Alabama Poultry, September/October 2009

September/October 2009 – VOL. 4 NO. 5

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

Board of Directors Officers Fred Cespedes, President, Hanceville* Wendell Shelton, Vice President, Boaz John Pittard, Tresurer, Guntersville* Spence Jarnagin, Secretary, Huntsville* Ken Taylor, Immediate Past President, Anniston* Directors Johnny Adcock, Woodland* Ronnie Adrian, Collinsville George Attwood, Anniston Roger Chappell, Cullman Billy Conquest, Cullman Melissa Durbin, Birmingham Randall Ennis, Huntsville* Tim Esslinger, Eufaula Dale Gambrill, Snead Billy Gilley, Cullman Harold Hunt, Gadsden Ted Lankford, Athens Heath Loyd, Decatur David Massey, Montgomery Dennis Maze, Horton Joe McGlamery, Enterprise Todd McMahen, Dothan John Roberts, Cullman Kenneth Sanders, Brundidge Roddy Sanders, Gordo Jack Sherwood, Troy Phyllis Thomas, Russellville David Thompson, Ashland Stanley Usery, Athens Ricky Walker, Snead Advisors Dr. Don Conner, Auburn University James Donald, Auburn University Dr. Joe Hess, Auburn University Mickey Humphries, Montgomery Dr. Tony Frazier, Montgomery Perry Oakes, Auburn

*Executive Committee Members

AP&EA STAFF

Director’s MESSAGE

Fall is finally upon us. Cooler temperatures are a welcomed relief from the summer’s heat. Rain was abundant this year, perhaps a little too abundant in some places, but we have finally come through the drought that plagued us for several years, and for that we should be grateful.

With the coming of fall, with hay bailed and harvests laid in, we look ahead to Thanksgiving and the Christmas holidays. These are times when our families will gather together to celebrate our many blessings.

On November 20, we will celebrate with Bill Bates as he presents Clyde #60 to Alabama’s first family. In October, we celebrated the birth of a son to Jennifer Shell, our support director. We have many things to celebrate and give thanks for, including our industry.

And, while the days ahead appear to have their pitfalls, they also have their opportunities. The news in the industry and in the world can sound so depressing, but we must remain optimistic and remember that we feed the world. Do you realize, little children will go to bed in many countries around the globe tonight with full bellies, because Alabama farmers grow chickens?

This industry is so very special, with so many wonderful and dynamic people. You have read their profiles, you work with many of them. They are men and women of vision and determination, who give themselves daily to this industry. And, you are one of them.

Here at the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association, we are thankful to serve such worthy people as you. You feed the world – you are worthy of celebrating!

Have a joyous and blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Johnny Adams – Executive Director Wanda H. Linker – Administrative Director Huck Carroll – Communications Director/Editor Jennifer Shell – Support Director

Alabama Poultry 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

FEATURING

Governmental Affairs Poultry Farmer – You’ve Got Enemies Alabama Ag. Responds Association News Grower Profile – The Scotts New Roosters in the House Membership News Allied Golf Tournament Holiday Recipes Humanitarian Profile Auburn Happenings Practical Applications Calendar of Events

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G over nment al Affairs

Groups Urge Trade Reps to Challenge E.U. Barrier to U.S. Poultry Richard L. Lobb, NCC rlobb@chickenusa.org

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is being jointly urged by four concerned groups to have the World Trade Organization (WTO) determine if a major barrier to U.S. poultry exports to the European Union is a violation of WTO’s rules. In a September 24 letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk the National Chicken Council, USA Poultry & Egg Export Council, National Turkey Federation, and the National Association of Manufacturers re-confirmed their strong support for

U.S. Trade Representative action that would result in a WTO dispute settlement panel that addresses the EU’s blocking action against four antimicrobials that reduce pathogens during poultry processing.

In the letter to Ambassador Kirk the groups noted that early in 2009 WTO dispute settlement consultations were held with the European Union in an attempt to move the EU toward official approval of four antimicrobials that are FDA/USDA approved and have been scientifically proven in both the United

States and the EU to be safe and efficacious in reducing pathogens on poultry.

