Clemson researcher studies impact of cages on laying hens

A Clemson University animal behaviorist is researching the impact cages and other confinement have on the development and well-being of hens.

“Cages were designed to keep hens clean, safe from predators, protected from adverse weather conditions and easily medicated to prevent disease,” said Peter Skewes, the department of animal and veterinary sciences researcher leading the three-year project. “Initially, little thought was given to how cages affected behavioral or emotional needs.”

Recently, cage confinement has taken center stage as egg producers and animal protectionists debate the kind of environment laying hens need.

More is at stake than just the comfort of chickens, though the well-being of 284 million U.S. laying hens is no small matter. Nearly 95 percent of the 90 billion table eggs produced in the United States come from high-density cage systems. The value of all egg production in 2007 was $6.68 billion. In South Carolina egg sales tally about $90 million annually. Changing production conditions are bound to affect the bottom the line.

Advocates for animal protection want the elimination of caged-layer egg production. What’s needed, say egg industry leaders, is scientific information to analyze the situation and provide the data for alternatives.

Without data, designing management systems may be based on incomplete information about hen physiology and behavior, according to Skewes.

“There isn’t a lot of data on the impact of cage systems on neural and behavioral development in chickens. Although some alternative systems are emerging in Europe, there are few alternatives being developed in the United States,” said Skewes. (See related video.)

Skewes will compare cage- and non-cage-production systems for more than 900 chickens at Clemson’s Morgan Poultry Center.

“We have commercial cage conditions in one area, and on the other side we have a pen or floor environment with a lot of enrichment and stimulation,” said Skewes. “What we’re going to do is look at physiological and behavioral differences as a result of the birds being in these two treatments, and, hopefully, that will lead us to have more knowledge and make better decisions about how we want to house these birds and manage them for the production of table eggs.”

The research is funded by a $348,000 National Research Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Animal and veterinary science department chairwoman Mary Beck was awarded the grant and named Skewes co-investigator.

Clemson students named finalists in competition to design pediatric clinics for Africa

CLEMSON — Four Clemson University architecture students were selected as finalists in an international competition to design new pediatric clinics for East Africa. Their work was showcased in May at a fundraiser in Seattle hosted by Humanity for Children, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthcare for children in developing countries.

Hunter McKenzie, Todd Davis, Sonal Patel and Blake Hoffman — all seniors majoring in architecture — participated in the project as part of their fourth-year design studio classes taught by architecture professors Harry Harritos, Jane Hurt and Annemarie Jacques.

“'Design For The Children' was an open, international design competition inviting architects and designers to create a pediatric clinic model that is both sustainable as well as culturally responsive in its use of local materials and methods of construction,” said Jacques. Possible sites for the new clinics include Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

“These four students are among more than 300 designers from 30 countries who entered the competition,” Jacques said. “It is significant that our students were recognized for their individual entries while the rest of the submittals were from teams of two-to-seven people.”

Anyone could enter, including registered architects and architectural firms. Clemson architectural students submitted about 20 individual designs.

“Most of the entries in the competition were from teams of architects from firms all over the world,” said Jacques, who accompanied the four students to Seattle for the awards ceremony. “Our students' work looked great and deserved to be amongst the 50. Their concepts, design development and presentations were of equal caliber to the rest.”

The competition was judged by a 10-member international jury of architects, educators, medical and public administrators, and others dedicated to improving health care and education in developing countries. The first-place winner was a team of architects and engineers from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. The second- and third-place winners were professional architectural firms from Sydney, Australia, and Los Angeles, respectively. The showcase exhibit will travel nationally as a fundraiser for Save the Children.

“I’m impressed with these students for wanting to do something completely outside the range of what they know and are familiar with. They wanted to test the ways they can use their talent to help others,” Jacques said.

Spratt Helps Secure $1.4 million for Statewide Fiber Optic Network

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. John Spratt (D-SC) helped secure $1.4 million to develop the Clemson University Cyberinstitute (CUCI), which will deploy a state-of-the-art fiber optic network for the state. The money was included in the omnibus spending bill for fiscal year 2009.

“There is an urgent need in South Carolina for a fiber optic network,” said Spratt. “South Carolina missed the early cyberinstitute (CI) wave of the late 1990’s. This project will allow us to catch up and even surpass other leading CI centers in the country.”

