November/December 2014 – Vol. 9 No. 6
Melissa Gunter: A Profile in Courage
Address Service Requested AP&EA P.O. Box 240 Montgomery, AL 36101
Board of Directors Officers Dale Gambrill, President, Snead* Tim Esslinger, Vice President, Eufaula* Harold Hunt, Treasurer, Gadsden* Kenneth Sanders, Secretary, Brundidge* Randall Ennis, Immediate Past President, Huntsville*
Directors Johnny Adcock, Woodland George Attwood, Anniston Richard Curvin, Ashland Cory Early, Albertville Dennis Gordon, Montgomery Ben Gore, Cullman Lane Holladay, Tyler Casey Jones, Hoover Heath Loyd, Decatur David Massey, Enterprise Dennis Maze, Horton Kevin McDaniel, Huntsville Todd McMahen, Dothan Dr. Shannon Morgan, Huntsville Mitchell Pate, Auburn* Mike Pigg, Cullman John Pittard, Guntersville John Roberts, Cullman Keith Rhodarmer, Collinsville Roddy Sanders, Gordo Jason Shell, Huntsville Jason Spann, Hanceville* Jon Strange, Guntersville Ken Taylor, Anniston Stanley Usery, Athens Ricky Walker, Snead Brad Williams, Troy David White, Russellville
Advisors Dr. Don Conner, Auburn University James Donald, Auburn University Dr. Joe Hess, Auburn University Jacob Davis, Montgomery Dr. Tony Frazier, Montgomery Diane Guthrie, Auburn *Executive Committee Members
President’s Message
It has been a busy few months for the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association. In September our poultry tag was officially sanctioned by the state tag committee and we currently have a good number of commitments, but we need many more. The 2+2 program is expanding with an agreement between the Auburn University College of Ag and Gadsden State’s Cherokee County campus to provide poultry science classes to students. Our next goal is to expand this program in south Alabama and other regions of the state with poultry interest. Our annual Allied Golf Tournament and gun raffle held in October was again a success, raising needed funds for poultry science scholarships. The AP&EA Poultry Industry Workshop in November was a great success, with a number of outstanding speakers. We had more than 150 attendees, the largest attendance in several years. Our AU Poultry Facilities Committee continues its work to lay the groundwork of creating a “state of the art” poultry research facility at the site of the recent AU feed mill project. Chairman Randall Ennis has secured a commitment from Dr. Bachelor for seed/matching funds to get the project started. Randall and committee members have met with potential industry partners in investing in the project. Johnny and staff are preparing for the state inaugurations in January and getting our legislative agenda in place. We are also making plans for our annual “Evening of Fun” and hope to announce our entertainment soon. So with the help of our committee chairmen, members and staff, we’ve had a very busy 5 months. I want to thank this Executive Committee/Board of Directors for their support.
AP&EA STAff
Johnny Adams – Executive Director Wanda H. Linker – Administrative Director Ray Hilburn – Associate Director Huck Carroll – Communications Director/Editor Jennifer Shell – Support Director
Alabama Poultry Magazine is published by the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association 465 South Bainbridge Street Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: 334-265-2732 Fax: 334-265-0008
Send editorial and advertising correspondence to: Alabama Poultry Magazine 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.
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Featuring This Issue
Governmental Affairs Association News Alabama Poultry Industry Workshop Rainwater Harvesting Revisited Annual Turkey Pardoning Christmas Open House Winter Board Meeting Melissa Gunter: A Profile in Courage Recipes Industry News Practical Applications Calendar of Events
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Alabama Poultry Magazine November / December 2014
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Look for a video interview with poultry science scholarship student, Morgan Short, as she talks about how important her scholarship is. You can see the interview with her and other students on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/BamaChicken
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November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
Governmental Affairs
Alabama NRCS Revises Nutrient Management Standard to Promote Efficient Use of Nutrients on Agricultural Lands
AUBURN - State Conservationist Dr. William Puckett announced that the USDA – Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Alabama has revised its conservation practice standard on nutrient management. This conservation practice standard will help producers manage the application of nutrients on agricultural lands in Alabama. NRCS’ nutrient management experts worked with universities, non-government organizations, industry, and others to revise the standard to ensure it is scientifically sound. “It has been NRCS’ highest priority in revising this conservation practice standard in a way that will provide continued protection of ground and surface water, improve soil health and agriculture sustainability for the State of Alabama,” Puckett said. The nutrient management conservation practice is an important tool in the NRCS conservation toolbox. The agency’s staff uses this conservation practice to help farmers and ranchers apply their nutrients more efficiently. Proper management of nitrogen and phosphorus, including the use of organic sources of nitrogen such as animal manure, legumes and cover crops, can save producers money. The nutrient management standard provides a roadmap for NRCS’ staff and others to help producers apply available nutrient sources in the right amount, from the right source, in the right place, at the right time for maximum agricultural and environmental benefits.
Key changes are: Right Amount – The standard includes additional nitrogen recommendations from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) on expected yield for selected
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crops. As production practices change and yield expectations improve, NRCS will be better equipped to work with producers to provide nitrogen recommendations that are in line with ACES recommendations.
Right Time – Continues protection of water quality from nitrogen leaching and/or runoff. The updated conservation practice standard clarifies correct timing of nitrogen application to reduce nitrogen loss. As a result, no distinction is made between north Alabama and south Alabama when it comes to nitrogen or litter applications. Nitrogen must be applied within 30 days or less of the planned planting date or within 30 days or less of plant growth for perennial plants that would utilize the applied nitrogen. Timing nitrogen application near the start of plant growth and biomass accumulation will reduce nitrogen loss potential. However, additional split applications of nitrogen may provide more efficient use.
Right Placement – Encourages producers to use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) guidance, rate controllers and auto-swath technology; commonly known as precision application for the correct placement of fertilizer and litter in fields. This application system automatically turns on and off as the spreader approaches previously applied areas or conservation structures such as grass waterways or filter strips.
