xt78cz325995 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt78cz325995/data/mets.xml Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station  Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station 2004 journals  English College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky  Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station  The Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station 117th Annual Report 2004, June 30, 2005 text 2009ua018 The Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station 117th Annual Report 2004, June 30, 2005 2004 2004 2022 true xt78cz325995 section xt78cz325995 AR-117

AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION
UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY—COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE

 

The Kentucky
Agricultural Experiment Station

117*

 

 

Annual Report

2004

UK

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
College of Agriculture

 

University of Kentucky 0 Lexington, Kentucky 40546

 

   

 

To His Excellency,
The Honorable Ernie Fletcher
Governor of Kentucky

I herewith submit the one hundred and seventeenth annual report of the Kentucky Agricultural
Experiment Station for the period ending December 31, 2004. This is done in accordance with
an act of Congress, approved March 2, 1887, titled, “An act to establish Agricultural Experiment
Stations, in connection with the Agricultural Colleges established in the several states under the
provisions of an act approved July 2, 1862, and under the acts supplementary thereto,” and also
the act of the Kentucky State Legislature, approved February 20, 1888, accepting the provisions
of the act of Congress.

Very respectfully,

Mmflm

Nancy M. Cox, Associate Dean for Research
Director, Agricultural Experiment Station

Lexington, Kentucky
June 30, 2005

 

  

 0“.

Contents

 

Purpose of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station ....................................... 7
Statewide Research ..................................................................................................... 7
Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center ......................................................................... 8
Regulatory Services ................................................................................................... 11
Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Projects ............................................... l4
Collegewide Extramural Funding ............................................................................. 16
Intellectual Property ................................................................................................. Z 1
Publications ............................................................................................................... 22
Graduate Degrees ...................................................................................................... 36
Financial Statement .................................................................................................. 39
Staff ........................................................................................................................... 4O
Departments .............................................................................................................. 41

Experiment Station Affiliated Departments and Centers
Agricultural Economics
Animal and Food Sciences
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Community and Leadership Development

Entomology

Forestry

Horticulture «

Kentucky Tobacco Research and Development Center
Landscape Architecture

Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center
Nutrition and Food Science

Plant and Soil Sciences (formerly Agronomy)
Plant Pathology

Regulatory Services

Robinson Station

Tracy Farmer Center for the Environment
USDA—ARSFAPRU

Veterinary Science

West Kentucky Substation

 

  

 

 

 C 0

Purpose of the Kentucky
Agricultural Experiment Station

 

As a land‘grant institution, the University of Kentucky
is responsible for serving the people of the Commonwealth
of Kentucky. The College of Agriculture, with its research,
teaching, and extension activities, has developed a structure
and organization to provide the mandated land—grant services
in agriculture and related areas.

The Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station has been
providing research results to farmers and rural residents
for more than 100 years. The continued advancement of
Kentucky agriculture attests to the benefits of applying new
knowledge and technology. Much of the research leading
to increased quantity and improved quality of Kentucky’s
agricultural output was performed by the Experiment Sta—
tion. College researchers also have successfully addressed
problems of agribusiness, consumers, international trade,
food processing, nutrition, community development, soil
and water resources, and the environment.

Although much Experiment Station research has immedi—
ate application to agricultural and natural resource—related
problems, scientists are also involved in basic research, gen—
erating new information to help solve present and potential
problems. The ability of Kentucky producers to be competi—
tive in domestic and world markets requires an expanded base
of knowledge in emerging areas of research applicable to
agriculture, food, and natural resources.

This Annual Report lists Experiment Station research
projects and publications completed during 2004. A person—
nel list is also provided.

The research programs of the Kentucky Agricultural Ex—
periment Station have benefited Kentucky’s agriculture over
the past century, and the results of present and future research
will continue to serve Kentucky’s primary industry.

Statewide Research

 

Research activities of the Kentucky Agricultural Ex—
periment Station were conducted at Lexington, Princeton,
Quicksand, and Owenton and in counties throughout the
state in 2004.