Spratt said the key to CI integration is the Clemson University Lambda Rail (CULR) Portal, a single-point access conduit to the National Lambda Rail (NLR) and other national super-high-speed fiber optical research networks. CULR provides network connectivity and operations center services for a potential statewide fiber optic network, which would support research, health sciences, and instruction. The funds will also be used to extend the foundational CULR fiber optic network portal beyond Upstate South Carolina to Columbia, Charleston, and other areas that have research and education centers, thereby forming the optical fiber backbone of a statewide Lambda Rail. The project is expected to bring new technology jobs to the state.

Influenza A (H1N1) & Swine

Clemson University Livestock Poultry Health (CULPH) is monitoring the ongoing influenza A (H1N1) (swine flu) situation closely and taking appropriate steps to help protect animal and human health. This is not an animal disease outbreak.

Dr. Tony Caver, as state veterinarian, has reported to USDA via the area office of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service that we are not aware [4/27/2009] of any adverse pig health issues in SC, particularly none associated with SIV (swine influenza virus). Dr. Caver further states CULPH will continue to work with the Pork Board, USDA-APHIS, CDC and SC DHEC to monitor the situation.

Attached is a fact sheet about influenza A and swine flu and also information from the National Pork Producers Council that will remind you of recommended biosecurity practices for your swine operations, especially now.

Thank you for your foresight in registering your premises with us. As a contact for a NAIS premises registered with us that indicates you have one or more pigs, we wanted you to have this fact sheet available as you encounter questions from your friends, family and neighbors in addition to questions you may have yourself. If in the future this or any other disease threatens SC swine, we will do our best to keep you informed as a registered premises contact.


Special Swine Flu Update
From the National Institute of Animal Agriculture

Statement by Ag Secretary Vilsack Regarding Human Cases of Swine Influenza A (H1N1) (USDA, 4/27) -- "I would like to express my deepest sympathies for those who have lost loved ones to the flu as well as those who have been sickened. I also wanted to reassure the public that there is no evidence at this time showing that swine have been infected with this virus.
According to scientists at USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, swine flu viruses are not transmitted by food so you cannot get swine flu from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork or pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills all viruses and other foodborne pathogens.
USDA has in place, and did so before the last week's events, a surveillance system to monitor animal health. As an additional precautionary measure, I have asked USDA to reach out to agriculture officials in every state to affirm that they have no signs of this virus type in their state.
USDA will continue to work with other government agencies to monitor the situation and keep the public informed."

Pork Safe To Eat (National Pork Producers Council, 4/26) --Pork is safe to eat, and direct contact with swine is not the source of, and U.S. pigs have not been infected with, the hybrid influenza that has been identified in a number of people in the United States and more than 1,300 in Mexico.
“NPPC wants to assure domestic and global consumers about the safety of pork and urges pork producers to tighten their existing biosecurity protocols to protect their pigs from this virus, including restricting public access to barns.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:
· People cannot get the hybrid influenza from eating pork or pork products. Most influenza viruses, including the swine flu virus, are not spread by food. Eating properly handled and cooked pork products is safe.
· There are no food safety issues related to the hybrid flu that has been identified, according to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano.
· Preliminary investigations have determined that none of the people infected with the hybrid flu had contact with hogs.
· “This virus is different, very different from that found in pigs.”
· The hybrid virus never has been identified in hogs in the United States or anywhere in the world.
· The hybrid virus is contagious and is spreading by human-to-human transmission.
For more information, visit www.pork.org , www.cdc.gov/swineflu or http://www.usda.gov/2009/04/0131.xml