Right Source – Producers have more flexibility to use commercial fertilizers that can be blended to the needed proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. As a result of the large confined animal industry in the state, producers have access to animal manures and chicken litter. This source of nutrients generally provides equal proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The updated standard continues to require applications of nitrogen not greater than the current crop needs. However, phosphorus and potassium can be applied in the form of manure/litter in excess of the soil test recommendation after an evaluation of the loss risk. The evaluation of this phosphorus loss risk po-
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
tential will continue to be evaluated with the “Alabama Phosphorus Index”. If the risk of phosphorus loss is low, then the application of manure/litter can be at a rate to supply the nitrogen needs of the crop. As risk increase, the application is limited by the rate of phosphorus being removed from the field. If the risk is considered very high, no additional phosphorus can be applied until the risk is reduced.
The Alabama phosphorus index has also been revised to account for the current scientific understanding of nutrient loss. Additional management practices that reduce the loss potential have been accounted for within the updated phosphorus index. Producers will have a reduced phosphorus loss risk if they apply manure/litter with precision application equipment, use chemical additives (alum) in poultry houses, (gypsum) in the field to reduce phosphorus solubility, or adopt systems that improve soil health. All of these practices have been included in the updated phosphorus index and provide greater flexibility to producers. Guy Hall, Alabama Farmers Federation director Dairy, Pork and Poultry Divisions said, “Providing Alabama producers flexibility is the key. Producers in the state want to operate in a way that protects the soil and water resources. By providing the producer with conservation options, they can select practices that will best fit in their operation”. NRCS offers voluntary technical and financial assistance to producers nationwide for planning and implementing on-farm nutrient management plans. Producers can use this assistance to help meet federal, state, tribal and local environmental regulations. Visit the NRCS nutrient and pest management webpage to learn more about how nutrient management fits into NRCS’ conservation work. Interested landowners are encouraged to visit the Alabama eFOTG at http://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/ to view the standard and other supporting documents. Contact your local NRCS office to find out more information about
Association News
The Day Before: The
Storm Before the Quiet
Like most of us, all Leigha Cauthen (above) went home with was a sore shoulder and the memory of a lot of fun.
NOVEMBER 12 – It was an afternoon of big shots, missed shots and some that just shouldn’t have been shot at all, as the poultry pros and friends got together at the Lower Wetumpka Shotgun Sports Club and the Auburn Links Golf Course to take their best shots. At the sporting clay range, it was obvious from the get-go that Breck Helms of Koch Foods was no “shot-inthe-dark” shooter. The first thing that you noticed was that his custom shooting jacket had more medals that General Patton, and it wasn’t just for show either. He and his Koch Foods teams blasted through the course with nary a clay hitting the ground unmolested, while most of us other shooters were just getting sore shoulders as we fired box after box of shells at flying targets that seemed to be impregnable to our blasts. From looking at the Koch Foods team score cards, it seems that few of their clays touched ground intact. In the meantime, over at the Auburn Links Golf Course, the foursome of Wes Cumbie, Donnie Bullard, Ken Edwards and Matt Jackson weren’t doing too badly either. In fact, they won the tournament. After the shooting was over and the dust had cleared, the poultry pros headed over to the ALFA Pavilion at Ag Heritage Park, Auburn University, for some fun and fel-
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November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
(Above) Top shot Breck Helms has “the look” of a professional sporting clays hit man. His crew (left) of John Word, Helms, Jody Harper and Eric Woodfin provided good support for his efforts.
Wes Cumbie and Donnie Bullard represented the winning golf foursome. Ken Edwards and Matt Jackson had to leave early.
lowship. Even as the last shots were taken or fired, the boys at K Supply were firing up the grills for the cookout and shrimp boil. At 5:30, a crowd was already gathered. They got to listen to Auburn student and “Cowgirl at Heart” Jessie Lynn Nichols, who serenaded the festive crowd with country music favorites. At about 6:30 the food was ready and everything else stopped. Heck, even Jessie’s accompanyist headed for the chow line. I even put my camera down to indulge, it was so good. It was a fun day – just right for getting everyone in the right frame of mind for a great workshop.
The cute and talented Miss Jessie Lynn entertained the poultry pros as they awaited chow time.
Alabama Poultry Magazine November / December 2014
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David Pruett
Johnny Adams
Stan Reid
Clayton Bailey
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AUBURN – The 2014 Alabama Poultry Industry Seminar on Nov. 12, at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center, was one of the best attended events in recent history. More than 150 participants packed the auditorium to hear a wide variety of speakers from every area of the poultry industry. David Pruett, breeder manager, Tyson Foods, Snead, presided over the morning session. He introduced AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams. Adams welcomed everyone on behalf of AP&EA President Dale Gambrill. He gave a brief update of the Association’s work during the year. Keynote speaker Stan Reid’s topic, “From the Chicken Pen to World Trend – 1950 to 2050,” was both a history lesson and a futurist projection. Reid, vice president of sales & marketing for Cobb-Vantress, Inc. , grew up in Cullman and aattended Auburn University. He started out servicing broilers for Spring Valley Farms in 1981. In his presentation, he stressed the importance of the poultry industry in supplying high quality protein for a growing world population. The next speaker was lawyer Clayton Bailey of Dallas, Texas. He spoke on “Issues Affecting Grower Relations.” His firm, Bailey Brauer PLLC, is a client centered law firm focusing primarily on complex litigations and appeals. It also provides customized expertise to the agribusiness industry. The bottom line of his presentation to the industry was, “Watch what you say and what you write.” Getting back to poultry specific subjects, Dr. John Roberts, avian diagnostic specialist with the Thompson Bishop Sparks State Diagnostic Lab in Auburn, informed the group on “Current Trends in Broiler Diseases.” Then it was time for Jim Donald, National Poultry Technology Center, to give a high energy presentation on poultry house ventilation and lighting. He also announced the newest member of the NPTC team, Dr. Jeremiah Davis, who will be starting on Jan 1, 2015. To close the morning program, Dr. Chris McDaniel of Mississippi State’s department of poultry science talked on ways to improve “Rooster Fertility.” He pointed out, “hatchability can never be better than fertility.” With that presentation over, the group adjourned for lunch, which was gra-
