Courses for Small-Scale Poultry Owners
Contact: Richard Brzozowski, 207-780-4205
MONMOUTH, Me. — University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Alternative Poultry Association (MAPA)will sponsor the 2007 Maine Poultry School for small-scale poultry producers. The poultry school will be held at UMaine’s apple, small fruit and vegetable research facility at Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, in two parts–one specifically for turkey producers and one for a general audience of poultry producers. The Turkey Production Short Course is scheduled for 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 16 and will cover turkey care and marketing. “What Makes Poultry Tick?,” a practical anatomy and physiology workshop, will be offered from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 17. Pre-registration is required for each session, as space is limited.
The turkey short course is $10 per person and includes refreshments and a reference manual on small-scale turkey production. The poultry anatomy/physiology session is $30 per person, which includes lunch and a reference manual. Discounted fees are available for MAPA members. For registration and other course information, please contact UMaine Extension at 800-287-1471 or visit extension.umaine.edu.
Mike Darre, Extension poultry specialist from the University of Connecticut, will lead the workshops. UMaine Extension Educator Richard Brzozowski, the course coorinator, called Darre an expert poultryman, remarking that “folks who raise poultry will gain the skills and knowledge from Dr. Darre to become better managers of their poultry–whether they raise laying hens, broilers, game birds, or turkeys.”
Brzozowski further commented that “poultry are one of the most efficient producers on the farm. They can convert feed into eggs or meat with ease under the proper management. These fresh products can be marketed locally and there is a growing demand for them.”