Scotty McCreery Headlines AP&EA “Evening of Fun” – But Wait, There’s More!
The Imperfect Storm
Address Service Requested AP&EA P.O. Box 240 Montgomery, AL 36101
Board of Directors
Officers Randall Ennis, President, Huntsville* Dale Gambrill, Vice President, Snead* Tim Esslinger, Treasurer, Eufaula* Harold Hunt, Secretary, Gadsden* Johnny Adcock, Immediate Past President, Woodland*
Directors George Attwood, Anniston Chris Carter, Guntersville Richard Curvin, Montgomery Cory Early, Albertville Billy Gilley, Cullman Ben Gore, Cullman Matthew Herman, Enterprise Heath Loyd, Decatur Dennis Maze, Horton Todd McMahen, Dothan Dr. Shannon Morgan, Birmingham Mitchell Pate, Auburn* Mike Pigg, Cullman John Pittard, Guntersville John Roberts, Cullman Keith Rhodarmer, Collinsville Kenneth Sanders, Brundidge* Roddy Sanders, Gordo Jason Shell, Huntsville Jason Spann, Hanceville Ken Taylor, Anniston Ben Thompson, Huntsville David Thompson, Ashland Stanley Usery, Athens Ricky Walker, Snead Brad Williams, Troy
Advisors Dr. Don Conner, Auburn University James Donald, Auburn University Dr. Joe Hess, Auburn University Jacob Davis, Montgomery Dr. Tony Frazier, Montgomery Bill Prince, Auburn *Executive Committee Members
AP&EA STAFF
Johnny Adams – Executive Director Wanda H. Linker – Administrative Director Ray Hilburn – Associate Director Huck Carroll – Communications Director/Editor Jennifer Shell – Support Director
Alabama Poultry Magazine is published by the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association 465 South Bainbridge Street Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: 334-265-2732 Fax: 334-265-0008
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Editorial matter from sources outside AP&EA is sometimes presented for the information and interest of our members. Such material may or may not coincide with official AP&EA policy. Publication does not necessarily imply endorsement by AP&EA.
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Executive Director’s Message These last two months have been extremely challenging for the Alabama poultry industry. The brutally cold temperatures brought unforseen struggles for our growers and processors. The propane situation was particularly troublesome, with growers experiencing outright desperation at times. Fortunately, warmer weather has helped alleviate some of those fears. Throughout the situation, we have seen some real heroes emerge. Lisa Fountain with the Alabama Propane Gas Association, is one of those heroes. She and her staff worked long hours to make sure that growers got the propane that they needed. Our own AP&EA Associate Director Ray Hilburn worked with Lisa. He spent a lot of time on the phone with growers and suppliers, sometimes late into the night. We are also thankful for the cooperation that we received from Gov. Robert Bentley in issuing waivers that allowed propane drivers to work longer hours, and the waiver that allowed propane suppliers to fill the tanks of those suppliers that were either unwilling or unable to deliver propane to growers with whom they had contracted. And, finally the hours of service waiver that allowed the feed, livehaul and offal trucks to keep the industry moving. Many thanks also to Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner John McMillan and the Alabama Farmers Federation for their support of Alabama’s farming community during this crisis. As you may have noticed, Ray Hilburn has a new title: AP&EA associate director. While he will still handle the duties of membership director, the new title, however, will reflect a broader range of duties and responsibilities. With spring nearly at hand, it’s time to think of something fun, as in AP&EA’s “Evening of Fun.” This is going to be one of the best ever, with a lineup of talent that is really appealing. Our headline act is American Idol winner, Scotty McCreery. We have used the title of his hit song “See You Tonight” as the theme for the “Evening of Fun,” because, we really want to “See You Tonight!” Opening for Scotty on the program will be Alabama’s own Donica Knight. Donica is a new talent from Millbrook who is sure to have you rocking. And, for Bluegrass fans, we have the talented bluejackets of Arab’s FFA String Band. We’ve got so much talent on hand for your entertainment, we have to start the show early. The gates open at 6:00 p.m. and the show starts at 6:15 p.m. So mark your calendar for Saturday, June 7, and we’ll see you in Birmingham. Tickets go on sale soon.
Featuring This Issue
Governmental Affairs AP&EA “Big Bass” Fishing Tournament Association News AP&EA “Evening of Fun” Weather & Energy – The Imperfect Storm Chicken Recipes Auburn News – Internship Interviews Membership News Practical Applications Calendar of Events
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Governmental Affairs
The Respective Roles of Industry and FSIS in Raw Chicken Salmonella Control
Safety Zone By James Marsden James Marsden is Kansas State University Regent’s Distinguished Prof. of Food Safety.
About 9 billion poultry carcasses are processed annually in the US. We expect USDA inspectors to evaluate every carcass to assure that they are all free of disease and microbiologically clean. The enormity of that expectation is unfathomable. As we are debating the issue of Salmonella in raw chicken, it’s important to recognize that in reality, the inspection of individual poultry carcasses by FSIS inspectors has very little to do with controlling Salmonella. Granted, poultry inspection needs to be modernized and improved. But don’t expect that improvements in the inspection process will have much effect on Salmonella levels. That isn’t to say that FSIS can’t play an important role in addressing the problem. The agency has established performance standards and sanitary requirements that have already helped reduce the incidence of Salmonella in raw chicken. Salmonella levels have declined steadily over the past 10 years. In 2005, USDA FSIS reported that about 16 percent of broilers were positive for Salmonella. By 2012, the level dropped to about 4 percent. That level is still too high and there is mounting pressure to further reduce it much farther. The question today is – What can the poultry industry and FSIS do to more fully address the problem of Salmonella? I believe the role of FSIS should be to continue to apply pressure through regulatory requirements, including performance standards. Inspectors are already on-site to assure that plants are operating under sanitary conditions. One specific thing
control of contamination within the chilling tank or alternative chilling methods – either dry air chilling or evaporative air chilling. Anti-microbial interventions should also be strategically applied throughout the slaughter process to address Salmonella contamination as it occurs. The availability and effectiveness of interventions has advanced considerably over the past several years. Process improvements and the application of staged interventions in combination with improved preharvest interventions, including vaccines, probiotics and pre-harvest sanitation will result in real improvements in Salmonella levels.
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FSIS could do that would have a direct bearing on Salmonella contamination would be to implement a hands-off policy for inspectors during routine carcass inspection. The practice of touching carcasses during inspection can spread contamination between carcasses. Of course if a closer inspection of carcasses is required, it can be done using aseptic methods. The poultry industry can do more through the application of better process control methods and effective interventions applied throughout the poultry slaughter process. The carcass chilling process is one particular step in the process where sanitary improvements could affect Salmonella levels. For as long as I can remember, the immersion chilling of poultry carcasses in a common chilling tank has been controversial. This practice makes it very difficult to control cross contamination between carcasses. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service evaluated an approach in which carcasses were individually bagged prior to immersion chilling. This effectively prevented bacterial cross contamination from one carcass to another. Other approaches may involve better
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(The views and opinions expressed in this blog are strictly those of the author.)
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Association News
ACES Hold Two-Generation Farm Business Transition Workshops
Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder
The Alabama Cooperative Extension System held a series of workshops acrosss the state designed to help senior citizen farmers develop plans for transfering operational control and eventually ownership of farm businesses to a younger generation of family farmers. Workshops were held in Headland on Feb. 6, in Belle Mina on Feb. 17, and in Crossville on Feb. 27. Dr. Paul Brown, associate director and farm management specialist with
ACES, emceed the meetings. He also served as the first presenter. His topic asked the question, Can we live and farm together? This topic focuses on practical issues such as wage and incentive agreements; dividing income in a joint farming agreement; ownership costs; dividing income and transfer plans. Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder, professor and extension specialist, department of human development and family studies, Auburn University, talked about developing the interpersonal relationship skills that will be required to effectively transfer farm ownership from one generation to the next. Effective communication is essential in building trust and confidence in a multigenerational relationship that encompasses both a business and personal context. Dr. Robert Tufts, attorney and exten-
Alabama Poultry Magazine
sion specialist, school of forestry and wildlife science, Auburn University, discussed the legal aspects and importance of estate planning and property division through wills. He cited examples of poor planning and the devastating effect it can have on survivors. He also discussed estate taxes. The meeting in Headland was well attended despite inclement weather. It was a most worthwhile program. ACES and Associate Director Paul Brown are to be commended for putting together the timely program.
