Unplucked

Cool Chemistry: PAA’s Shelf Life in the Chiller

Peracetic acid is everywhere in a poultry processing plant, but very few people know what is really happening to it inside the chiller. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with Georgia Tech Research Institute scientists Daniel Sabo and Stephanie Richter about the chemistry behind one of the industry’s most important antimicrobials and why understanding its decay is key to food safety, product quality, and cost control. They unpack how PAA is used throughout the plant, from immersion chillers to cleanup, and explain why plants began seeing puzzling swings in concentration that could not be explained by dosage alone. To solve the mystery, the team spent long days in multiple plants mapping chillers from startup to shutdown, then recreated those conditions in the lab to study how pH, temperature, total dissolved solids, fats, oils, and proteins alter PAA’s half-life and stability.
 
Listeners get an accessible tour of “decay kinetics” and practical measurement challenges. Daniel and Stephanie explain why you never directly measure PAA, how titration kits and DPD colorimetric meters work, and how human error and sampling timing can skew readings. They share what surprised them most in the data, including the outsized role of total dissolved solids, the way combinations of components overwhelm stabilizers, and the finding that once a chiller reaches a certain “steady state,” its water chemistry can stay remarkably stable through a shift. The conversation then turns to solutions, from managing pH and solids to exploring tiny doses of food-grade additives that can extend PAA half-life by 8 to 10 times without hurting antimicrobial efficacy or bleaching product. Along the way, the guests highlight the value of deep, applied collaboration between industry and academia, showing how processor questions can spark research that pays off in safer plants, better looking product, and smarter use of chemistry across the protein sector.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

The Nutrition Edge: Boosting Health, Eggs, and Efficiency

Longevity in modern layers is no longer a dream. It is a management decision. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance is joined by two experts from Trouw Nutrition, Dr. Roland Koedijk, global head of poultry nutrition, and Dr. Ellen Hambrecht, global product manager for phyto complex solutions, to talk about how nutrition is reshaping what is possible for both broilers and layers. Dr. Koedijk explains why reaching 500 eggs in 100 weeks is less about pushing hens harder and more about supporting them better, starting with the pullet. He walks through the three pillars that make long cycles realistic, genetics selected for longevity, management that protects uniformity and welfare, and phase-specific nutrition that gives birds exactly what they need at each stage. Listeners get a clear picture of why a well-grown pullet is the best predictor of lifetime performance and how rearing, transitions into lay, gut health, and data-driven adjustments all work together to keep hens productive and resilient later in life.
 
From there, the conversation turns to plant-based feed additives and the idea of resilience by design. Dr. Hambrecht explains what phyto complexes are, how specialized plant metabolites interact with animal physiology, and why dose and careful plant selection matter. Rather than promising to “replace antibiotics,” she makes a nuanced case for phytogenic additives as a cornerstone of preventative health that can reduce the need for antibiotics by helping birds manage subclinical inflammation and mount stronger vaccine responses. Using examples from poultry and other species, she shows how targeted phyto technology can boost innate defenses, support vaccine take, and help birds handle stressors such as feed changes, transport, and the start of lay. Together, the guests and host connect these tools to the broader future of poultry nutrition, where precision feeding, improved digestibility, and sustainability goals all point toward a single aim, avoiding problems rather than treating them and building birds that stay healthy and productive under real-world pressure.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy Vance
Producer - Lyndsey Johnson
Audio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Raising Advocates: How Poultry Shows Shape Future Leaders in Animal Agriculture

In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with Dr. Mary Fosnaught of the North Carolina State University Prestage Department of Poultry Science about how youth programs turn curious kids into confident advocates for food animal production. Dr. Fosnaught explains 4H as the youth arm of extension and shares how hands-on experiences with animals build leadership, public speaking, responsibility, and empathy in ways screens never can. The conversation traces the roots of youth programs in early “corn clubs,” connecting to today’s urgent need to help young people feel grounded, connected, and proud of feeding a growing global population.
The heart of the episode is the Youth Market Turkey Show at the North Carolina State Fair, a partnership between NC State and the fair that brings market poultry into the spotlight. Participants receive three poults in June, raise them at home, and return in October with their best hen for the show. Mary walks through why turkeys and chickens are such accessible entry points for families who cannot keep larger livestock, and how fast growth over just 16 weeks gives young people a front row seat to the power of genetics, nutrition, and good husbandry. Many exhibitors take the project full circle by processing their remaining birds for Thanksgiving, gaining a deeper appreciation of what it means to raise, harvest, and share food with their own families. Along the way they learn to answer tough questions from fairgoers, bust myths about “what must be in the feed,” and talk clearly about biosecurity, welfare, and stewardship.
We also tackle careers and the future of the poultry sector. Dr. Fosnaught makes the case for presenting poultry science as a “front door” opportunity rather than a back door discovery in college, and she highlights the wide range of roles that may never touch a bird directly, from engineering and data science to communications and administration. If only a small fraction of the population produces food for everyone else, then raising a generation that understands, values, and can speak for animal agriculture is not just nice to have, it is essential for the future of safe, affordable protein.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Getting More from Soybean Meal and Alternative Ingredients