Efforts are constantly made to ensure that the research
studies have application to the problems of all Kentucky
farmers and other clientele groups. Locations of the experi—
mental facilities provide conditions representative of most
sections of the state.

Map Position 1

0 Campus—Laboratories and specialized equipment for all
research program areas.

0 Coldstream—Maine Chance—Spindletop Farms—Beef and
dairy cattle, poultry, horses, sheep and swine; forages and
grain crops, tobacco, and turf.

0 South Farm—Fruits and vegetables, omamentals.

' UK Animal Research Center (Woodfmd County)——This
farm was purchased in late 1991 as a location for develop—
ment of state—of—the—art food animal research programs. The
farm is in Phase I of development as a research facility.

Map Position 2

' At Princeton (Caldwell County), the Research and Educa—
tion Center facilities and the West Kentucky Substation
Farm are devoted to research on grain crops, beef cattle,
swine, fruits and vegetables, forages, and tobacco.

 

 

Map Position 3

0 At Quicksand (Breathitt County) the Robinson Station is
the location of research on fruits and vegetables, ornamen—
tals, forages, grain crops, tobacco, and wood utilization.
Quicksand is also the headquarters of Robinson Forest,
which spreads over parts of Breathitt, Perry, and Knott
counties and is the site of forestry and watershed manage—
ment research.

Map Position 4

0 At the Eden Shale Farm, located in Owen County near
Owenton, experimental and demonstration studies are
conducted on forage crops, tobacco, fruits and vegetables,
and beef management.

 

  

 

Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center

 

The Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) is
charged with the diagnoses of animal diseases and per-
formance of tests that safeguard the health of the animal
population in Kentucky. The Livestock Disease Diagnostic
Center helps identify infectious diseases, identifies chemical
and toxic contaminants that may harm animals or humans,
diagnoses nutritional diseases, identifies regulatory diseases,
provides the means to meet export sales requirements, and
provides an early warning system for impending epidemics.

The objective of the program is to provide veterinary diag
nostic laboratory—based assistance to veterinary practitioners,
farmers and agribusinesses, companion animal owners, wild'
life specialists and public programs. Also, laboratory support
is provided to the animal disease control and eradication
programs of the Animal Health Programs, Kentucky Depart—
ment of Agriculture. An outcome of handling complex and
difficult cases is consultation and continuing education for
veterinarians in veterinary diagnostic medicine.

The program provides surveillance for emerging and
endemic diseases such as West Nile virus (WNV) infection
and for possible threats to Kentucky agribusiness such as foot
and mouth disease. Also, for more than 17 years prior to
the introduction of the USDA’s National Surveillance Pro—
gram, a stringent program to monitor for bovine spongiform
encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, has
been in place. Information and, starting this past summer,
many specimens have been put through into the new federal
program. No positive cases have been identified.

Animal owners use the Livestock Disease Diagnostic
Center’s services through their veterinarians who have CX'
pertise in selecting, preparing, shipping, and submitting the
proper specimens for testing when necessary. When reporting
its findings, the laboratory will involve the submitter’s vet—
erinarian since this professional often is in the best position
to recommend and administer treatment and preventative
measures.

Professional and technical staff are specialists in essential
scientific disciplines directly related to animal health. Disease
diagnostic efforts are coordinated and handled by specialists
in the appropriate disciplines. The Livestock Disease Diag—
nostic Center is organized into sections so that specialized
workload/activities can be handled efficiently.

