Dr Tim Cummings, Senior Technical Services Veterinarian with Zoetis, speaking at the Seminar.

“Antibiotic product in food animal production will continue to face regulatory and socio-political changes,” said Dr Tim Cummings, Senior Technical Services Veterinarian with Zoetis, at USPoultry's 2013 Poultry Production and Health Seminar in Memphis, Tennessee.

In his 'Antibiotics Update...What’s the Future?' presentation, Dr Cummings reviewed the various antimicrobial product categories in the United States and provided details on veterinary feed directive changes and recent proposed legislation.

He remarked: “FDA approval of new poultry antibiotic products that are classified as medically important is highly unlikely.”

Clayton Bailey, Partner in the law firm Bailey Brauer PLLC , presented a 'Legal Update for Live Production'.

He provided information about certain GIPSA rules that have been rescinded as a result of the Consolidated and Further Appropriations Act of 2013, and discussed new weighing and scaling provisions that became effective on 20 September.

Mr Bailey observed that one such weighing and scaling change requires that feed picked up from farms must be weighed, and he informed poultry integrators that they might expect the appearance of USDA personnel at feed mill scales - something that has not happened in the past.

“Good enough is not good enough,” said Larry Cole, lead instructor for USPoultry's Grower Relations Seminars and founder of TeamMax Inc., during his presentation on 'Grower Relations Management'.

Mr Cole remarked that it is harder to teach interpersonal skills than it is to teach technical skills. From a poultry integrator standpoint, he advised that is important to know what one’s personal reputation is with growers.

“Leadership is an inside job,” Mr Cole said.

The seminar also featured these other poultry production and health topics: 'Novel Reovirus: Autogenous Experiences'; 'Cocci Vaccines in Conjunction with Coccidiostats: Finding the Right Combination'; 'Georgia 08 Infectious Bronchitis'; 'Probiotics/Prebiotics/Other Antibiotics Alternatives'; ''Proper Application of Litter Treatments; 'Alternative Bedding Material'; 'Water: Demand, Supply and Delivery'; 'Don’t Let AI Become Your Neighbour'; 'New NCC Animal Welfare Guidelines' and 'Management Strategies for Reducing Leg Problems'.