Alabama Poultry, May/June 2011

AP&EA P.O. 240 Montgomery, AL 36101 Address Service Requested

MAY/JUNE 2011 – Vol. 7 No. 3

Board of Directors Officers John Pittard, President, Guntersville* Spence Jarnagin, Vice President, Huntsville* Johnny Adcock, Tresurer, Woodland* Randall Ennis, Secretary, Huntsville* Fred Cespedes, Immediate Past President, Hanceville* Directors Ronnie Adrian, Collinsville George Attwood, Anniston Roger Chappell, Cullman Cory Early, Decatur Tim Esslinger, Eufaula* Dale Gambrill, Snead* Billy Gilley, Cullman Harold Hunt, Gadsden Heath Loyd, Boaz David Massey, Montgomery Dennis Maze, Horton Todd McMahen, Dothan Dr. Shannon Morgan, Birmingham John Pastrana Russellville Mitchell Pate, Auburn John Roberts, Cullman Kenneth Sanders, Brundidge Roddy Sanders, Gordo Jason Shell, Gadsden Jack Sherwood, Troy Jason Spann, Guntersville Ken Taylor, Anniston Ben Thompson, Huntsville David Thompson, Ashland Stanley Usery, Athens Ricky Walker, Snead Craig Williams, Enterprise Advisors Dr. Don Conner, Auburn University James Donald, Auburn University Dr. Joe Hess, Auburn University Jacob Davis, Montgomery Dr. Tony Frazier, Montgomery Perry Oakes, Auburn *Executive Committee Members

AP&EA STAFF Johnny Adams – Executive Director Wanda H. Linker – Administrative Director Ray Hilburn - Membership 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 Send editorial and advertising correspondence to: Alabama Poultry Editor P.O. Box 240 Montgomery, AL 36101 Advertising rates and closing dates available upon request.

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.

www.alabamapoultry.org

MES S AG E

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

We will never forget the tornados of April 27, 2011, that impacted the lives of many within the Alabama poultry industry. We had well over two hundred poultry houses destroyed by the storms, with many more severely damaged. And, even more tragically, we lost a promising young grower and his wife. They leave behind a 6-year-old daughter.

Several of our allied members also lost personnel.

In spite of this devastation, the industry remains strong and viable. Even more importantly, we have learned an important lesson about ourselves. That lesson is that we care for each other and are willing to lend a helping hand.

Your response to our Alabama Poultry Grower 2011 Tornado Relief Fund has been heartwarming. Contributions have come in from other growers, processors, allied companies and just regular folks wanting to help out. To date, we have raised more than $76,000. Let me assure you, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

We have already been able to distribute some funds to affected growers (you can also read about them in the magazine). These funds are just a portion of the amount collected, but we wanted to get some early help to those in need.

It was encouraging to see the turnout for this year’s AP&EA “Evening of Fun.” While Rodney Atkins was the featured performer, the kids of the Enterprise High School FFA String Band gave him a worthy act to follow. Remember, it was just a few years ago that a tornado hit their school killing a number of their classmates.

And, congratulations to Craig and Denise Grant for being named 2011 Alabama Poultry’s Farm Family of the Year. They are an outstanding example of the very best of the best in our industry.

On a sad and happy note, we say goodbye to former Association President Roger Chappel of First South Farm Credit. Roger is leaving Alabama to take over as CEO of First South Farm Credit in Mississippi. Of course, it is a welldeserved promotion for him – but the Association will miss him and his wise counsel. Thanks, Roger, for all of your years of service!

featuring

THIS ISSUE

Governmental Affairs Association News Our Poultry Family God is Always There – the Hallmark Family “Evening of Fun” Alabama Poultry Family of 2011 – the Grants Recipes Membership News Practical Applications Calendar of Events

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May / June 2011

pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg.

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governmental affairs

House Spending Measure Puts ‘GIPSA Rule’ on Hold Agriculture Funding Bill Stops Development of Final Regulation Richard Lobb, National Chicken Council

WASHINGTON, June 16, 2011 – Livestock and poultry organizations today praised House lawmakers for approving an agriculture funding bill that prevents the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from finalizing its proposed regulation on livestock and poultry marketing contracts.

The House voted 217-203 to pass legislation that funds USDA, the Food and Drug Administration and related agencies for fiscal 2012, which begins Oct. 1, but denies money for USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) to promulgate the livestock and poultry marketing regulation.

Known as the GIPSA rule, the regulation was prompted by the 2008 Farm Bill. But, as 147 House members recently pointed out in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the proposed rule goes well beyond the intent of Congress and includes provisions specifically rejected during debate on the Farm Bill. Lawmakers also criticized USDA’s failure to conduct an indepth economic impact study of the proposal before it was published.

The livestock and poultry groups expressed strong support for the House action: “We commend the House for voting to rein in USDA’s GIPSA, which went far beyond its mandate from Congress in developing a rule on production and marketing of livestock and poultry,” said Mike Brown, president of the National Chicken Council. “We have consistently urged USDA to go back to the drawing board and produce a rule

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May / June 2011

that responds to its instructions from Congress rather than trying to destroy the existing system as the proposed rule does. Now we hope that the U.S. Senate will see the wisdom in the House action and follow suit.”

“The National Pork Producers Council is grateful that the House is requiring USDA to take a timeout on the GIPSA rule, which as proposed is bad for farmers and ranchers, bad for consumers and bad for rural America,” said NPPC President Doug Wolf. “And contrary to the proclamations from some general farm groups, the vast majority of livestock and poultry producers strongly oppose this regulation, which would cost them millions of dollars and lead to thousands of lost jobs.”

“At a time when cattlemen are wondering why the federal government seems determined to put them out of business, it is encouraging to see the U.S. House of Representatives push back on government overreach into the private marketplace,” National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Bill Donald said. “If this rule is implemented, family farmers and ranchers have the most to lose with consumers riding shotgun. This rule will kill jobs and consumer choice and will depopulate rural America. Jobs on the ranch will be lost and trial lawyers will be the only ones to reap rewards. The Senate needs to follow suit by stopping funding for this rule.”

“The National Turkey Federation is very pleased with today’s action by the House. After careful examination, our processor and grower members concluded the proposed GIPSA marketing rule will result in job losses and negatively

Alabama Poultry Magazine

impact turkey farmers in a variety of ways, including limiting their ability to enter into certain production and marketing agreements,” said NTF President Joel Brandenberger. “The more than 1,000 family farmers who raise turkeys in this country rely on production and marketing contracts to make a living. If the final rule were implemented, it could result in a fundamental change in the way turkeys are raised in this country, a change that may not benefit farmers.

