is. […]

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Prolapse in Laying Hens – Causes, Treatment, Prevention

PREVENTING PROLAPSE Prolapsed vent (also known as prolapsed oviduct, pickout, cloacal prolapse or blowout) is a common condition in laying hens. During the process of laying an egg, the lower part of a hen’s reproductive tract is temporarily turned inside out, allowing the hen to lay a clean egg, but it sometimes it does not […]

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Agriculture & Earth Day

Agriculture often gets a bad rap when it comes to environmental protection. There are many practices available to farmers that are great for both farmers and the land they cultivate. Sustainable agriculture practices put tremendous focus on preserving and improving soil health. These practices include crop rotation, cover cropping, and no-tillage practices. The use of […]

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