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Roger Lien was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area of California where he had an early interest in birds and wildlife that developed into poultry and gamebird breeding. Through his involvement in swimming and waterpolo he was fortunate to attend Texas A&M and receive an education that’s focus progressed from wildlife, to gamebirds, to poultry and finally reproduction. As he began specifically preparing for an academic career he attended North Carolina State and worked at the University of Minnesota studying and conducting research on poultry reproductive physiology. He came to Auburn University in 1989, where he is currently an Associate Professor in the Poultry Science Department. During his first 15 years at Auburn, his primary focus became undergraduate teaching, recruiting, and advising, while conducting some research on broiler breeder reproduction. Recently his focus has been directed back to research. His program is focused on improving broiler management conditions to minimize physiological stress and the occurrence of physiological diseases, and provide for broiler welfare while optimizing live performance and desirable meat yield. He continues to teach several of the Department's undergraduate courses. He also oversees the Department’s undergraduate advising program, and assists with curriculum development and the scholarship program.

EDUCATION:

1988-89 - Post Doc Research Assoc, Reproductive Physiology, Univ of Minnesota
1988 - Ph.D., Physiology, North Carolina State University
1984 - M.S., Poultry Science, Texas A&M University
1980 - B.S., Wildlife and Fisheries Science, Texas A&M University

TEACHING / INSTRUCTION:

Lien meets with and advises all incoming Poultry Science students and often their parents too.  This is typically done prior to their arrival at Auburn to start school in association with the Camp War Eagle and Successfully Orienting Students programs, which are for incoming freshman and Junior College transfer students, respectively.  He provides advice on setting up student’s first class schedules, arranging housing, seeking employment, and getting prepared for college life.  He is also involved in keeping the Department’s curricula updated to best meet student and employer needs, is a member of the Department’s Scholarship Committee and teaches the following classes:.

POUL 3030 - Commercial Poultry Production
POUL 3150 - Poultry Physiology
POUL 4100 - Supervised Investigation--Broiler Physiology/Management
POUL 7100 - Supervised Investigation--Broiler Physiology/Management
POUL 7990 - Research and Thesis
POUL 8970 - Special Problems / Broiler Physiology/Management
POUL 8990 - Research and Dissertation

RESEARCH:

Research is focused on improving lighting, feeding and management programs for broiler chickens.  Current concerns with the physiological and psychological stresses broilers are subjected to, the occurrence of physiological diseases associated with rapid growth, and providing for animal welfare to maintain consumer confidence are the focus of the program.  At the same time, specific attention is directed at optimizing broiler live and processing performance.  Experiments are conducted at the Auburn University Poultry Research Unit in environmentally and light controlled facilities.  In each experiment, the influence of different lighting, feeding or environmental treatments on growth, uniformity, the occurrence of physiological diseases, fearfulness, mobility, standing and walking ability, measures of physiological stress (plasma corticosterone, heterophill to lymphocyte ratio and fluctuating asymmetry) and breast meat yield are typically being studied.  Recent trials have also been specifically investigating the occurrence and susceptibility to deep pectoral myopathy (green muscle disease) in broilers of different strains reared under different management conditions.  Most research is conducted in cooperation with Joe Hess, an Extension Poultry Nutritionist, and Sarge Bilgili, an Extension Poultry Processing Specialist.  None of the research could be completed without the able assistance of his Research Technician (Ms. Angela Smith), former Agricultural Program Assistant (Mr. Frank Dillman), former graduate students and the extensive involvement of undergraduate research assistants.

SELECTED SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS:

Lien, R. J., K. S. Macklin, J. B. Hess, W. A. Dozier III, and S. F. Bilgili. 2008. Effects of early skip-a-day feed removal and litter material on broiler live and processing performance and litter bacterial levels. Int. J. Poult. Sci. 7(2):110-116.

Lien, R. J., J. B. Hess, S. R. McKee, and S. F. Bilgili. 2008. Effect of light intensity on live performance and processing characteristics of broilers. Poult. Sci. 87:853-857.

Lien, R. J., and J. B. Hess. 2008. Affect of photoperiods and light intensities meeting US and European guidelines on measures of psychological stress and mobility in broilers. Poult. Sci. 87(Suppl. 1):In Press.