This rule is so flawed it can’t be fixed, and Congress is right to try and scrap it, insisting that GIPSA go back to the specific provisions agreed to in the 2008 Farm Bill.”

Said American Meat Institute President J. Patrick Boyle: “We appreciate the House of Representatives’ recognition that the proposed GIPSA rule is a costly and misguided regulation that ignores its congressional mandate and court rulings from across the land. We hope that the Senate will take the same action so that USDA will do what it appears reluctant to do: write a rule that is consistent with congressional intent and that will not force meat and poultry companies and livestock producers across the country to dismantle the model that has made our U.S. meat and poultry production system competitive and the envy of the world.”

“Congress is exactly right to ask that USDA give its proposed rule a reassessment,” said National Meat Association CEO Barry Carpenter.

“The negative consequences of not doing so will have an enormous economic impact on the industry and be felt disproportionately by innovative, independent operators who rely Continued on pg. 30

associationnews

I guess that we as human beings will never understand why tragedies happen to us and around us. With my career in the poultry industry, I have experienced many tornados, hurricanes, floods, snow storms, fires, and disease outbreaks, but I have never seen the widespread devastation that I have witnessed this year with the violent storms of April 27. Even though everything was not perfect, I was amazed at how our industry kept operating through this disaster and how willing everyone was to help each other get through this ordeal. You really didn’t have to ask people to help, they were volunteering their time, employees, facilities, and equipment constantly.

I have been amazed at how our poultry companies, allied industry, other poultry growers, and friends have rallied to help the affected growers since we established the Alabama Poultry Growers 2011 Tornado Relief Fund here at AP&EA. You have helped raise more than $125,000 for the poultry growers’ families. I have never felt so good about our industry as I did on June 21, as Johnny, John Pittard, and I went across north Alabama to pass out the first of the checks to the many deserving families that suffered such heartache and destruction.

Even though they still have many obstacles in their way, they were so resilient and looking forward to getting their lives back to some type of normalcy and getting back to the daily routine of the poultry business.

Just as our 2011 Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year, the Grants, have experienced tragedy in their personal lives, as you read about them elsewhere in this magazine, these growers will survive and prosper again. Your success in the poultry business as in most businesses depends on your attitude especially during hard times, and the Grants and the growers we visited on June 21 are great examples of this. It was less than two years ago that the Grants’ integrator had a mycoplasma break in a couple of breeder flocks and the Grants had received some of the offspring of these flocks before they could be medicated. They were losing thousands of chickens but instead of being mad and resentful and having a bad attitude and giving up, they

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May / June 2011

asked what they could do, or spend to help the company and them from losing any more birds. Even though they probably didn’t make much money on that flock if any, it just amazed me at how hard they, along with the company, worked together to prevent this situation from being any worse. Their attitude was that this was just a part of doing business, it is not perfect.

My good friends, Dorman and Susan Grace, handled the devastation of the storm much the same. After having already lost houses to fire and snow, they lost two more from the storms of April 27. Did they give up and wonder why is this happening to us again? No, they told their integrator to take care of the rest of the affected growers, which were numerous in that area, and that they would take care of getting the 3-week-old chickens caught and dispersed as needed. They along with one of their sons, Jud, and a bunch of their friends and neighbors worked night and day even though they were without electricity and had some damage to their personal home to get their chickens taken care of and the farm as much as possible back to normal. Are they feeling sorry for themselves? No, in fact when I asked them about applying for the Tornado Relief Fund, they said no thank you, they only had minimal damage compared to others so give the money to the other growers.

They like many of the others just want to get back to what they love to do, taking care of their chickens.

I knew I was doing the right thing when I came to work for you at AP&EA. I just had the feeling that I could help in some way and pay a little back to the industry that has been so good to me and to my family.

As usual as I have seen on all the mission trips I have been on, instead of doing the blessing, I am receiving the blessings. I have never been so proud to be in the poultry business as I am right now, even though economic times for the growers or companies are not very good presently. We have really come together as a family and we are all working together to help the rest of our family that needs our support. Thanks to my poultry family for being there when we need you. God Bless.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

NRCS Receives Disaster Recovery Funds to Assist Producers AUBURN June 28, 2011 – The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has made available $3.8 million in financial assistance through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to assist producers recovering from the tornadoes that ravaged Alabama during April and May of this year. Applications are being accepted on a continuous basis, however, NRCS establishes “cut-off” or submission deadline dates for evaluation and ranking of eligible applications. The first submission date was on July 8, 2011.

“Alabama was pleased to receive this much-needed financial assistance,” said State Conservationist Dr. William Puckett. “These funds will help producers recover from agricultural losses from the recent tornadoes.”

Financial assistance will be pro-

vided for practices that were destroyed or damaged due to the tornadoes: Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan CAP’s, Waste Storage Facility, Animal Mortality Facility, Composting Facility, Critical Area Planting, Fence, Grade Stabilization Structure, Grassed Waterway, Irrigation Water Management, Land Smoothing, Land Clearing, Access Control, Mulching, Pasture and Hayland Planting, Pipeline, Pumping Plant for Water Control, Heavy Use Area Protection, Stream Crossing, Terraces, Watering Facility, Livestock Shade Structure, Temporary Waste Field Storage, and Seasonal High Tunnel House.

Eligible counties include: Autauga, Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Chambers, Cherokee, Chilton, Choctaw, Colbert, Covington, Cullman, DeKalb, Elmore, Escambia, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin, Greene,

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Hale, Jackson, Jefferson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marengo, Marion, Marshall, Monroe, Morgan, Perry, Pickens, St. Clair, Sumter, Tallapoosa, Talladega, Tuscaloosa, Walker, Winston, and Washington.

EQIP offers financial and technical assistance to install structural and management practices on eligible non-federal lands to address natural resource concerns.

Conservation treatment activities for EQIP are carried out in accordance with a conservation plan that is developed with the landowner or manager.

Interested landowners can contact their local NRCS office listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture or online at http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov. General program information is available on the Alabama NRCS website at www.al.nrcs.usda.gov/programs.

May / June 2011

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Of the nine people in the bathroom of the Hallmark’s home, only four, Putnam, Buckanan, one of the twins, Julie Ann, and Ari, survived.

Ari’s guardian, Susan Garmany, her maternal grandmother says, “Ari remembers everything. She even remembers seeing her dog running as it was flying through the air.” Mrs. Garmany adds, “She never lost consciousness. In fact, she somehow knew that her parents were In happier times, Shane introduces 2-year-old Ari to the poultry business, as Jennifer looks on. dead long before any© Mitchell Photography one told her.”

