News Stories - Page 8

Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Georgia, and poultry is the largest sector of that industry, with nearly 1.4 billion broiler chickens produced each year on thousands of farms around the state. University of Georgia researchers are using multiphysics computational simulations to create a machine learning model to evaluate bird comfort during loading, transportation and holding prior to processing.

Leah Whitmoyer of Tucker, Georgia, a third-year student in the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, is one of 100 college students from across the nation to be selected for the inaugural cohort of the Voyager Scholarship, the Obama-Chesky Scholarship for Public Service.

When many of us hear about bacteria, we associate it with illness. But certain bacteria can be helpful in preventing disease, not causing it. For example, consuming probiotics, or beneficial bacteria, to improve gut health has risen in popularity in recent years, both for human and animal wellness.

Last month, top 4-H’ers from around the state gathered in Atlanta to celebrate the 79th annual 4-H State Congress, an event packed with competition and recognition. State Congress, which took place from July 18-22, includes the state-level Project Achievement and Leadership in Action contests and acknowledges youth development professionals, supporters and public officials for their contributions to the success of 4-H in Georgia. 

Many studies have shown that prenatal stress in mothers can be linked to adverse outcomes in the physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioral well-being of children. Now a study at the University of Georgia is examining how pre-hatch exposure to the stress-associated hormone corticosterone influences immune function in baby bluebirds.

University of Georgia alumni and friends gave back to UGA at unprecedented levels over the past fiscal year, breaking the university’s fundraising record with over $257.4 million in donations. “It has been an exceptional year for our university, and the generous contributions provided by UGA alumni and friends have been a major factor in our success,” said President Jere W. Morehead.