Alabama Poultry, November/December 2010

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

Winter 2010 – VOL. 6 NO. 6

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 Mitchell Pate, Auburn John Roberts, Cullman Kenneth Sanders, Brundidge Roddy Sanders, Gordo Jason Shell, Gadsden Jack Sherwood, Troy Jason Spann, Guntersville Ken Taylor, Anniston Phyllis Thomas, Russellville 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 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.

w w w. a l a b a m a p o u l t r y. o r g

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE The months of November and December have been very important for the Alabama poultry industry. In early November, we elected a new governor and saw the Legislature go through a historic shift. For the first time since Reconstruction, Alabama has a Republican controlled legislature and hold the governorship and lieutenant governorship. We also have a Republican as commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Industries. Congratulations to Gov.-elect Bentley, Lt Gov.-elect Kay Ivey and John McMillan, our new Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries-elect. We look forward to working with all of these individuals to insure that the poultry industry remains strong and vital in Alabama.

November saw the Association put on a successful poultry industry seminar.

Many thanks to Tyson Foods CEO Donnie Smith and to the other speakers who educated, informed and inspired us to remember, as Donnie Smith put it, “every job counts.” Thanks also to our generous sponsors, without whose participation, there would be no seminars.

November also saw the induction of two remarkable men into the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame. Dr. Mike Eckman, who worked tirelessly to assure every poultryman that he had a friend in the Alabama Cooperative Extension System, no matter if he lived in Alabama or around the world somewhere. In fact, there are few places in the world where poultry is grown, that the word of “Dr. Mike,” as he was known by many, isn’t quoted. His presence is greatly missed.

The second inductee was my friend and my boss, Davis Lee. His story is one of continually striving to be the very best that he could be. Davis’ story just keeps going. His energy and generosity are legendary. His list of contributions to the Alabama poultry industry is continually being updated. Davis says that he has no intention of retiring and I believe him.

In early December, we learned of a number of outbreaks of LT (laryngotra-

cheitis) in DeKalb and Marshall Counties. Though relatively mild, it is serious. It should remind us all that biosecurity is important. Growers and technicians must constantly work to avoid contamination. Not only are outbreaks of this nature damaging to profits, they also damage our reputation with consumers, who see any sort of disease as threatening to food safety.

It’s going to be great to have Ray Hilburn on staff as membership director. In him, we have a man who can walk the talk. Welcome, Ray!

FEATURING

Governmental Affairs Association News Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame Mike Eckman Davis Lee Recipes Practical Applications Calendar of Events

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G over nment al Affairs

National Poultry Groups Blast Proposed GIPSA Rule

WASHINGTON – A massive regulation proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on the production and marketing of poultry and livestock is unconstitutional, unsupported by any meaningful economic analysis, and is in defiance of court rulings and Congressional mandates, the poultry industry said in comments filed with the agency today. The proposed regulation should be withdrawn and rewritten, the industry said.

The industry comments take dead aim at the legal basis for the rule proposed by USDA’s Grain Inspection, Packers & Stockyards Administration (GIPSA), which would force sweeping changes in the relationship between the nation‘s chicken companies and the farmers who grow chickens under contracts with the companies.

“The proposed rule is ill-advised, exceeds GIPSA’s statutory authority, and, for some provisions, is unconstitutionally vague,” said a 45-page letter signed by George Watts, president of the National Chicken Council, and John Starkey, president of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. “GIPSA fails to provide an adequate justification for imposing such sweeping and detrimental changes to the poultry industry and does not explain corresponding benefits to counterbalance the hundreds of millions of dollars of detrimental effects this proposal will have on the U.S. economy.”

Today is the final day on which comments on the proposed rule can be submitted to GIPSA. The agency is legally required to consider all comments before deciding whether or how to finalize the rule.

The poultry industry comments said the proposed rule is unconstitutional because it has so many vague and undefined terms that people and companies who have to comply with the rule will not know what is illegal and what‘s not. The courts have repeatedly held that regulated entities Richard L. Lobb, National Chicken Council

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must have “fair notice” of what is prohibited so that they may comply, especially with regard to what is called “likelihood of competitive injury,” the industry comments said.

“A party subject to the proposed rule, therefore, could not reasonably anticipate, much less determine with any reasonable degree of certainty, what business practices would ultimately be held illegal under these and other provisions,” rendering at least some portions of the rule unconstitutional, the statement said.

The industry comments also objected to the changes proposed by GIPSA in the so-called “tournament” system of compensation for poultry growers, in which more efficient farmers are paid premiums based on their performance. The GIPSA proposal would establish a “base rate” that, in effect, would likely reduce the premiums given to higher-performing growers, the comments said.

“The result would be increased production costs for poultry dealers coupled with a decreasing incentive for growers to deliver high quality chickens because compensation would not be tied to performance or quality,” the comments said.

GIPSA also failed to conduct a thorough economic analysis, which is undoubtedly required by Executive Order, the industry comments said.

USDA’s economic analysis of the rule is “cursory at best” and reaches the “untenable” conclusion that the impact would be less than $100 million per year. If the impact is expected to be more than that, the rule is considered “significant” and the agency would have to conduct a detailed cost-benefit analysis. A study commissioned by NCC concluded that the rule’s impact on the broiler industry alone would be more than $83 million in 2011 and $137 million in 2012, totaling over $1.025 billion in the first five years of enforcement. Studies commissioned by the meatpacking and livestock in-

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dustries also projected costs far in excess of the $100 million benchmark.

“The agency’s disregard of its obligation to conduct an adequate economic analysis and its unsubstantiated conclusion that this is not a “significant regulatory action are arbitrary and capricious,” the comments said.

One of the most contentious aspects of the proposed rule is that GIPSA seeks to apply the legal concept of “competitive injury” to interactions between an individual farmer and the company with which the farmer has a contract to grow chickens, rather than to the broader competitive process affecting overall industry output and prices to consumers.

“That position is contrary to the plain language of the statute and the unanimous construction given it by every federal appellate court to have addressed the issue,” the industry comments say. Eight federal courts of appeal have already found that “competitive injury” applies to the broader marketplace, the industry notes, a trend that is directly contrary to the rule proposed by the agency.

The comments noted that in several of those cases, the agency unsuccessfully argued its position directly to the court in question, while in others it filed friend-of-the-court briefs urging the court to adopt its preferred construction.

“Rather than acquiesce in these decisions, however, GIPSA now seeks to misuse the rulemaking process to achieve what it has not won in court,” the industry comments said.