Lien, R. J., S. F. Bilgili, and J. B. Hess. 2008. Induced wing flapping to stimulate deep pectoral myopathy in broilers. Poult. Sci. 87(Suppl. 1):In Press.

Lien, R. J., and J. B. Hess. 2008. Effects of photoperiod on measures of stress and mobility in growing chickens of three breeds. Poult. Sci. 87(Suppl. 1):In Press.

Lien, R. J., J. B. Hess, S. R. McKee, S. F. Bilgili, and J. C. Townsend. 2007. Impact of light intensity and photoperiod on live performance, heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and processing yields of broilers. Poult. Sci. 86: 1287-1293.

Hess, J. B., S. F. Bilgili, and R. J. Lien. 2007. On-farm poultry welfare programs in the U. S. - influence on product quality. XVIII Euro. Symp. Qual. Poul. Meat, Prague, Check Republic.

Hooie, L. B., R. J. Lien, and J. B. Hess. 2007. Influence of lighting program, temperature, and strain on physiological stress and fear responses of broilers. Poult. Sci. 86:1585.

Downs, K. M., R. J. Lien, J. B. Hess, S. F. Bilgili, and W. A. Dozier III. 2006. The effect of photoperiod length, light intensity, and feed energy on growth responses and meat yield of broilers. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 15:406-416.

McKee, N. A., R. J. Lien, J. B. Hess, S. F. Bilgili, and S. R. McKee. 2005. Effect of lighting intensity and duration on breast fillet dimensions and meat quality. Poult. Sci. 84(Suppl. 1):20.

Dozier, W. A., III, R. J. Lien, J. B. Hess, and S. F. Bilgili. 2003. Influence of early skip-a-day feed removal on live performance and carcass yield of broilers of different sexes and strains. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 12:439-448.

Dozier, W. A., III, R. J. Lien, J. B. Hess, S. F. Bilgili, R. W. Gordon, C. P. Laster, and S. L. Vieira. 2002. Effects of early skip-a-day feed removal on broiler live performance and carcass yield. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 11:297-303.

Hudson, B. P., R. J. Lien, and J. B. Hess, 2001. Effects of body weight uniformity and pre-peak feeding programs on broiler breeder hen performance. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 10:24-32.

Hudson, B. P., R. J. Lien, and J. B. Hess, 2000. Effects of early protein intake on development and subsequent egg production of broiler breeder hens. J. Appl. Poult. Res. 9:324-333.

Lien, R. J., J. B. Hess, D. E. Conner, C. W. Wood, and R. A. Shelby, 1998. Peanut hulls as a litter source for broiler breeder replacement pullets. Poult. Sci. 77:41-46.

Lien, R. J. and T. Yuan, 1994. Effect of delayed light stimulation on egg production by broiler breeder pullets of low body weight. J. Appl. Poult. Res.3:40-48.

Yuan, T., R. J. Lien, and G. R. McDaniel. 1994. Effects of increased rearing period body weights and early photostimulation on broiler breeder egg Production. Poult. Sci. 73:792-800.

Renden, J. A., R. J. Lien, S. S. Oates, and S. F. Bilgil, 1994. Plasma concentrations of corticosterone and thyroid hormones in broilers provided various lighting schedules. Poult. Sci. 73:186-193.

Lien, R. J. and T. D. Siopes, 1993. The relationship of plasma thyroid hormone and prolactin concentrations to egg laying, incubation behavior, and molting by female turkeys exposed to a one-year cycle natural daylength cycle. Gen. Comp. Endo. 90:205-213.

Renden, J. A., S. F. Bilgili, R. J. Lien, and S. A. Kincaid, 1991. Live performance and yields of broilers provided various lighting schedules. Poult. Sci. 70:2055-2062.

Lien. R. J. and T. D. Siopes, 1991. Influence of thyroidectomy on reproductive responses of male domestic turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Brit. Poult. Sci. 32:405-415.

Cain, J. R., R. J. Lien, and S. L. Beasom, 1987. Phytoestrogen effects on reproductive performance of scaled quail. J. Wildl. Manage. 51:198-201.

Cain, J. R. and R. J. Lien, 1987. A model for drought inhibition of bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) reproductive systems. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 82A(4):925-930.

Lien, R. J., and J. R. Cain, 1985. Effect of dietary and parenteral estrogens on bobwhite reproduction. Poult. Sci. 66:154-161.