Soybean meal is still the anchor of most poultry diets, but treating it as a fixed ingredient can quietly cost performance and margin. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with David Torres, Senior Regional Technical Services Manager for Novus International in Asia, about how nutrition teams can get more from soybean meal by paying closer attention to quality, variability, and the anti-nutritional factors that reduce digestibility. David explains why crude protein is not the full story, how trypsin inhibitors can chip away at feed efficiency, and why some common screening methods can miss the risk that shows up later as weaker growth or inconsistent conversion.
 
The conversation stays practical. David shares how to build a routine that measures and trends soybean meal quality over time, so teams are not making decisions based on averages that hide meaningful swings between suppliers, origins, and processing conditions. He discusses how heat treatment can be both a solution and a problem, because underprocessing leaves inhibitors active while overprocessing can reduce amino acid availability. Andy and David also explore the role of protease enzymes as a tool to stabilize performance when raw material quality shifts, especially in markets where rejecting a load is not realistic and feed mills need a workable plan today, not perfect inputs tomorrow.
 
If you formulate diets, run a feed mill, or manage flocks that depend on consistent nutrition, this episode offers a clear way to think about soybean meal and alternatives. Measure what matters, update matrices with discipline, use enzymes strategically, and make ingredient decisions that protect both performance and profitability.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

From Coop to Consumer: Building Trust in Poultry Production

What does leadership look like when you sit at the crossroads of farms, consumers, media, and policymakers? In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with Jim Chakeres, executive vice president of the Ohio Poultry Association, about telling agriculture’s story with honesty and heart while steering producers through disease outbreaks, policy shifts, and fast-changing public expectations. Jim explains why Ohio’s diverse poultry sector punches above its weight, how proximity to major markets and strong farm culture shaped the state’s egg, turkey, and broiler footprint, and why clear, proactive communication is as essential as biosecurity when crises hit. He shares hard-won lessons from avian influenza response, from addressing the human side of an outbreak to keeping messages simple, accurate, and focused on food safety and supply.
 
The conversation moves from press conferences to barn entrances, tracing how biosecurity has evolved from enhanced protocols to major capital investments, and why risk looks different in dense production regions than on isolated farms. Jim talks candidly about when to engage and when to let the news cycle pass, and he makes the case for building trust through everyday outreach that meets people where they are. That includes creative partnerships with Ohio State Athletics, social content that starts with recipes before science, and NIL projects that connect values like discipline, teamwork, and animal care. Looking ahead, Jim outlines a practical playbook for staying ahead of emerging issues. Invest in leadership development, strengthen researcher–producer relationships long before you need letters of support, and commit to lifelong learning so the industry can adapt on purpose rather than by accident.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

BCO Lameness

Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis is one of the toughest puzzles in modern broiler production. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance sits down with Dr. Adnan Alrubaye of the University of Arkansas to explain why BCO lameness resists simple fixes and what the latest science says about preventing it. Dr. Alrubaye connects the dots between fast growth, microfractures in long bones, and the way a compromised gut can let bacteria slip into the bloodstream and settle where birds hurt most. He shares clear, barn-ready takeaways on managing gut integrity, spotting risk before it spikes late in the grow out, and why even small improvements in litter, ventilation, and nutrition can reduce both welfare concerns and condemnations.
 
The conversation moves from fundamentals to frontiers. Listeners get an accessible tour of next-generation tools, from rapid sequencing and microbiome profiling to early life interventions that aim to prime immunity before hatch. Dr. Alrubaye describes how precision microbiology is reshaping our understanding of the many organisms linked to BCO, why culture-based methods tell only part of the story, and how more innovative diagnostics can guide targeted feed additives and vaccination strategies. He also makes a strong economic case for prevention, reminding us that lameness often shows up when producers have the most invested in each bird.
 
Along the way, Andy and Dr. Alrubaye talk about the human side of progress. They highlight the role of mentorship and international collaboration in moving research from the lab bench to the broiler house, and they close with practical advice for students and early-career scientists on building resilience, finding good partners, and staying disciplined when the work gets hard. If you want a frank, hopeful roadmap for turning complex biology into better outcomes on the farm, this episode delivers both.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

From Flocks to Founders: How Waterfowl Science Becomes a Startup

Waterfowl do not read our biosecurity plans. They follow weather, water, and habitat, and they carry powerful lessons for disease prediction and prevention. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with UC Davis poultry epidemiologist Dr. Maurice Pitesky about the Waterfowl Alert Network, a platform that treats ducks and geese like a moving weather system. Dr. Pitesky explains how repurposed weather radar, telemetry, and satellite imagery can show where birds are headed next, why that matters for highly pathogenic avian influenza risk, and how the same tools can support hunters, renewable energy siting, and conservation planning.
 