Since the official consultations earlier this year resulted in no resolution of the issue, it is now “most appropriate to take the issue to the next step in the WTO dispute settlement panel process, namely requesting that the issue be addressed by a WTO dispute settlement panel,” the groups stated in the letter.

U.S. poultry exports to the EU have not been permitted since 1997. If the EU was an eligible market for U.S. poultry, it is estimated annual poultry exports would top $300 million.

Russia’s Reduced Import Quotas a Negative for U.S. Chicken Tom Johnston Meatingplace and Carnetec Technical Seminars

Reported reductions in Russia’s meat and poultry import quotas and a proposed auction system reflect “seasonal political maneuvering” or signal a structural change to the country’s export markets. Either way, it’s not a good sign for U.S. chicken exports, BMO Capital Markets analyst Ken Zaslow said in a note to investors.

According to press reports, import quotas for beef, pork and poultry will change in the next three years. Mean-

while, Russia proposed creating a system whereby it will auction 30 percent of its quotas.

Poultry quotas in 2010 are projected to amount to 780,000 metric tons, compared with 931,000 metric tons in 2009. In 2012, poultry quotas will be reduced further, to 550,000 metric tons.

Pork quotas gradually will be lowered to 450,000 metric tons, from 500,000 metric tons. Beef quotas, meanwhile, are expected to hold at 530,000 metric tons.

Zaslow said implications for U.S. chicken companies would be increased price sensitivity related to leg prices due

to increased competition from countries including Brazil and China, as well as reduced U.S. chicken exports to Russia.

“The question is, is this typical seasonal political maneuvering by Russia or is it the initial sign of a structural change to the Russian export markets?”

Zaslow wrote. “While we can make a good case for both sides of the argument, we believe this is an incrementally negative sign for the long-term outlook for U.S. chicken exports to Russia, as Russia continues to take steps to reduce its reliance on the United States and become more self-sufficient in protein production.”

China Accuses the U.S. of Dumping Poultry Products China’s Ministry of Commerce has accused the Obama administration of pandering to U.S. auto unions, in an effort to win their support for his unpopular health-care-overhaul plan, by imposing tariffs on low cost Chinese tires imported into the United States. As a defacto reaction, China has started an investigation of, so-called, dumping of American poultry products on the Chi-

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nese market.

Both China and the United States, as members of the World Trade Organization, have agreed to adopt and enforce anti-dumping laws. These laws would punish foreign producers for selling their products on domestic markets at prices that fall below their cost of production. In the past few years the People’s Republic of China has been

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accused as being one of the most egregious violators of these laws.

Last year, according to the Wall Street Journal, China exported more than 46 million tires into the United States, or nearly 17 percent of all tires sold in the country. These mostly lowend tires, are primarily imported by U.S. tire manufacturers, who joined the Chinese in opposing the tariffs.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Chicken Farmer – You Have Enemies!

In your occupation as a farmer, especially as a poultry farmer, you raise the food that feeds millions of people around the globe. You provide needed protein for growth and development of muscle and brain tissue. Why should someone, who fulfils such a need have so many critics?

Let’s start off with a little background information. The real blame starts with a fellow named Norman Borlaug. Norman, a Midwesterner and born-again Lutheran, thought that just because he could engineer grains that could probably grow on a paved parking lot, he had a God ordained mandate to teach the word how to do the same thing – not on parking lots, but in fields from Mexico to Africa to India and China. Dr. Norman Borlaug has been called, “the Father of the Green Revolution.” You can read more about him on page 24.

You, Mr. and Mrs. Poultry Grower are a vital part of that Green Revolution – you are the heirs and beneficiaries of Norman Borlaug.

You feed the world. Common sense would say that someone who feeds the world ought to be universally celebrated, but that’s not the case.