Dr. Paul Brown
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IPPE 2014: Weather Takes a Toll While the official number of visitors to this year’s International Production & Processing Expo, formerly know as the International Poultry Expo, in Atlanta have not been released, it is expected that the severe weather, caused several thousand, particularly drive-in traffic primarily, to stay home. Officials with the IPPE were expecting 28,000 visitors. However, according to several exhibitors, the number of interna-
tional visitors seemed larger than previous expos. The show did, however, go on featuring 1,148 exhibitors covering well over 410,000 square feet of space. It also featured the most ambitious slate of educational programs ever presented at the event. Sixteen separate programs on topics including ground poultry pathogen reduction to antibiotic use in the meat and poultry industry to a how-to pro-
gram aimed at international producers on exporting feed and feed ingredients to the United States. “Despite the weather, we were pleased with the number of attendees on the exhibit floor and received several comments about the high quality of the attendees present. In general, both exhibitors and attendees understood the challenges presented by the weather,” said Charlie Olentine, IPPE show manager.
Dale King Tapped By Ala. Ag Hall of Honor OPELIKA – Former head of the Auburn University department of poultry science, Dr. Dale King, was honored posthumously with the Alabama Agricultural Hall of Honor’s Pioneer Award 2014 at the group’s annual awards banquet on Feb. 13. King, who passed away in 1983, joined the staff at Auburn in 1930 and became head of the poultry science department in 1947. He is highly regarded for his leadership in revolutionizing Alabama’s poultry industry. In 1955, Progressive Farmer Magazine named him its Man of the Year for his service to Alabama agriculture. In 1965 he was elected a fellow in the Poultry Science Association and, in
1971, he was inducted into the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame. King’s research and pioneering spirit helped position Alabama as one of the nation’s leading poultry producers and has made poultry the state’s top agricultural industry. Dale King innovated, researched and helped usher in modern-day poultry production. He replaced the backyard chicken business and turned poultry into Alabama’s most successful agricultural industry. Former students remember Dr. King as a pivotal figure, not only in the poultry industry, but also in their lives. They knew him as a great teacher who took a sincere personal interest in their success.
Dr. Dale King
Others receiving awards include James B. Collins, Pioneer Award 2014 (posthumous); Lester Killebrew, Sr., Hall of Honor 2014; Albert McDonald, Hall of Honor 2014; and Jimmy Sanford, Hall of Honor 2014.
Wiregrass Poultry & Egg Association Holds Second Meeting The Wiregrass Poultry & Egg Association held its second meeting on Monday, Feb. 24, at Granny’s Restaurant in Kinston. A delicious meal sponsored by First South Farm Credit of Andalusia and Enterprise and Alabama Ag Credit of Enterprise was enjoyed by all 69 people in attendance. They heard a very informative presentation by Kent Stanford, extension specialist-nutrient management, Sand Mountain Research & Extension Center in Crossville, Ala., speaking on AFO/CAFO record keeping. Ray Hilburn, associate director, Al-
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abama Poultry & Egg Association, led a discussion about the brutal winter weather with its propane problems and about possibilities to help avoid this in the future. Hilburn also informed the audience about the upcoming “Evening of Fun” on June 7, and he encouraged producers to attend the grower seminar and other nighttime activities. Officers were also nominated and elected at the meeting. The slate of officers include: President Elaine Reeves, Vice President Stephen Turman, Secretary/Treasurer Chad Elmore, directors
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Kenneth Sanders, Chris Meeks, Buck Faulk, and Dennis Busby. Three more directors will be added from producers for Koch, Perdue and Keystone at a later date. Mrs. Reeves concluded the meeting by thanking everyone for their support and encouraged them to invite their fellow growers to attend future meetings as she wants this organization to be beneficial for everyone. Door prizes were drawn for the lucky recipients before adjournment.
Southeast Alabama Poultry& Egg Association Holds Meeting in Louisville
LOUISVILLE – The SEAP&EA met on Feb. 11, at the Old Louisville School auditorium. The weather was cold and rainy, but the food was very good, sponsored jointly by First South Farm Credit of Ozark and Alabama Ag Credit of Enterprise and Dothan.
James McAfee of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management spoke on annual QCP inspections. He said that there were five areas that inspectors considered: 1. general appearance; 2. litter storage; 3. litter utilization; 4. mortality management; and 5. proper and timely record keeping. After McAfee, Ken Edwards, live production manager of Keystone Foods, Eufaula, introduced Keystone’s new head veterinarian, Dr. Robin Gilbert. AP&EA Associate Director Ray Hilburn spoke about the upcoming “Evening of Fun.”
Dr. Robin Gilbert and Ken Edwards
“Be a good neighbor –
That’ll go a long way.”
James McAfee
CAP&EA Gets Info on Natural Gas
GREENVILLE – The fallout from the recent propane fiasco has a lot of people talking about natural gas. On Feb. 25, at Beeland Park the Central Alabama Poultry & Egg Association got some firsthand information. After a great meal, the meeting, sponsored by Alabama Ag Credit, Montgomery; Casey Jones, L.B. White Co.; First South Farm Credit in Luverne; AP&EA; and Alabama Cooperative Extension System, began with CAP&EA President Mike Oglesby’s call to order. With preliminary business out of the way, Shannon Jackson with Southeast Alabama Gas District talked about the feasibility of propane users converting from propane to natural gas. Her company, she said, covers the southeast quadrant of the state and currently serves 30,000 customers, most of whom are rural. They obtain their gas from several sources, including their own gas wells in the Black Warrior Basin. Because of this, interruption in natural gas service is rare. Natural gas availability for poultry houses is determined by three factors; 1. Proximity to gas lines (3,000 feet or less is good.); 2. Line capacity (The line must be able to meet the increased load
of multiple poultry houses.); 3. Future load potential (Will more houses be built in that area?). She also discussed comparable rates of natural gas versus propane. Citing a recent situation where a grower had signed a 12 month locked-in rate for $1.21 per CCF. That price equates to a propane cost of $1.11 per gallon. She also said, in certain cases depending on return on investment, they could offer financial assistance to growers for conversion from propane to natural gas. She estimated that conversion costs would run approximately $2,500 per 40’ x 500’ house. Royce Sightler, Southeast Natural Gas District director of operations, stated that with a proper conversion, natural gas will give a cleaner warmer burn than propane. Casey Jones of L.B. White Co., agreed with Sightler, and stressed the need for growers to work with the manufacturers of their heating equipment in making conversions. He said that L.B. White offered a conversion kit. He said that the first thing that must be done is to determine the total BTUs used on the farm, then determine the load of existing pipes.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Shannon Jackson of Southeast Alabama Natural Gas District
Casey Jones of L.B. White Co. said that his rule-of-thumb in conversions was if you needed a 3/4” pipe for propane, you’ll need one size larger for natural gas.
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Evening of Fun
Donica Knight Scotty McCreery
2014 “Evening of Fun” Adds Donica Knight
Wow! The AP&EA “Evening of Fun” has just gotten hotter. First we signed American Idol winner Scotty McCreery, but now we can announce the addition of an up-and-coming country diva from right here in Alabama, Donica Knight. Donica hails from the hamlet of Millbrook, just up the road from Montgomery. She graduated from Trinity Presbyterian School in Montgomery where she played a mean game of softball. All along, Donica was singing solos in school plays and talent shows and performing in her church band and choir. When asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, being a singer was always at the top of her list, but at the time it seemed more like a distant dream. After graduation she attended Auburn University studying special education, but after two years she, as it says in her bio, “was faced with a life-altering choice, to chase the dream that lived in her heart or to live a life that she might eventually regret.”
