Officials Say Poultry Plants Are Prepared For A Winter Surge

Jan 05, 2021

Delaware’s poultry processing plants and state health officials say they are well-prepared for a winter surge of coronavirus cases.

Dr. Rick Pescatore, the Delaware Division of Public Health's chief physician, has told the Daily Times of Salisbury that the implementation of best practices is mostly complete.

The Daily Times reported Monday that DPH cultivated a close relationship with the plants as they rolled out coronavirus testing for employees in late spring.

“We’ve been able to strengthen our relationships with the poultry companies and others, and so we’ve been able to empower them throughout the year to take this on,” Pescatore said.

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Video: Assessing Welfare Resources During Late Finish - Dr. Anna Johnson & Emma Coursey

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Anna Johnson from Iowa State University and Emma Coursey from the University of Illinois discuss research evaluating welfare resources during the late finishing stage on commercial swine farms. They explain how feeder management, water use, space allocation, and pig health influence welfare outcomes and practical on-farm management. Listen now on all major platforms!

"Small resource issues can become larger welfare problems when multiple stressors interact across finishing barns."

Meet the guests: Dr. Anna Johnson / anna-johnson-05028a14 is the Morrill Professor of Animal Behavior and Welfare at Iowa State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from Texas Tech University and completed her master's degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare at the University of Edinburgh. Her research focuses on practical solutions that improve farm animal welfare, including sow productive lifetime, animal-human interaction, environmental enrichment, and Precision Livestock Farming.

Emma Coursey / emma-coursey-183810241 is pursuing a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine after earning a bachelor's degree in Animal Science from Iowa State University. Her academic interests include swine health, production, and animal welfare, with research experience evaluating welfare resources in commercial finishing pigs.