Highlights:

The scheduled periodic five—year review for American As—
sociation of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians accredita—
tion was done during 2004. The Livestock Disease Diagnostic
Center received onevyear provisional accreditation and not
the conventional five'year accreditation. The accreditation
committee identified major facility deficiencies. Efforts to
achieve full five-year accreditation are in place. Plans call
for a new necropsy laboratory and enhanced special proce'

dures facilities. Faculty and staff continue to participate in
the Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome (MRLS) diagnostic
and investigational efforts. The number of equine abortion
accessions of all breeds are posted on a weekly basis for the
winter and spring on the College of Agriculture, Depart—
ment of Veterinary Science Web site. This weekly posting
of abortion accessions was done to help the equine industry
manage concerns about the perceived long‘term impact of
MRLS. Identifying the cause(s) of equine abortion was a
major challenge throughout 2003. Starting in the summer
of 2001 and in cooperation with Kentucky Department of
Public Health and Kentucky Department of Agriculture,
the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center conducted assays
for statewide surveillance and diagnosis of West Nile virus
(WNV) in birds, horses, and mosquito pools. The Livestock
Disease Diagnostic Center provides laboratory support for
the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky
Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources for surveillance
of chronic wasting disease in the wild and farmed cervid
population.

Quality Assurance Program
L. L. Brown

 

At the recommendation of our accrediting agency, the
American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosti—
cians, a Quality Manager was hired July 1, 2004, to organize
and implement a laboratory quality assurance program.
Embarkation of this systematic method of identifying and
eliminating all forms of waste in work processes while im’
proving performance and service delivery is a new program
for the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center. The Livestock
Disease Diagnostic Center’s Quality Program goal is based on
the University mission of improving service delivery while
achieving excellent human relations, sound leadership, and
effective communications. The program is being designed to
focus primarily on standardization of work procedures that
allow improvement of the quality of service to our internal
and external customers. It is a never’ending, longaterm
development that is evolutionary in implementation yet
revolutionary in vision, scope, and impact.

Integral to this process will be the participation of all Live—
stock Disease Diagnostic Center laboratory sections in quality
assurance activities such as participation in intra—laboratory
proficiency testing, standardization and documentation of test
procedures, strong adherence to Good Laboratory Practices,
better documentation of testing, tracking customer comv
plaints, and improved training and competency assessment
of employees. The overall program goal is to continually
improve service delivery.

0*

 Ci

9/,

Public Services

Pathology
L. R. Harrison

 

The Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center provides services in
necropsy, histopathology, and surgical biopsy. Pathologists evalur
are changes found at necropsy and correlate lesions with other
laboratory test results, including light microscopic examination
of tissues. A comprehensive report is prepared for every case
requiring the services provided by the veterinary pathologists.

Necropsy: A postmortem examination is conducted to
identify any injury or change in an organ that has resulted
in impairment or loss of function.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total Necropsy Cases 4,677
Avian 98
Canine and feline 458
Caprine and ovine 448
Bovine 1,182
Equine 2,369
Porcine 29
Other species (exotic—zoo, wildlife) .................................................... 93

Histopathology: Tissues are prepared for light microscopic
examination to reveal changes in body tissues due to disease.
Tissues of 6,469 cases were processed and examined. In addi—
tion to hematoxylin and eosin (H6113) stained tissue section,
special and immunochemical stains were done on 1,064 tis—
sue preparations for the purpose of identifying microscopic
organisms/agents that cause diseases or tissue antigens that
define cell structures.

Biopsy: Small tissue specimens are prepared for light
microscopic examination for evidence of neoplasia or other
diseases. Tissue samples representing 5,039 cases were pro—
cessed and examined. A report was generated for each case.

Cytology: Preparations of cells denuded from tumors or
other type lesions, recovered from secretions and exudates
for microscopic examination. Cytopathologic examinations
were done and a report generated for 626 cases.

Bacteriology/Mycology
J. M. Donahue

The primary mission of the Bacteriology/Mycology Sec—
tion is to detect or isolate and identify pathogenic bacteria
or fungi present in animals. The section also determines the
antibiotics that might be used for the treatment of specific
bacterial infections. The section is also responsible for cul—
ture of bacteria for two federal/state regulatory programs:
contagious equine metritis (CEM) in equine and brucellosis
in bovine.