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After singing live-band karaoke for a few weeks, Donica was invited to join the group Luckytown. She likes the response she gets from a live audience and knew she wanted more. Although she enjoys working with Luckytown, a cover band on the college circuit, she wanted to write and perform original music, also. So in the summer of 2011, she started traveling to Nashville between gigs to write and sing and chase that long held dream. In the short time since, she has found a manager; acted and sung two of her own songs in the movie “LA Dirt”; sang two duets with Ronnie Milsap, including one she co-wrote; and started recording her own album. Some of her musical influences are Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt and Shania Twain. Donica’s music is aimed at the young, single female audience, delivered with soul and heart. With songs like “Pretty Lips,” “Next Lover,” “Do Ya Daddy Let You Date?” and “When Girls Go Out,” it sounds like she has found her niche.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
The Imperfect Storm Weather & Energy
Christy Cooper braved the elements to get this photo at her Bluff Creek Farm near Phil Campbell. Her old houses were totally destroyed in the April 2011 tornados.
Many have called it “The Perfect Storm,” but there was nothing perfect about it. It was the confluence of the onset of several brutal winter storms across the nation and a severe shortage of liquid propane in certain areas of the country. One phenomenon was natural and the other was totally man-made. The amount of product a propane dealer has at the beginning of the winter season is tied to the number of gallons the propane dealer pre-buys. These pre-bought gallons are determined by two things: 1. how many gallons the propane dealer pre-sells to its customers; and 2. how many gallons the propane dealer decides to buy that are not pre-sold and he can afford to pay storage on. Normally, contracts are signed during a time when wholesale costs are the lowest. As the winter season progresses and pre-buy inventories are consumed, dealers have the option to purchase additional product off the spot market, paying the “rack rate,” as the industry calls it. Rack rates are usually much higher than the pre-buy con-
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tract cost. In Alabama, propane is transported in 9,000-gallon transport trucks from one of two Dixie Pipeline terminals in Demopolis or Opelika. Those trucks return and off-load their cargo into the dealer’s bulk tanks, holding up to 30,000 gallons. Propane is delivered to customers in smaller tanker trucks called “bobtails.” These bobtails haul 2,000 to 2,800 gallons of liquid propane. All seemed to be going well as 2014 was beginning. Then a cold snap in early January caused propane usage to go up dramatically throughout the country. This lowered propane levels in dealers’ bulk tanks, and, as they were in the process of replenishing their stock, another even colder wave descended on Alabama. Suddenly, where there had once been an adequate supply of propane, there were now shortages. The problem, according to Lisa Fountain, executive director of the Alabama Propane Gas Association (APGA), was not one of a lack of supply, it was one of logistics. There
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just wasn’t enough time to get the transports from the pipelines to the bulk plants. And, there was another problem, Federal Department of Transportation regulations limit the number of hours that a driver can be on the road, so there weren’t enough qualified drivers to keep the propane moving. Propane wholesalers, referred to as “shippers” by the industry, began calling the APGA and its regulatory agency, the Alabama Liquefied Petroleum Gas Board (ALPGB), requesting waivers from the governor to free up drivers to operate longer hours to get the propane delivered. At first, however, because of concerns over liability, the ALPGB was reluctant to request a waiver from Gov. Bentley. Finally, Fountain decided that something had to be done. On Jan. 22, she called the governor’s office and scheduled a meeting for the next morning. She also enlisted the help of leaders of agriculture and industry to go with her to the meeting. Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan and AP&EA
Johnny and Linda Duke are not happy with their propane company. They are anxiously awaiting the day when they can convert their two houses to natural gas.
Executive Director Johnny Adams agreed to go also. The next morning at 8:00 a.m., they pled their case to the governor’s legislative affairs director, Blaine Galliher. Gov. Bentley promptly issued the waiver. At the time that he issued the waiver, there were no shortage issues, but that was about to change drastically. (Ironically, the day before, a waiver had been issued by the Federal D.O.T. in Atlanta. The waiver, however, did not cover Alabama, but covered Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee along with other states. The Federal D.O.T. did revise the waiver on Jan. 23, to include Alabama.) Getting the Department of Transportation to exempt requirements limiting drivers’ hours of service helped. It meant that truck drivers could drive longer hours with less layover time. It did not, however, eliminate the long hours in line waiting for propane at the pipeline
terminals. While at the meeting, Fountain received a text message from the ALPGB informing her that one major propane company, serving Alabama, had completely terminated service to its poultry growers, commercial customers, schools and government contacts. Without warning, poultry growers around the state began calling that company for propane deliveries, only to be told they would not be getting the propane for which they had contracted. With approximately 70 percent of Alabama poultry growers depending on propane gas to heat their poultry houses, many, thinking that they had made a sound business decision, had signed contracts for, what some would consider, low market value. Some contracts were as low as $.99 a gallon. Now it seemed their propane dealer was backing out on the deal. AP&EA began getting calls
from concerned growers in mid-January. By January 22, growers’ nerves were getting frayed and the calls were taking on a more urgent tone. AP&EA Associate Director Ray Hilburn handled most of the calls. He tried to be as reassuring as possible, but he realized that growers were facing a difficult situation. With limited resources at his disposal, he called Lisa Fountain, and, because Alabama law forbids a propane dealer from filling another dealer’s tanks, they began to work together to get gas to those growers who owned tanks. They also began to work to obtain waivers to allow growers who did not own their tanks to receive gas from any propane distributor who would deliver. AP&EA Grower Committee Chairman Kenneth Sanders of Brundidge was one of those growers. He had been buying gas for $1.09 a gallon. He called for a propane delivery and was told that no poultry growers
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were getting gas. AP&EA had posted Lisa Fountain’s name and phone number on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/BamaChicken), so he called her. Shortly after talking to Fountain, he was called by a propane supplier out of Eufaula. Three days later he had gas. One Tyson grower, Johnny Duke, from near Hanceville, had sold his flock in mid-January. He had promptly paid his propane bill ($1.58 a gal.), telling his propane company that he was expecting new chicks in early February. He was never informed that the propane company would be suspending service to poultry growers. He didn’t learn of the problem until his wife, Linda, called the company the day before the chicks were to be delivered to ask when their propane tanks
would be filled. Having found that their contracted supplier wasn’t going to supply them, and expecting to get a new flock of chicks, they were in a bad situation. Like many growers, the Dukes do not own their propane tanks, and since Alabama law prohibited a supplier filling another dealer’s tanks, calling another propane company was not a likely solution. Growers who owned their own tanks, as in Kenneth Sanders’ case, could receive gas from any dealer, but that was a minority of growers. That situation was helped somewhat on Jan. 23, when Gov. Robert Bentley issued an emergency proclamation lifting restrictions on propane dealers filling other dealer’s tanks. But then there was the problem of “sticker shock.” Kenneth Sanders had been paying $1.09 a
gallon, the price that he paid for propane from Eufaula was $3.65 a gallon. Johnny Duke paid $3.68 per gallon. Some growers, angered by the situation, initially refused to pay the higher prices. Most, however, were thankful to have the gas. The propane companies had their own problems, they had been hard pressed to service their own customers in the harsh weather conditions, now the stress level was increasing exponentially. With roads throughout the state icing over and travel more hazardous with each passing hour, it was getting more and more difficult for growers to get the propane that they needed to keep their flocks alive, even if they had a reliable supplier. Trying to take on additional customers for the propane suppliers was a huge nightmare. In some instances, “bobtails” of-
Lisa Fountain, her office wall still plastered with call notes from Alabama poultry growers needing propane, continues to monitor the situation. On each note is a status report. She and her two-person staff worked long hours to ensure that growers got the propane that they needed.
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
Marti Short sent this picture from Piedmont. The Shorts’ houses were also destroyed in April 2011. Their home was destroyed as well. Fortunately everything is up and running now.