GIPSA was directed to develop certain regulations by the 2008 Farm Bill enacted by Congress. The industry maintains that the agency went far beyond the intent of Congress in drafting the proposed rule.

“Congress gave the agency no authority” to write the regulations that it did, the industry comments said, adding that Congress “considered and

Continued on pg. 30

Association News

Gov. Bob Riley talked to the children of Riverchase Day School, Edgewood Elementary and Ft. Dale Academy about truly being thankful for life’s blessings.

Our industry is thankful for being blessed by having him as governor for eight years.

Bill Bates, once again expressed his admiration for the Rileys.

Thank you Gov. Bob Riley!

First Lady Patsy Riley shares a hug with her nephew, AP&EA’s Johnny Adams

Miss Patsy receives a token of appreciation from AP&EA’s Wanda Linker

Ag Commisioner elect John McMillan talks turkey with Clyde 61

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NOVEMBER 16 – For the 61st time, Bill Bates brought a turkey named Clyde to the governor of Alabama, and for the 61st ... well you know the story. Clyde was let off the hook.

Actually, for Gov. Bob Riley, it was his eighth and final time to be part of a ceremony that goes all the way back to Gov. Jim Folsom in 1949. Back then there were more than 150 turkey growers in the state, and Bill just happened to be the closest to Montgomery.

Over the years, however, the number of Alabama turkey farms has dwindled. But Bill has continued to bring his turkeys, each named Clyde, to the governor for pardoning. Today, Bill’s Lowndes County farm is the only turkey farm left.

The Rileys are the first first family to incorporate the pardoning ceremony into a larger celebration of the Thanksgiving season. First Lady Patsy Riley uses it as the centerpiece for her “Blankets for Blessings” drive to collect blankets for the needy.

Due to the possibility of inclement weather, the ceremony was held inside the governor’s mansion. Children from several elementary schools serenaded the audience with holiday songs, and blankets were given to Mrs. Riley. Clyde 61 and his friend, Henrietta, stayed outside.

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DECEMBER 1 – The Alabama Poultry & Egg Association held its annual Christmas open house. The atmosphere was charming and elegantly understated, while the food and drinks were great and the fellowship was as warm as usual.

AP&EA board members and their spouses mingled with elected officials, current and those about to enter office, as well as officials from state agencies Leigha Cauthen, Executive Director of the Alabama Agribusiness Council, and the poultry science educators.

Prominent among the guests were makes friends with the camera Brandy Bowen of ADEM digs in long-time poultry supporter State Treasurer and Lt Governor-elect, Kay Ivey and Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries-elect John McMillan.

Other special guests included State Supreme Court Justice Jim Main and Public Service Commissioner Twinkle Cavanaugh.

There were members of both the courts of civil and criminal appeals present, as well as members of the Alabama Legislature.

It was a great evening and a wonderful way to start the holidays. Our in- Cowboy Billy Powell and Lt. Gov.-elect dustry is truly blessed to have so many Kay Ivey talk about how much they e ic v r e love Alabama poultry S lic and Pub avanaugh good friends. s m a d A nny le C ink Joh ioner Tw Commiss me friends are longti

AP&EA President John Pittard, Justice Jim Main, Ag Commissioner-elect John McMillan and Kim Adams enjoy the hospitality

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Civil Appeals Court Judge Tommy Bryant gets a good natured third degree questioning from Dr. J. Lee Alley and Dr. Timothy Boosinger, Dean of Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine

DECEMBER 2 – The winter meeting of the AP&EA board of directors was called to order by President John Pittard.

He welcomed everyone and introduced new board member, Ben Thompson of Aviagen.

Executive Director Johnny Adams announced that, after being short staffed for the last year, the Executive Committee had authorized the hiring of a new membership director.

The man hired to fill that slot will be Ray Hilburn. Ray will Association President John be retiring from the Alabama Department of Agriculture Pittard and Industries on January 31 and starting with AP&EA on February 1. The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause.

Committee reports followed. Johnny Adcock, chairman of the Grower Committee, reported that propane and natural gas prices were stable. Roddy Sanders, Auburn Relations chairman, reported that Dan Smalley was heading the farm relocation effort and had requested a meeting with Dean Bill Batchelor. It was also reported that the Allied Golf Tournament had raised $10,000 in scholarship money.

Ray Hilburn, in an advisory report, told the group about LT (laryngotracheitis) outbreaks in DeKalb (3 cases) and New board member Ben Marshall (4 cases) counties and that all companies had Thompson started with vaccinations. He also stated that would be no litter spreading, without permit, in those counties.

Dr. Don Conner, head of Auburn University’s department of poultry science, announced that the groundbreaking for the new feed mill would be on March 30, and that on February 24, the Alabama Ag Alumni Pioneer Hall of Fame would induct Buck Appleton.

In his closing remarks, AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams thanked Rickey Walker for getting Tyson CEO Donnie Smith to keynote our Alabama poultry industry seminar. He also reported that immigration reform was inevitable and that an Arizona type law might be acceptGrower Committee Chairable.

AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams

Dr. Joe Hess with ACES

Ray Hilburn

man Johnny Adcock

Dr. Don Conner

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Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame

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Surrounded by Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame Members, Sheila Eckman stands beside a portrait of her late husband, Dr. Mike Eckman. (Left to right) Dr. J. Lee Alley, Wayne McElrath, Herman McElrath, Sheila Eckman, Gerald Bailey, Jan Powell and Dr. Bob Brewer.

NOVEMBER 9 – In a joyful and sometimes tearful ceremony at the Auburn University Hotel and Conference Center, Dr. Mike Eckman was inducted into the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame. Mike, who died in 2008, was the 49th inductee into the Hall of Fame.

The ceremony featured a short moving video on Mike’s life and the presentation to Sheila Eckman, Mike’s widow, by Alabama Poultry & Egg Association President John Pittard, of a special pencil and graphite portrait of Mike by Walter Carroll .

It was a great time of reminiscing and renewing old

Sheila Eckman accepts Mike’s portrait from Association President John Pittard

friendships as Sheila and her two children Kent and Amy mingled with many of Mike’s old friends and colleagues from the poultry science department and from the industry that he served so faithfully. Amy’s two sons, Aidan, 15, and Sam, 13, also got to meet many of their grandfather’s friends. No doubt, there were plenty of Mike Eckman stories floating around.

One of the funniest stories about Mike comes from his good friend, Dr. Rex Bushong. Mike and Rex worked together at Auburn for just nine years, but remained friends and consultants for many more.

