Matheus Alves – Lohmann Breeders
Management for an Extended Lay Period: what to expect and how to maximize production, quality and bird health
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
3:15 PM (Salon D)
Matheus Alves is a Veterinarian with a master´s degree in veterinary medicine and Master of Business Administration (MBA) with solid experience in technical service, poultry production, performance and flock management, technical sales, sales management. Professional with over 20 years of experience in the poultry business.
Dr. Randall Bishop (Moderator) –
Cornwallis Veterinarians LTD.
Vet Panel: Current Update and Emerging Diseases
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
1:30 (Vet Panel)
I work in private veterinary practice in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Cornwallis Veterinarians Ltd. Working primarily with poultry, with clients in Eastern Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.
I set up and monitor disease prevention programs for leghorn operations hatcheries and breeders. Monitor health of broilers and turkeys. My work involves diagnosis and treatment of diseases, monitor and advise on vaccination programs, advise on management in all aspects of poultry production including biosecurity, environmental conditions, cleanout and disinfection procedures, medication programs etc.
Leanne Cooley – LH Gray & Son Limited
Talking About Farming to Non-Farmers
Thursday, February 20, 2025
8:30 AM
Mike Czarick – University of Georgia
Ventilation in Hot Weather
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
10:30 AM
Michael Czarick is a Senior Public Service Associate in Poultry Science at the University of Georgia, where he has been an extension specialist since 1985. He holds both a B.S. and an M.S. in Agricultural Engineering from UGA. Czarick’s expertise lies in poultry house environmental control and energy conservation, focusing on ventilation, heating, cooling, and lighting systems. His work has significantly contributed to improving the efficiency and sustainability of poultry production facilities.
Throughout his career, Czarick has been recognized for his
innovative approaches to optimizing poultry house environments. He has authored numerous publications on topics such as poultry house ventilation, energy-efficient heating systems, and cooling systems. His research has been instrumental in developing new technologies and methods to enhance productivity and reduce energy consumption in poultry farming. His dedication to the field has made him a respected figure in poultry science, both nationally and internationally.
Greg Hansen – Poultry Intellimetrics, Inc
Poultry Intellimetrics
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
3:15 PM (Salon A,B,C)
Greg M. Hansen, President and CEO of Poultry Intellimetrics, Inc. currently lives in St. Joseph, Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota, Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. After several years of designing and implementing automation and control systems, in 1995 he joined Poultry Intellimetrics full time. The poultry industry was not new, as he had been involved with Poultry Intellimetrics since its establishment in 1981.
The company was founded to provide an information service to poultry production and processing organizations with its core service to identify and monitor known causes of downgrading, defects, condemnation, and waste. Providing this information enables growers, catching crews, management, and other decisionmakers in poultry operations to improve grades, quality, efficiency, and profitability. He has had the opportunity to visit and present to poultry organizations throughout the world.
Tyler Hayden
LIVIN’ LIFE LARGE – Connecting in a time of Change
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
9:00 AM
Tyler Hayden will ignite our conference with premiere content rich, humorous keynote filled with adventure stories and practical concepts that will help inspire your personal and professional growth. Livin’ Life Large is based on Tyler’s bestselling book Livin’ Life Large: Simple Actions that Create Success, this keynote will not only have our members rolling in the aisles with laughter but will also have them leaving the presentation with simple actions that they can easily make to manage build better impacts in our ever changing business landscape.
Tyler will remind us of several simple management approaches including things like, “Energy goes where attention goes,” in which he will actively show us how to focus our energy and harness our best power skills to maximize our impact.
This presentation is about creating long-term work/life satisfaction by living “every single moment of every single day.” In doing so we are able to effectively and efficiently balance the challenges that work, and life throw our way. We explore this by learning about how to support each other, set goals/intentions, relationship building, recognize opportunities, and so much more.
This presentation is about creating long-term work/life satisfaction by living “every single moment of every single day.” In doing so we are able to effectively and efficiently balance the challenges that work, and life throw our way. We explore this by learning about how to support each other, set goals/intentions, relationship building, recognize opportunities, and so much more.