Swine Flu Heightens Emphasis on Biosecurity (National Pork Board, 4/27) -- Media reports on a new strain of the swine influenza virus type H1N1 different from any other ever reported in U.S. swine herds serve as a reminder of the need for strict and enforceable biosecurity measured on U.S. pork production operations. The virus has not been reported to cause illness in pigs in the United States, but it has been associated with illness in eight people in the states of California and Texas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has reported that the same virus may be responsible for outbreaks of influenza in humans in Mexico.
The Pork Checkoff is recommending that pork producers implement biosecurity practices on their farms to prevent that this new strain of swine influenza does not enter the U.S. swine herd and to protect the health and safety of our industry’s workers.
Consider including the following biosecurity practices for your farm:
· Limit the access of people to essential personnel (farm employees, veterinarians and essential service people);
· Implement policies that prevent employees presenting signs of flu-like illness from having contact with the pigs or other people on the operation;
· Prevent access of international visitors or people who have recently returned from international travel, particularly from travel to Mexico, into your operation;
· Implement a shower in-shower out procedure and the use of farm-specific clothing and footwear for employees entering the barns. At minimum, employees should don farm footwear and completely wash hands and arms before having contact with the pigs;
· Enforce heightened personal hygiene practices including frequent hand washing for all people in contact with pigs;
· Establish contact with the herd veterinarian to discuss other biosecurity practices that are merited by this event.
The importance of keen observation of the health and behavior of your animals cannot be understated and the Pork Checkoff recommends that you establish immediate contact with a swine veterinarian if you suspect that a disease may be present on your farm. More information on influenza can be found in the fact sheet Influenza: Pigs, people and public health . And, additional information on swine influenza and an update on the outbreak reported by the CDC can be found at www.cdc.gov/flu/swine .

Offshore wind farm would boost existing industry, generate jobs in South Carolina

CHARLESTON — A wind farm off South Carolina’s coast not only would reduce the state’s dependence on fossil fuels, but also boost the existing maritime industry and create a host of new companies, a visiting wind farm specialist said Thursday.

Nick Longfield, managing director of Ocean Marine Services Ltd. of the United Kingdom, told a group of Charleston maritime businesses that spin-off companies will generate jobs that help build the offshore wind farms and maintain them once operational.

The nature of those businesses will run the gamut from divers and boat owners to ferry labor and materials offshore, to suppliers of safety equipment and tools.

“Many satellite companies will develop from an offshore wind farm project,” Longfield said. “And if you’re there at the start, you’ll not only benefit locally, but you will become the experts.”

Clemson University’s Restoration Institute, a partner in Palmetto Wind, South Carolina’s pioneering offshore wind farm initiative, welcomed alternative energy specialist Longfield to the United States for a series of presentations on the logistics of developing offshore wind farms.

Longfield has more than 35 years of experience in the maritime and alternative energy industries. He became involved in Great Britain’s first offshore wind farms a decade ago, including conducting site surveys and developing techniques for environmental impact studies.

Speaking to members and guests of the Propeller Club of Charleston, who sponsored his visit, Longfield said that countries around the world are examining fossil fuel alternatives to generate power.

“We need to diversify where we get our power from,” Longfield said.

Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, director of business development at the Restoration Institute, said there’s little doubt that offshore wind power is coming to the United States.

Investment interest from Europe is a clear economic indicator of the inevitability of U.S offshore wind energy, Colbert-Busch said.

By 2030, one-fifth of electricity generated nationwide is forecast to come from coastal or offshore wind farms, according to U.S. Department of Energy estimates. South Carolina utility Santee Cooper has committed to generating 40 percent of its power from non-greenhouse gas and biomass sources by 2020.

“We in the U.S. can benchmark the experiences of our European friends and apply our own expertise to boost the economy, create sustainable jobs and generate clean renewable energy,” Colbert-Busch said.

A 48-turbine wind farm produces enough electricity for about 120,000 U.K. homes, Longfield said. Such vast projects require a shift in the mindset of the general public, he said.

It took construction of turbines that stand 360 feet tall out of the ocean within miles of the shore for many U.K. residents to think about energy conservation and clean power for the first time.

“When a wind farm is out there it makes people think where their electricity comes from,” Longfield said.

Clemson student receives national honor society service award

CLEMSON — Margaret Hearon of Florence, a senior majoring in communication studies at Clemson University, received the 2009 Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) Eldridge W. Roark Jr. Meritorious Service Award.

The Eldridge W. Roark Jr. Meritorious Service Award is given to four members nationally every year for recognition of varied and meritorious service to the ODK society.

Hearon joined ODK in the fall of 2007 and was elected president for the 2008-2009 academic year. She has been actively involved in restructuring and advancing Clemson’s ODK circle. ODK contributes to several campus-wide service events and leadership initiatives, including donations to Clemson’s Student Memorial Fund, the Unity Project, Relay for Life and the Women’s Leadership Conference. Hearon gained recognition for ODK as a prestigious honor society around campus.