Amy and Sheila with family friends and Mike’s colleagues.

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The year was 1977. The location was Auburn University, Auburn, Ala. The person was Dr. Mike Eckman, who would become better known to me as “Wormy” and me to him as “Ludwig.”

One day Mike came into my office and said, “Lud, we have been asked to go to Cherokee County and meet with some poultry growers.” I said. “OK. Let’s go – what’s the deal” Mike replied that they were going to have barbecue chicken, potato salad, beans, rolls and cold drinks followed by a discussion period and questions and answers. So Mike and I left Auburn one afternoon and drove to Cherokee County. In those days our per diem was about $25.00 per day for meals and a motel so we decided to drive back after the meeting.

Upon arriving in Cherokee County, we walked into the Farm Bureau building where the meeting was to be held. A fast inspection informed us that there was no chicken, no potato salad and nothing to eat or drink except about a half a pack of Oreo cookies and a half pot of coffee – and we were 30 minutes early. We figured that maybe the poultry growers were hungrier than us, so we finally got through that meeting. Going back to Auburn, down Highway 9, there were not too many eating-places. A Huddle House, where Highway 9 crossed

I-20, was the only place open at that time of night. In those days, it was cash on the barrelhead only. We had about $1.77 between us, just enough for a plate of scrambled eggs and two cups of coffee. This occurred in 1978 and gave us several chuckles over the years. Following this, we always checked with each other on our finances before leaving town.

The reason for calling Mike “Wormy” was, when we were traveling, his habit of eating pork chops or meat loaf, mashed potatoes and whatever about 6:00 p.m. then wanting to go to the curb market about 7:30 p.m. to load up with gummy bears, red licorice, Boston Baked Beans (candy coated peanuts) and pecan twirls.

If we were gone three nights, this was a nightly affair.

All of this and Wormy still weighed 160 pounds (maybe).

Mike and I had the opportunity to work with several of the people that were the “backbone” of the Alabama poultry industry. Wayne and Herman McElrath, Jerome and Denny Hickman, Ned Harrell, Forrest and Bill Ingram, Gerald Bailey, Bill Jordan, Harold Sylvest and Bob Riley were just a few of many. It was certainly a pleasure to work with these people and to be able to call Mike Eckman my friend.

Rex Bushong

Of Quarterbacks and Bucking Broncs Because of his small stature, many folks will be surprised to learn that Mike had been a star high school quarterback in his hometown of Englewood, Colo., where he was born in 1942.

He must have been pretty good because, after high school graduation, he entered Adams State, a small college on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado on a football scholarship. Sadly, his dreams of gridiron glory came crashing down at a local rodeo, when he tried his hand at riding a saddle-bronc. In the afore-mentioned crash, he broke his throwing wrist. By the end of the quarter at school, his wrist was beginning to heal, however his grade point average was a disastrous .10, a solid “D.” He was a goner.

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Mike and Sheila in New Orleans for the 1980 Sugar Bowl

Sometimes Blind Dates Do Work Out

Going back to Englewood was tough. He worked for a year in a green house. While later in life he took up gardening, the summer in the green house, perhaps, helped him gain some focus on his life’s work.

That summer he applied to Colorado State College in Greeley. He was allowed to enter college, but under probation. While at Colorado State College, he met Sheila, his wife of 45 years, on a blind date. They were married his sophomore year.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Dr. Allen Edgar of Auburn University department of poultry science, proved to be both a mentor and friend to Mike Eckman

Of Mentors and Friends Mike settled down and did well in college, graduating with a major in zoology and a minor in chemistry.

He went on to get a master’s degree.

His first job out of college was with Norwich Pharmacal Company in Norwich, N.Y. Norwich liked his work and wanted to send him to school to learn about poultry and get his Ph.D. He visited several schools before deciding on Auburn University, where he studied under the excellent tutelage of Dr. Allen Edgar, an Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame member himself. For Mike, a city boy, it was his first exposure to chickens. By this time, he and Sheila had two children. Kent was 6 and Amy was just 2.

Never comfortable with formalities, when he graduated in 1970 with his doctorate, he turned in his cap and gown so quickly, no photo could be made of the event. It was a move that his mother never forgave.

Mike and his family moved back to Norwich, but it soon became evident that Norwich was backing away from its involvement with poultry, so Mike made the decision to go with Dow Chemical. Dow moved the family first to their corporate headquarters in Midland, Mich., and then to Lake Jackson, Texas.

The afternoon that the call came from Dr. Allen Edgar offering Mike the job in Auburn, according to Sheila, Mike was in the backyard in a misty rain burying a family dog, a bloodhound.

Moving to Auburn was no easy task. Previously, Mike’s companies had always paid for moving ex-

Mike, in his office, surrounded by momentos of his travels to numerous states and foriegn countries.

penses. It was a different story for Auburn University.

The Eckmans had to move at their own expense.

There was no money to make an exploratory trip to Auburn to find a house, so they called Mike’s old friend, Bob Brewer. Bob set them up with a real estate agent.

The housing market in the Auburn/Opelika market was tight, but the agent found them a home, in their price range, in the same neighborhood as the Brewers.

The agent mailed a floor plan and photos of the house – and, sight unseen, they bought it. They reasoned that if it was close to the Brewers, it couldn’t be too bad, besides, they could always live in it for a while and then move. However, once they moved in, they never left.

Mike and Sheila raised their two children in that house, as well as countless dogs. Kent left first, with a degree in anthropology, with the Peace Corps on to Bo-

Sarge Bilgili and Rex, the orangutan that played Clint Eastwood’s sidekick in the movie “Every Which Way But Loose” and Mike enjoy some schmoozing at a Las Vegas conference.

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livia. Amy finished at Auburn with a degree in fashion merchandising.

For the next 26 years, Mike worked as a poultry pathologist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. His work with Dr. Edgar focused on parasitology and the control of coccidiosis. Later, his focus shifted to breeder and hatchery problems, including hatchability and fertility issues. In the course of his work, he developed a system to determine hatchability percentages.

If a company was having a disease problem, Mike was called on to trouble shoot. He would visit the problem site and assess the situation. Then, he would return to Auburn and get other scientists involved in solving the problem. Dr. Bob Brewer, retired head of the Auburn department of poultry science and an Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame member, recalls that Mike was a great “team player” who always took a no-nonsense approach to problems.