Gov. Robert Bentley made several courageous decisions to protect farmers and poultry industry livelihoods. We owe him our sincere gratitude. AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams
floaded from the larger transport trucks when it was impractical to get back to the bulk tanks. This is an operation that is significantly more risky than going to the multi-outlet bulk plant. The distribution situation was so desperate that sometimes protocol had to take a back seat. Lisa Fountain, working with the governor’s office, was able to obtain a waiver which waived licensing for several out of state transport companies to supply customers in north Alabama. It wasn’t much, but it helped. Throughout the crisis, Fountain and her staff, as well as AP&EA’s Ray Hilburn, put in a lot of late nights fielding calls and ensuring poultry growers got propane. The walls in Fountain’s office are still covered in call notices from poultry growers needing help. Each call elicited the same questions, “How much gas do you have in your tanks and do you have birds?” The answer to those questions dictated the urgency of the call, but each one of those calls resulted in help provided. It took a lot of wheeling and dealing and some creative coordination to get deliveries scheduled. Kenneth Sanders commented on
our Facebook page, “Lisa and her office helped me find gas when none was available locally. I called about 1:00 p.m. and by 4:00 p.m. I was talking to a company and arranging delivery. Thanks for the help.” It was a story that was repeated over and over again. Once the temperatures began to rise and the ice had melted a new crisis became evident. Because poultry plants and feed mills had been forced to close, there had been no feed deliveries. Hatcheries had not been able to deliver chicks nor had
offal been picked up. The problem was the same restrictions that limited propane deliveries the previous week. Once again, at the urging of AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams, Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries John McMillan and the governor’s legislative affairs director, Blaine Galliher, Gov. Bentley issued an exemption to hours of service requirements for poultry drivers until deliveries were under control and on time. There is also a group of dedicated and courageous delivery drivers who are real heroes. They sacrificed their comfort and safety to deliver needed propane to farms throughout Alabama. Thanks to their efforts, combined with the work done by Lisa Fountain, Ray Hilburn, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries and the Alabama Farmers Federation, not a chicken was lost due to the cold.
Emily Brown’s farm in Kilpatrick looks like a postcard – a very chilly postcard.
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Chicken Recipes Chicken with Golden Raisins, Green Olives and Lemon Serves 6 1 whole chicken (3.5 – 4 pounds), cut into eight parts 2 TBLS olive oil 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 1 stick (2”)cinnamon 2 lemons, one juiced and the other sliced 1 cup chicken stock 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into ½” thick slices 4 carrots, peeled and sliced thin 1 cup golden raisins ½ cup pimento-stuffed Spanish olives
Preheat oven to 400 F. In large non-stick pan or Dutch oven, warm oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces to pan and brown on all sides, turning at least once. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Lower heat to medium. Add to pan garlic, turmeric, ginger and cinnamon stick; cook, stirring constantly, for 15 seconds. Pour lemon juice and stock into pan, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Place chicken back in pan. Add potatoes, carrot slices, raisins, olives and lemon slices to pan around the chicken pieces. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover pan and place in hot oven for 45 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve immediately with parsley-flecked couscous.
Serves 4 1
Grilled Butterflied Chicken with Basil and Mint Vinaigrette whole chicken, 3 ½ - 4 pounds
Brine: 4 quarts water – ¼ cup sugar – ½ cup salt Vinaigrette: 2 TBLS lemon juice 1 TBLS soy sauce 2 tsps honey 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 tsps fresh ginger, chopped
¼ tsp 1 TBLS 2 TBLS ¼ cup
red pepper flakes fresh mint, chopped fresh basil, chopped olive oil
Make brine by combining water, sugar and salt in large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, or until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Butterfly chicken by removing backbone by cutting down either side of the backbone with a sharp knife. Remove the backbone. Turn chicken over so that rib bones are facing up and cut out breastbone. When brine is cool, add chicken to stockpot and refrigerate at least one, and up to five, hours. Do not brine longer as chicken will become too salty. Remove chicken from brine and pat with paper towels to dry. Heat grill to high, or, if using coals, heat and arrange with more coals on one side of grill than the other. (This creates two areas of heat – one high and the other cooler.) Place chicken over high heat and grill about 4 minutes per side until nicely browned. Turn off middle burner of gas grill (or one burner if there are only two) and move chicken over the area that is turned off. Or, if using a charcoal grill, move chicken to cooler area of grill. Grill chicken for another 18 – 20 minutes, turning often, until chicken registers 180 degrees F when a thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. While chicken is grilling, make vinaigrette by combining all ingredients except the oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. With motor running, slowly pour oil into mixture; continue pulsing until well-incorporated. Remove chicken to a platter and pour vinaigrette over hot chicken. Turn chicken to coat in sauce.
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
Auburn News
Auburn Poultry Science Students Benefit From Poultry Industry Internships “I am convinced more than ever that an internship is among the most important learning experiences a student will encounter as they pursue their degree.” Dr. Don Conner Fifteen Auburn poultry science students participated in summer internship programs. Clara Fisher, president of the Auburn Poultry Science Club, a senior majoring in poultry production interned with Butterball in Mt. Olive, N.C. Fisher, from Pell City, had backyard chickens as a child and got involved in the FFA Career Development Team judging chickens before deciding on a career in poultry. At Butterball, she had a special project in their ready-to-eat department, eliminating downtime on one of the processing lines. She found that to make changes to a line, she had to coordinate activities between a number of different elements in the plant. She had to work with disparate groups, from maintenance to the computer department to make changes. She takes from the internship additional confidence that she can work alone as well as a part of a team. The previous summer she had interned with Keystone Foods in Eufaula. After graduation, Fisher will be working in quality assurance in Aviagen’s Elkmont hatchery. Edgardo Santos’ father works with Pilgrim’s in Boaz, but a poultry career was the last thing on Santos’ mind when he graduated from high school. It took enrollment in Snead State Community College without a career path, and some serious talks with his father, to set him on the right path. Santos, who enrolled in Auburn in the fall of 2013, served an internship in the summer with Pilgrim’s in South Carolina, where he spent time working at every job in the plant. The last few weeks he spent in the office with the managers and supervisors, which is just where he wants to be. He says, ”I’m that weird guy here who wants to go into processing.” His ambition is to one day be a complex manager. He enjoys working with the people, and being bilingual helps. It helped him in working with line supervisors in translating to
many of the line workers. This summer he is interning with Peco Foods, where he will gain experience working in their further processing facilities. Peyton Gilbert’s father also works with Pigrim’s in Boaz, and like Santos, she wasn’t really looking for a career in poultry when she came to Auburn. She had declared a pre-vet major, but after working for her aunt, who is a vet, for a summer, she was kind of shaky on the pre-vet thing. You see, she does not like ticks. Her father wisely advised her to take a look at poultry science, just in case. All it took was one course under Dr. Berry and she was hooked. This past summer she interned with Pilgrim’s in Chattanooga, where she got a threeweek rotational overview of the processing plant, the further processing plant and all of the live side breeders and broilers. That was followed by eight weeks on a special project in the hatchery. Gilbert, who wants to eventually have a career as a poultry nutritionist, got to spend time with Mike Hellwig, Pilgrim’s nutritionist. Junior Sarah Stephenson from Danville, wanted to do an internship outside the United States. With the help of Dr. Joe Hess, she traveled to Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, to work with New Life Mills. The company has grain elevators in the western part of Canada and turkey production in the east. Stephenson got to work on the live side. Working with Auburn graduate Bill Reddington, she helped him with grower relations and to meet quota restrictions. Producing over the quota could result in the company being fined. Growers in Canada are paid a salary rather than for production. She worked with Reddington over the summer to make changes to the bonus program so that growers would work more efficiently. For next summer, she is hoping for an internship in Washington, D.C. working on poultry policy issues.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Clara Fisher
Edgardo Santos
Peyton Gilbert
Sarah Stephenson
January / February 2014
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Membership News
Jones-Hamilton Co. Selected as One of the Top 35 Workplaces
WALBRIDGE, OH –– The JonesHamilton Co. was recently named one of the Top 35 Workplaces by the Toledo Blade, a designation based solely on employee feedback. Jones-Hamilton President Bernie Murphy cites employee ownership as the driving force in employee satisfaction. “It would be unlikely to see this impressive level of commitment from our employees if they did not understand the business that they owned,” said Murphy. “Continuous and accurate communication is critical to maintain the level of accountability and care our employee owners exhibit.” The Top Workplaces are deter-
mined by an employee survey conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement. Over the past year, more than 5,000 organizations and one in every 88 employers in the U.S. have turned to WorkplaceDynamics to better understand what’s on the minds of their employees. Based in Walbridge, Ohio, the Jones-Hamilton Co. is an employeeowned chemical company that serves such diverse markets as water treatment, steel processing, oil and gas, pet food, food safety, poultry and dairy production. “As employee owners, our employ-
ees directly benefit from their daily roles in how we do business, serve our customers, support our community and secure their futures,” said Murphy. “This personal commitment assures our products are produced, shipped and serviced in line with what our customers are paying for.” Company leaders focus on regularly sharing company information to give employees the opportunity the learn more about strategic plans for the future. Learn more about the Jones Hamilton Co. at www.joneshamilton.com.