Lets take a look at who doesn’t like you.

but it also means no aquariums, no circuses, no hunting or fishing, no fur or leather, and no medical research using animals. PETA is even opposed to the use of seeing-eye dogs.

In the past, PETA has fronted for the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), a violent, underground group of fanatics who plant firebombs in restaurants, destroy butcher shops, and torch research labs. The FBI considers ALF among America’s most active and prolific terrorist groups, but PETA compares it to the Underground Railroad and the French Resistance. More than 20 years after its inception, PETA continues to hire convicted ALF militants and fund their legal defense. In at least one case, court records show that Ingrid Newkirk herself was involved in an ALF arson.

Their Motivation: According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, human beings are just another animal species, no more special or important than a snail darter or dairy cow. The group believes, as one commentator put it, that “animal trainers, hunters, fishermen, cattlemen, grocers, and indeed all nonvegetarians are the moral equivalent of cannibals, slave-owners, and death-camp guards.” Newkirk insists that the world would be a better place without people: “Humans have PETA – People for the Ethical grown like a cancer. We’re the Treatment of Animals biggest blight on the face of the PETA is described as “by far the earth.” most successful radical organization PETA is also actively involved in in America.” The key word is radi- propagandizing elementary school cal. PETA seeks “total animal liber- children. In a report titled “Your ation,” according to its president and Kids: PETA’s Pawns,” The Center co-founder, Ingrid Newkirk. That for Consumer Freedom said that means no meat or dairy, of course; PETA will stop at nothing to “in-

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doctrinate children with its radical philosophy.” In addition to having kid-friendly websites and campaigns which appeal to children to renounce all animal products, they run targeted campaigns. An example of these is the horrific McDonald's program Unhappy Meals and the KFC campaign with buckets labeled “Shhh! The ‘secret recipe’ in this bucket of body parts is ... cruelty.”

Last year PETA brought in $38million.

HSUS – The Humane Society of the United States

Despite the words “humane society” on its letterhead, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not affiliated with your local animal shelter. Despite the omnipresent dogs and cats in its fundraising materials, it’s not an organization that runs spay/neuter programs or takes in stray, neglected and abused pets.

And despite the common image of animal protection agencies as cashstrapped organizations dedicated to animal welfare, HSUS has become the wealthiest animal rights organization on earth.

HSUS is big, rich and powerful, a “humane society” in name only. And while most local animal shelters are under-funded and unsung, HSUS has accumulated $113 million in assets and built a recognizable brand by capitalizing on the confusion its very name provokes. This misdirection results in an irony of which most animal lovers are unaware: HSUS raises enough money to finance animal shelters in every single state, with money to spare, yet it doesn’t operate a single one anywhere.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Instead, HSUS spends millions on programs that seek to economically cripple meat and dairy producers; eliminate the use of animals in biomedical research labs; phase out pet breeding, zoos, and circus animal acts; and demonize hunters as crazed lunatics.

Last year, in California, HSUS, using emotionally charged television ads, successfully led the fight to pass Prop. 2, a radical act that, when implemented, could possibly eliminate California’s lucrative table egg production industry. Estimates are that they spend more than $12million on the effort.

In recent months HSUS has supplied the USDA with undercover video purportedly showing animal mistreatment at a Vermont veal packing facility. The HSUS videotape showed abuses including calves being kicked, slapped and “repeatedly” shocked with electric prods.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a USDA press release, “The deplorable scenes recorded in the video released by the Humane Society of the United States are unequivocally unacceptable. The callous behavior and attitudes displayed in the video clearly appear to be violations of USDA’s humane handling regulations.”

But how accurate are the videos and what is their context? Recently, we reported on a so called “animal rights’ activist” who made undercover videos. He admitted to staging a number of the scenes that he video taped.

Like PETA, HSUS is actively involved in getting their propaganda into schools with child appealing websites. They have also begun advertising on Fox News Network appealing for donations, while showing pitiful photographs of

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abused animals. The caption over an obviously abused kitten asks plaintively, “Do I have to die today?”