Billy Paul Watkins, retired from Southland Broilers, recalls Mike’s visits. “We were a small company and didn’t have a vet. If we ever had a disease problem, he was always willing to come down.”

There was another reason that Watkins, an avid Auburn football fan, was eager to see Mike. “Since Sheila worked in Coach Pat Dye’s office, Mike always had the scoop on Auburn football,” Watkins added.

Mike also loved Auburn football and having Sheila work for the Auburn athletic department gave him some memorable opportunities. One such event was going with Alabama State Troopers to deliver a late night snack of McDonald’s hamburgers to the Auburn football team at the Fairmont Hotel in New Orleans before the 1980 Sugar Bowl.

During his tenure at Auburn University, Mike visited 33 foreign countries and 26 states, working with local poultry growers and producers. In many cases, using the expertise that he gained while at Norwich Pharmacal and Dow, he worked as an intermediary between the poultry companies and pharmaceutical companies.

He was in such demand in the southeast, he needed a better way to get around. So, he, along with Jim Donald, and several other Auburn colleagues, bought a small airplane and learned to fly. He discovered that he loved flying, but, after a few years, gave it up because, as Sheila reports, “he discovered that he needed about four sets of glasses to see all the different gauges and charts.”

Mike’s real love, aside from his family, was golf. He started playing when he was in high school and he

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played every chance he got. Sheila says that if Mike had his “druthers,” he would have been a professional. According to his friend Rex Bushong, “Mike would team up with Robbie Castleberry and my teammate would be Paul Jones for matches from Tennessee to Florida. Over the years, we probably broke even.”

Of Grandkids, Dogs and Woodworking Mike loved his grandchildren. They changed his life. Until they came along, he referred to other people’s grandchildren as “rug rats.” He is pictured here with Sam and below with Ava. He also developed a passion for woodworking, building the porch furniture in his “man cave” with the help, no doubt, of his two dogs.

Dogs also played an important role in Mike’s life.

After he retired in 2003, he built himself a “man cave” in the garage-turned-shop. Here he did woodworking (another passion) and hung out with his two dogs, often soliciting their opinions. “What do you think, Jack?” and smoking (something he did not do in the house). In Sheila’s words, he was “doing just exactly what he pleased and doing nothing that didn’t.”

He still fielded calls from those in the industry from time to time and served on the first board of the National Poultry Technology Center.

With the advent of grandchildren, Mike was forced to change his attitude. Where, previously, he had referred to other people’s grandchildren as “rug rats,” he was now smitten. He loved having Aidan, Sam and Ava

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come to visit in Auburn and loved visiting them. He was grateful that they were able to be with him just before he passed away in 2008.

Mike Eckman leaves a legacy of selfless service to the poultry industry in Alabama and to the world. There are few places where poultry is grown commercially that you will not hear “Dr. Mike,” as he was known by many, quoted on some aspect of disease control, hatchability or some other poultry problem.

As Sheila says, “Mike was not a prideful man. He was proud of his family, proud of his emeritus status at Auburn University, proud of his woodworking,” and she believes, “he would be very proud of this honor from an industry that meant so much to him.”

The Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame is proud and honored to welcome Dr. Mike Eckman as the 49th member of the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame.

Sheila Eckman with her children Kent and Amy, and Amy’s two sons, Sam and Aidan.

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Poultry Hall of Fame Celebrates 50th Member

Left to right – Gerald Bailey, Wayne McElrath, Davis Lee, Jan Powell, Wade Skidmore and Dean Strickland

In his presentation, AP&EA president John Pittard had only nice things to say about his boss, Davis Lee.

Joining Davis, his wife, Beth, sister-in-law, Connie, brother, Tommy, and sister, Judy Roads celebrate his induction.

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NOVEMBER 16 – Davis Lee, surrounded by family and many friends in the Guntersville Civic Center, was inducted as the 50th member of the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame. Five previous inductees into the Hall of Fame were also in attendance.

Following a brief video presentation, AP&EA President John Pittard presented Davis with a lifetime membership certificate.

Davis, originally from Arapahoe, N.C., has been active for many years in the Alabama poultry industry.

Since 1977, when he came to work for ConAgra Poultry in Decatur, Davis has been, except for a three year stint outside of Alabama, a fixture in the Alabama poultry industry. He served as Alabama Poultry & Egg Association president from 1992 until 1993, and in 2000 he started AlaTrade Food, a further processing company which debones 4 million chickens a week. He has also started a company that markets wood pellet burning furnaces for poultry houses, as well as a company that makes the wood pellets.

Not only is he an entrepreneur extraordinary, he is also a benevolent patriot, having sponsored an Honor Flight for the World War II veterans of Sand Mountain.

In 2008 he started a company called Liberty’s Legacy that is dedicated to educating school children to the meaning of liberty.

It was a great party, for a worthy new Hall of Famer.

Congratulations, Davis!

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Davis Lee was born in a two-room house in tiny Arapahoe, N.C., located near Pamlico Sound, on the Neuse River, where his father, Lytle Lee, ran a ferry and had a small farm.

When he was born, he was so sickly that his mother’s doctor predicted that he would not live two weeks. Davis says of his mother, Eva, and of her efforts to save him, “I think she willed me to live. She would not let me die.”

Though neither his father or his mother had gotten much past the 6th grade, he credits them with equipping him to be successful. The lessons that they taught him have stayed with him all of his life.

His mother told him once, “If you’re a bread truck driver, be a very, very good bread truck driver.”

Working with his father one day, he recalled that his father had told him that he would probably be working all his life, so he should make work fun. So, he asked his dad, “Where’s the fun in this?”

His dad handed him his watch and told him to time himself on his next load.

“Then what?” Davis questioned.

“Do it faster,” his father replied with a grin.

Reflecting on it today, Davis says, “I think that he meant, ‘Be all you can be and be satisfied with that.’”

Davis’s first experience with chickens came when he was 13 years old. He needed an agricultural project for school, so he ordered 100 chicks from Purina. When the chicks arrived he found that they had sent 150. However, as he watched those chicks grow, temptation got

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Davis Lee with his mother, Eva, and his sister, Judy

Though sickly as a baby, Davis grew to love athletics

the better of him. By the time the chickens were ready for sale, there were only 52 left. He had killed and eaten the rest.

In high school, Davis participated in all sports. But he was best at baseball, winning a scholarship to Atlantic Christian College, in nearby Wilson, N.C. He majored in business administration.