She suffered a It was Wednesday, April 27, 2011. Shane Hallmark broken wrist, broken collarbone and numerous cuts and knew that tornados were predicted for his area, and abrasions. Her wounds required 18 staples and 66 standing on the front porch of his new home in the Ruth stitches in her back. community outside Arab he saw the storm approaching Two months later and her physical injuries have where his parents lived. Fearful for their safety, he healed to the point where her pediatrician has give her loaded his wife, Jennifer, and 6-year-old daughter, Ari- the go ahead to take gymnastics in the fall. Like many anna, known as Ari, in his truck to go and get his parents 6-year-old girls, she loves to play dress-up and with her and bring them back to the safety of his home.

Barbie dolls. A kind stranger, a dog breeder from TenWhen they got to the elder Hallmark’s residence, nessee heard about her and has given her a Miniature they realized that they were too late – the storm was on Schnauzer puppy named Chloe. them. They all crowded into the home’s bathroom. Nine On Thursday night, May 12, wearing her mother’s souls huddled together in that bathroom. Shane, Jennifer modified cap and gown, she accepted Jennifer’s diploma and Ari; along with Shane’s parents, Phillip and Ann from Snead State Community College where she was Hallmark; Shane’s cousin, Jordan Putnam, and family scheduled to graduate at the top of her class with an asfriend, Harold Buckanan; and Shane’s brother Ricky’s sociate’s degree in applied science for registered nurs18-month-old twins, Jayden and Julie, who were staying ing. Earlier in the week, Ari had walked proudly across with his parents. Shane was holding Ari in his arms, as the Snead stage to accept her mother’s Florence they waited and prayed.

Nightingale pin at the Snead nursing graduation.

Half an hour later, a neighbor, Kenny Casey, emergAs significant as her physical healing has been, the ing from his storm shelter to survey the tornado dam- emotional wounds are very deep. Her grandmother, who ages, heard a child crying and came to investigate. He lost her husband six years ago, takes her for therapy sevfound Ari more than 200 yards from what had been the eral times a week. Understandably, thunderstorms terHallmarks’ home which had taken a direct hit from the rify her and she has periods of deep melancholy with F-4 tornado. She was badly injured, but alive. Downed difficulty sleeping. But, she has made remarkable trees and debris prevented rescue vehicles from reaching progress and her counselors are optimistic that she will the scene, so he carried her in his arms over a mile to adjust and cope. Still, there is a long road ahead. get help.

Her parents, especially her mother, did much to pre-

God is Always There

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May / June 2011

Alabama Poultry Magazine

pare her for the hard times in life. The family’s deep Christian faith is a sustaining factor in her young life, the roots of it can be seen in Jennifer’s poetry. They were faithful members of Mountain View Baptist Church in Union Grove, where the Garmany family has been members for many years.

Shane and Jennifer had been married for nearly nine years. They met at Walker’s Building Supply, where Shane worked with her brother, Josh Garmany. A couple of years later, Josh and his father, Mike, along with Shane partnered in buying six broiler houses in Union Grove. Shane continued working at the building supply, but also worked at the poultry farm. When Mike died in 2005, Shane came to work full time on the farm with Josh, growing for Pilgrim’s Pride. Last year they moved to Wayne Farms of Decatur.

Wayne service technician, Will Sims, remembers that the farm was always well run. “It was always a place,” he says, “that you weren’t afraid to take people.”

He adds, “When you came to the farm, Shane was friendly, but all business. If he was working, you had to follow him around if you wanted to talk to him.”

Jennifer had worked in retail since graduating from high school. When Ari was born in 2004, she became a stay-at-home mom. But, when Ari entered pre-kindergarten she enrolled in Snead State to pursue a newly discovered desire to work as a nurse in a nursing home,

caring for the elderly. According to her older brother, Jason Garmany, she was also considering getting a degree in business later on so that she could actually run a nursing home.

The poultry farm prospered, but Shane wanted to live closer to his parents in the Ruth community. Eight months ago they sold their home in Union Grove and started construction of a new house in Ruth, living in a mobile home in his parents’ backyard. They had moved into their new home just 10 days before the tornado hit.

That house was undamaged.

Shane and Jennifer will be remembered as a loving and hardworking couple. They will be missed by all who knew them. “We know they are with the Lord,” Jason says, “and we know that we will see them again.

If it wasn’t for knowing that, I don’t know how we would cope with this.”

It is a confidence that Ari and her grandmother share, as well. In fact, as she lay on the ground after the tornado, Ari remembers a vision in which she saw an angel leading her family up a golden staircase.

A scholarship fund for Ari has been started at Mertchants Bank in Arab. Contributions can be made to the Ari Hallmark Scholarship Fund at any Merchants Bank, or mailed to: Merchants Bank 1096 N. Brindlee Mtn. Parkway Arab, AL 35016

God is Always There

By Jennifer Garmany Hallmark

Life sometimes fails to meet your needs It’s during these times God plants a seed A lot of bad things happen during our lives It’s during these times God arrives It’s not always gonna go the way you planned it out But God is always working even through your many doubts So many times you’re lonely, you wonder why He’s gone When really he’s there beside you, you never were alone So remember when things aren’t perfect God is always there No matter what the problem is He will always care.

Susan Garmany with Ari and Chloe.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

May / June 2011

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Alabama Poultry & Egg Association 2011 GROWER EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS

What We Learned From The April 27 Tornados And The Aftermath TOPICS AND SPEAKERS: What is the NPTC? Jim Donald National Poultry Technology Center

Structural & Insurance Considerations Dennis Brothers National Poultry Technology Center

Generator & Electrical Maintenance Issues Jess Campbell National Poultry Technology Center

Winter Fuel & Electricity Saving Technologies Gene Simpson National Poultry Technology Center

Poultry Regulatory Update and Emergency Response Dr. Tony Frazier and Dr. Terry Slaten Alabama Dept. of Agriculture & Industries Two Hours of Continuing Education Credit will be awarded Lunch or Dinner served at all meetings Tuesday, October 11, 2011 11:30 a.m.

Cullman Civic Center Cullman 6:oo p.m.

Snead State Cafeteria Boaz

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May / June 2011

Thursday, October 13, 2011 11:30 a.m.

Tom Harbin Ag Center Luverne 6:oo p.m. New Brockton Farm Center New Brockton

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Stanley Morris and his trophies

The winning team: David Gray and Stanley Morris

(Above) Stanley Morris displays his winning catch before releasing it into the lake.