HSUS – In their own words: “My goal is the abolition of all animal agriculture.”— HSUS grassroots coordinator John “J.P.” Goodwin.

“The life of an ant and that of my child should be granted equal consideration.” – HSUS senior scholar Michael W. Fox. Union of Concerned Scientists

Committed to an “open-minded search for truth,” and armed with “unrivaled scientific expertise,” the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) “doesn’t say anything [it] can’t back up with solid evidence.”

At least, that’s what its fund-raising letters say. The reality is quite different.

UCS embraces an environmental agenda that often stands at odds with the “rigorous scientific analysis” it claims to employ.

A radical green wolf in sheep’s clothing, UCS tries to distinguish itself from the Greenpeaces of the world by convincing the media that its recommendations reflect a consensus among the scientific community.

And that’s what makes it so dangerous. Whether it’s energy policy or agricultural issues, UCS’s “experts” are routinely given a free pass from

September/October 2009

newspaper reporters and television producers when they claim that mainstream science endorses their radical agenda.

The UCS is liberally quoted as a source in the newly released Pew Report on Animal Agriculture.

The Waterkeeper Alliance

The Waterkeeper Alliance has declared war on America’s pork Industry, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is in charge of the battle plan. Officially, Waterkeeper is a coalition of more than 80 “neighborhood watch” programs for America’s rivers, bays and shorelines. But this is thin political cover for the real coalition here — one of big-money trial lawyers (many of them still counting their tobacco-settlement fees) who see billion-dollar payouts where most consumers see ribs, ham and bacon.

Kennedy’s involvement with the

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group dates back to the mid-1980s, when he was a prosecutor in the Manhattan district attorney’s office.

According to Kennedy’s own accounts, he was also a secret heroin addict, disguising himself and visiting Harlem to buy illegal drugs by night. That double life caught up with him in 1984 when he was arrested and charged with heroin possession. As part of a plea arrangement, Kennedy was sentenced to 800 hours of community service, which he worked off by volunteering at the Hudson River Foundation. This group was later absorbed by the Hudson Riverkeepers, the Waterkeeper Alliance’s flagship constituent group.

Today, the nerve center of the Robert Kennedy environmental empire consists of three groups: The Waterkeeper Alliance, the Hudson Riverkeepers (sometimes known simply as “Riverkeeper”), and the Pace University Environmental Law

Clinic, where Waterkeeper and Riverkeeper both keep a mailing address. The group functions as one.

The poultry processors and growers of the Delmarva peninsula have also been targeted by this aggressive group.

The Sierra Club

Biotechnology is just one of the food production practices in the Sierra Club’s crosshairs. The group pushes an animal rights agenda and maintains a coordinated campaign against what it calls “the growing menace” of modern livestock farms.

It’s clear that the Sierra Club is fond of putting its ideological cart before the scientific horse — if you can use that term without offending the growing animal rights faction within the organization. Sierra Club activists in Florida endorse PETA’s mantra that eating meat is a form of animal abuse that contributes to

world hunger. In 2002, the Broward Sierra News promoted “a vegetarian lifestyle as a way to counter the alleged abuse animals endure to feed a hungry and growing global population.” The newsletter plugged PETA and their message that meateating in general, and livestock operations in particular, are a cause of world hunger and animal abuse.

Sierra Club chapters in New York and Michigan promote the “Vegetarian Starter Kit” distributed by the misnamed Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (a PETA front group), as a way to fight “corporate greed.”

The Sierra Club is also a member of “Genetically Engineered Food Alert,” a PR campaign dedicated to demonizing genetically enhanced food products. In 2002 the Club co-hosted an event called “Reinventing the Meal: Ecological Food Choices for the 21st Century.” Attendees were urged to only “grow and

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September/October 2009

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buy organic food, shun food from large, modern farms; and avoid foods produced through biotechnology.”