Dr. John Roberts
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
Jim Donald
ciously sponsored by American Proteins and D&F Equipment Sales. After lunch, Corey Watson, live production manager for Pilgrim’s – Enterprise, introduced Adam Willis, live production manager for Pilgrim’s, Elijay, Ga., who spoke on “Building Relationship Leads to Success.” He shared a number of his own personal experiences. He directed his comments toward those in production supervisory roles, but said that the principles apply to everyone in the audience. He said, “Knowledge and work ethic can take us only so far, it takes common sense to make us successful. The benefits of good relationships lead to successful results.” Alabama State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Frazier was next on the agenda. Dr. Frazier provided an update on the avian influenza situation in the state with his usual homespun humor. Frazier, state veterinarian since 2001, directs five sections within the animal industry division of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. He discussed the rewriting of the Alabama avian influenza response plan that must be submitted to the USDA for approval every two years, However, he also stressed the continuing need for increased biosecurity awareness to prevent the spread of avian disease. Frazier was followed by Dr. Don Conner, head of the Auburn University department of poultry science. Conner talked about the increasing class size in the poultry science department as more and more young people are getting the message of employment opportunities in the growing poultry industry. He reported that there were now 68 students in the poultry science program and expansion of the 2+2 Program. He also talked about coming improvements in the department and the possibility of relocation of the poultry research farm to the site of the new feed mill. AP&EA Associate Director Ray Hilburn followed Conner with an update of the current winter heating situation. He reminded the audience of the difficulties from January2014, relating to the availability of propane to cope with the especially cold weather that blanketed the state. This year, he said, propane supplies were more stable, but stressed the need for growers to lock in prices as early as possible. He also reported that many growers had successfully converted their house to natural gas. The last presentation was from Dr. Joel Cline of the J.B. Taylor Diagnostic Lab in Elba. His presentation was titled “Why Biosecurity Talks are Boring.” He insisted, “This is not a biosecurity talk,” which, of course, it was. He took a clever and humorous look at his mother’s, Marguerite Cline, 4H Club Members Record Book from the 1950s to teach a common sense approach to biosecurity. He encouraged everyone to know the warning signs of sick birds and to report it early. The 2014 AP&EA Alabama Poultry Industry Workshop was a great success, with more than 150 in attendance and speakers from acrosss the South. The planning committee, chaired by Dale Gambrill, did an outstanding job in pulling it all together.
Dr. Chris McDaniel
Corey Watson
Dr. Joel Cline
Ray Hilburn
Dr. Don Conner
Dr. Tony Frazier
Adam Willis
Alabama Poultry Magazine November / December 2014
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Rainwater Harvesting Revisited
Vince Guarino of Rainwater Resources explains the workings of his vortex filter.
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November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
In 2010 we brought you a story on a pilot effort to develop an effective method of harvesting rainwater falling on the roofs of chicken houses on Ken Taylor’s Slaphappy Farm in Blount County. Four years later, the project, after a number of setbacks, is moving forward. On Nov. 29, Merchants Bank of Alabama sponsored a seminar at the North Alabama Agriplex in Cullman to hear updates on the project. The first speaker, Dr. Gene Simpson of the National Poultry Technology Center, gave a briefing on the history of the project. He told the audience of the struggles to get the system to a point of cost effectiveness and to find a company that could complete the project. Still, he also stressed the necessity for seeing it through to completion. He cited dramatic increases in water rates in some areas and problems with water quality, and in some cases, getting water access. The next speaker was Vince Guarino, vice president of Rainwater Resources, the company that has taken over the project. He discussed the new technology that was being brought to bear on the problem. He explained that rainwater harvesting was being done more and more across America and has been practiced in Europe for years. Algae has been a problem in the past, however new storage techniques have almost eliminated the problem. He showed a special valve used in the system called a vortex filter, working on centrifugal force generated by gravity. Murray Griffin, district coordinator for the NRCS, spoke on the energy audit situation, telling the audience that technical service providers must meet the NRCS’s requirements to provide audits before those audits would be accepted. USDA State Loan Specialist Marcia Johnson spoke on “Rural Energy for America Program” grants. She explained the eligibility requirements for applicants and those projects that could be considered for grant status.
Another Year, Another Clyde!
Sloane Becky Bates
welcome ed turkey is A well-dress arty. or by any p at any party,
ildren with the ch Gov. Bentley
MONTGOMERY – Sixty-five years ago, Clyde I strutted his stuff on Big Jim Folsom’s desk as a proud Bill Bates looked on. Back then Bill was just one of 150 turkey growers in Alabama, but he was the closest to Montgomery, so he got the job of bringing in a prize turkey for the governor to pardon, just before Bill’s favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. As the years passed, he became the only turkey grower in Alabama, but he loved the tradition. Bill, Big Jim and that first Clyde are all gone now, but the tradition is alive and well, carried on by the Bates family of Fort Deposit. On a cold blustery Nov. 13, Becky Bates Sloane and long time Bates Farm employee, Ethel Wyrostick, brought Clyde 65 and his friend Henrietta to visit Gov. Robert Bentley at the Governors’ Mansion, for the pardoning ceremony. They also brought one of Clyde’s less fortunate and unpardoned cohorts, well-dressed and prepared for the governor’s Thanksgiving table. School children serenaded Clyde and Henrietta and AP&EA contributed several warm blankets for First Lady Dianne Bentley’s blanket drive to help the homeless. After the ceremony, everyone without feathers, headed inside to get warm.