In the classic epic poem “The Odyssey,” the poet Homer referred to “rosy fingered dawn” moving across the morning sky. Standing on the shores of Lake Guntersville at 5:30 a.m. on May 13, 2011, one might have been so poetically moved, as our modern argonauts moved off in pursuit of big honking bass. But, don’t forget the old proverb “Red sky at morning, sailors take warning.”

All around the lake there were signs of the recent tornado. The once beautiful Lake Guntersville State Park was a shambles of downed pines.

Second Place: Larry Hollingsworth By 11:00 a.m., the ancient proverb had proven prophetic, as the placid and Dave Frogue day had turned adventurous. Clouds began to build to the south and west and the distinct rumble of thunder could be heard. By 11:30, the first jagged bolts of lightning were seen, as the rain, which had already begun, grew heavier.

It wasn’t long before the roar of outboard engines could be heard. Our 39 boats of intrepid fishermen were, like Homer’s hero, Odysseus, heading for shelter, and they weren’t wasting any time doing it.

When the fish were weighed and the tallies were tabulated the Big Bass trophy went to Stanley Morris with a whopper weighing in at 5.74 lbs., he was also on the winning team with David Gray. They hauled in 24.5 lbs. of Third Place: Ricky Knott and John fish. Second place went to the team of Larry Hollingsworth and Dave Willoughby Frogue, with third place going to Ricky Knott and John Willoughby.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

May / June 2011

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LIMESTONE SPRINGS – It doesn’t take but one look to see why this golf course has won awards. It is truly beautiful, with elegant approaches and well placed greens. Even the heat of summer couldn’t spoil the day for our poultry pros.

There were high-jinks that would make the Three Stooges shake their collective heads plus there were enough tough water hazards to make some think that it was a fishing tournament instead of golf. But, there was still some great golf.

And the winners were: 1st Mike Putnam Brandon Cassady Randy Young Jeff Borrelli 2nd Wes Cumbie John Pittard Dale Carroll Mike Walker 3rd

Southwestern Sales Gift Card Winner Jeramie Martin

Donnie Bullard Mark Gaines Billy Yarbrough Mike Bobo

1st Place

Closest to the Pins: John Pittard Aaron Branch Bill Ingram Bill Ingram

2nd Place

Closest to the Pins 12

3rd Place

After the tournament, the spacious Limestone Springs Golf Course Clubhouse was the place to be. The poultry pros enjoyed some cool refreshment and some great barbecue as they shared tales of the putt that was so very close, or confessed to the number of balls they sacrificed to the gods of the water hazards.

It was a wonderful time, especially knowing that the tournament proceeds went to help the Alabama Poultry Growers 2011 Tornado Relief Fun. That made losing all of those balls a little easier to take.

VIP Sponsors PLATINUM American Proteins, Inc. First South Farm Credit

ChemStation of Alabama GSM Steel & Mechanical Contractors Liberty National Life Insurance

D & F Equipment Sales, Inc. International Paper

GOLD AlaTrade Foods, LLC Hubbard LLC Marel Stork Poultry Processing

Aviagen Inc. Cobb-Vantress, Inc. Intervet/Schering Plough K Supply Company, Inc. Pfizer Animal Health Sand Mountain Electric Cooperative

SILVER Advanced Poultry Equipment & Supply, Inc. Alabama Ag Credit, FLCA Alabama Farm Credit, ACA Alabama Power Alltech Burch Corporation CEVA Biomune Company Cintas Corporation Elanco Animal Health Evonik-Degussa Franklin Industries, Inc. Ivesco, LLC Jones-Hamilton Company Merial Select The Vincit Company Walco International Inc. 2011 HOLE SPONSORS AlaTrade Foods, LLC Alltech American Proteins, Inc. Aviagen Inc. Burch Corporation.

CEVA Biomune. Cobb-Vantress Cumberland/Hired-Hand D & F Equipment.

Elanco Animal Health Fabco Equipment Co. First South Farm Credit NA Fitco/ADF GSM Steel & Mechanical Contractors Hubbard LLC Kemin Agri Foods Keystone Foods LLC L. B. White – Casey Jones Lee Energy Solutions Liberty National Life Insurance Marel Stork Poultry Processing Meyn Poultry Processing Novus Pfizer Animal Health Pilgrim’s Pride, Guntersville Reeves Supply Company - 2 Tip Top Poultry, Inc.

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evening of fun

Prior to the 2011 “Evening of Fun” concert, growers met in the Sheraton Hotel meeting room. Association Executive Director Johnny Adams welcomed everyoneand introduced Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner John McMillan spoke briefly on the budgetary developments at the department and assured the growers that Ag and Industries would do all possible to assist them.

Ken Taylor, Billy Gilley and Kenneth Sanders were elected to serve once again as grower directors on the Association board.

Association President John Pittard introduced the new Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year, Craig and Denise Grant of Butler County. Accompanying the Grants were their son, Casey, and his wife, Emily.

Grower Committee chairman, Johnny Adcock introduced the seminar speakers, Dr. Joel Cline, Director of the state diagnostic lab in Elba, and

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May / June 2011

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Greg Graham Vice-President 2201G Gault Avenue North Fort Payne, AL 35967 877-245-4271

Mr. Bruce McMurtrey, microbiologist at the state diagnostic lab in Boaz.

The topics for the grower meeting were vaccinal laryngotracheitis(VLT) and ornithobacterium rhinotracheale(ORT). Both of these diseases have been diagnosed in north and south Alabama. They discussed the differences they have noticed this year between LT cases and in previous years. They also talked the differences between south Alabama and north Alabama ORT cases.

After the discussions door prizes were passed out by Association Membership Director Ray Hilburn, with some help from a young friend. Ray also urged growers to sign the CAFO credit sheet.

With the excitement growing, seminar participants were invited to a picnic supper in the adjoining room prior to the concert.

The fun was about to begin!

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May / June 2011

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The tornados of April were just an afterthought when the Alabama poultry family got together for the 2011 edition of the “Evening of Fun.” The time was right to get serious and have some home-cooked fun.

When the gates of the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex opened at 7:00 p.m., folks entering the venue early were treated to the incredible sounds of the dynamic Enterprise High School FFA String Band.

What more could you ask for, beautiful girls and handsome guys making some great music. Four years ago, these kids endured a tornado that destroyed their school and killed a number of their classmates. What talented and courageous kids!