The episode also explores the human side of prevention. Dr. Pitesky shares why extension only works when communication is part of the plan, how clear stories help people adopt biosecurity and vaccination habits, and what he has learned about meeting the public where they are on social media and in the press. He reflects on the growing role of entrepreneurship in academia, the culture shift required to commercialize university ideas, and the value of cross-training students who can translate between disciplines.
 
The conversation connects basic science to practical outcomes by showing how an interdisciplinary team of engineers, computer scientists, wildlife biologists, and veterinarians can turn raw signals into risk maps producers can actually use.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

The Truth About the Industry’s Favorite Protein Source

Soybean meal is the backbone of modern poultry nutrition, yet most formulations treat it like a constant when it is anything but. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with Novus International’s Anne Fe Parino about the hidden variability inside the world’s most trusted plant protein and why nutritionists should be paying closer attention to trypsin inhibitors. Anne Fe explains how differences in genetics, climate, and processing create wide swings in anti-nutritional factors, why urease activity is a poor stand-in for trypsin inhibitor levels, and how even small changes in digestibility ripple through feed conversion, performance, and cost.
 
The conversation moves from lab to feed mill with practical steps any team can use. Anne Fe outlines how to test and trend trypsin inhibitor activity, how to manage heat treatment without damaging amino acids, and where protease enzymes can act like insurance when raw material quality shifts. She also shares lessons from analyzing samples around the globe, revealing how regional soy supplies can look similar on paper yet perform very differently in birds. For nutritionists balancing price, availability, and results, this episode offers a clear, evidence-based playbook for making soybean meal more reliable in real diets.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Biosecurity & One Health

In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with Dr. Rocio Crespo of North Carolina State University about what it really means to manage poultry health through a One Health lens. Dr. Crespo explains why many flock problems that appear to be infectious diseases often begin with nutrition and metabolism, and how delayed diagnosis keeps veterinarians chasing symptoms rather than causes. The conversation reframes production data as only part of the picture and makes a case for measuring what is happening inside the bird, from ionized calcium and mineral balance to early markers that flag risk before performance drops.
 
They explore the promise of precision livestock management and noninvasive monitoring that meets barns where they are. Dr. Crespo shares practical research on tools that can work at flock scale, including environmental gas sensing, sound analysis to detect changes in vocal behavior, and overhead camera systems that quantify eating, drinking, and movement without handling birds. She also walks through a realistic path to adoption, starting with randomized sampling and pilot measurements, then building toward smarter routines that fit labor, budgets, and equipment already on the farm.
 
If you want a grounded roadmap for moving from flock health to true animal health, this episode connects early diagnostics, precision monitoring, and economic biosecurity into a single, workable approach for modern poultry systems.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.

Building Trust in Animal Agriculture

Trust is not something you buy. It is something you earn every day. In this episode of Unplucked, host Andy Vance talks with Kim McConnell, founder of AdFarm and a lifelong advocate for agriculture, about how the animal agriculture community can close the widening distance between producers and consumers. The conversation starts with first principles. Be transparent about how food is raised, show the benefits in plain language, and tell real stories that people remember. Kim explains why short, clear messages paired with strong visuals work better than long fact sheets, how to choose the right channel for each audience, and why credibility grows when the industry leads with values and invites questions rather than waiting for a crisis to shape the narrative.
 
From there, they dig into collaboration. Kim shares lessons from cross-sector initiatives that put everyone at the same table with a shared purpose, and why good leadership, a clear mission, and steady momentum are the difference between meetings and progress. He offers practical steps any organization can adopt, from agreeing on simple outcome statements to using quick, positive proof points that show improvement on welfare, sustainability, and community impact. The episode also looks ahead at the next generation, with a case for investing in youth leadership programs that teach both technical skills and communication, so young people can step into the role of trusted ambassadors for food and farming.
This episode is a playbook for scientists, veterinarians, and producers who want to speak with confidence to people outside the industry. Start with why the work matters, translate complex ideas into benefits that feel relevant, and measure success not by how much you say but by how well it lands. If you are ready to build trust that lasts, this conversation shows how to move from good intentions to daily habits that change minds.
 
CREDITS
Host - Andy VanceProducer - Lyndsey JohnsonAudio Editor & Engineer - Michael Lunt
 
LEGAL
The information provided in this episode of Unplucked is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. While we discuss scientific research, public health, and industry practices, this podcast does not substitute for advice from qualified industry and scientific professionals. The views expressed in this episode are solely those of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official opinions of The Poultry Science Association, their respective affiliates, or employees.