 

Highlights:

' 16,879 aerobic cultures were performed on samples submitted
to the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center; significant bacte—
rial pathogens were found in more than 50% of the samples.

' 2,469 milk samples from dairy cows were tested for micro—
organisms that cause mastitis; more than 50% were positive
for pathogenic microorganisms.

' 3,622 different bacterial isolates were tested to determine
the antibiotics that could be used for their treatment in
exposed animals.

0 7,094 samples from horses were cultured for contagious
equine metritis organism (CEMO). All horses tested were
negative for the bacterium, demonstrating that the disease
no longer exists in horses in Kentucky.

0 More than 4,500 samples from horses were tested for the
presence of leptospires, and tissues from 37 fetuses were
positive. These results indicated that leptospirosis was one
of the most common causes of equine abortions in 2004.

° Through work with other departments in the College of
Agriculture, the section provided data to prove that the
bacteria responsible for the death of fetuses in experimen—
tally reproduced Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome are
identical to the bacteria causing the death of fetuses in
field cases.

Molecular Diagnostics
S. Sells

 

The Molecular Diagnostics Section uses assays designed
to detect and identify the specific nucleic acids (DNA and
RNA) of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. This application
takes advantage of technologies in molecular science that
have been developed during the last decade. Nucleic acid
based tests are now used so that unknown organisms can be
identified, closely related organisms can be differentiated,
and small numbers of pathogens can be detected in complex
samples.

Highlights:

This section is responsible for providing the majority of
Kentucky’s arbovirus (mosquito—borne virus) testing for an
environmental risk analysis program with the Kentucky De—
partment for Human Health. West Nile virus was detected
in 23 of Kentucky’s counties in 2004.

The section offers specific assays for more than 30 patho—
gens and has been increasingly used to confirm the identity of
isolates cultured in the Bacteriology and Virology sections of
the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center and area veterinary
clinics. The numbers of the most requested assays include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Streptococcus equi 73
Equine herpesvirus 97
Moraxella bovis 19
Mycoplasma bovis 57
Lawsonia intracellularis 30
Clostridium perfringens 75
Equine nocardioform placentitis .. ......................................................... 4,925
Neoricketrsia risticii 68
Serology

B. J. Smith

The Serology Section provides accurate and timely results
for both diagnostic and regulatory testing. This provides
veterinarians and regulatory personnel with data upon which
to base their decisions. These tests also enable Kentucky to
export animals internationally. Testing for 30 animal diseases

 

  

was available utilizing various testing techniques. A total of
184,252 tests were performed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Highlights:

A'naplasmosis 162
Avian influen7a 9,476
Bovine leukemia virI Is 884
Brucellosis 11,748
Contagious equine metritis 1,302
Equine infectious anemia l€4,840
Johne’s disease 2,429
Leptospirosis 4,236
Mycoplasma gallisepticum 41,1 19
Mycoplasma synoviae 41,042
Neospora caninum 335
Salmonella pullorum—typhoid ........................................................ 14,586
Virology

M. L. Vickers

The Virology Section of the Livestock Disease Diagnostic
Center provides diagnostic virology support to the laboratory
pathologists, veterinarians, regulatory officials, and the State
and Federal Veterinarians.

Highlights:

This section provides 48 different tests, including 32 fluo—
rescent antibody tests to detect antigens of viruses in tissues,
13 serology tests to detect antibodies of viruses, virus isolation
for cattle, horses, sheep, pigs, goats, cats, dogs, birds, reptiles,
etc., as well as electron microscopy and various tests for detec—
tion of viral antigens. In addition, this section maintains 10
tissue culture cell lines that are used routinely.

The section performed 25,855 tests during this year. Of
this total, 13,194 were virus neutralization serology tests done
to meet regulatory requirements.

