FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Department of Poultry Science represented the U of A with a large contingent at the 2018 International Production and Processing Expo with several students winning research and presentation awards.

More than 80 students from the U of A's Department of Poultry Science and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, and nearby Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri, Eastern Oklahoma State College in Wilburton, Oklahoma, and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff made the trip.

Bumpers College students combined for six major awards, including senior poultry science major Brock Daniels, who finished second in the U.S. Poultry College Student Career Program Student of the Year competition.

"Brock has done an exceptional job in academics and his real-world experiences have aided him in his poultry science degree," said Mike Kidd, poultry science department head. "He is a future leader and advocate of the poultry industry, and strongly deserving of this award."

Joshua Deines, Brittany Graham, Paula Johnson, Craig Maynard and Guillermo Tellez won research and presentation awards.

Deines, Johnson and Maynard won Southern Poultry Science Society Outstanding Student Speaking awards.

Deines' presentation, "Effects of Egg Storage Temperature on Pheasant and Quail Production," was a collaboration with extension reproductive physiologist Keith Bramwell, assistant professor Samuel Rochell and researcher Doug Yoho.

Johnson's research, "Evaluation of the Effect of Formaldehyde or Heat Stress on Body Weights and Body Weight Gain in Neonatal Broiler Chickens," was in conjunction with Graham, extension specialist Karen Christensen, program associate Lucas Graham, professor Billy Hargis, researcher Cheryl Lester, doctoral student Kyle Teague, researcher Guillermo Tellez-Isaias, and Mikayla Baxter, Juan David Latorre and Jacob Lum.

Maynard's presentation, "Effects of Dietary Amino Acid Regimens on Live Performance and Processing Characteristics of Cobb MV x 700 Male and Female Broilers," was a joint effort with Rochell, adjunct professor Roy Brister, professor Casey Owens and Rocky Latham.

Graham won the Best Overall Presentation award in the Southern Society for Avian Diseases category. Her presentation, "Evaluation of the Effects of a Turkey Cellulitis/Dermatitis Oil Emulsion Vaccine on Immune Response and Mortality Under Commercial Conditions," was a group effort with Hargis, Lucas Graham, Teague, Tellez, researcher Amanda Wolfenden and Kabel Robbins.

Tellez finished second in the Don Sload Research competition. Tellez presented, "Effects of Heat Stress on Tight Junction Protein Integrity in Broiler Chickens Given a Nonisupplement Diet," a team effort with physiologist Walter Bottje, endocrinologist Sami Dridi, master's degree student Joshua Flees, researcher Liz Greene, doctoral student Anamika Gupta and Narayan Rath.

In addition, U of A's Poultry Science Club placed third in the IPPE Student Career Scrapbook of the Year contest. Awards are based on scrapbooks that best portray each club's activities, student involvement and club projects throughout the year.

IPPE is the largest annual trade show for the poultry, meat and feed industries. Held in conjunction with the International Poultry Scientific Forum, it occurred Jan. 30-Feb. 1 in Atlanta, Georgia.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.