CFAW Symposium 2024
Dynamic Insights into Decoding the Bird Brain
When
October 9, 2024
8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Where
The Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences
1371 W Altheimer Dr.
Fayetteville, AR 72704
Registration
Register for this free, hybrid event now!
CLOSED
PAACO will award 5 hours of C.E. for the symposium.
Donate to the CFAW Symposium
Donation instructions
Click the link below. Type in the amount you’d like to donate (Bronze – $500, Silver – $1,000 or Gold – $2,500). Select “Other” in the Fund Designation dropdown menu. Type in “Center for Food Animal Wellbeing.”
CLOSED
Schedule
7:30 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST
8:00 a.m. – 8:10 a.m.
WELCOME: Dr. David Caldwell & Dr. Shawana Weimer
University of Arkansas
8:10 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Dr. Wayne Keunzel
Professor, University of Arkansas
Importance of the Septal Brain Region of Birds for Optimal Neuroendocrine Regulation of Reproduction and Stress
9:00 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.
Dr. Greg Fraley
Professor, Purdue University
If I Only Had a Brain! Neuroendocrine Relationships With Affective States in Birds
9:50 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
BREAK
10:00 a.m. – 10:50 a.m.
Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner
Professor, University of Saskatchewan
Broiler and Blue Lights – Should All Growers Switch to Those?
10:50 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.
Dr. Darrin Karcher
Professor & Poultry Extension Specialist, Purdue University
Visioning With Birds
11:40 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Dr. Rosemary Whittle
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Arkansas
Brain food: Feeding Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Chickens
12:30 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.
LUNCH
1:15 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.
SPEAKER O&A ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION
2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
CLOSING REMARKS – Dr. Shawna Weimer
University of Arkansas
Speakers
Dr. Wayne Keunzel
Professor, University of Arkansas
Importance of the Septal Brain Region of Birds for Optimal Neuroendocrine Regulation of Reproduction and Stress
Dr. Wayne Keunzel obtained both B.S./M.S. Degrees at Bucknell University and a Ph.D from the University of Georgia. Thereafter he spent two years in the Army. He obtained an NIH Postdoctoral Fellowship and spent 3 years at Cornell University working with Dr. vanTienhoven. He then joined the faculty at the University of Maryland and spent 26 years in the Poultry Science Dept. followed by 24 years at the Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville (IUAF). The main research investigated at UAF included the regulation of reproductive function and regulation of stress in birds. He is working on a second edition of a book he published with Manju Masson in 1988 focusing on the locations and names of all known neural structures in the chicken brain. Presently, Parker Straight, a previous graduate student of his, are working on the second edition and hope to complete the project by the end of the year.
Dr. Greg Fraley
Professor, Purdue University
If I Only Had a Brain! Neuroendocrine Relationships With Affective States in Birds
Fraley recently joined Purdue University as an Associate Professor and the Terry and Sandra Tucker Family Endowed Chair of Poultry Science. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland, he developed a passion for agriculture while working on beef farms and raising poultry in Baltimore County. His academic journey began at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he majored in Animal Science and conducted research on avian neuroanatomy and physiology in the Poultry Science Department’s Kuenzel lab. He continued his education with a focus on avian physiology, investigating neuroendocrine mechanisms in broilers during his MS at the University of Maryland. He then pursued his Ph.D. at Washington State University, where his research expanded to include behavioral neuroendocrinology across mammalian species under Dr. Catherine Ulibarri. Postdoctoral work at the University of Washington Medical School under Dr. Rob Steiner deepened his expertise in the neurobiology of reproduction and feeding. Prior to Purdue, he taught physiology and comparative anatomy at Hope College in Michigan. His research, initially centered on behavioral neuroendocrinology and duck neurobiology, led to collaborations with Maple Leaf Farms, Inc., focusing on light sensors’ impact on reproduction and welfare in ducks.
Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner
Professor, University of Saskatchewan
Broiler and Blue Lights – Should All Growers Switch to Those?
Dr. Karen Schwean-Lardner completed her Ph.D. in poultry management and welfare from the University of Saskatchewan, studying the impact of lighting programs on broiler welfare and production. This work was conducted in conjunction with Aviagen Broilers, and their lighting program recommendations internationally are based on these works. She has continued a strong research portfolio in the area of both turkey and broiler lighting programs, with emphasis on both welfare and productivity. She maintains a strong extension portfolio and has given approximately 130 invited international scientific or industry presentations since joining the University of Saskatchewan Canada faculty 10 years ago. She also serves on many welfare advisory committees for both turkey and broiler groups internationally.
Dr. Darrin Karcher
Professor & Poultry Extension Specialist, Purdue University
Visioning With Birds
Dr. Darrin Karcher is an Associate Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist in the Department of Animal Sciences at Purdue University. He received his B.S. degree from The Ohio State University, M.S. from University of Wisconsin – Madison and the Ph.D. from Purdue University. He is directly engaged with stakeholders across the poultry economies and uses his applied research program as a platform to deliver research-based Extension programs. His program’s focus is poultry well-being coupled with food safety and quality as impacted by management practices, physiology and nutrition.
Dr. Rosemary Whittle
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Arkansas
Brain food: Feeding Omega-3 Fatty Acids to Chickens
Dr. Rosie Whittle has a strong interest in animal behavior and welfare, shaped by her experience working with farm, companion, and zoo animals. This hands-on exposure sparked her passion for understanding animal behavior, which deepened during her Bachelor’s degree in Zoology at Swansea University. She pursued her Master’s in Applied Ethology at Linkoping University, Sweden, under the supervision of Dr. Per Jensen, focusing on commercial hatchery stress. Rosie continued her academic journey with a Ph.D. in Animal Biosciences at the University of Guelph, Canada, where she researched the effects of maternal feeding of omega-3s on chicken behavior, supervised by Dr. Tina Widowski. This research sparked her interest in maternal nutrition and brain development. Currently, Rosie works as a postdoctoral fellow under Dr. Shawna Weimer at the University of Arkansas.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact Center for Food Animal Wellbeing by email (cfaw@uark.edu) as soon as possible.