Fulton Named Inaugural Alfa Agriculture Professor
AUBURN — John Fulton, a professor in the Auburn University department of biosystems engineering and specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, has been awarded the inaugural Alabama Farmers Federation Agriculture Professorship, College of Agriculture Dean Bill Batchelor has announced. “During his time at Auburn University, Dr. Fulton has embodied the university’s threefold mission of research, instruction and outreach,” said Batchelor. “It is fitting that someone whose work has done much to advance agriculture in this state would be the first honoree of this professorship.” A member of the College of Agriculture faculty and an Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station researcher since 2004, Fulton’s work has focused on machine systems, precision agriculture and agricultural and forestry cellulosic biomass. He leads the Alabama Precision Ag Program and has successfully transferred knowledge gained through on-farm research into outreach efforts throughout the Southeast. Fulton earned both his master’s and doctorate degrees from the University of Kentucky. In addition to numerous recognitions from the American Society
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of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and the Alabama Association of Agricultural Agents and Specialists, he was recently named the 2013 Educator of the Year by PrecisionAg.com. The Alabama Farmers Federation
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Agriculture Professorship was established to honor the Federation’s support for the College of Agriculture at Auburn throughout the years. The professorship is a three-year appointment.
Practical Applications
Research Update - Wood Pellet Furnaces can Impact House Environmental Conditions J.B. Hess, K.S. Macklin and J.P. Blake – Poultry Science Department, Auburn University
Shortages of propane this winter have increased grower interest in alternative methods of providing heat in broiler houses. In addition to natural gas, which has increasingly become an available and economical alternative to propane for rural agricultural enterprises, wood pellet burning furnaces have become a viable brooding and heating source as well. Recent field trials completed through the poultry science department at Auburn have looked at broiler house conditions when wood pellet burning furnaces are used as a heat source. Broiler house environment is a crucial factor in bird health, productivity and ultimately in the profitability of growers and poultry integrators alike. Wood pellet burning furnaces (Lee Energy Solutions, Crossville, Ala.) were monitored in paired broiler houses on four broiler farms during fall and winter growouts for two years to determine influences of this alternative heat source on house ammonia, moisture control and temperature. On each farm, a house using wood burning furnace technology was paired with another house on the farm using conventional propane heat. Prior to bird placement for each farm and each growout, two temperature and humidity probes were placed in each test house in the brood chamber to collect daily temperature and humidity information (four times daily for the entire growout). At 14 days of age, after the birds were turned out from brooding, a farm visit was made to collect litter and air ammonia measurements, litter temperature measurements and samples for litter moisture determination. Ammonia measurements were obtained using a closed container inverted over the litter bed and determined using a Drager CMS Analyzer equipped with a remote air sampling pump. Ammonia was measured in this way because it is a more stable measure of what is coming out of the litter than air ammonia and is not influenced by fan run times. These ammonia numbers do tend to run higher, though, than what is normally measured in the air. Litter ammonia levels (measured as the ammonia leaves the litter) were meaningfully reduced 80 percent of the time in houses burning wood pellets, with an average reduction of 15 ppm. This should translate into lower ammonia levels experienced by the young birds and reduced damage to the respiratory system by air-
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borne ammonia. Brooding humidity levels, important in the maintenance of air quality and crucial in the control of litter moisture, were reduced 75 percent of the time with wood pellet use. Reductions averaged 8 percent, with 15 percent humidity reductions not uncommon during the most difficult portion of the winter season. Surprisingly, this didn’t translate into measurable reductions in litter moisture (which were variable, making hard to measure differences) . Brooding temperatures were marginally increased 50 percent of the time by the pellet burning furnaces despite tight temperature control through house controllers. As growers weigh the many factors of importance in deciding what heating equipment to include in broiler houses, impacts on bird environment should be included with up front costs, energy and long-term cost savings. In this field test, wood pellet burning furnaces improved house ammonia and humidity during the crucial cold weather growouts. Each of the growers participating in this test already had propane systems in the houses, which served as supplementary heat for the houses fitted with wood burning pellet furnaces. Care should be taken to balance these two systems to make sure that the pellet furnaces are providing the majority of the heating and the propane system is not running in addition to the pellet furnaces. If propane prices and availability continue to be a burden for broiler growers, wood pellet burning furnaces will provide another option for brooding and heating broiler houses.
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Bio500 Pellet Heaters on two sperate farms
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Broiler Breeder Feathering Issues Maintaining a breeder program that promotes lifelong egg production requires attention to detail in both the pullet and breeder houses. Setbacks in either location can have long-term effects on breeder productivity and health. Breeder managers are constantly updating programs to keep breeders healthy and producing quality hatching eggs and they are constantly presented with new challenges as the industry and breeder genetics change. In the last few years, breeder feathering has become an issue in mid-production with poor feathering appearing by 45 weeks of age (8-10 weeks ahead of when some feather damage was traditionally noticed). Prior to that, feathers appear dry and brittle, with noticeable breakage. Poor feathering has been associated with reduced mating late in lay (as hens bare skin is scratched by the males) and less cold tolerance due to reduced feather cover. If feather cover is poor in the winter months, and feed allotments are not increased, reduced performance has been occasionally reported. Chickens go through three molts from day of age through about peak production. Due to this constant replacement of feathers during the first half of the birds’ lives, management systems and nutrition must be optimal on a steady basis to keep feather quality progressing normally. Good body weight control throughout is key to this concept. If birds get ahead of the curve during the growing period and growth must be slowed down using slower increases in feed allotment, future feather quality may be compromised. Again, careful attention to following the growth curve during the pullet phase and as birds are brought into production can help to reduce feathering problems later in the laying cycle.
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J.B. Hess, R.J. Lien and W.D. Berry Poultry Science Department, Auburn University
Pullet Phase Researchers from the University of Alberta who have been key pioneers looking into broiler breeder productivity for decades wrote “While the post peak-period (from approximately 32 to 60 weeks of age) is the most financially important, production problems at this time are generally the result of damage done earlier in the life of the breeder.” This may apply to feathering problems seen in hens, as issues in the pullet house and breeder house are probably combining to allow feathering to deteriorate later in the egg hatching production period. Research at Auburn in which varying protein levels were fed to breeder pullets until six weeks of age showed noticeable differences in feathering by 10 weeks of age. Although breeder pullets complete three molts by peak production, early nutrition enhancing feather quality may carry through into the breeder house. Substandard brooding conditions early in life may impair feathering if birds are forced to use feed to stay warm rather than optimizing early health and feathering. As always, a good start during brooding has lasting consequences on bird health and productivity. Later in the pullet phase, overheating may reduce feathering as hot birds don’t tend to feather well. Research data from broilers shows that feathering can be substantially reduced in broilers raised in heat stress conditions. It may well be that similar results can be seen with breeder pullets and many of our pullet houses are not equipped with evaporative cooling equipment to control summer temperatures. Whether pullet houses can be retrofitted to improve temperature control in an economically efficient manner remains to be determined.