From Taylor Swift to Aretha Franklin, the band moved flawlessly from modern country to rhythm and blues, as well as classic country and bluegrass instrumentals including “Ghost Riders in the Sky.” Lead singer, Becky Almquist, showed her incredible versatility by singing the National Anthem acappella.

AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams welcomed everyone and introduced Association President John Pittard, who then introduced the AP&EA Executive Committee. He also introduced Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner John McMillan.

A real highlight of the evening came with the introduction of the Alabama Poultry Farm Family of the Year, the Grants of Ft. Deposit. Craig and Denise Grant, along with their youngest son, Casey, came onstage to

In a drawing for two 46” TVs, Keith Reynolds (left) of Ashville and Angie Colvin (right) of Fort Payne were the lucky winners.

a warm and well deserved welcome.

Rodney Atkins hit the stage amid a flurry of dazzling lights as kids and adults alike rushed the stage.

They were ready for a show, and that’s just what they got.

The guitar work was fast and furious and the rhythm pounding in the familiar “rockabilly” style. Baseball cap firmly in place, Atkins sang many of the songs from his recent album It’s America, including “Tell a Country Boy,” “Chasin Girls,” “The River Just Knows,” and the fist-pumping, “It’s America.” He also sang his hit single “The Farmer’s Daughter” as well as the humorous “Friends With Tractors.”

Atkins connected with his audience with his down home style and delivery. Kneeling often onstage to get close to his fans, once tossing the microphone into the crowd for an impromptu sing along.

During one song, he spied a young girl with a broken arm close to the stage. Lifting her into his arms, he serenaded her through the rest of the song.

This was truly an “Evening of Fun” to remember for a long time. If you were there, I know that you will agree. If you weren’t ... well you should have been. Start making plans for next year – that’s when the fun begins!

Alabama Poultry Farm Family of 2011 The Grants of Butler County

After a great concert, expectations were high for even more fun to the evening as the poultry revelers crossed the street and entered the Sheraton Ballroom. Their expectations were in capable hands, as the Heather Hayes Experience turned into an up close and personal hands-on experience.

Heather Hayes, daughter of R and B legend Isaac Hayes, proved that she is a dynamite entertainer in her own right. Either on-stage or off she encouraged audience participation, and boy did she get it as she sang and danced with the enthusiasm of a cheerleader. Her vocals ranged from smokey and sensual to full throttle rock as her accompaniment provided superb musicianship and flare. It was truly an experience, not to be missed.

Aren’t you glad you came?Dance

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The Grants of Butler County – 2011 Alabama Poultry Farm Family

The Grants – Left to right, Casey and his wife, Emily, who is expecting in October; Craig and Denise; Chad and Heather with their daughter, Abigail. Everyone is smiling because the chimney swifts in the Grants’ chimney were entertaining us all. Denise says that one summer they’re going to cap the chimney, but the little birds are just too cheerful.

Craig Grant says that he wanted to build poultry houses when he was just 23-years-old. He saw that the Alabama poultry industry was growing tremendously.

But, the Butler County native had a new wife, a growing family and a good job as a machinist with Kershaw Manufacturing, a railway maintenance equipment manufacturer in Montgomery. The timing just wasn’t right.

It wasn’t until 1999 that the Grants built their first six 40’ x 500’ houses, adding two more in 2001 on 40 acres of family land. In 2004, they helped their youngest son, Casey, get into the business, and he built four 40’ x 500’ houses.

Their oldest son, Chad, had graduated from college and taken a job in Ft. Walton, Fla. After a year, he decided that he wanted to come home and get into the family business. In 2009, they bought an additional 40 acres of adjoining property and built four of the new 66’ x

600’ houses for Chad to manage. Seeing the new houses, Casey decided to build two of them on his farm.

The Grants grow for Koch Foods of Montgomery.

They grow both large and small birds. In total, the Grants have 18 broiler houses, with 477,600 square feet under roof. They raise approximately 3.4 million birds a year on their three farms. They are consistently in the top five percent of producers for Koch.

Craig and Denise met at church. He was 15 and she was 14. There was an immediate and mutual attraction.

He had been born and raised in the area. She was an Air Force brat and had been born in Michigan. Her family had just moved two years before from New Mexico, where her father, who was retired from the Air Force, had been employed with Boeing Aerospace.

One of their first summers in Alabama, Denise’s dad, who insisted that his children work, rented a neigh-

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When not in the poultry houses, the Grants love their garden and like to share the bounty with others.

bor’s chicken house for Denise and her older brother to work. She was 12 and her brother was 13. Each morning they would ride their bikes to the neighbor’s and feed and water the chickens and work in the house. They did the same thing in the afternoon. By the end of the summer when the chickens were sold, they made $650. Half of it went to the neighbor and they split the rest. The next summer, they did the same thing.

Craig and Denise married in 1979. In 1982, their first son, Chad, was born. Casey was born in 1985.

In the early 1990s, Craig and Denise had made the decision to start the process of getting into the poultry business. Denise owned a small antique and art gallery in Greenville at the time, but with the boys getting older, she believed they were ready take on the responsibility of day-to-day running of the poultry houses. The boys would be great helpers.

In 1989, the couple’s daughter, Chelsea, had been born. Doctors had discovered that she had a heart defect.

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Craig and Denise didn’t know if they would even be able to bring her home from the hospital.

For the next six months, they lived in Birmingham, as Chelsea underwent treatment and a series of surgeries to repair the heart defect.

Eventually they were able to bring her home. There, like any newborn, she needed almost constant care, but the care was ongoing as she struggled to live. Denise became a full-time caregiver. Dreams of a poultry farm were put on hold, while the health benefits from Craig’s job at Kershaw became even more critical.

The same year, while working at Kershaw, a fellow worker began preaching the gospel and sharing Bible passages with Craig during breaks. Craig had grown up with a Methodist background and he began to listen to what his friend was sharing. Craig obeyed the gospel and they began attending a small Church of Christ in Honoraville. He began to read the Bible and really grow in the faith.

A year later, his pastor asked him to fill the pulpit for him the next Sunday. Craig, after many protestations, reluctantly agreed. Since that day, he has been an active gospel preacher and Bible study leader. Today, he preaches the Camellia City Church of Christ in Greenville.

The following years would test the family’s faith and endurance, as Chelsea underwent more and more surgeries, finally passing away in 1999 at the age of 9.

“We are better because of Chelsea,” Denise says, then adds, “the boys are better because of Chelsea.”

“I just don’t know how people without faith in God can get through something like this,“ Denise says.