Alabama Poultry Magazine November / December 2014
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DECEMBER 3 – With high spirits, good food, warm fellowship and only a little shop talk, the poultry pros from industry, farm and academia gathered together with friends of poultry to celebrate the season at the annual AP&EA Christmas Open House. The gathering was replete with many reelected government leaders as well as some newly-elected candidates, just waiting for inauguration. There were also representatives from governmental regulatory agencies who were on hand to offer well wishes. Many old friendships were rekindled and the spirit of “Auld Lang Syne” was definitely in the air. It could be heard in the sound of laughter and seen on the smiling faces. It was a most appropriate way to kick off the holiday season and get everyone in a happy mood for the board of directors meeting the following day.
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November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
Winter Board Meeting
AP&EA President Dale Gambrill
AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams
Kenneth Sanders
AP&EA Winter Board Meeting
Dr. Bill Batchelor
Casey Jones
Dr. Don Conner
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MONTGOMERY – On Dec. 4, Alabama Poultry & Egg Association board members from acrosss the state met for their sDecemberboard meeting at the AP&EA offices. Association President Dale Gambrill welcomed all those attending. He began by introducing new board member Lane Holladay, a poultry grower from Tyler. Gambrill’s opening remarks centered around the approval of the new Alabama Poultry License Tag, the expansion of the Auburn University poultry science department’s 2 + 2 Program, and the successful Alabama Poultry Industry Workshop. The first order of business was the election of a replacement for Ben Thompson, who is retiring from Aviagen, on the board. Randall Ennis nominated Kevin McDaniel, also of Aviagen, to fill out Thompson’s remaining time. The motion was seconded and passed. Casey Jones presented the Allied Committee report. He reported on a successful Allied Golf Tournament and shotgun raffle, raising more than $10,000 for scholarships for the 2 + 2 Program. He also reported that the AP&EA “Big Bass” Tournament was scheduled for May 8, at Lake Guntersville. Kenneth Sanders, chairman of the Grower Committee, talked about heating problems from last year. He said that he was encouraging as many growers as possible to convert to natural gas, if possible, or to increase their propane storage capacity to take advantage of bulk pricing. He was also encouraging them to look at alternative energy sources. He also began a discussion on the possibilities of chartering buses to take Alabama growers to the 2015 “Evening of Fun.” Randall Ennis, chairman of the Auburn University Facilities Committee, reported that Dr. Bill Batchelor, dean of the Auburn College of Agriculture, had pledged a generous amount in matching funds for the relocation and that ADEM
Jim Donald
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
Dr. Tony Frazier
had given their approval on the site. He expressed confidence that at least one poultry house could be built by summer of 2015. Dr. Gary Lemme of Alabama Cooperative Extension Systems reported a cooperative plan with AP&EA to develop the concept of focused extension agents who would help growers prepare nutrient management plans. He also reported that Chick Chain has more than 1,000 kids involved in 40 Alabama counties. He thanked Dr. Joe Hess for puting an emphasis on “poultry career awareness” within the program. Dr. Bill Batchelor spoke briefly about the need to recruit more young people into poultry science (his youngest son is a freshman in poultry science at Auburn). He also said, in reference to the new poultry research facility, “There is no reason that Auburn should not have a world-class facility to support this industry.” Advisory reports began with Alabama Cooperative Extension System’s Dr. Joe Hess. Hess reported on the success of the Feed Mill Supervisors Workshop at the new Auburn Animal Nutrition and Research Center in October. Hess was followed by State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Frazier, who reported on a preliminary meeting with the USDA veterinarians and NPIP to put together a “tabletop” avian influenza response exercise this spring, with a full scale exercise to follow in the fall of 2015. He also reported that the state diagnostic lab continues to struggle in getting poultry trained pathologists. He wants to establish a fouryear Ph.D. program through the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine to train avian pathologists for the poultry industry. There were several other advisory reports including: Jacob Davis with the education report; Jim Donald with biosystems engineering; and Diane Guthrie with the environmental science report. AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams thanked the committee chairmen for their work and asked the board to continue the Alabama Poultry License Tag promotion. Roddy Sanders
Diane Guthrie
Mike Pigg
Dr. Joe Hess
David Massey
Dr. Gary Lemme
Randall Ennis
Ray Hilburn
Alabama Poultry Magazine November / December 2014
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Melissa Gunter: A Profile in Courage
Melissa Gunter’s support group includes her mother, Kaye, older sister, Kayla, and Kayla’s husband; Reuben Godwin with baby, Reese; and Melissa’s dad, Clay Nolan. Melissa’s twin sister, Megan, was working and her brother is a senior at Auburn. Melissa’s husband, Patton, started back to work the day of the interview, so he could not be in the photo.
FORT DEPOSIT – Melissa Gunter doesn’t remember the accident. She was on her way to work part-time at Priester’s Pecans that August 9, 2014 morning. Driving down the long hill from her home on Bates Farm Road to be on time for her 8:00 a.m. shift, she remembers it was a bright clear day, with no traffic. The 25-year-old daughter of poultry growers, Clay and Kaye Nolan of Fort Deposit, Cissy, as she is called, had graduated in December from Troy University with a batchelor’s degree in rehabilitation, with an emphasis on helping people with disabilities get jobs. She had interned at Easter Seals in Montgomery and now had a second part-time job working as a job coach with Project Search in partnership with Easter Seals in a program to help students with disabilities transition from school to work. She was a good athlete, loving to run daily with neighbors, Craig and Denise Grant. She was also an avid hunter. This was an exciting time. She had been accepted into a University of Alabama online master’s degree program in rehabilitation services starting in the fall. But even more exciting, she had just gotten married in May to Patton Gunter, a Montgomery mail carrier. Life was good and the future looked great.