His parents could not support him while he was in college so he worked for two summers on a commercial fishing trawler out of Gloucester, Mass. While attending college, he worked various jobs such as a high school basketball referee and worked night shift at a pork processing plant.

In 1960, his first job out of college was at Rose Hill Poultry Company in Rose Hill, N.C., working as an accountant. By 1962, he had worked his way up to sales manager. In three years, he increased Rose Hill Poultry’s sales volume by 100 percent.

By 1969, Davis was ready for a hiatus from the poultry industry, and went to work for National Spinning Company (a textile plant), as plant controller. He considers this as his “Rhodes Scholarship” in business.

He learned great attention to detail during this time.

Two years later, he took the valuable lessons that he had learned in the textile industry and returned to Rose Hill Poultry as general manager. In his absence, Rose

Hill had been loosing approximately $500,00 per year, At the end of his first year as general manager, the company showed a net profit, and by the end of his second year, the company made a million dollars, a 3 fold turnaround.

In 1977, he went to work for ConAgra Poultry in Decatur, Ala., as complex manager. It was here, in 1981, that he met and married Beth, his wife of almost 30 years. She had come to work at ConAgra as the breeder clerk. Both had been previously married and each had children.

In 1982, ConAgra moved him to Ruston, La. as complex manager. The experience at ConAgra in high corporate level has been and invaluable experience to Davis.

Later that year, Foster Farms of California offered Davis a position as vice president of live production for the west coast poultry company. He accepted and they moved to Turlock.

Davis says that he never really felt at home in California, even though Beth loved it.

Two years later they were moving back east. This time it was to Broadway, Va., as president of Rockingham Poultry Co-op. Responsibilities were multi-plant operations and all support facilities, including feed mills, hatcheries, plants and everything else. This was the position that Davis considers his most challenging, and the

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only position that he was ever terminated from. Still, he considers it a real learning experience.

In 1985, he returned to Alabama as vice president of sales and marketing for Spring Valley Farms in Oxford. Shortly afterwards, the company was acquired

by Tyson Foods. Davis continued to work for Tyson as regional production manager. It was about this time that Davis got active with the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association. He served on various committees, rising to the Executive Committee.

In 1992, he was elected association president, serving until July of 1993.

That same year, he was moved to Springdale, Ark., as vice president of sales. It was a position that he would hold for three years.

In 1996, he was named president of Keystone Foods Poultry Division and charged with consolidating the poultry operation in the south. He located the company in Huntsville, Ala., because of the technical expertise and support infrastructure already in place.

He also was impressed with Cherokee Ridge and wanted to live there, having always loved living in north Alabama.

After a three-year commitment to Keystone

Davis Lee as President of the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association

Foods, Davis decided to retire. But retirement did not fit well with Davis’ lifestyle.

One year later, in 2000, he started AlaTrade Foods, a small trading company, now a part of Davis Lee Companies.

In 2001, he purchased a small processing plant in Boaz. It grew quickly and he built his second plant in 2004. The third plant was built in 2006, and a fourth plant was added in Phenix City in 2007.

Those plants now debone 4 million chickens a week and employ 1,600 people. Approximately 85 percent of

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Lee Energy Solutions’ Crossville pellet plant

those individuals are Hispanic and speak English as a second language.

Because so many of his employees were Hispanic, Davis helped found a school that teaches English to Hispanic people in the Albertville/Boaz area. In fact, the Davis Lee Foundation has pledged $600,000 to keep the school running.

Housing was another issue he took on. AlaTrade is participating in a residential construction and home buying program to assist its employees in purchasing homes.

He has also started a health clinic for his employees in the Albertville industrial park.

Reacting to the increasingly high price of propane

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gas, in 2008, he started manufacturing pellet burning furnaces to replace those propane furnaces in poultry houses. He even built a plant to produce pellets for wood burning furnaces under the company Lee Energy.

In 2008, Davis also started a company called Liberty’s Legacy which makes replicas of the Statue of Liberty. Embedded in each statue is material from the actual Statue of Liberty that was discarded when the statue was refurbished in 2006. The vision of the company is to educate school children to the meaning of liberty and freedom in this country.

Davis has obviously taken his parents’ wisdom to heart. At an age where most men have taken to their easy chairs, Davis Lee is continuing to work and he is just as obviously having fun doing it. And, like his mother’s bread truck driver analogy, Davis is driving the bread truck that touches many lives in a positive and affirming way.

Davis is no Midas. He has his share of setbacks and heartaches, but with each setback, he has come back stronger and more willing to help others do the same.

Poultryman, entrepreneur, patriot and good citizen – now add Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame member to Davis Lee’s growing list of achievements.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Davis has been a patriot since his early days in Arapahoe, N.C. His family lived near the Marine Base at Cherry Point, N.C., and though they were poor, Davis’s father would often invite young Marines whom he met on his ferry home to supper.

In 2009, after an unexpectedly large corporate income tax refund, Davis remembered something his mother told him. She said, “If you ever find money, you ought to use it to help people.” And, that’s just what he did.

With the money, he funded the October 2009 Tennessee Valley Honor Flight, taking 126 World War II veterans to see the new World War II memorial in Washington, D.C.

Davis and Beth at the World War II memorial inWashington, D.C.

While at Rose Hill, he began playing golf. One day, waiting to tee off, he was approached by a gangly young black kid who asked Davis if he could caddy for him. Davis asked him if he knew anything about golf. The young fellow replied that he knew nothing about the game but figured that Davis would teach him. Davis liked his attitude, and a long-term relationship began.

That youngster was M. L. Carr. Davis would eventually adopt M. L. so that he could win a scholarship to Guilford College in North Carolina, that, in the racially charged 60s, had been reserved for children of white parents. M. L. would go on to be a star basketball player at Guilford and have an outstanding professional career with the Boston Celtics.

M. L. now works with Davis in his Liberty’s Legacy company and is president of Davis’ insurance company, The Dream Company, in Huntsville.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Davis Lee and M. L. Carr

WINTER 2010

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Recipes

Chicken Is Tops for Winter Meals Do feel more at home in the kitchen during the winter months? There is something about the aromas and flavors of a hot meal that make the coldest days more pleasant. And with holidays abounding from now until Valentine’s Day, there are plenty of good reasons to gather friends and try out a new recipe. Make chicken your mainstay for any of these occasions, and you can count on a dish that is tasty and easy to prepare.

From the National Chicken Council, here are a couple of new chicken recipes that will work in any home kitchen this winter season. All are perfect for holiday entertaining, or for a special family weeknight meal.