Today, Denise drives a public school bus for Butler County. Even though the boys are grown, she and Craig depend on her job for the health insurance. However, Denise loves her kids, in fact she just had her first child who started riding with her in the first grade graduate from high school.

She is so popular with her kids that this year they voted her Driver of the Year for Butler County. Two other drivers also received the honor.

When the farm permits, they like to travel. One favorite adventure was a three-week drive west with the boys, Craig’s mother and Denise’s mother in a mini-van.

They drove through the Dakotas, to Yellowstone National Park, then south to the Grand Canyon. Miraculously, when they got home after the marathon trip they were still on speaking terms.

They also have a passion for watching rocket launches. This started by accident on a trip back from

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“We know that all things are from the Lord, He gives us these things.

Everything is His, He can take it any time He wants to.” Craig Grant Orlando. Driving along the Florida coast, they saw a rocket being launched from Cape Canaveral. Since then, they have seen a number of shuttle launches. Craig and the boys have plans to drive to Cape Canaveral to witness the final shuttle launch which, weather permitting, will be while this magazine is going to press.

Chad and Casey are both married, Chad to Heather and Casey to Emily. Both girls are from Prattville and are good friends, even playing golf together. Neither has a rural background, but are adapting to farm life very well.

Chad and Heather have an infant daughter, Abigail, while Casey and Emily are due in October. They all live close by and enjoy each other’s company.

Craig says, “We have enjoyed the poultry business and for us it is a family affair. When people talk to us about getting in the business, we tell them we love it.

Heeding Harold Kilpatrick’s advice, Craig can be found “tweaking and twanging” each day in his poultry houses.

There are not many jobs you can watch your children and grandchildren grow up and get to spend time with them every day as you can on a farm.” He smiles and adds, “Of course, a lot of that time is working, but the good always out-weighs the bad.”

When asked the secret of his success in the poultry business, Craig quotes his banker, Harold Kilpatrick of First South Farm Credit. “Harold says, ‘You’ve always got to be setting and resetting and tweaking and twanging if you want to be a success in the chicken business.”‘ Whether it’s tweaking or twanging or setting and resetting the Alabama poultry industry is honored to have such a fine family representing it as Alabama Poultry Farm Family of 2011. They truly represent the finest, both in terms of production and, more importantly, in terms of excellence of character.

Congratulations to the Grant family on a job well done!

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recipes

Poached Eggs over Veggie Rice What can be better in the summer than fresh vegetables, served over rice with a poached egg! With longer days looming and busy school activity schedules, you can substitute frozen vegetables for fresh and still have a meal that is easy to prepare and quick to the table. The poached egg provides a natural, tasty topping for the rice and vegetables, as well as high-quality protein.

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 8 to 10 minutes Makes: 4 servings

WHAT YOU NEED 2 tsp. vegetable oil 2 cups mixed vegetables (sliced zucchini, sliced carrots, broccoli florets, bell pepper strips) 2 cups cooked brown or white rice, cooked in low-sodium chicken broth 1-1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese 4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese 1/2 tsp. garlic salt 1/2 tsp. coarse grind black pepper 4 to 8 eggs

HERE’S HOW 1. HEAT oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. ADD vegetables; cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. STIR IN rice, Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, garlic salt and pepper; heat through. Keep warm.

2. HEAT 2 to 3 inches of water in large saucepan to boiling. ADJUST HEAT to keep liquid simmering gently. BREAK eggs, 1 at a time, into custard cup or saucer. Holding dish close to surface, SLIP egg into water. COOK eggs until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not stir. LIFT eggs from water with slotted spoon. DRAIN in spoon or on paper towels. TRIM any rough edges, if desired.

3. SERVE poached eggs over vegetable rice.

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New Orleans Eggs Benedict Everyone looks for quick, tasty meals as the days grow longer and warmer making summer a great time to try this tasty take on poached eggs. Popular in New Orleans and topped with spicy Cajun Hollandaise sauce, this recipe calls for crab meat, tomato sauce and poached eggs. So while this dish not only looks good.

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Makes: 4 to 8 servings

WHAT YOU NEED 8 Eggs, cold 4 English muffins, split, toasted 2 cans (8 oz. each) white lump crab meat, warmed Cajun Hollandaise Sauce: 3 Egg Yolks 1/4 cup water 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 8 pieces 2 tbsp. spicy rémoulade sauce HERE’S HOW 1. HEAT 2 to 3 inches of water in large saucepan or deep skillet to boiling. ADJUST HEAT to keep liquid simmering gently. BREAK eggs, 1 at a time, into custard cup or saucer. Holding dish close to surface, SLIP egg into water. COOK eggs until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not stir. LIFT eggs from water with slotted spoon; drain well.

2. Meanwhile prepare sauce, WHISK egg yolks, water and lemon juice in small saucepan until blended. COOK over very low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles at the edges. STIR IN butter, 1 piece at a time, until butter is melted and until sauce is thickened. REMOVE from heat immediately. STIR in spicy rémoulade sauce.

3. TOP each muffin half with crab meat and 1 egg and drizzle with sauce. SERVE immediately.

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Membership news

Aviagen Opens a New Veterinary Diagnostic and Research Laboratory HUNTSVILLE – Aviagen’s leader- ing the health status of its breeding ship in poultry breeding and its com- stock and products, and its support mitment to meet increasingly of the broiler industry’s efforts to demanding domestic and interna- promote food safety. tional poultry health requirements “The new laboratory will help continued to advance as it opens a Aviagen meet the growing needs of new diagnostic and research labora- its breeding program and production tory in Elkmont, Ala. units,” said Dr. Gregorio Rosales, The new laboratory provides ex- vice president of veterinary services. panded and dedicated areas for an “Aviagen has been a leader in poularray of laboratory work including try genetics, health, and biosecurity bacteriology, serology, molecular di- for over a decade. This laboratory is agnostics, genomics research, and an essential component that will pathological exams. The multimil- allow us to maintain that role in the lion-dollar facility was designed to future and safeguard the supply of meet biosafety level II (BSL-II) breeding stock to our customers in standards and rigorous employee the U.S. and over 45 countries safety criteria. The lab will serve the around the world.” needs of all Aviagen breeding-proAviagen designed the lab with a duction facilities in the U.S. commitment to maintaining strict With office space for five veteri- biosecurity throughout. Access to narians, a microbiologist, and an in- laboratory areas is restricted to lab formation management system personnel only. Bacteriology and administrator, Aviagen’s new labora- pathogical exam rooms have sepatory will initially be staffed by 20 rate ventilation systems to prevent employees. This facility is an author- any cross-contamination. A driveized National Poultry Improvement through window allows company New 15,000-Square-Foot State-of- Plan (NPIP) Laboratory and reflects personnel to drop off samples for the-art Facility with Latest Tech- the company’s dedication to ensur- testing without entering the facility. nologies and Biosafety Level II A virtual tour of the new lab is available online at http://en.aviagen.com/virtual-tour-of-veterinary-lab-in-elkmont-tn/ .