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Then everything changed. She lost control of the car, felt it going backwards ... Ben Bates, Bill Bates’ great grandson, found the car down an embankment and against a tree. He called 911. They airlifted Melissa to Baptist Hospital South in Montgomery. The next day she was transported to the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital. She stayed there for eight days. It was determined that her spinal column had been severed at the T-6 vertebrae. She also had extensive head trauma. On Aug. 19, she was transfered to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Ga., for in-patient care. The Shepherd Center is ranked among the nation's top rehabilitation hospitals for spinal cord injury and brain injury. She stayed there until mid October when she came home for two weeks. Two weeks later, back at the Shepherd Center, she met another patient who encouraged her to, “work through the pain.” Melissa took her advice, and, even as she endured the painful therapy, she began setting goals for her recovery and for her life. The first goal was independence. Toward the end of her stay, she was evaluated for
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
Clay is the manager at First Citizen’s Bank in Fort Deposit and Kaye drives a rural mail route. They have been in the poultry business since 1989, when Kaye, pregnant with twins, Melissa and Megan, decided that she wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. Growing up in the poultry business, she had worked, as a child, on her grandparents’ poultry farm in Georgiana. Then her parents built houses and she worked in them. When Kaye left for Auburn, she vowed she’d never work in a chicken house again. When she graduated from Auburn, she went to work in a brokerage firm, met a nice young banker, Clay, and got married. When their first child came along, she kept on working, but then the twins came along, and those chicken houses didn’t look so bad. They bought a farm that had four older houses, which they worked until 2004. That year they dropped out of the chicken business for awhile. Clay says they stayed out a little longer than they had first anticipated. But, in 2007, with Koch Foods purchase of Sylvest, they re-entered the business, building two 66’ x 600’ houses to replace all four of their old houses.
driving. She was required to pull herself into the driver’s seat of a car, disassemble her 40 lb. wheelchair and safely stow it in the backseat. It is a slow and painful process. But, she was able to do it. She was even able to drive a specially equipped car with hand controls in Atlanta. She has not driven since, but hopes to soon. She really wants to go hunting again. She has started shooting with a pellet gun and is doing remarkably well. She showed one of her targets to her therapist who was amazed at how well she had done. In January Cissy will be starting her online master’s program with the University of Alabama, and Easter Seals is still holding her job for her when she is able to return. Still, with all this, she is dependent. With this sort of paralysis, even rudimentary bodily functions require someone’s care. Her husband, Patton, is that primary caregiver. And, there is the pain from limbs that have no feeling. It has been very difficult for the family. Resources are stretched thin. Insurance money for rehab has been exhausted and there are still bills to pay. Fort Dale Academy, Cissy’s high school, held a fun run in early December to raise money to help, and a fund has been set up through their church, Bethel Baptist in Fort Deposit. Contibutions can be made to the Melissa Gunter Fund at First Citizen’s Bank of Fort Deposit.
While conducting this interview in early December, I watched as Cissy got into her mother’s car for a short drive to their poultry houses where she used to help her mother as a child. It is difficult to watch, especially for Kaye. Like any mother, she is desperate to help, but must stay back as Melissa practices to develop her arm muscles and the balance required to first remove one of the wheelchair’s arm rests, put a transfer board on the seat of the car and the wheelchair, and then lift herself to the board. Then she must slide across the board to the seat, stow the transfer board, then lift her feet into the vehicle. Only then does the wheelchair disassembly begin. Once at the poultry houses, she reverses the process. She is breathing heavily when she finishes, but smiles triumphantly, even as her mother brushes away tears. “I am getting stronger,” she says, with an impish grin, flexing her bicep. But Cissy’s strength does not lie in her body, it is her faith in God that is her real strength. The first thing that she consciously remembers following the accident is hearing the song “Nothing But the Blood of Jesus.” It has become her theme. While the family needs financial assistance, your prayers are also needed. It’s going to be a long road.
Alabama Poultry Magazine November / December 2014
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Recipes
These light-as-a-feather spring treats will have your guests asking for the recipe. It’s up to you if you want to let them know your secret. The eggs make the difference in these detectable concoctions, just in time to add some sweetness to your Easter table. Anyone ready for seconds?
CREAM CREAM OF OF COCONUT COCONUT CAKE CAKE 1 1/2 3/4 1 2 tsp 6 2 1/2 1 1 1 1
cups sugar cup vegetable shortening cup skim or low-fat milk vanilla extract egg whites cups self-rising flour cup fresh frozen coconut (8-ounce) can cream of coconut cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted* (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
Grease and flour a 9- x 13-inch baking pan; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together sugar and shortening. Slowly add milk and vanilla, continue beating until blended. Add egg whites, two at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add flour gradually, beating well. Stir in fresh frozen coconut just until mixed. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake at 350ºF until cake tests done when knife inserted in center comes out clean, or about 35 minutes.. Cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes. Punch 6 to 10 holes in cake (the handle end of a wooden spoon works well), slowly pour cream of coconut on top of cake, letting it absorb completely. Finish cooling completely. Stir in 1/2 cup of the toasted coconut into whipped topping. Spread whipped topping on cake as frosting. Sprinkle remaining toasted coconut on top of cake. Refrigerate for several hours. *To toast coconut, preheat oven to 350ºF. Spread sweetened shredded or flaked coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once or twice, until golden, about 5 to 10 minutes. If toasting sweetened coconut, check and stir more frequently because the added sugars can cause irregular browning.
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November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
NOT YOUR AVERAGE POUND CAKE 1/2 1/2 1 3 6 1 tsp 1 tsp 3 1/2 tsp 2 1/2
cup butter, softened cup shortening (8-oz) package cream cheese cups sugar eggs coconut extract vanilla extract cups all-purpose flour baking powder cups fresh frozen coconut, thawed cup sweetened flaked coconut for garnish or fresh berries or fresh fruit slices
Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan; set aside. In a large bowl, beat together butter, shortening and cream cheese until blended. Add sugar gradually, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add coconut and vanilla extracts; mix well. Gradually add flour and baking powder; beat until smooth. Stir in thawed coconut flakes. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a preheated 325ยบF oven until a knife inserted into cake comes out clean or about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Allow cake to cool on a cooling rack for 10 -15 minutes before removing cake from pan. Sprinkle with sweetened flaked coconut and/or fresh fruit for garnish.