On a particularly cold night, try Chicken and Red Lentil Stew with Greens and Sweet Potatoes. This hearty dish features boneless, skinless dark chicken thigh meat, chunked and flavored with cinnamon, ginger, cumin, dried mustard, garlic and cayenne pepper. Cooked with red lentils, diced sweet potato and a dark green like spinach or collards, it is the perfect one-dish meal.

Chicken and Red Lentil Stew with Greens and Sweet Potatoes 6 Servings

1 ½ pounds chicken thigh meat, boneless and skinless, cut into 1” cubes 2 tbls vegetable oil 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp cayenne pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbls minced fresh ginger 1 medium onion 1 tsp cumin ½ tsp dried mustard ½ tsp dried coriander ¼ tsp cinnamon 1 tbls brown sugar 4 cups chicken broth 1 cup red lentils 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes 2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½ “ rounds 2 small potatoes, peeled and diced into ½ “ cubes 1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced into ½” cubes 1 large bag (12 oz) cleaned and chopped spinach 2 tbls freshly chopped cilantro 6 tbls plain yogurt or sour cream • In a stock pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken cubes and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally to brown all sides of meat cubes.

• Add garlic, ginger, and onion. Saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add dried spices (cumin, mustard, coriander, cinnamon) and brown sugar and stir until combined. Add broth and tomatoes with juice; bring to a boil.

Add vegetables. Return to boil, reduce heat and cook for 10 minutes. Add lentils, cover, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes.

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• Using a fork, check to be sure vegetables are soft. When soft, add spinach, stir to combine until spinach is ` wilted. Add cilantro.

• Serve in soup bowls. Garnish each bowl with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream, if desired, and chopped cilantro.

Sautéed Chicken Cutlets with Cherry Port Sauce has a cherry red finish that makes it look the part of a festive dish. Stove-cooked pre-sliced chicken cutlets are topped with a delicious sauce of tart cherries and their juices, dried cherries, lemon, shallot, thyme and Port wine. Serve over brown or wild rice and with spinach or another dark green vegetable for a simple, beautiful meal.

Sautéed Chicken Cutlets with Cherry Port Sauce 4 Servings

8 thinly sliced chicken cutlets (about 1 pound) 2 cups chicken broth 1 can (14.5 oz) tart cherries, drained and juice reserved ½ cup Port wine 2 tbls dried cherries 2 tbls butter, divided 1 tbls flour ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 1 tbls olive oil 1 shallot, chopped 1 tbls lemon juice 1 tsp fresh thyme • In small saucepan, combine chicken broth and drained cherry juice. Boil over high heat and reduce to ½ cup.

• In small bowl, combine port and dried cherries. Reserve. In small bowl, blend together flour and 1 tablespoon butter to make smooth paste. Reserve.

• While broth mixture is reducing, sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. In large sauté pan, melt remaining butter and olive oil over medium heat. Brown cutlets until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Remove to plate and cover with foil.

• In the same pan, add shallots and sauté until soft and translucent, about 1 minute. Add port and dried cherries. Stir to scrape up browned bits on bottom of pan. Bring to a boil and reduce slightly by boiling for about 1 minute. Add reduced broth/ cherry juice and lemon juice and boil for another minute.

• Stir flour/ butter mixture into the sauce. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, or until sauce is slightly thickened. Add cherries and thyme to pan. Stir to combine. Return chicken to pan along with any accumulated juices. Warm for 1 minute.

• Serve chicken cutlets over wild or brown rice. Spoon sauce and cherries over cutlets.

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Practical Applications

Improving Processing Plant Sanitation: Concrete Sealants M. Singh, J.B. Hess, K.S. Macklin and D.E. Conner– Auburn University Poultry Science Department

For decades, food safety has been a major focus of the poultry industry and ongoing changes in federal food safety regulations are part of the efforts to guarantee that improvements in the production and processing of poultry and eggs will continue as consumers demand better control over food borne pathogens and contaminants. Efforts to control pathogens in poultry involve interventions in the processing plant, during transport, during growout, in the hatchery, even as far back as the breeder house. Not surprisingly, initial efforts to reduce bacteria were put in place in the processing plant because all birds come through the plant and it is close to the consumer. Efforts are still being made in the plant, even as efforts extend back into live production. Processing plant additions to reduce bacterial contamination on the final product include inside-outside bird washes, antimicrobial additions to scald and chill water and concrete sealants for floors.

Concrete is present in food processing facilities, especially in flooring, walls and ceilings. During processing, concrete is exposed to a large amount of organic matter. The organic matter in the poultry industry is a result of usual processing steps such as bleeding, scalding, feather-picking and eviscerating. This organic matter has the potential to serve as an initial source of nutrients to microorganisms, allowing them to colonize on and/or in concrete. Concrete is a micro-porous construction material, and the pores in concrete are randomly sized, arranged, and connected. These pores form capillary systems in concrete allowing water and other substances to move freely in and through concrete structures. When liquids flow freely in concrete, they may serve as carriers in the transport of microorganisms such as food borne bacteria.

Poultry processing facilities have, for some time, been using one of several commercial sources of concrete sealant to, among other things, reduce the amount of organic matter (including bacteria) that move in and out of concrete floors. These sealants help substantially to reduce the ability of bacteria to hide from the sanitation crew when the processing plant is cleaned. Unfortunately, constant wear on the sealant due to heavy processing plant traffic may wear away the surface of the sealant, eventually allowing bacteria access to the pores in the concrete floor once again.

Recent research in the poultry science department

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Image 1: Concrete blocks placed in the incubator for growth and attachment of bacteria

at Auburn University has tested the efficacy of a relatively new concrete sealant that has built-in antimicrobial activity to exclude important food borne pathogenic bacteria.

This product, produced by an Alabama company (Biosealed for Concrete, ATP. LLC), is applied under pressure so that it penetrates the concrete pores in addition to sealing the surface. This allows poultry processors with older plants to drive water, organic matter and bacteria

Image 2: Appearance of concrete blocks after spraying with concrete sealant

Alabama Poultry Magazine

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out of existing concrete floors (and walls as well) and seal the concrete throughout. At Auburn, small blocks of concrete were soaked in cultures of pathogenic bacteria either before or after the blocks had been treated with the sealant. Several strains of Salmonella were tested in Dr. Manpreet Singh’s laboratory. Bacterial levels on the outside of the blocks were reduced, indicating that antibacterial components in the sealant do help reduce pathogen numbers even before sanitation efforts begin (results displayed in Figure 1). The results also show that adding the sealant to Salmonella contaminated cement reduces the Salmonella levels even more.