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Nutritional Changes Feathers are mostly protein, and poultry companies have made a number of changes to either increase the amino acids that hens need to maximize feathering or increase trace minerals or vitamins that are involved in the pathways that create feather proteins in the bird. Although both methionine and cysteine are important amino acids (components of protein) in feathers, methionine is the only one that we can easily add to breeder feeds. Broiler companies have increased the amount of methionine included in their breeder feeds and some have increased the amount of folic acid added to feed since folic acid is involved in the biochemical pathway which transforms methionine into cysteine. Cysteine is particularly important in feathers, but is hard to bring into the feed through normal ingredients. For that reason, all pathways that help increase the use of feed methionine to improve feathering are being optimized. Mineral nutrition can also help to improve feathering and many poultry companies have included more digestible sources of zinc and selenium into their feeds as organic sources of these minerals have been shown to have enhanced absorption. Feathers from stressed pullets and breeders often show stress lines (weak strips running horizontally across the feathers) from temporary zinc deficiency due to stress-induced increased need for zinc in the feed. These stress lines are weaker than the remainder of the feathers and may lead to breakage at that point. Taken in total, nutritionists from poultry companies have altered a number of nutrients in the feed to help overcome this common field problem.
Breeder House All phases of breeder production have a hand in reducing breeder feather loss to manageable levels and breeder management after moving is no exception. Feeding breeders into peak production and removing feed after peak are art forms that continue to evolve as the genetics of the various commercial strains change with time. As mentioned, chickens are continuing to molt and replace feathers during move and feeding into production. The last juvenile molt in breeders probably ends around peak production, so house management through peak production plays a part in insuring good feather cover for the laying period. Both male and female management come into play at this time as aggressive males may damage feathers more than normal if males are
ahead of the hens and slatting of the hens is noticed. Careful placing of males and females at this time may avoid or reduce these problems. Males may also resort to feather pulling if they have started feather licking in the growing phase. Research from Keith Bramwell’s lab in the poultry science department at Arkansas suggests that male aggression toward hens was higher in hens when fewer completed matings were taking placing. These hens traditionally had more feather problems in the field, indicating that excessive mating probably is not to blame for poor feathering in mid-lay hens. On the contrary, controlling male aggressive probably does help reduce feathering problems. Fright molts, more properly called stress molts in breeders, may play a role in feathering in hens. All birds will lose feathers if suddenly frightened, with biological fright responses loosening feathers. Breeders that are stressed during the laying phase may exhibit this problem, making marginal feather cover even worse. Avoiding feed and water outages, loud noises or other sudden stresses will help avoid this possible contributor to early feather loss and the losses in fertility that can come along with poor feathering. In summary, management and nutrition in the pullet and breeder house can contribute to improving feathering issues in mid to late lay. Company nutritionists have made a number of changes to keep feathering optimal and feeding programs in the field can complement these changes by careful following of body weight curves as the birds’ age. Male aggression may also be a contributor to feather deterioration and timing of placement of males and females at housing can be a management tool to reduce the effects of male aggression on hen wellbeing early in lay. Other stressful outages should be avoided to minimize stress molts.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
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Attic Inlet Technology Update – March 2014 National Poultry Technology Center – Auburn University Poultry growers in the Broiler Belt began using attic inlets more than five years ago. Their primary reason for installing the inlets was to reduce fuel expenditures as gas prices during the early 2000s were increasing rapidly. Now that we are experiencing even more dramatic increases in propane prices, this is a good time to revisit this specific technology and how it affects a grower’sbottom line. From the first installations, the success rate with attic inlets has been mixed. Some growers and companies have carefully studied this technology and learned to make it work to their advantage. They understand the capabilities and limitations of pulling air from the attic. However, other growers and companies have struggled with attic inlet systems and have ceased using them, citing issues such as requiring too much management along with lack of seeing much benefit; even citing increased struggles with litter management with their use. In numerous visits and phone calls to integrators and growers, we have confirmed that there is a steep learning curve to the proper management of attic inlets and a large percentage of growers haven’t been able to execute the management necessary to render the attic inlets a valuable ventilation tool. In addition we have recently visited more than a dozen houses that have had attic inlets installed for more than four years. We visited with growers, got their input with respect to management time and effort and fuel savings.
will vary greatly depending on weather and the timing of flock placement. Gas savings should not be the major reason to install attic inlets. Making sure your poultry houses are tight and well insulated is the primary tool to minimize gas consumption.
2. Are there other factors to consider if I am considering installation of attic inlets? Many people have talked about the positive attributes of attic inlets in terms other than gas savings. Attic inlets properly operated and managed can be ventilation enhancers in moderate weather – primarily spring and fall. If weather conditions are right – the sun is out and there is heat in the attic; they can allow us to bring more air through the poultry house without using additional fuel to maintain temperature. If conditions allow, they can also be used as tools for preheating before chicks are placed or as tools for helping to dry out the poultry house between flocks.
1. How much gas savings can be expected if attic inlets are installed? The amount of gas savings varies greatly. There is no gas savings if there is no heat in the attic. Nights and overcast periods are of no value with respect to saving gas. Gas saving is also not realized if our flocks are sufficient in size to need to be in the cooling mode. In tests on monitored farms with gas meters installed over the past three years, Auburn University cooperators found that, over time, gas savings could reach 5 percent. However, for some flocks during a year they saw no gas savings. The reason for this variability is that gas savings
3. Are attic inlets the best air inlet for bringing in outside air year round? The consensus of most growers is that the coldest times of year are the most difficult times of year for using attic inlets. Bringing cold air into the poultry house in the center of the house at too low of a static pressures often drops that air directly to the floor in the center of the house. If static pressures are too high the air will travel to the side walls and down to the floor, thus drafting chicks along the walls. This high static pressure issue is more prominent in narrow houses with the two way inlets and less problematic in 60 and 66 foot wide houses. Most growers and service technicians that we have talked with have experienced issues with moisture management and litter caking under cold conditions with attic inlets. Also, it should be noted that during hot weather when the house will be in continuous tunnel cooling mode, attic inlets should be closed. There is no need to bring heated air into the house when we have larger birds and we are in the cooling stages. If installed, attic inlets
The addition of an in-attic closure system like the one pictured can decrease warm air leakage into the attic on most attic vent systems.
In this 43 foot wide house with two-way attic inlets care must be taken to keep from chilling birds along the wall.
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
This attic inlet is not closed properly and the warm moist air from the brood chamber is escaping into the attic. should be looked at as an optional inlet system designed to maximize fan run time. There are times of the year when correctly managed perimeter inlets are the best way to bring air into the poultry house.
4. Are there maintenance and management requirements that must be considered when owning and operating poultry houses with attic inlets? Absolutely. We must make sure that attic inlets are operating properly. They should always be 100 percent sealed when fans are not operating. Often this is more difficult because a ladder is required to access the attic inlets. If attic inlets do not seal properly because of improper adjustment, poor installation or lack of cleaning, warm, moist bird chamber air will leak into the attic. In cold weather, warm moist bird chamber air in the attic can cause condensation and wetting of surfaces in the attic. If you have attic inlets in your houses we recommend spot checking the attics directly above and around the attic inlets to make sure their use is not harming the roof metal or structural components of your houses in the process.
Economics:
In houses under observation in Alabama, we have seen the potential for as much as five percent gas savings. Some growers see little or no gas savings; at times some actually see higher gas usage with attic vents. In 42’ x 500’ houses in Water tracks on this attic insulation are signs of excess moisture from condensation in this attic vented house.