TASTE OF THE TROPICS CHEESECAKE 2 1/4 1/4 3 1/2 6 1 1 1/2 1/2
Cooking spray cups crushed coconut cookies cup sugar cup butter, melted (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened cup sugar eggs (15-ounce) can cream of coconut cups fresh frozen coconut, thawed cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted*
Evenly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray, set aside. Combine crumbs, sugar and butter in a small bowl, mix completely. Firmly press into the bottom and 1-inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake crust in a preheated 350ยบF for 8-10 minutes; let cool in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325ยบF. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer, gradually adding sugar. Add eggs, 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in cream of coconut and thawed coconut. Pour batter into prepared crust. Bake at 325ยบ F until cheesecake looks almost set, but still shakes slightly in center or about 50-60 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle toasted coconut around rim of cheesecake or in center if desired. Cool and chill for 8 hours or overnight. Carefully run a thin bladed knife around the rim of the cheesecake; loosen the outside of the pan. Carefully run a long, sharp knife under the crust of the pan to loosen. Carefully transfer cheesecake to serving plate. If desired, serve with a strawberry, raspberry or chocolate sauce or just garnish with toasted coconut and fresh fruit.
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Industry News
Dr. Jeremiah Davis Joins NPTC
Dr. Jeremiah Davis, P.E. has accepted an offer to join the biosystems engineering department starting Jan. 1, 2015. Dr. Davis will be associate professor and associate director of the National Poultry Technology Center (NPTC). In his role with the NPTC, he will provide leadership for expanding the research programs associated with
the center. Also, he will have the opportunity to expand the educational programs that are related to the engineering needs in the poultry production sector and he will grow graduate student enrollment for those students interested in poultry technology and related engineering applications. Davis has a B.S. in agricultural engineering from Texas A&M University; a Masters in biosystems and agricultural engineering from the University of Kentucky; and a Ph.D. in agricultural engineering from Iowa State University. He has served on the faculty in the department of agricultural and biological engineering at Mississippi State University for the last seven years at the ranks of assistant and associate professor. Davis has had an excellent record of accomplishments in teaching, re-
Cathy Fincher Retires From Boaz Lab
AP&EA President Dale Gambrill presents Cathy Fincher with a certificate of appreciation for her many years of service to the Alabama poultry industry.
Cathy Fincher, long-time Boaz diagnostic lab employee, retired on Dec. 31, 2014, after 25 years of service to the state and poultry industry. Cathy was hired as a lab technician in 1990 by then lab director Dr. Steve Roney. She did a tremendous job with certifying flocks for the National Poultry Improvement Plan by performing blood tests for poultry diseases and completing the required paperwork. She worked many hours of overtime without getting paid for most of them to get the required tests completed on time. She was instrumental in training the new employees at the Hanceville diagnostic lab when it was built in 1995. The current lab director, Dr. Tami Kelly, stated that Cathy was very dedicated to the lab and the poultry industry in the state and would be greatly missed.
Continued on pg. 30
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November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
search, outreach, and service at Mississippi State University. His research efforts have focused on poultry housing environment and energy issues; sensors and instrumentation for animal monitoring, harvesting and storage of agricultural commodities, and engineering issues for the biomass feedstock supply chain. He has received $1.9 million for 26 different extramurally funded projects. He has been the author or co-author of 25 peer-reviewed articles, 29 conference proceedings papers, 51 abstracts, 32 invited presentations, and 13 other presentations. These publications are in the journals and outlets most appropriate for the agricultural and biological engineering profession and Dr. Davis is well known nationally for his research efforts in the poultry and livestock sectors. His efforts have been recognized with several awards.
Fall Ag Graduation Breakfast
Poultry science graduates (left to right): Jimmy Hagood, Klint McCafferty and David Thornton.
The Auburn department of poultry scienc faculty was turning the omelets at the fall semester Graduation Breakfast on Dec. 13, sponsored by AP&EA. Dr. Wally Berry and Dr. Don Conner seem to have things well in hand.
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Dr. Don Conner receives a check from the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association for $29,000 to aid in student recruitment.
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
Aviagen’s Don Hachen Elected President of North Alabama International Trade Association
HUNTSVILLE – Aviagen has announced Don Hachen, the company’s director of global planning, has been elected president of the North Alabama International Trade Association (NAITA). As president of NAITA, Hachen will lead the business-driven organization as it promotes economic growth through international trade education,
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networking and training. The group represents the interests of businesses active throughout northern Alabama and seeking to establish trading relationships with foreign companies and governments. Hachen’s term as president ends in April 2016. As Aviagen’s director of global planning for the past 13 years, Hachen has extensive experience balancing product availability with global demand. His responsibilities include ensuring Aviagen’s U.S. hatcheries are consistently able to produce the right amounts of each of Aviagen’s chicken brands (Arbor Acres, Indian River and Ross) to meet demand for chicks at any given time, anywhere in the world. Hachen’s team oversees communication for all orders shipped from the
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
United States to ensure delivery details are coordinated properly in all locations. (Hachen describes some of these considerations in this NAITA video.) Hachen began working at Aviagen 25 years ago and holds a degree in microbiology and public health degree from Michigan State University. “NAITA members made an outstanding choice when they elected Don Hachen as president of an organization that for 25 years has proven so critical to the success of businesses in northern Alabama,” said Kevin McDaniel, president of Aviagen North America. “Don too has been critical to the success of Aviagen as he and his team work to ensure we’re meeting the demand for Aviagen chicks in countries throughout the world.