“Margaret is a pleasure to work with. She championed ODK and its causes in a very special way. She will do very well in the future,” said Jim Morris, faculty adviser of Clemson’s ODK circle.

Hearon served as vice president of the Student Alumni Council and on the President's Cabinet for Student Government. She also has been involved in Delta Delta Delta sorority, Order of Omega, Mortar Board, Clemson Philanthropy and Service Committee and Clemson’s Day of Tradition Calendar Committee.

“I feel truly honored to have been chosen for this prestigious national award,” Hearon said. “I am grateful that my peers thought so highly of me to have nominated me for it. Having been chosen as one of the four recipients of this award is a wonderful feeling and I am proud to represent Clemson University and the success of our ODK circle.”

ODK is a nationally recognized leadership honor society. To become a member of ODK, students must rank in the top 35 percent of their academic class and must show leadership in scholarship, athletics, campus or community service, social and religious activities, campus government, journalism, speech, or creative and performing arts.

'Expeditions with Patrick McMillan' begins third season on ETV

CLEMSON — Clemson University’s “Expeditions with Patrick McMillan” begins its third season at 7:30 p.m. March 29 on South Carolina ETV.

The award-winning public television program provides an informative and entertaining look at nature as Clemson University naturalist Patrick McMillan explores special places in the United States and beyond. The new episodes take viewers to regions of the Carolinas, California, Georgia, British Columbia and Chile in search of rain forests, wildflowers, sea lions, rare tortoises and more.

McMillan is the director of the Campbell Museum of Natural History at Clemson. In each episode, he provides science-based insights for viewers with the goal of increasing the understanding and appreciation of biodiversity, conservation and the intricacies of the biological world. The series is produced by Clemson University Video Production Services.

The program is also carried on ETV’s South Carolina Channel. Episodes from the program’s first and second seasons are being carried by 30 PBS-affiliate stations around the nation, including 12 of the top 50 television markets. The show reaches viewers in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Orlando, Cleveland, Charlotte and Portland, Ore.

S.C. FIRST LEGO League state finals come to Clemson

CLEMSON — Clemson University will host the S.C. FIRST LEGO League Championship Tournament competition at Littlejohn Coliseum Saturday, Feb. 21.

Eighty teams of children ages 9 to 14 from around the state will compete for a spot at the FIRST LEGO League World Festival. Each team must maneuver its LEGO robot through challenges and obstacles on a four- by eight-foot LEGO obstacle course. The robot must complete as many tasks as possible in two-and-a-half minutes. The tasks are designed around this year’s theme, “Climate Connections.”

“This event is truly sports for the mind," said Clemson professor Christine Minor, SC FIRST LEGO League partner and state tournament coordinator. "The kids participating are pumped up, charged up and really excited about science and technology. They are doing battle on the robot playing fields, they are showing off their research skills in the project rooms, they are functioning as teams to solve complex problems and they are doing design and programming at a level that would stymie some professionals,”

Robots are built from LEGO Mindstorm robotics kits. These kits contain more than 1,100 pieces, including LEGO bricks, motors, sensors, software and gears. Teams spend months before competition designing and building their robots.

This year’s theme is intended to get teams thinking about the way the climate in their hometowns, as well as global climates, affect activities such as agriculture, fishing and hunting. As part of the competition, teams are required to identify climate-related problems in their communities and communities elsewhere in the world with the same problems and develop innovative solutions.

The event draws approximately 5,000 students, parents, coaches and spectators to Littlejohn. Volunteers are being recruited to help with the event. They can sign up at www.clemson.edu/SCFLL by following the "volunteers" link.

“Clemson University is honored to host the 800-plus children participating, as well as their parents and coaches," Minor said. "As a university, we recognize that these children are the future scientists, engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians and scholars of every form that will fill our halls, expand our horizons and lead the state of South Carolina into the future.”

Opening ceremonies begin at 9 a.m., with competition starting at 10 a.m. The event is open to the public and free for spectators.