This is the fifth year of funding from the Kentucky Depart
ment of Public Health by the Centers for Disease Control for
West Nile virus (WNV) testing. The purpose of this grant
is for surveillance/monitoring of WNV in wild birds, horses,
and mosquitoes. West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes.
Mosquito trapping was carried out, and the pools of these
insects were submitted to the laboratory for identification and
testing for this virus. Birds are the most important sentinel
species to provide information on the earliest activity of the
virus in a given locality. The public was encouraged to report
dead birds and to submit them to the local health department
for shipment to the laboratory. Testing of birds and mosquitoes
for WNV was done as a cooperative effort of this section and
Molecular Diagnostics. WNV was first detected in the Com—
monwealth of Kentucky in the fall of 2001.

Toxicology
A. F. Lehner

 

A variety of assays are done routinely that identify poison—
ous substances in tissues taken at necropsy such as metals,
certain elements, pesticides, plant toxins, and a variety of
other toxins. Also, blood, serum, and urine from live animals
are assayed for mineral/element deficiencies and toxins. These
assays are done when a potential toxicological problem exists

10

and when a pathologist identifies changes in tissues/organs
that are consistent with specific toxic agents.

Highlights:

The numbers refer to the number of cases, not the number
of animals involved. On some premises numerous animals
were involved.

Acidosis 1
Acorn poisoning
Aldrin poisoning
Amylobarbitone poisoning
Antifreeze poisoning
Arsenic poisoning
Black locust poisoning
Brodifacoum toxicosis
Buckeye poisoning
Carbofuran poisoning
Deficient copper levels
Diazinon poisoning
DDT poisoning 1
Elevated copper levels
Endosulfan 1
Exposure to pharmacological agents ......
Elevated mercury 1
Elevated molybdenum level

(molybdenum is a copper antagonist)

 

 

 

 

 

 

m—J—I—lbm—Iu—l—l—I

 

N
-—|O

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Endosulfan poisoning 3
Horse nettle (Solanum carolinense) toxicosis .......................................... 1
Iron toxicity, equine 10
Lead poisoning 3
Nitrate at dangerous levels 14
Taxus poisoning 7
Tumex (8—quinolinol) toxicosis (this compound is a fungicide) . ........ 1

Elevated vomitoxin levels 10

Veterinary Epidemiology
Craig N. Carter

 

A contemporary veterinary epidemiology program located
at the Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center is in the early
stages of development. The primary goal of this new service
is to provide animal disease surveillance and to assist veteri'
narians in the investigation of serious and unusual disease
problems. The epidemiology program will be driven by state—
of—the—art electronic data—gathering systems that will allow for
near—real time analysis and dissemination of diagnostic case
information that will be useful to practitioners in treatment,
prevention, and management of animal disease problems.

Highlights:

0 This faculty member is chairing the LDDC Laboratory In’
formation Management System (LIMS) Steering Commit—
tee. This committee is charged with evaluating, selecting,
and implementing a new LIMS to support the laboratory
and the new epidemiology program.

' Meets regularly with staff at the State Veterinarian’s office
to help in planning and coordinating the flow of animal
health information from the diagnostic laboratory.

0 This professional is serving on the newly formed College of
Agriculture Equine Planning Committee, which is charged
to identify targeted areas of opportunity and needs across
teaching, research, and extension missions regarding the
equine industry of Kentucky.

 w—w———-—uv-———.—w4

C—‘V-DWCJ—‘W

i“.

Regulatory Services

 

Mission

Regulatory Services is committed to service and consumer
protection of Kentucky citizens, businesses, and industries.
Our programs monitor and analyze feed, fertilizer, milk, seed,
and soil and are administered using a cooperative, science—
based approach.

The Division of Regulatory Services is charged with
administering four state laws pertaining to the manufactur—
ing, processing, labeling, and marketing of commercial feed,
fertilizer, seed, and raw milk. The Division’s primary objec—
tives are to protect producers and other consumers from poor
quality, mislabeled, or misrepresented products and to protect
agricultural and other businesses from unfair competition.