Katie Hirtle – Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture
Emergency Management: What is your role?
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
1:00 PM
Katie Hirtle grew up on Nova Scotia’s picturesque South Shore and now resides in New Ross with her partner, Mark, and their son, Hayden. A proud graduate of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College (Class of ’98) with a diploma in Agri-Business, Katie has dedicated her career to agriculture, focusing on on-farm biosecurity and animal health.
Katie currently serves in a key role with the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, leading emergency management initiatives for the province’s agricultural sector. Her work includes developing strategies and resources to support producers in mitigating risks, preparing for emergencies, and recovering from challenges such as livestock disease outbreaks or severe weather events.
With extensive experience across the industry, Katie is passionate about the people who make agriculture thrive, drawing her back to the field year after year. She is excited to embrace opportunities that allow her to blend her expertise with her deep commitment to supporting Nova Scotia’s farming community.
Dr. Carol Jakel – HIPRA
Coccidiosis and Vaccination – Managing Vaccine
Technology to Boost Productivity
Thursday, February 20, 2025
9:30 AM
Dr. Carol Jakel is the Technical Services Manager for Poultry at HIPRA Canada where she gives technical support to veterinarians, producers and hatcheries using HIPRA poultry vaccines.
A graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, Dr. Jakel has practiced farm animal medicine in both the US and Canada and has experienced many roles in the pharmaceutical industry, including sales, technical
support and business management.
Currently residing in Guelph, ON, she enjoys delivering practical solutions that improve poultry health and boost sustainable production.
Dr. Katherine Lahey – Cornwallis Veterinarians LTD.
Vet Panel: Current Update and Emerging Diseases
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
1:30 (Vet Panel)
Katherine Lahey attended Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Agriculture where she worked at the Atlantic Poultry Research Centre and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree. She then obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Atlantic Veterinary College. Upon graduation, Katherine was excited to return home to Nova Scotia and join the team at Cornwallis Veterinarians Ltd. Her main interests are broiler and broiler breeder production, however she is thankful for the opportunity of seeing a diverse caseload which also includes layers, turkeys, hatchery work as well as processing.
Dr. Mike Petrik – Petrik Veterinary Consultants, Inc.
Challenges with Managing Layers in Free Run Systems
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
4:45 PM (Salon D)
&
Vet Panel: Current Update and Emerging Diseases
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
1:30 PM (Vet Panel)
Mike graduated from OVC in 1998 and has been a full-time laying hen vet with McKinley Hatchery for 25 years. In 2014, he received a master’s degree in animal Welfare from the University of Guelph.
He has developed laying hen health programs across 5 provinces and developed pullet management and laying hen care strategies that have been adopted widely across the country. He has given national and international lectures on poultry health and welfare and has been involved with developing national programs for euthanasia, humane destruction, der and hatchery welfare. Currently, Mike is involved in several national committees discussing Avian Influenza vaccination strategies, animal destruction and salmonella control programs, and is the chair of the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association’s Animal Welfare Committee
Dr. Kayla Price – Alltech Canada
Unveiling the silent shift in performance: Ammonia in poultry manure
Thursday, February 20, 2025
9:00 AM
Funding for this speaker has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund.
Dr. Kayla Price is the Director of Technical, Product, and Service Strategy for Alltech Canada. In this role, she provides technical and business support as well as contributes to the company’s research and regulatory efforts. With a strong background in poultry, she is passionate about gut health and is an advocate for animal agriculture. She strives to share this enthusiasm with others and is continually expanding her knowledge base to cover all types of poultry and livestock production. In her role at Alltech, she strives to share her learnings with others in the agriculture industry.
Dr. Price is frequently invited to speak on topics related to her research at national and international conferences. She has authored numerous articles, both internally and for external publications. In her role as a researcher at Alltech, Dr. Price has served on advisory boards for master’s and doctoral students. She is also an active member of several industry committees.
Dr. Price holds a PhD from the University of Guelph, where her work focused on coccidiosis in chickens. She has received numerous prestigious awards during her studies.