Pathogens measured inside the blocks after sealant was applied were reduced, often to non-detectable levels (results displayed in Figure 2).

Concrete sealants have given poultry processors an important tool in reducing the ability of pathogenic bacteria to harbor in concrete floors. The new sealant recently tested at Auburn University may enhance this benefit by forcing bacteria out of the pores in existing concrete floors and may extend bacterial control to concrete walls as well.

Image 3: Plate showing growth of Listeria monocytogenes recovered from concrete blocks

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when it comes to poultry financing.

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Winter 2010

Alabama Poultry Magazine

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

Improving Gas Heat System Efficiency

By Jess Campbell, Jim Donald and Gene Simpson National Poultry Technology Center, Auburn University

Grower A

Grower B

What a difference routine maintenance can make! Grower A, who did the needed wintertime cleaning, adjusting and testing, is getting 100 percent of the BTUs he paid for. Grower B, who may have skipped just one of the recommended eight maintenance steps, is getting less than half what he paid for because his brooder is running at less than half the required gas pressure. Which means that only about half the brooder radiant emitter is glowing. When we depend on radiant heat, no glow means no heat. Failure to do the needed maintenance on box heaters can result in the same kind of drastic heating and dollar losses. Only it’s harder to tell because with convective heat you can’t see whether air coming out of the heater is fully warmed or not.

When the weather turns cooler we start getting calls from growers wanting to know what they can do to get their houses ready for cold weather. Often the answer to the question is simply to clean and maintain what you already have installed and not to buy something new.

However, if equipment is damaged beyond repair, is unsafe to operate, or cheaper to replace instead of repairing, then yes, go ahead and replace it. One of the first and most cost-effective ways to make sure that you are spending your time and money wisely is to make sure that you do a good job cleaning and maintaining your existing heating equipment. During most of our field visits, we often find that many growers could get more efficiency out of their existing equipment if they followed some simple guidelines for cleaning and maintaining heating equipment. This article focuses on getting the most out of existing heating appliances.

Why should I clean brooders and heaters?

Most growers don’t have extra money set aside to purchase brooders and heaters prematurely. To get best use of your brooding and heating system and most out of the gas you buy, routine maintenance must not be overlooked. Brooders and heaters lose heating efficiency quickly as they become dirty and neglected. Protecting your heating system investment is a must and ensures you get the most out of each unit in burning gas and the longest possible service life out of each unit, as well. Before you begin maintenance, first consult your

brooder or heater manufacturer for recommendations on heater placement, height, pressure, and maintenance for best results. We want to get 100 percent of what we pay for in gas during preheating, brooding, and growing winter flocks and the only way to get that is to make sure brooders and heaters are in tip-top shape.

When should I clean brooders and heaters?

Brooders and heaters should be cleaned before birds are placed each and every flock regardless of what they look like on the outside. A brooder or heater that appears clean on the outside will still likely have a considerable amount of dust and dander buildup on the interior parts. The better job a grower does of cleaning and maintaining brooders and heaters, the better heating efficiency he will realize and the longer the appliance will last. Should I clean my brooders and heaters after the first flock? Yes, and prior to every flock after that.

How should I clean brooders and heaters? (manufacturer’s recommendations may vary)

Step 1: Turn Gas and Power Off! Prior to doing anything with any heating appliance it is imperative to turn the gas supply and power supply (including control voltage) off to all zones and all appliances that will be worked on. Once this is done, heaters should be lowered to a comfortable height so that every part of the brooder or heater can be comfortably reached during cleaning and maintenance.

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Step 2: Remove Dust and Dander. A high velocity blower or compressed air can be very helpful in removing dust, dander, and other debris from the brooders and heaters. Be careful with compressed air, since air at too high a pressure can damage brooder or heater components. It may be helpful to turn on one or more tunnel fans and open the tunnel inlet or end wall door to allow air flow down the house and away from you while you are cleaning the appliances. Start at the front end wall when cleaning appliances and work toward the tunnel end of the house. Blow off the top of the heaters first and then begin cleaning the undersides. Filters must be blown off. Porcelain type emitters typically used with “pancake” style heaters should have the dust removed from the surface, and tops should be blown off, too. Radiant steel emitter surfaces and holes must be blown off and free from dust. The combustion chamber must also be blown out. The goal is to remove any and all dust from the appliance that might restrict air and/or gas flow. Allowing dust buildup to remain in the heater can affect the heating and combustion efficiency and overall efficiency of the heater itself.

Step 3: Remove Residual Dust. Radiant brooder reflector canopies or shields might require a wet rag to clean the remaining dust residue from the reflector and improve heater performance and canopy life. If excessive dust cannot be removed with air alone, a stiff bristle brush can be helpful in removing caked dust from a brooder or heater.

Step 4: Check Electrical and Electronic Parts. Most brooders and heaters have electronic control boxes that

house the control boards and igniter connections of the heater. All electrical connections should be kept clean and tight. These connections and parts may be blown off with a blower and lower pressure compressed air, but higher compressed air pressure may damage electronic boards and could loosen electrical connections.

Dust and dander combined with moisture may result in electrical shorts, so it is very important to make sure that dust and moisture are not allowed to build up in the control boxes.

Step 5: Inspect Brooders and Heaters. A thorough visual inspection of each brooder and heater should be done to ensure that no heaters are damaged. Any part of a brooder or heater that is damaged must be replaced to prevent fire hazards. Make sure gas orifices, burners, electronic igniters, and all parts are free from any obstructions. Box furnaces must be thoroughly inspected to ensure bird nests or other obstructions are not present in the heater outlet, diverter, or sail switches. Make sure all hoses used to supply gas to brooders and heaters are rated for gas use and not rated for air or water. Hoses rated for gas use will often be marked “for use with gas.” Inspect hoses for visual signs of dry-rot, splitting, or burned hoses, and if any portion of the hose is damaged it must be replaced. Kinked hoses restrict gas flow to brooders and heaters, may severely shorten the life of the hose, and could cause a fire. Hoses must not rest on a brooder or heater canopy. Make sure power supply wires and control voltage wires are in good shape, and any wires found to have any nicks or damaged insulation should be replaced.

Picture to the left below shows dust and dirt attached to cobwebs on the intake of a radiant heater that will restrict air flow into the combustion chamber causing this heater to be choked for air. The heater will not operate at design potential. Picture to the right shows dirt and dust collected in the control box of a radiant heater that will shorten life of heater control components. Electronic boards and electrical connections don’t hold up under dirt and moisture, so it is imperative that control boxes are kept clean.