Practical Applications
Four Common Minimum Ventilation Mistakes
National Poultry Technology Center – Auburn University College of Agriculture By: Jess Campbell, Jim Donald, Dennis Brothers & Gene Simpson In wintertime, most of problems growers, service technicians and managers call NPTC for help on have to do with wet floors, too high ammonia, high fuel bills and poor performance. More often than not these problems are the direct result of failing to meet one or more of the four basic requirements of successful minimum ventilation. It’s easy to remember what these are if you think of the acronym P.O.S.T: Pressure – Adequate static pressure, usually around 0.10 inches or more, is required to get good “throw” of incoming cold air to mix with warm in-house air above the birds, not dropping to the floor and chilling them or causing condensation and wetting of litter. Openings – To enable static pressure to do its air-throw job, you must have the right number of vent doors unlatched and opening properly, not too wide and not too tight. Source – The right number of fans (and total fan capacity) must be running so as to bring all incoming air through the brood chamber vents, and at proper air velocity. Timing – Minimum ventilation fan on-off cycling time must be right for the size/age of birds so as to maintain proper air quality. Getting any one of these four P.O.S.T requirements wrong results in wet floors, too high ammonia, too high fuel bills, and poor flock performance. This newsletter explains how to use P.O.S.T to get them all right. What is Minimum Ventilation? Minimum ventilation (MV) is the first stage of negative pressure ventilation in a poultry house where the amount of ventilation air exchange is dictated by a time clock setting or
timer in the electronic controller, and not by temperature. MV begins when the in-house temperature is below the desired set point, typically on day one during brooding in cold weather and heating systems are operating. The controller is set to open perimeter air inlets and turn on fans for a set duration of time in 5-minute increments. A typical MV time cycle for day one during brooding might be set to operate fans ON for 30 seconds and OFF for 270 seconds. This ON time is gradually increased as the flock gets older and inhouse conditions change, requiring higher rates of ventilation. When in the MV mode, heating systems and ventilation systems often run at the same time. Once the in-house temperature increases above the desired set point the MV fans are called to run continuously based on temperature control and the house is no longer in MV.
The Minimum Ventilation Goal The goal of MV is to maintain the lowest ventilation rates possible to maintain adequate moisture removal and air quality without burning excess fuel or stressing birds in the process. For MV to be successful, the four P.O.S.T conditions must be met: correct static Pressure to achieve air throw; correct inlet Opening to achieve a high speed air stream; correct Source of incoming air, so that all air coming into the house enters into and passes through the brood chamber (during brooding); and correct fan run Time for sufficient moisture removal and air quality. For clarity, the following more detailed explanations of these four requirements refer to an example 40-foot wide house as shown in the illustration on page 28.
What good minimum ventilation air flow would look like (if we could see it).
Notice that heating the outside air by 20 degrees F typically cuts the relative humidity (RH) of that air about in half (50 percent). So as cold outside air is heated inside the house the moisture holding capacity of that air increases from zero at 30°F (100 percent RH) to almost completely dry (about 13 percent RH) at 90°F. The dry air is what removes moisture from the litter and the house during the MV cycle.
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Example Minimum Ventilation Setup: Notice in the illustration every other perimeter inlet is opened in the brooding chamber, all perimeter inlets are closed in the off-end, and using two 36-inch exhaust fans. (If off-end condensation becomes a problem, opening two vent doors in the off-end may help.) This is a standard setup for MV in many programs. Alternate setups can achieve the same MV goal successfully. Different house sizes, center house brooding, alternate inlet doors, fans, and MV regimes can be successful but must follow the basic MV guidelines outlined in this newsletter. Matching vent doors to fan capacity is critical.
Pressure (P): Target Static Pressure The correct operating pressure for house operation in cold weather MV is related to the width of the house. One rule of thumb to remember is for every 0.01 inches of water column operating pressure, a properly opened vent door should throw the incoming air a distance of about two feet. Incoming air during MV should reach the peak of the ceiling of the house prior to coming into contact with the chicks. The house in this example is 40 feet wide so a good starting target pressure would be 0.10 inches of water column to get outside air to the ceiling peak. Wider houses are more challenging to get the air to reach the peak and probably don’t need to run more than 0.14 inches of water column.
Opening (O): Number of Vents and Opening Size The decision has to be made on the number of perimeter inlet vent doors to use in the MV setup based on the number of fans used. Two 36-inch fans were picked for use during MV so the number of vent doors utilized should be compatible with running two 36-inch fans. Many houses are not tight enough to use two 36-inch fans for MV. They will require three 36-inch fans or one 36-inch and one 48-inch fan. This house was designed to run four 48-inch fans through 50 perimeter inlet vent doors. Two 36-inch exhaust fans are close to the same fan capacity as one 48-inch fan. There needs to be about 25 percent of the total number of vents opened during MV using these two 36-inch fans. Trying to utilize all of the perimeter inlets with two or three 36-inch minimum vent fans is a serious mistake and will result in all inlets being opened insufficiently to achieve a good air stream. In almost all cases it is necessary to lock a large percentage of the vent doors shut during the first week or 10 days of the grow out. A good starting point, for example, would be to allow about 12-14 inlets (about 50 percent
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of the inlets in the brooding area) to open and then latch closed the remainder of the inlets in the brood chamber and all of the inlets in the non-brood section. The goal is to get ceiling mounted vent door inlets to open about 1.5 - 2.0 inches or sidewall mounted vent door inlets to open about 2.0 - 2.5 inches during each MV cycle. These opening sizes are starting point guidelines for basic metal doors. If the vent doors are not opening enough then more vent doors should be closed to make the existing doors open properly. Simple, inexpensive latches can be added to any vent door. Tightening up the house is preferred but turning on an additional fan is another option to achieve proper door opening. If doors are open too much then additional doors must be opened up. It is common practice to use either smoke emitters or orange construction tape to test the incoming air through the vent doors to make sure the air is traveling along the ceiling and to the center peak of the house. Achieving proper vent door opening and air throw is a critical component in the MV setup. Source (S) of Air and Number of Fans: Remember that during brooding all incoming air should be drawn through the brood chamber and then be exhausted by the fans. Air that bypasses the brood chamber does not count as MV air for the chickens and is of no value to the birds. When birds are released to full house, some brood chamber vents will have to be closed and some off-end vents opened for uniform air distribution. This house has one 36inch fan in the front end brooding chamber and one 36-inch fan in the back off-end. These are typically used as MV fans. For example purposes these fans will be rated at about 10,000 cfm each for a total of 20,000 cfm for MV. Some houses may use a combination of 36-inch and 48-inch fans for MV based on the size of the house and level of house tightness. The
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine
looser the house the more fan power required to achieve proper vent door opening during ventilation cycles.
