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INVESTIGATOR: Temu, V. W.

PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
VIRGINIA STATE UNIVERSITY
PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA 23803

STUDIES ON SUSTAINABLE CROP-LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS FOR FREE-RANGE POULTRY AND GRAIN TEFF (ERAGROSTIS TEF) PRODUCTION IN THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: There is arapidly growing demand for high-value agricultural foods produced naturally and/or humanely. Such products are considered tastier and more nutritious and fetch higher premiums as consumers become more concerned about agrochemical residues in their foods. Such is the unsatisfied demand for free-range poultry products. The mid-Atlantic region, in particular has great demand for grain teff from its large and growing population of Ethiopians. Teff is also gluten free, and therefore, a healthy alternative for about 2 million people in the US suffering from celiac disease. Grain teff production offers great economic opportunity to resource limited farmers and former tobacco growers in the region. For example the 2015 teff flour imports from Ethiopia ranged from 6,000-8,000 metric tons by January 2016 and were expected to reach 18,000 metric tons. North America's over 50% of global gluten-free market share is projected to grow to about USD 7.6 billion by 2020. However, producers need information on practical solutions to disease and food safety pathogen problems associated with buildup of poultry manure. This study seeks to assess environmental friendly approaches to sustainable management of integrated crop-livestock systems involving high-value small grain production and free-range poultry in the mid-Atlantic region. The focus is on preventing excessive buildup of poultry manure in disease pathogems by integrating free-range production with that of grain teff and thus achieve efficient nutrient utilization. With equipment and research infrastructure to be acquired, Virginia State University may offer better services to students and small limited-resource farmers in Virginia and the mid-Atlantic.

OBJECTIVES: This project aims at generating research-based data on sustainable management approaches to integrated free-range poultry and grain teff production focusing on the performance of chicken and teff, the yield and quality of meat, eggs,and grain, animal health and food safety as well as fertility management. It is assumed that with dual-purpose breeds, producers can sale identified poor layers for meat and generate some revenue to cover some costs of concentrate feeds. That a producer can keep harvesting eggs from the remaining birds until the flock reaches its pick laying phase, and sale them for meat at the natural decline in egg production. The preference for dual purpose paultry is intended to benefit limited resource producers better than is possible with a pure system for layers or broilers. With regards to grain quality, this study will assess the likelihood of such problems related to molds and yeasts.

APPROACH: In alternate years, adjacent fields will be rotationally stocked with free-range chicken or planted in grain teff such that by the third year, a field will have either been on chicken twice, every-other-year, with a teff year in between or the vice versal. Over the three-year period, a reference field will be continuously stocked the free-range chicken and another planted in teff with or without mid-season forage harvesting. Birds in earch foraging group will have a mobile chicken coop for shelter, laying, and night protection and will be sampled at the end of the second and third years for carcass yield and quality assessment. Dressing percentages and proportions of lean, fat, and bone in carcass samples will be determined according to standard lab procedures and analyzed for chemical composition and nutritional qualities, as well asthe presence of specific disease and food safety pathogens. The chicken will be observed daily for general wellbeing and signs of ill health. All mortality and morbidity data will be recorded throughout the project duration. Soil physical properties, chemical properties (fertility) and biological properties (soil health) will be determined. Data will be analysed by computer using the SAS program.

PROGRESS: 2019/03 TO 2020/02
Target Audience:Undergraduate students who toured the field experiment received on-site description of the study and its relevance in addressing problems impacting sustainable management of intergrated crop-livestock systems. Likewise, several interest groups touring the university's research farm aquainted themselves with practical management options to common challenges impacting free-range poultry production. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?One Post-Doctoral associate is working on the project and two undergraduate students are receiving experiencial practical training on various management aspects of free-range poultry. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Nothing Reported What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?During the next growing season, soil moistrue monitoring equipment will be intalled and soil samples for fertility assessment collected. The experimental field will be subdevided into sub-blocks and be stocked continuoully or every other year with the free-range chicken. Data collection for poultry disease monitoring and control will be collected. .

IMPACT: 2019/03 TO 2020/02
What was accomplished under these goals? Data on the agronomic performance of the brown and ivory teff varieties with respect to forage biomass and grain yield was generated. The same site identified last growing season for the field experiment was tilled and seeded with the brown and ivory teff varieties at 15 cm (narrow) and 30 cm (wide) row-spacings and allowed to grow to soft-dough stage. Tall-growing broad-leaf weeds were controlled by a single herbicide ( glyphosate) application with a boom sprayer at tillering stage of the teff. Using a plot forage harvester, teff strips were cut for seed yield estmates and regrowth assessment. The experimental field has been fenced with flexible step on material and subdived into three major blocks that are now stocked with laying rod island chickens purchassed as four-month-old pullets from a local supplier through Heretick Feeds. Each block has two mobile chicken coops that provide night shelter, supplemental feeds, water and laying nests. The chicken are curretly being monitored for growth and egg produciton. A mojor challenge so far has been predater control, mainly Hawcks.

PUBLICATIONS (not previously reported): 2019/03 TO 2020/02
No publications reported this period.