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Step 6: Test Gas Pressure. It is a good idea to conduct a pressure test on your heating system at least once every three years. If you have never conducted a gas pressure test then it is a good idea to conduct one now.

Regulators can weaken over time and allow gas pressure to rise above the recommended operating range set by the brooder or heater manufacturer. Frequently rust, dirt, or other debris can build up in the piping system and clog supply lines, resulting in lowered pressure.

Many low pressure heaters are designed to operate at about 11 inches of water column (w.c) for propane (LP) units, and natural gas (NG) units at about 7 inches w.c.

Some other heaters are designed to operate at a much higher gas pressures. Regardless of make or brand, consult the manufacturer’s recommended gas pressure rating for the specific heater you have installed. Heaters operating at too high pressures can overheat, cause fires, and shorten the life of the heater. Heaters operating at too low pressures cause heaters to produce low levels of heat, decreased radiant heat output, increased heater run times, and lower house temperatures. Your municipal gas supplier, equipment installer, or equipment manufacturer should be able to provide you with instruction and tips on checking gas pressure. If you are not comfortable with checking gas pressure, seek help from a gas professional!

Also, check all gas supply line connections for leaks. Gas leaks often go unnoticed and can be very dangerous and very costly. A thorough inspection of every gas piping and hose connection is imperative. This can be done with a simple spray bottle and soapy water.

Spray every gas connection with the soapy solution to check for gas leaks; you might be surprised at what you might find. This should be done on outside lines espe-

cially – we see a lot of bent and damaged main copper gas supply lines on houses that could be costing big dollars in gas leaks.

Step 7: Brooder Height and Sensor Placement. Radiant heaters must be installed and operated at their recommended distances from the floor. Radiant heaters installed too high will not place the recommended radiant floor pattern and designed intensity to the floor. Radiant heaters installed too close to the floor will place too much radiant heat intensity on the litter and on chicks, feeders and drinkers, with a smaller radiant floor pattern. Each appliance has a recommended height to operate at and this must be checked and marked somehow. Guessing is not an acceptable method of determining radiant brooder appliance height. Sensor placement should be consistent throughout the house and accuracy checked periodically to ensure proper readings are being sent to the house controller. Sensors for heaters placed in the radiant heat zone of a radiant brooder will prematurely shut heaters off because the sensor is reading the radiant temperature and not true air temperature. Sensors placed too far away from radiant heaters or too far out of the radiant zone will cause heaters to run too much. Consult the radiant heater manufacturer for recommended sensor placement and live production recommendations as well.

Step 8: Conduct a Test Run. Sometimes cleaning brooders and heaters can result in the heater not lighting or operating properly. It is helpful to test and visually inspect each heater while it is running so that when it is time to start preheating and brooding houses, all of the heaters are in good operation and will start up and ignite as expected.

Continued on Pg.30

A quarter-inch of dirt can collect on the canopy of a brooder in just one flock. Most of this dirt can be removed with a leaf blower or air from a compressor. It might require a brush and then a wet rag to finish the job. The picture to the right shows the radiant emitter being blown out to ensure that all dust is cleaned out of the emitter. Making sure all dust is removed from all heater components will help ensure the heater burns gas efficiently and radiates heat to the floor. Keeping the emitter clean will increase the life of the emitter and ensure that it radiates heat at full potential.

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Brothers to Join NPTC Staff Dennis Brothers, of Oneonta, has joined the staff of the National Poultry Technology Center at Auburn University.

Mr. Brothers accepted the position of poultry housing specialist and will serve poultry growers and managers across the state of Alabama. He will be based in Oneonta.

An Auburn graduate with both bachelor and master’s degrees, Brothers brings more than ten years of industry expertise to the job, having been employed by ALFA, Gold Kist Poultry and the Alabama Farmers Cooperative. He will lead NPTC educational and technical programs on a statewide basis to improve profitability and sustainability of Alabama’s poultry growers by adoption of new technologies to improve energy and production efficiencies.

The mission of the National Poultry Technology Center, which was formed in 2008, is to improve bottom line profitability of the live production sector of the Alabama poul-

try industry through timely applied research and education that contribute to increased efficiencies in housing, equipment, energy and environmental control.

The poultry industry has more than a $10 billion economic impact on the state of Alabama. In addition, some 80,000 people are employed by the poultry industry statewide. It is estimated that there are more than 11,000 poultry houses in production in Alabama.

Poultry growers desiring to contact Brothers can do so at brothers@auburn.edu, or call him at 205-456-0414. More information on the National Poultry Technology Center at Auburn University can be found at www.poultryhouse.com.

Continued from pg. 4

expressly rejected” many of the provisions included in the draft regulations.

“Considered in its entirety, the proposed rule seems aimed more at punishing business efficiency and innovation rather than redressing any identifiable economic distortions that might not ordinarily be corrected by market forces,” the comments said. “Congress has not authorized the agency to engage in central planning or empowered it to redistribute income based on its own conception of fairness at the expense of rational, legitimate, and efficient business practices that benefit both industry participants and the consumers that they serve.”

GIPSA should withdraw the rule as proposed and rework it to meet the Farm Bill mandate, the industry said.

The Bottom Line

Continued from Pg. 29

As with any system in a poultry house, we need to squeeze every ounce of potential out of what we have without hindering bird performance. That means we want to get every possible BTU of heat out of each gallon of gas we burn.

Brooders and heaters give us the ability to place chicks in the best possible environment that will get them off to a good start when they cannot regulate their own body temperature.

To do that we have to combine several systems together to provide that environment, and our brooders and heaters are a critical part of our environmental control systems. If dirty or poorly maintained heating system equipment in a poultry house is operating at only 90 percent efficiency, then that means 10 percent of the gas being burned is effectively being wasted. Thus, 300 to 500 gallons of gas, worth $400 to $700, is being wasted, and flock performance may be reduced, as well. Maintenance of heating systems is well worth the small amount of time invested.

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AP&EA Convention Golf Tournament

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

AP&EA June 3, 2011

“Evening of Fun” June 4, 2011 Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Center

ADVERTISING INDEX AirTight Agrifan Alabama Ag/Alabama Farm Credit Alltech American Proteins Auvil Insurance Aviagen DSM LitterGuard First Financial Bank First South Farm Credit Jones-Hamilton PLT

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