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was founded in 1989 by inventor Dean Kamen. He wanted to inspire young people’s interest and participation in the growing fields of science and technology. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST is a nonprofit public charity that designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math.

Online program helps landowners create conservation easements

Landowners interested in protecting the state’s natural resources now have a free online guide to creating a conservation easement for their properties.

The eight-segment video series, developed by the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service, walks landowners through how to decide if a conservation easement is right for them and, if so, how to apply for an easement.

A conservation easement is a legal document that sets restrictions on how the land can be used. Each easement is developed to meet the specific guidelines established by the property owner and is managed by a public agency or a nonprofit land trust to permanently protect the land for future generations. Types of land that may be put into a conservation easement include farms, forests, wildlife habitats and scenic spaces.

The program was developed by Susan Guynn, extension associate in Clemson University’s forestry and natural resources department, through a grant from the USDA Renewable Resources Extension Act. It taps the expertise of nationally known economic and conservation leaders Harry L. Haney, emeritus professor of forestry at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., and R. Joseph Hamilton, southern outreach director for Quality Deer Management Association in Bogart, Ga.

The 30- to 60-minute segments cover:

* What are conservation easements
* Introduction to conservation easements
* Types of easements
* Conservation easements grantees
* Income and estate taxes
* Designing conservation easements
* Baseline data
* Qualified appraisers

The program is made available at no charge in the Southeast through the Cooperative Extension Service at land-grant universities, such as Clemson and Virginia Tech, as well as state natural resource conservation services, soil and water conservation districts, state forestry associations and forestry commissions, natural resources departments, forest landowners associations and nonprofit agencies such as Upstate Forever in Greenville and the Congaree Land Trust in Columbia.

It also can be viewed here.

Turf School takes to the road

Clemson University's Turfgrass Program will take its 2009 Turf School on the road in February, calling on three cities across the state.

The one-day course will visit Myrtle Beach on Feb. 16, Columbia on Feb. 17 and Greenville on Feb. 18. The cost is $50 per person, which includes lunch.

This year's class will focus on the technical challenges of maintaining high-quality turfgrass.

The program is conducted by Clemson scientists and is tailored for professionals who work in a variety of turfgrass environments, including sports fields, grounds, lawns and recreational parks management, or in sod production.

Pesticide Recertification Credits also will be awarded.

The class will show how to identify and manage water quality, insects, pathology, fertilization and weeds. Sessions throughout the day include the management of turfgrass insects, irrigation water quality and warm-season turfgrass fertilizers.

Clemson University's turfgrass program is dedicated to research and education that promotes environmentally friendly turfgrass management.

Through scientific trials, Clemson scientists are working to minimize economic and environmental costs of turfgrass management while meeting federal and state guidelines and regulations.
The 2009 Turf School locations are:

* Feb. 16: Horry-Georgetown Technical College, Myrtle Beach.
* Feb. 17: Clemson University Sandhill Research and Education Center, Columbia.
* Feb. 18: The University Center auditorium at McAlister Square, Greenville.

To view the full course agenda and for registration details, click here.

Collegiate fishing match turns 35

The Coastal Carolina Invitational will be observing its 35th year as this nation’s oldest intercollegiate fishing match and seminar. On Oct. 31, student anglers will be fishing for king mackerel and black sea bass on the New Inlet Princess out of Captain Dick’s Marina in Murrells Inlet. In the past Captain Jack Orr has had to run up to 35 miles off the beach to find the kings, but in some years the kings have been in as close as 12 miles.

Participating schools for 2008 will include Clemson University, Coastal Carolina University and the University of South Carolina. Retired Coastal Professor Richard Moore will be judging the competition as he has done every year since 1974. Professor Donald Millus will be organizing and directing the Invitational for the 35th time, assisted by Professor Erin Burge of Coastal’s Department of Marine Science, Dr. Joey Sanders of Conway and Captain Ryan Powers, a Coastal alumnus. Patricia Millus will provide the catered lunch, traditionally hero sandwiches.

Coastal Carolina University is the defending champion, having dethroned the University of South Carolina by a score of 100-96 in last year’s match. The public is invited to the weigh-in at Captain Dick’s Marina at 4 p.m. on Halloween.

For more information, call Don Millus, professor of English at Coastal Carolina University and founder of the tournament, at 843-349-2431.