Powell to Head Aviagen’s Health, Biosecurity and Animal Welfare

Dr. Ken Powell

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Aviagen expanded its roster of experienced poultry veterinarians with the addition of Dr. Ken Powell, D.V.M., to Aviagen’s veterinary staff. To help Aviagen meet the growing needs of its customers worldwide, Dr. Powell will be responsible for the health, biosecurity and animal welfare programs at the company’s internal grandparent and great-grandparent operations in Oklahoma. He will also support a variety of research and development projects.

“With the addition of Ken Powell, Aviagen continues to strengthen its team of veterinary professionals as more people throughout the world turn to poultry as an

Alabama Poultry Magazine

affordable and healthy source of dietary protein,” said Dr. Eric Jensen, breeding program veterinarian. “Ken will be an essential part of our team’s efforts to ensure bird health and wellness and to develop industry-leading approaches to ensuring biosecurity. Ken’s primary focus will be on Aviagen GP and GGP operations in Oklahoma.”

Dr. Powell earned his B.S. in Microbiology and D.V.M. degrees from Oklahoma State University. He joins Aviagen with several years of managerial experience in broiler type primary breeding and technical support for different companies in the allied poultry industry.

With the ever increasing demand for poultry farms and land (with or without a house), we are extremely short of farms to cover the demand.

Here are a few of our phone calls and e-mails: Buyer from Tampa, Fla. is looking for a 4 to 6 house broiler farm with a home and acreage Buyer from Nashville, Tenn is looking for a breeder farm Buyer from Tifton, Ga. is looking for large tracts of pasture and timberland Buyer from Dothan, Ala. is looking for a large poultry farm If you are interested in selling your farm give us a call

United Country King Realty 334-566-8053 Troy, Alabama www.troy-al-real-estate.com

Weiss Lake Egg Farm Founder Passes Away CENTRE – Ralph Bradley, a native of Cherokee County and co-founder of Weiss Lake Egg Farm passed away on April 12, 2011.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Rowland Bradley; children Jeff (Judy) Bradley, Michael Bradley and Debbie (Ken) Lowe; stepchildren Jeff (Teresa) Crane and Curtis Crane; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A 1948 Graduate of Cherokee County High School, he earned a business degree from AlversonDraughn Business College. He also served for four years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He started Ralph Bradley Farms

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in 1955 row cropping and raising chickens.

W e i s s Lake Egg Company was started Ralph Bradley in 1971.

Bradley was an avid hunter and fisherman making several trips to Colorado, Idaho, Montana and Canada. He also served 31 years as chairman of the Cherokee County Healthcare Authority.

Memorials may be made to the Davis Chapel Cemetary Fund.

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Practical applications

Keep Birds Cool – and Costs Down Jess Campbell, Dennis Brothers, Gene Simpson, and Jim Donald

National Poultry Technology Center Most Alabama broiler producers now rely on tunnel ventilation and some form of evaporative cooling to keep birds growing in hot weather. Investment in the needed equipment usually pays off because the cooling results in lower mortalities, better feed efficiency, and more live weight at catch time. With the costs of both electricity and water rising, keeping your bottom line from sagging requires that you keep cooling systems working at top efficiency and with no waste of either water or electric power. This article focuses on the most important things every modern grower should be doing in hot weather, especially with regard to evaporative cooling, your last and best defense against over-heating birds.

can’t pass this test, you won’t get effective cooling.

2. Fan belts must be tight and not worn down so they ride low in the pulleys (See photos below). A worn belt, even if tight, will use the same amount of power as a good belt but will not turn the fan at its rated airmoving capacity. Just a 10 percent loss of fan rpm’s can cost you 3 degrees of wind-chill cooling.

3. Fan blades and shutters must be clean. Dust and feathers accumulating on a fan blade change the aerodynamics of the blade. Studies in the field have shown that dirty fan blades and shutters can reduce airflow by as much as 30 percent. It takes as much electric power to run a dirty fan system as a clean one, but you won’t get anywhere near as much windchill cooling.

Water – Vital For Real Cooling

Air Flow & Wind Speed – Key to Cooling Having enough air moving at high enough velocity – for most modern houses, 500-600 feet per minute – is absolutely essential for keeping birds cool in hot weather. You must have the 10-12 degrees of tunnel ventilation wind-chill cooling to serve as the base on which evaporative cooling can add its real cooling – lowering actual air temperatures as much as 12-15 degrees, so the birds will be experiencing a temperature in the low 70s when actual outside air temperature is in the 90s.To get all the tunnel ventilation wind-chill cooling you’re paying for in electric power, there are three basic requirements: 1. The house must be tight. All incoming air must come in through the tunnel inlets, not through cracks or other openings. A tight house will pull a static pressure of at least 0.15 inches running one 48-inch fan with all doors and air inlets closed. If your house

An adequate supply of good-quality water is the second essential requirement for hot-weather cooling. A high-efficiency six-inch recirculating pad system can give as much as 12-15 degrees of actual temperature drop. Many of our poultry farms now buy utility water, which is becoming more pricey but usually is of good quality, so growers can avoid some of the costs often involved in using on-farm water sources, including pumping, filtering out sediment or rock particles and purchasing and operating water purification systems.

However it is done, providing clear, good-quality water for both drinkers and evaporative cooling systems is a must. Growers must also make sure the quantity of water available is adequate. A four-house broiler farm may consume as much as 50-60 gallons per minute.

Keeping water costs under control involves making sure water is being used most efficiently – covered below in the sections on evaporative cooling maintenance and operation – and monitoring to make sure it is

DIRTY FAN BLADE

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not being wasted through leaks in drinker lines or cooling systems. Many modern controllers are designed to accommodate various water-flow metering sensors in drinker lines and cooling systems. Seeing a daily printout of water usage in different systems is a quick way to spot unusual water use that may signal a leak.

Evaporative Cooling Systems – Regular Maintenance Pays Off Given the costs of the water and the electric power being consumed, it makes sense to keep up with the maintenance steps needed to keep cooling systems operating at top efficiency. Daily monitoring to make sure all pads are being thoroughly wetted is the first step.