In this house warm moist bird air has caused condensation leading to corrosion of the roofing metal over time.
north Alabama, if we were to project a 5 percent gas savings, how long would it take to recoup the cost of installing attic inlets? Tight houses of this size typically use approximately 3,000 gallons of gas per year, so that’s somewhere around 150 gallons per year savings in gas. At $2.00 per gallon, that would be $300 per year saved in fuel costs. Cost of installation of actuated attic inlets in a 42’ x 500’ poultry house is between $3,500 and $4,500. So at best, an attic inlet systems’ simple payback for gas savings alone is over 10 to12 years. If mismanaged or poorly maintained, attic inlets can cause condensation and wet the attic, reducing the useful life of the building. Mismanagement and poor maintenance could also erase any potential gas savings. Conclusions:
The decision to install attic inlets should be made carefully based on economics and other harder to quantify benefits. Do the benefits outweigh the additional management and maintenance responsibilities? Potential users must understand that attic inlet systems must be thoroughly understood, properly installed and properly managed for them to be beneficial. If you expect your poultry houses to run on automatic pilot, attic inlets are probably not the best tool for use in your operations. Growers must also understand that if they mismanage attic inlet systems there are some very real, detrimental effects that can occur. When warm moist air hits a cold piece of roofing metal, condensation will occur.
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Gene Simpson, Dennis Brothers, Jess Campbell & Jim Donald – National Poultry Technology Center, Auburn University - February 2014
We at the NPTC have been closely monitoring broiler house lighting developments over the past several years. The broiler industry relied almost totally on incandescent lights for both growout and brooding until around 2006-2007, when considerably more energy efficient cold cathode (CCFL) and compact fluorescent (CFL) lights began appearing. Many growers began replacing brood lights with non-dimmable spiral CFLs and growout lights with either CCFL or dimmable CFL. The typical end result was an annual power bill reduction of $1,000 or more for a typical 40’ x 500’ broiler house with 50-54 feed line growout lights and 12-14 center line brood lights. However, both the CCFL and dimmable CFL growout lights began showing a number of problems, such as light level reductions, and in some cases caused slight performance reductions over time. In 2008-2011, several new light emitting diode (LED) lights became available. Unfortunately most of these LEDs were very expensive, and in some cases did not hold up or perform well in the harsh environment of a poultry house. As a result, and in the absence of rebate or cost-share programs, most growers made a business decision not to install LEDs until their quality, longevity, cost, and warranty improved. Those improvements, for the most part, began occurring in 20102011 and have continued at a rapid rate. We now have very reliable, fairly inexpensive LEDs available with longer warranties. Two years ago, the NPTC began installing and closely monitoring several brands and models of LEDs in multiple houses on a large number of farms across the Broiler Belt. Since our LED monitoring efforts began, several important observations have occurred. We are very impressed with most of the LEDs currently available, and most do a great job of helping to raise the best broiler possible while greatly reducing power bills. Commercial-grade LEDs, available from most poultry supply firms, should be used rather than residentialgrade LEDs from building and home supply outlets. A grower’s power bill is a function of kilowatt hours (kWH) consumed and his cost per kWH power rate. A
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watt is a watt is a watt. Significant power bill savings occur when incandescent bulbs are replaced with LEDs, not in replacing one low wattage brand of LED with a different brand of similar wattage. The annual cost of a 1-watt change is only about $20.00 per 52 bulbs in a 500’ house, depending on the per kWH power rate. For example, replacing 52 10-watt LEDs with 52 9-watt LEDs will reduce a grower’s annual power bill by only about $20.00. However, replacing 52 75-watt incandescent bulbs with 52 10-watt LEDs will yield a reduction of about $1,200 to $1,400. Lighting Terms and Facts
LED Bulb Types – All LEDs have directional light output. They do not send light upward and outward, as do incandescent, CCFL, and CFL bulbs, so they are capable of providing higher bird level light output with far less power consumption, since all emitted light is directed toward the floor. The greater the beam angle of the bulb, the broader the light spread. A19 – Shaped similar to incandescent (teardrop) with controlled directional light output. PAR XX – Floodlight shape with curved lens for better light spread, where XX is the number eighths of an inch in width. Hybrid – Shapes which are not within a designated lighting industry category, but which direct light output for better spread.
Heat Sinks (Cooling Fins) – Heat is the biggest enemy of all lights and excessive heat retention will decrease bulb life and its light output over time. Some LED models have external metal or plastic heat sinks to promote cooling, and some of these fins are quite large. Unfortunately, in poultry houses, these fins can quickly become clogged with dirt and debris leading to increased heat buildup, decreased light output over time, and shorter bulb life. Some LED manufacturers have succeeded in developing bulbs with no external fins, yet
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do not overheat.
Light Intensity – All light intensity (brightness) is measured in lumens of output. In measuring light intensity, we are interested in lumen levels achieved at bird level. In the US, this is measured in footcandles (fc) which is lumens per square foot, and in metric countries it is measured in lux (lumens per square meter). 1 fc = 10.76 lux (approximately 10 lux per fc). With the directional output of LEDs, a bulb producing 500 lumens will typically provide comparable fc/lux readings to a non-directional bulb with 1,500 or more lumens. Footcandles and lux are standard units of measurements, and the fc/lux measurement at bird level is the appropriate comparison to make when evaluating different LED brands and styles. Overall lamp efficiency is measured in lumens per watt (lm/w). Most LEDs are in the range of 55-65 lm/w; however several recently introduced models are 80-85 or more lm/w. Most of these new higher output, higher efficiency LEDs have been designed to better dissipate the added heat they generate.
Lumen Depreciation – Lumen depreciation is defined as the loss of effective light output over time. All lights depreciate, but some do so at a faster rate than others. Lumen depreciation is typically less than 8-10 percent per year with LEDs, but typically 15-25 percent per year for CCFLs and CFLs.
Power Factor – Power factor is a measure of a bulb’s electrical efficiency. Bulbs with a low power factor draw more current than bulbs with a high power factor to emit the same quantity of light. Power factor differences are very significant in inductive load devices, such as fan and pump motors, but fairly insignificant with LED bulbs. Alabama Power Company engineers have estimated that the annual value of a 10 percent power factor improvement for a poultry house with 52 LED bulbs is no more than about $20-$25.
Light Color –Light color is the visible spectrum wavelength expressed in degrees Kelvin (0K). Most LEDs range from 3000 to 50000K. 30000K lights (warm white) have a yellow-white appearance; 50000K lights (cool white or daylight) have a blue-white appearance. For comparison, most incandescent lights are 28000K and most non-dim CFLs and CCFLs are 2700-28500K, although cooler white incandescent bulbs and CFLs are
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readily available. It is a good idea to approximately match brood light and grow light colors.
Dimmability – Most LEDs dim very smoothly to extremely low light output levels with the most common commercial poultry house dimmers. However, some exhibit dimming problems at very low dimmer settings, and may actually require the use of one or more incandescent bulbs to achieve acceptable, consistent, and smooth low-end dimming. Several new LED-specific dimmers are now available which can be optimized for most any LED brand.
Uniformity of Coverage (Light Spread) – Some brands and shapes of LEDs produce very uniform sideto-side, end-to-end lighting and some simply do not. Some LED models concentrate their light output in a small area while others spread the light more evenly over a larger area. In general, we have observed most brands of A19 shaped LEDs to have better uniformity than PAR and hybrid shaped LEDs in dropped ceiling houses where mounting heights are relatively low (910’), while PAR and hybrid shaped LEDs tend to provide better uniformity in open truss houses where mounting height is higher (>10’). Open truss houses also need higher lumen output LEDs to account for the higher mounting height.
