Midwest Poultry Federation Convention highlights new trends, focuses on flock health

Over 180 companies and associations exhibited at the 40th annual Midwest Poultry Federation Convention.

The 40th annual Midwest Poultry Federation Convention, held March 15-17, at the Saint Paul RiverCentre in St. Paul, Minn., showed product trends and focused on the health of flocks.
Major vaccine manufacturers presented new or recently introduced vaccines. The introduction of the FDA “Final Rule” on Salmonella enteritidis has resulted in greater awareness of rodent control, vaccination and testing systems. Leading manufacturers and suppliers were eager to demonstrate products to allow producers to comply with regulations and avoid losses attributable to diversion, flock depletion and recalls.
As the largest regional poultry show in the U.S., the annual convention is a must-attend for participants in the U.S. egg and turkey industries. The event combines a down-to-earth educational program noted for practical presentations with a concurrent limited-scale, but focused, trade show. 
Special presentations were arranged for organic and specialty production, turkey breeding, grow-out and processing, pullet rearing and egg production, including emerging issues. Highlights will be included in upcoming editions of Egg Industry and WATT PoultryUSA.
Although the trade show incorporated the booths of more than 180 companies and associations, navigating the aisles was easy. There was a strong complement of farmers and their families, unlike the International Poultry Expo in Atlanta, which is far more commercial and multinational. The obvious trends in product development included innovative enriched and enrichable systems to confine hens as alternatives to conventional cages.
Feed additives and, especially, alternatives to antibiotics were also promoted by both U.S. manufacturers and the subsidiaries of EU and multinational suppliers.