Dr. Maurice Raccoursier – Poultry Diagnostic & Research
Center
Extended Egg Production Cycle: diseases and health challenges
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
4:00 PM (Salon D)
&
Vet Panel: Current Update and Emerging Diseases
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
1:30 (Vet Panel)
Maurice Raccoursier is a distinguished poultry veterinarian with over 15 years of experience in avian medicine, poultry production, and industry leadership. He holds a Master of Avian Medicine from the University of Georgia and a Master of Science in Poultry Science from the University of Arkansas. A Diplomate and chair-elect (2027) of the American College ofPoultry Veterinarians (ACPV) Examination Committee, Maurice has experience in academia, research, and industry roles.
As a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia’s Poultry Research and Diagnostic Center, Maurice provides vital diagnostic support to Georgia’s poultry industry, conducts innovative research on poultry diseases, and mentors students in the Master of Avian Medicine and Poultry Science programs. His teaching focuses on poultry health, and effective disease prevention strategies.
In the industry, Maurice has served as Global Technical Service Manager for H&N International, where he provided technical expertise to breeder and layer operations worldwide, and has also contributed at Hy-Line International.
Currently, Maurice is the president of the organizing committee for the 2025 International Seminar of Poultry Pathology and Production, hosted at the University of Georgia in Athens, fostering education and collaboration in the global poultry industry. Fluent in English and Spanish, Maurice continues to lead initiatives advancing poultry health and production.
Dr. Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt – Université de Montréal
Vet Panel: Current Update and Emerging Diseases
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
1:30 PM (Vet Panel)
&
Update on AI and Vaccines
Thursday, February 20, 2025
11:15 AM
Jean-Pierre Vaillancourt is a professor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Montreal. He received his DVM and his MSc in clinical sciences from the University of Montreal and his PhD in population medicine from the University of Minnesota. He has held Faculty positions at the University of Guelph (1990- 1996) and at North Carolina State University (1996-2004). Dr. Vaillancourt was the first coordinator of the Quebec team for the control of infectious poultry diseases. He was director of the research group on the epidemiology of zoonoses and public health (2009-2017) and associate director of the Public Health Research Institute of the University of Montreal (2013- 2017). He has also been a member of Canadian advisory committees for the control of infectious diseases in poultry, swine and beef cattle. He has been a speaker and consultant on biosecurity in 26 countries. He currently leads an initiative to create the World Animal Biosecurity Association.
Marco Volpé – Groupe Westco Inc
In Barn Hatching
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
4:45 PM (Salon A, B, C)
Marco Volpé holds a bachelor’s degree in applied science from Laval University (2003) and a master’s degree in business administration from Moncton University (2014). In 2003, he started working in the poultry sector managing bird health, animal care and environment. In 2006 he joined the Groupe Westco team and expanded its works in a well-diversified company. He’s now Senior Manager and he’s involved in the many projects the company has to offer. He has also been a member of the Ordre des Agronomes du Québec since 2004 and of the Nouveau-Brunswick Institute of Agrologists since 2005.
Marco is a director at Chicken Farmers of New Brunswick since 2016 and has been New Brunswick’s alternate director at Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC) since 2017 and is now director since 2023. He is also a director at Turkey Farmers of New Brunswick since 2021 and was a director at Turkey Farmers of Canada from 2021 to 2023. Marco took part of many committees on all those feather boards and had the opportunity to be part of the National Farmed Animal Health and Welfare Council from 2017 to2021 as the CFC representative.
Carolyn Wilson – Canadian Poultry Research Executive Director
Update from research
Thursday, February 20, 2025
10:45 AM
Caroline Wilson is from Quebec City. She has worked in the poultry sector for the last 18 years since graduating from Université Laval with a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy and completing a master’s degree in food science. From 2007 to 2019, she worked as the On-Farm Food Safety Officer and On-Farm Programs’ Internal Auditor at Chicken Farmers of Canada. In 2019, she joined the Canadian Poultry Research Council as the new Research Coordinator. As of March 15, 2023, she is the Canadian Poultry Research Council Executive Director.