Any dry streak on a pad is a place where hot air is rushing into the house. Pumps, sumps and filters should be checked regularly and cleaned as frequently as needed to prevent algae and sludge or sediment clogging that causes reduced water pressure across the distribution header and poor, non-uniform pad wetting. Many growers consider filters a nuisance; but be assured that operating without a filter will soon cause even worse problems. Pads also must be checked frequently and cleaned as needed. A clogged pad severely restricts airflow, hurting both evaporative and wind-chill cooling.

Photos on pages 28 and 30 show the most important points to pay attention to. To maintain water quality in recirculating systems, most manufacturers recommend bleeding off water in the system or replacing the water at least once a week during heavy usage.

Evaporative Cooling – Operating For Top Efficiency To save on operating costs, some growers are tempted to delay turning on tunnel ventilation and evaporative cooling. This practice risks losing more in flock

performance than is saved in electric and water costs.

With fully feathered birds, and especially with larger birds, tunnel should be turned on as soon as power ventilation is inadequate to keep in-house temperature from rising. Evaporative cooling, again especially with larger birds, should be turned on when in-house temperature gets to the 80°-84°F range, and not be forced to play catch-up when in-house temperatures are already too high.

During the day, cooling systems are best operated so that pads stay continuously wet. It is uneconomical and has little cooling effect to run evaporative cooling at night. In most locations evaporative cooling should be turned off by 9 or 10 p.m. and the pads allowed to dry out during the night. However, it is usually beneficial, especially with larger birds, to run tunnel fans through the night; this removes built up heat in the birds’ bodies and gives the birds a head start the next morning.

Migration fences are essential to maintain uniformity in the house, keeping birds from crowding into the cooler inlet end. Especially in longer modern houses, it may be helpful to install a few “rainbow” fogging lines toward the fan end of the house, to re-cool tunnel air that has picked up heat from the birds. The house endto-end temperature difference should be monitored. Ideally, we should be able to keep this differential under 5 degrees F; if it approaches 10 degrees or more, it signals a problem to be investigated.

Get All You Are Paying For Rising water and electric power costs are certainly a threat to every broiler producer’s bottom line. The best response can only be to pay closer attention to proper maintenance and operation of cooling systems. That is,

Recirculating pad cooling systems save on water costs by re-using water. However, to maintain efficient cooling, system water should be dumped and replenished as needed, usually on a weekly basis. Dirty water, as seen in sump (right), leaves all its dirt on the pad as the water evaporates, reducing the system cooling. Photo (left) shows clear water in a well-maintained system.

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Clogged Filter

make sure you have no wasted water or power and your cooling system is delivering all the possible benefits you are paying for.

Costs for both electric power and water have been increasing rapidly over the last 10-15 years. Numbers shown here are from north Alabama, but reports indicate the trends shown here are fairly typical across the U.S. Broiler Belt. Even growers getting water from on-farm sources are in effect paying more for the water through increased pumping costs. When keeping birds cool costs more money, growers have more reasons to keep

cooling systems operating at top efficiency.

Keeping tunnel windspeed up to design specification is absolutely essential to getting all of the wind-chill and evaporative cooling you are paying for.

If fan belts are worn or dust allowed to built up on fan blades, electric costs stay high but cooling will be severely reduced.

Proper maintenance of evaporative cooling systems, including filter cleaning and changing, will impose a certain amount of cost on a grower. Failure to keep systems operating as designed, however, carries a far greater cost. Runnng an evaporative cooling system without a filter invites disaster. Even if water quality is good to start with, any minerals or particles in the water, plus any dust or trash that inevitably gets into the trough, will be more and more concentrated in the system water as more and more water is evaporated off of the pad, and the buildup of sludge will quickly and severely clog the pads. Allowing filters to get clogged, on the other hand, restricts water flow, which will severely reduce cooling. Keep filters installed and check and clean or replace them weekly unless experience shows this can be done at longer (or should be done at shorter) intervals.

Per House Electricity & Water Costs, 1999-2010

Clogged holes in distribution headers can often be cleared by poking a small screwdriver or other tool into the hole to remove the foreign matter.

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Clogged pads or headers result in dry areas on pad. Hot air coming in through dry areas causes severely reduced cooling and increased electrical costs.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Grass clippings, leaves, dirt, and other materials must not be allowed to collect on evaporative cooling pads. Buildup like this severely reduces cooling by restricting airflow through the pad. Even worse, it will stop up a filter in a matter of seconds if allowed to enter the system water storage. It pays to keep areas around houses clean and free of trash, and never to allow grass clippings or even dust to be blown toward pads.

Continued from pg. 4 The organizations consistently have criticized the proposed USDA regulation, pointing out that it would restrict marketing agreements between producers and processors, dictate the terms of production contracts, require additional paperwork, create legal uncertainty and limit producers’ ability to negotiate better prices for the animals they sell.

According to a study conducted by Informa Economics, the GIPSA rule would result in job losses of nearly 23,000, with an annual drop in gross domestic product by as much as $1.56 billion and a yearly loss in tax revenues of $359 million.

The study also found that the regulation would impose on the livestock and poultry industries “ongoing and indirect” costs – eventually borne by producers and consumers – of more than $1.64 billion, including nearly $880 million to the beef industry, more than $400 million to the pork industry and almost $362 million to the poultry industry.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS County Poultry Association Meetings Clay County: July 26, 2011 6:30 PM Ms. Anita’s Cafe, Lineville Central Alabama: July 21, 2011 6:30 PM Beeland Park, Greenville Cullman County Annual Meeting: July 22, 2011 6:00 PM Cullman Civic Center, Cullman

Using a low pressure water source and a spray nozzle can effectively dislodge plugs of buildup in the pads that a brush cannot reach.

Marshall County Annual Meeting: August 5, 2011 6:00 PM Guntersville Civitan Park, Guntersville Randolph County: August 11, 2011 6:30 PM Hub Restaurant, Wedowee Allied Fund-Raising Golf Tournament October 20, 2011– Chesley Oaks

aDVertiSing INDEX

A soft bristled brush similar to the ones used to clean automobiles can be used – carefully – to clean pads without damaging them.

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Agrifan AirTight Alabama Ag/Alabama Farm Credit Alltech American Proteins Aviagen Fehr First Financial Bank First South Farm Credit Jones-Hamilton PLT Lee Energy Solutions Randy Jones Insurance Agency United Country King Realty

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pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg pg. pg. pg. pg. pg pg

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