Peter Ferket
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
B.S. (1981) Agriculture, Animal Science Major. University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
M.S. (1983) Poultry Nutrition, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Ph.D. (1987) Animal Nutrition, Meat Science Minor, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
COURSES TAUGHT
FM 425 Feed Manufacturing Technology
FM 460 Feed Mill Operations and Leadership
FM 480 Feed Quality Assurance & Formulation
FM 525 Advanced Feed Science and Technology
FM 580 Feed and Ingredient Quality Assurance
FM 790 Advanced Feed Formulation
NTR 706 Vitamin Metabolism
EXTENSION RESPONSIBILITIES
My extension program deals with issues related to nutrition and feeding practices of commercial poultry, with an emphasis on meat-type turkeys and broilers. Educational nutrition programs include the Carolina Poultry Nutrition Conference, the Poultry Nutritionist Workshop, the Feed Technology School, and feed science workshops, the poultry production workshop, and various short courses, workshops, and seminars about poultry nutrition and feed formulation held periodically throughout the state and abroad. Topics include feed formulation, feed manufacturing technology, quality and nutritional value of ingredients, efficacy of feed additives (coccidiostats, antibiotics, probiotics, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals, etc.), and nutritional factors that affect enteric development, health and meat quality. A considerable effort is focused on in ovo and early nutrition, the evaluation of supplemental enzymes to improve nutritional value of feed, the evaluation of feed additives that improve enteric health, and the utilization of animal and plant processing co-products as added-value feed ingredients.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My research interests complement my extension activities: applied nutrition research of commercial meat-type poultry and utilization of agricultural co-products as feed ingredients for poultry. Most of my research is done with turkeys, broilers, and some fish species (Tilapia and Stripped Bass) in the following areas: 1) nutritional factors that affect immune function, skeletal development, enteric development, growth characteristics, and meat quality; 2) Use of supplemental enzymes to improve feed digestibility and gut health; 3) The study of in ovo and neonatal nutrition on development and epigenetic responses; 4) Evaluation of alternatives to anti-coccidials and antibiotics in feeding programs; 5) The effect of feed manufacturing on nutrient utilization and gut health; and 6) The effect of nutrition and feed formulation on the microbial ecosystem of the gut.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Baurhoo, B., P. Ferket, C.M. Ashwell, J. de Oliviera, and X. Zhao, 2012. Cell walls of saccharomyces cervisiae differentially modulated innate immunity and glucose metabolism during late systemic inflammation. PLoS ONE7(1): e30323. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0030323.
Rivera-Torres, V., P.R. Ferket, and D. Sauvant, 2011. Mechanistic modeling of turkey growth response to genotype and nutrition. J. of. J. Anim. Sci. 89:3170-3188.
Bohorquez, D.V., N.E. Bohorquez, and P.R. Ferket, 2011. Ultrastructural development of the small intestine mucosa in the embryo and turkey poult: A light and electron microscopy study. Poultry Science 90:842-855.
Ferket, P.R., and Z. Uni, 2011. The egg comes first: in ovo feeding and the promise of perinatal nutrition. Proc. Alltech Symposium.
Ferket, P.R., 2011. Nutrition-disease interactions regarding gut health in chickens. Proceedings 18th European Symposium of Poultry Nutrition, Working Group 2 of WPSA, October 31-November 4, 2011, Cesme, Ismier, Turkey. P 180-192.
PROFESSIONAL AFFLIATIONS
American Registry of Professional Animal Scientists
Poultry Science Association
Southern Poultry Science Society
World's Poultry Science Association
UNC Institute of Nutrition
Comparative Nutrition Society
North Carolina Poultry Federation
University of Guelph Alumni Association
Iowa State Alumni Association
State Employee's Association of North Carolina
HONORS AND AWARDS
William Neal Reynolds Distinguished Professorship, 2008
Alltech Medal of Excellence, 2006
Outstanding Extension Achievement Award, College of Agriculture and Life Science, 2001.
Brickhouse Extension Scholarship, 1995
Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
Gamma Sigma Delta, 1980
Sigma Xi Honor Society
National Feed Ingredients Association Fellowship
PATENTS
Enhancement of development of oviparous species by in ovo feeding of enteric modulators. Chinese Patent No. 200480018721.X., issued August 9, 2006, Publication No. CN 1816354A.
Enhancement of development of oviparous species by in ovo feeding of enteric modulators. Brazilian Patent No.0412121-0., issued August 15, 2006.
Enhancement of development of oviparous species by in ovo feeding of enteric modulators. European Regional Phase Patent No. 04777327.0., issued March 29, 2006.
Enhancement of development of oviparous species by in ovo feeding. Z. Uni and P. R. Ferket. Patent No 6592878 issued July 15, 2003.
Automated system for preparing animal carcasses for lactic acid fermentation and/or further processing. P. R. Ferket, L. F. Stikeleather, and J. R. McKeithan, US Patent No. 5,547,420, issued February 3, 1998.
Method for treating diarrhea and a composition therefor, P. R. Ferket, US Patent No. 5,516,798, issued May 14, 1996.