Time (T): Fan Cycle Time Finally, the grower and company representative must calculate the minimum amount of fan cycle time required to run during MV. This estimated calculation is designed for air exchange through the brooding chamber for the chickens only and does not compensate for air through the off-end of the house. This number is programmed into the controller’s 5minute timer to make the house run regardless of temperature or heat settings in order to remove moisture and improve air quality for the chickens. This on-time number is a starting point and it is not recommended to run less than 30 seconds out of 5 minutes. As chicks age and water consumption increases, MV cycle time must also increase or the house conditions and air quality will deteriorate. The addition of fan run time should correlate with the increase in water intake into the house. Knowing the cfm of the MV fans, the number of birds in the house and the age of the birds in weeks, the percentage of timer on-time can be calculated for typical conditions. Example calculations and typical MV per-bird rates are shown below.
Calculating MV Fan Cycle Time: FIRST, calculate the total cfm’s needed, according to the age of the birds: Total cfm’s = cfm/bird needed times number of birds in the house Example: In Week 1, with 0.10 cfm per bird needed, and with 24,000 birds in house, 0.10 cfm x 24,000 birds =2,400 cfm needed. Percentage of time = cfm needed divided by cfm capacity of fans used (Fan output can vary. Don’t overestimate the capacities of your fans.) 2,400 cfm needed divided by 20,000 cfm of MV fans used = .12 = 12 percent
12 percent x 300 seconds = 36 second ON time So 36 seconds ON and 264 seconds OFF would be a good starting point for day one. Rates shown in the table are ideal MV rates on clean dry bedding. For built up litter, rates should be increased. ON times must be increased as needed – approximately every 3 days.These rates are a starting point for MV. Air quality and conditions in the house will dictate if the rate should increase or decrease. Exact rates needed vary with breed and sex; check with company for specifics applicable to your operation. Rates given here are for temperatures from 30-60°F; lower temperatures call for slightly lower rates, and high-er temperatures slightly higher rates. If in-house humidity levels exceed 65 percent, or litter begins to show signs of moisture loading, or ammonia levels exceeding 25 ppm are measured, then 15 seconds should be added to the fan cycle time. If inhouse humidity drops below 50 percent or the appearance of dust is noticed, the subtraction of 15 seconds to fan cycle time may be in order. In-house conditions should be monitored early in the morning to inspect each house for indications of a change in the MV program. There is a simple MV fan cycle timer calculator located at www.poultryhouse.com that can be downloaded or used directly from the website. Also, there is a smart phone web application that can be used in conjunction with most any smart phone to calculate MV on the go. The link to this web application is (www.ag.auburn.edu/nptc/calc). Please note you must have a moderate phone service and internet signal
Typical Recommended Minimum Ventilation Per-Bird Rates WEEK
DAYS
CFM/BIRD
1
1-7
0.10
2
8 - 14
0.25
3
15 - 21
0.35
4
22 - 28
0.50
5
29 - 35
0.65
6
36 - 42
0.70
7
43 - 49
0.80
8
50 - 56
0.90
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to run this application on the smart phone. Special instructions for installing and using this mobile web calculator can be found in our YouTube section of our website.
Remember P. O. S. T. Generally, if the guidelines of good static pressure, correct inlet opening, correct source of air and adequate run time are followed, the resulting MV setup should get the producer off to a good start during cold weather. As birds age and deposit increasing amounts of moisture in the house the MV timer setting must increase to keep the litter and air quality in acceptable conditions. The most common mistake we find on farms is the failure to latch designated perimeter vent doors shut during MV. The fans, pressure and fan cycle run time can all be correct, but if all the vent doors are opening only ¼ inch the incoming air is directed straight to the feed and water lines and the results will be less than desirable. Wet litter and chilled birds are often found in houses where all of the vent doors are left open during MV. While it is fairly easy to make adjustments to this system from the control room, the one main factor that many seem to forget is vent door adjustment. The house starts out with approximately 25 percent of the vents opened and these are
Cathy Fincher: Continued from pg. 22
Cathy and her husband, Ed Fincher, who is the son of recent Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame inductee Staley Fincher, have moved to Auburn so that she can enjoy her retirement with family. We wish Cathy the best in her retirement years even though we think she will remain very busy and active,
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all located in the brood chamber. As birds age and more fans are added, more vents must be opened to maintain the proper opening and air throw to the ceiling peak. This must be accomplished manually by unlatching additional vent doors as more fans are called on. As MV continues when the birds are released into full house, some vent doors must be latched shut in the brood chamber and opened in the off-end of the house to maintain proper door opening, uniform air distribution, and uniform temperature throughout the house. Bottom Line Getting the P.O.S.T requirements right enables the grower to maintain the lowest ventilation rates possible to maintain adequate moisture removal and air quality without burning excess fuel or stressing birds in the process. Maintaining proper ventilation during times when the house needs heating may incur slightly increased fuel costs, but these are far outweighed by the payoff from getting top flock performance. For more information on MV basics, see newsletter number 15, Cardinal Rules for Wintertime Broiler House Ventilation. Good luck this winter!
hopefully in another capacity in the poultry industry. We thank Cathy for all that she has done through the years for the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association and the poultry industry. She is the type of person that makes this industry so special.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg. pg.
7 12 31 22 24 8 29 5 23 2 22 32 9 23 26
International Production & Processing Expo January 27-29 2015 Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga.
AP&EA “Big Bass” Fishing Tournament Friday, May 8, 2015 Lake Guntersville
“Evening of Fun” Golf Tournament Friday, June 5, 2015 Limestone Springs Golf Course
“Evening of Fun” Concert Saturday, June 6, 2015 Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex, Birmingham
November / December 2014 Alabama Poultry Magazine