Feed, fertilizer, and seed are monitored through manuv
facturing and retail channels for compliance with state
laws. Label review, product, and facility inspections as well
as product sampling and analysis are important parts of this
process. Raw milk is monitored during marketing to ensure
an accurate and equitable exchange between dairy producers
and processors and to ensure the integrity of milk from farm
to processor.

Eleven regulatory inspectors and one auditor cover the
state collecting samples, inspecting facilities, and auditing
records. Two specialty product inspectors are dedicated to
monitoring and sampling small—package and specialty pet
food, fertilizer, and seed products throughout the state. This
reflects the Division’s commitment to provide consumer
protection to the purchaser of nonagricultural products such
as lawn seed, fertilizer, and dog, cat, and other pet food. One
inspector is dedicated to the milk regulatory program: audit—
ing records and monitoring activities of sampler—weighers,
handlers, testers, and laboratory facilities.

In addition to regulatory programs of the Division, service
testing is provided through the seed, soil, and milk laborath
ries. These and other activities in the Division are performed
by a dedicated and professional staff who perform laboratory
analyses, provide computer support, and process and compile
reports in addition to performing various duties necessary to
carry out and administer effective programs.

Auditing Program
H . 5. Spencer

 

Audits of sales and fee payments were made on 158 of 415
feed, fertilizer, seed, and milk firms in Kentucky to verify in—
spection fees. Fees are assessed to help defray costs of inspect’
ing, sampling, and analyzing commodities in accordance with
state laws. Fees are indicated below. Cash receivables were
substantiated on 1,080 fertilizer reports, 3,008 feed reports,
764 seed reports, and 74 milk reports. Reports were checked
for accuracy and compared to field audits of the submitting
firms.

The 2004 inspection fees for industries regulated by the
Division of Regulatory Services are as follows:

 

 

 

Industry Fee Assessed per Unit
Feed 35 cents/ton
Fertilizer 50 cents/ton
Milk (handlers and producers) ................................ _ 05 cents/100 lb.
Seed Tags 4-24 cents/unit

 

The Division of Regulatory Services 2004 income from
fees, licenses and testing services was as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Industry 2004 Income
Feed $943,760
Fertilizer $589,581
Milk § 1 89,585
Seed tags, licenses, and service testing .................................... $420,344
Soil service testing § 1 00,475
Total $2,243,745

Feed Regulatory Program
S. Traylor

The feed regulatory program provides consumer protection
for purchasers of livestock feed and pet food products as well
as monitoring a marketplace environment that promotes fair
and equitable competition. The Kentucky Commercial Feed
Law outlines standards of quality, safety, and efficacy of comv
mercial livestock feed and pet food industries through specific
labeling requirements. Labels should identify the purpose, a
guaranteed composition, ingredient list and directions, as well
as warning or caution statements required for proper use. A
statewide inspection, sampling, and testing program monitors
feed products for accurate labeling.

The feed program is also involved in ensuring safety and
suitability of animal feed products fed to livestock and poul—
try producing meat, milk, and eggs for human consumption.
This includes participation in a nationwide effort by state
and federal agencies to ensure food safety and to promote
consumer confidence in the food supply. The feed program
and the FDA cooperatively work together to inspect faciliv
ties for compliance with the ruminant—to—ruminant feeding
ban, which was promulgated to prevent establishment and
amplification of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE or
“mad cow disease”).

 

2004 highlights:

0 Administered actions on 3,529 official and 156 unofficial
samples of commercial feed involving 24,250 tests to moni-
tor about 3 million tons of commercial mixed feed and feed
ingredients distributed in Kentucky.

11

 

 0 Administered a cooperative program with the FDA to
inspect 14 feed mills that mix restricted drugs in feed and
to inspect these mills for compliance with FDA’s national
BSE Rule. An additional 105 BSE inspections were con—
tracted with FDA for mills not required to be licensed
with FDA.