Performance Gains – Performance gains (improvements in mortality, feed conversion, weight, ADG, etc.) with LEDs have not been consistently demonstrated or replicated in unbiased replicated comparison tests. Performance gains observed have been more a function of providing increased intensity around feeding and drinking lines during the brood phase, from uniform lighting and adequate supplemental brood lighting, and from better dimming levels and dimming control over the remainder of growout. Similar observations with light color (30000K vs. 50000K) have repeatedly shown conflicting results. Claims of better bird performance strictly due to light color within the 3000 to 50000K range are highly questionable. As a result, performance gains should never be counted on in making a business decision about lighting changes. Light color selection should be based on the integrator’s preference. Ratings & Certification – All LEDs purchased should be UL certified, at a minimum. Other important certifications which are typically seen are Energy Star and Lighting Design Labs-LM79. Energy Star is unable to
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certify any LED with a color over 40000K. Lighting Design Labs will certify LEDs over 40000K. Depending on LED color, either certification is acceptable, and ensures that the LED has been independently tested and has passed all certification requirements. Avoid any LEDs not having either of these two certifications.
Cleaning Bulbs – It is a good idea to clean all lights, LED or CFL, between every flock. Growers can use a hand-help pressure sprayer with the nozzle turned to jet stream and spray off each bulb for a few seconds. No ladder is required. We have found that a 10 percent solution of household ammonia or window cleaner works well. Simply power off the lights, spray them, and allow them to drip dry.
Rebates and Incentives – Many power providers offer rebate and incentive programs for customers who install LEDs. These programs vary greatly by provider and region. Some are as high as a 70 percent rebate or discount. These programs are typically not LED brand specific. Growers should investigate what rebate or incentive program might be available in their area before committing to purchase.
Economics – There are several important economic factors to consider in making a smart business decision about LEDs. These include ownership (purchase) cost, annual operating cost, warranty period, and any rebates/incentives. As mentioned before, performance improvements should not be considered; should performance gains occur, simply smile and treat them as “icing on the cake.” If LEDs in $12-$18.00 retail price range will suffice, then why spend twice that amount? Similarly, most LEDs carry a 3-year warranty, but some now are warrantied for 5 years.
Simple Payback – In a 52 socket broiler house, you should expect to save about $1,000-$1,500 per year on your power bill converting from incandescent bulbs to LEDs, depending on your lighting program and usage and your local power rate. The purchase cost could range from less than $800 to more than $2,000, with basically the same lighting level and performance results. Therefore, the simple break-even payback could range from two or three flocks to longer than two years. If a rebate/incentive program is available, payback time could be shortened even more.
Broiler House Lighting Layouts
In general, we have found that using LED dimmable grow lights (500 lumens) with spiral CFL brood lights of sufficient lumen output needed to achieve the company’s specific minimum footcandle (fc) requirement, typically as measured along feeder lines, is the most cost-effective approach for broiler lighting in dropped ceiling houses Most companies recommend or require a minimum average of 3-5 fc along the feeders during brood, with progressive dimming to 0.25 fc or lower at the end of flock, depending on the flock’s target weight (big birds typically finish at very dim levels (< 0.05 fc). Here are a few example lighting layouts that have been quite successful: a. 40’ wide, dropped ceiling, two grow lines 20’ OC over feeders with center brood line in brood chamber. These houses typically will use 6 to 8-watt dimmable A19 shaped LED grow lights and 55-watt spiral CFL brood lights. This layout will provide 3+ fc along feeders; however, much higher fc readings will be found in the middle of the house. b. 40’ wide, dropped ceiling, two grow lines 20’ OC with alternating brood lines over feeders in brood chamber. These houses typically will use 6 to 8-watt dimmable A19 shaped LED grow lights and 23 to 26watt or 40 to 42-watt spiral CFL brood lights. This layout concentrates lighting over the feeders in brood better than a. above.
c. 40’ wide, dropped ceiling, two grow lines 20’ OC over feeders with socket splitter and no center brood line in brood chamber. These houses typically will use 6 to 8 watt dimmable A19 shaped LED grow lights and 23 to 26-watt or 40 to 42-watt spiral CFL brood lights per splitter in the brood area, and 6 to 8watt LED only in the off-brood area. This layout concentrates lighting over the feeders in brood nearly as well as b. above. d. 50-54’ wide, dropped ceiling, three to four grow lines 16 to 20’ OC with alternating brood lines over feeders in brood chamber. These houses typically will use 6 to 8-watt A19 shaped dimmable LED grow lights and 23 to 26-watt or 40 to 42-watt spiral CFL brood lights.
e. 60-66’ wide, dropped ceiling, three to four grow lines 16’ OC with alternating brood lines over feeders in brood chamber. These houses typically will use 6 to 8-watt A19 shaped dimmable LED grow lights and 23 to 26-watt or 40 to 42-watt spiral CFL brood lights.
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Open Truss Houses – Similar layouts to dropped ceiling houses, but with higher output LED grow lights (700-900 lumen, either A19, PAR, or hybrid shape) and spiral CFL brood bulbs to account for decreased floor fc levels due to increased mounting heights of several feet. A reflector device on spiral CFL brood bulbs helps direct all brood light toward the floor.
Bottom Line We at the NPTC invite you to shop for LEDs wisely. Before you commit to one brand of LED, think about what you are trying to accomplish, namely raising the best broiler possible while at the same time minimizing your ownership cost and utility bills. Don’t be swayed
by various marketing and sales claims. Consider what you are trying to accomplish, what you need, and then spend time looking. Ask questions and compare as much as possible. Talk to other growers and live production people who have experience with multiple LED brands. Require honesty, and if you don’t sense that you get it, walk away and keep looking. Carefully consider the purchase or ownership cost, operational cost, and warranty, and explore rebate and incentive programs that might be available in your area. Don’t expect performance improvements – they are, of course, tied to many more factors than just lighting. Explore and weigh all your options and then make a smart business decision.
Teresa Bates Passes Away
Former Ala. First Lady Patsy Riley greets Teresa Bates at the annual turkey pardoning ceremony at the governor’s mansion in 2009. Her daughter, Becky Sloane, stands with her.
We are grieved to learn of the passing of Teresa Bates. She outlived her husband of 67 years, Bill Bates, by less than six months. The two married in 1946, and she claimed that two days after the wedding Bill put her to work killing turkeys. When I first met her for a profile on Bill, she was at their restaurant, Bates’ House of Turkey, in Greenville. She told me how to spell her name, saying, “I’m not one of those Theresas, I’m just plain Teresa.” She died on Sunday, Feb. 16, and
funeral services were held four days later at Little Sandy Ridge Presbyterian Church. She was buried in the church cemetery. Survivors include two daughters, Jane Bates Dent (William H.) and Rebecca Bates Sloane (Paul) both of Logan, Ala; three sons, W. C. “Pete” Bates, III (Wanda) of Sandy Ridge, Ala., John Carlton Bates (Malinda), and Thomas LaHugh Bates (Mary) all of Logan, Ala.; 15 grandchildren; 12 greatgrandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
ADVERTISING INDEX
AP&EA “Big Bass” Fishing Tournament Friday, May 9, 2014 – Lake Guntersville, Guntersville, Ala.
AP&EA Golf Tournament
Alabama Ag / Alabama Farm Credit pg.
7
American Proteins
pg. 31
Aviagen
pg. 21
Dreisilker Electic Motors
pg.
Ecodrum
pg. 18
First South Farm Credit
pg.
Jones-Hamilton PLT
pg. 27
Lee Energy Solutions
pg.
Randy Jones Ins. Agency
pg. 32
Southwest Agri-Plastics
pg. 11
Thompson Tractor
pg. 19
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January / February 2014
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Friday, June 6, 2014 – Limestone Springs Golf Course
AP&EA “Evening of Fun” Saturday, June 7, 2014 Grower Seminar, Medical Forum Auditorium Program and Concert, BJCC Complex Dance, Sheraton Ballroom County Association Meetings: Randolph County Poultry & Egg Association Tuesday, March 25, 2014, 6:30 p.m. Lakeside Marina, Wedowee Cullman County Poultry & Egg Association Saturday, April 12, 2014 Registration – 5:00 p.m., Dinner – 6:00 p.m. Cullman Civic Center, Cullman Southeast Alabama Poultry & Egg Association Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 7:00 p.m. Old Louisville School, Louisville
Alabama Poultry Magazine