° Conducted 7,500 label reviews and maintained product
registration for about 15,000 products from more than
950 companies.

Fertilizer Regulatory Program
D. L. Terry

The Kentucky Fertilizer Law ensures that fertilizers sold in
Kentucky are clearly and accurately labeled so that consum—
ers can make informed purchases of fertilizer and be assured
of its quality. The law also protects the legitimate fertilizer
industry from unfair competition. In 2004, the program:

 

O Administered actions on 3,175 official and 282 unofficial
samples of fertilizer involving 10,380 chemical tests. The
samples represented about 60,000 tons out of the approxi—
mately 920,000 tons of fertilizer distributed in Kentucky.

' Reviewed labels and registered 3,851 products from 529
firms, including 205 who manufactured custom blends of
fertilizers.

Feed and Fertilizer Analytical Laboratory

 

M. Bryant

The laboratory provided analytical support for the feed,
fertilizer, and soil programs. Accurate and timely analyses of
these materials were provided for the fertilizer and feed regula—
tory programs and for the support of agriculture in Kentucky.
In 2004, the laboratory analyzed 3,460 fertilizer samples and
3,685 feed samples. In addition, 40,000 agriculturevrelated
samples were analyzed in the spectroscopy laboratory, i.e.,
soil, manure, litter, and research samples. The laboratory
analyzed many materials from check sample programs and
special sample requests.

Check sample materials were analyzed from regional,
national, and international programs: AOCS, AAFCO,
Magruder®, mycotoxins, UAN, AFPC phosphate rock,
mineral, and other sample types. We started participation
in mycotoxin and microscopy check sample programs. The
laboratory routinely provides program support using ap
proximately 75 different analytical methods. Samples are
also submitted to and analyzed by commercial and other
regulatory programs to provide additional analytical method
support and to ensure the quality of laboratory results. The
laboratory participates in a monthly aflatoxin share sample
program.

Software program upgrades in the relevant data systems are
under way to allow all data to be transferred to and from the
laboratory electronically. A new thermal analyzer was added
to the laboratory for nitrogen and protein analysis. The labo—
ratory potash methodology improved by adding automatic
titration equipment to improve precision and accuracy. The

 

 

12

gas chromatograph data system was improved for soil atrazine
and simazine analysis. A special study was conducted on the
analysis of Se in mineral feed premix materials to develop a
new ICPOES method. Studies were conducted to improve
the analysis of slow—release fertilizers.

Inspection Program
3. McMurry

 

The inspection program strives to promote industry
compliance with consumer protection laws administered by
the Division. Inspectors strategically located throughout the
state carry out this responsibility in respective assigned areas.
Their primary duty is to visit manufacturing plants, processing
facilities, storage warehouses, and retail sites to collect official
samples of feed, pet food, fertilizer, milk, and seed. While
visiting these firms, inspectors also review records and offer
assistance in improving operations to achieve compliance
with the laws.

2004 highlights:

' 11 inspectors completed more than 5,400 feed, fertilizer,
and seed inspections of processing, manufacturing, and
marketing firms in the state.

0 Emphasis in the feed area included feed mill inspections
for compliance with FDA’s BSE regulations.

0 Two inspectors visited and sampled small package specialty
feed, fertilizer, and seed products in urban markets.

° Two inspectors made 272 visits to determine compliance
with Kentucky’s Farm Milk Handler Law.

0 Inspectors collected the following official samples for
laboratory verification of appropriate constituents and

quality:

 

 

 

Feed 3,529
Fertilizer 3,175
9:96 2,567
Milk 5,785

 

Milk Regulatory Program
C. D. Thompson

 

The mission of the milk regulatory program is to ensure
raw farm milk produced and marketed in Kentucky is bought
and sold using accurate weights and tests. The program’s
primary function is to monitor milk handling systems from
the time a producer’s milk is sampled and weighed, through
delivery and laboratory testing, until producer payments are
calculated. The progra