According to Norman Borlaug, the reckless actions of groups like the Sierra Club may hinder our ability to feed future populations: “I now say,” Borlaug told a De Montfort University audience in 1997 “that the world has the technology — either available or well-advanced in the research pipeline — to feed a population of 10 billion people. The more pertinent question today is whether farmers and ranchers will be permitted to use this new technology. Extremists in the environmental movement from the rich nations seem to be doing everything they can to stop scientific progress in its tracks.”

Board member and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society head “Captain” Paul Watson answered Borlaug as he told the animal rights magazine SATYA his “ten commandments,” including Number One: “Don’t bring any more humans into being. There are enough of us.”

Club founder David Brower was no more generous to the human species. He advocated a form of eugenics: “Childbearing [should be] a punishable crime against society, unless the parents hold a government license ... All potential parents [should be] required to use contraceptive chemicals, the government issuing antidotes to citizens chosen for childbearing.”

How people live doesn’t figure in to the Sierra Club’s agenda — unless it’s preventing them from living in the first place. Their goal is to cripple business and impede technological progress at every turn — regardless of how their actions affect people and the environment. Duespaying members of the Sierra Club

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who don’t want to support this sort troubling, and I believe, much more of radicalism should start shopping sinister. The goal is world population control, through starvation – for a new club. and you stand in their way.

The American Bar Association In playing both sides against the middle, the ABA has posted online an article by Katherine Hessler and Tanith Balaban, titled Agricultural Animals and the Law. It is aimed at small and solo practices, because, it explains, “the trend is to larger farms and livestock operations, it is unlikely that a solo or small firm practitioner will represent the larger companies. Instead the solos and small firm lawyers will more likely represent someone complaining about intensive farming practices and must address numerous legal issues, including the impact on land values and the environment as well as concerns of neighbors.” In what might be seen as an open invitation to “ambulance chase,” the next paragraph describes AFOs and CAFOs in inflammatory terms and concludes with the sentence, “These new systems also lead to problems that may result in legal actions.”

These are just a few of the groups that have targeted the American poultry industry. They are wellfunded and determined, but what they are after is not just ending animal agriculture – it is much more

September/October 2009

The Pew Charitable Trust In the spring of 2008, the Pew Charitable Trust issued it’s, socalled, independent report on animal agriculture in America. Citing as references HSUS and Union of Concerned Scientists, both groups which are supported generously by the Pew Trust, hardly makes this report unbiased. It continually uses inflamatory terminology such as factory farms rather than the more appropriate family farms. This flawed report is being quoted in editorials nationally to attack the United States meat industry.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Alabama Animal Agriculture Responds As a response to the mounting pressure of the animal rights movement, animal agriculture groups in Alabama have formed a coalition called the Alabama Coalition for Farm Animal Care and Well-Being.

The coalition elected Dr. Wayne Greene, head of the department of animal sciences of Auburn University, as the group president.

In the following mission statement, Dr. Greene shares the coalition’s goals and agenda. It also lists the various groups that are a part of the coalitions.

We will keep you informed of the coalition’s activities through this magazine. If you have any questions or comments on the coalition, please call or email AP&EA communications director, Huck Carroll.

Animal agriculture is continually faced with issues pertaining to animal care and well being. A good example of this is the recent legislation passed in California affecting the poultry industry. Additionally, the banned horse harvest in the United States is having a devastating negative effect on the quality of horse care across the country. Many unwanted horses are now being turned loose or allowed to waste away.

Legislation has been introduced in Alabama affecting animal care and well-being as well as our neighboring states. Our producers need to be provided with up-to-date science based information on appropriate animal care in production environments as we sustain our animal product food supply.

Recently, the animal related industries (Alabama Veterinary Medical Association, Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Alabama Farmers Federation, Alabama Forestry Association, Alabama Horse Council, Livestock Marketing Association, Alabama Poultry & Egg Association, Southeastern Livestock Exposition, Alabama Agribusiness Council) met and responded to our legislators in the form of a memorandum to the state’s senators and representatives on an animal care and well being topic.

We need to continue to be proactive in educating our producers and lawmakers on animal care and well-being topics. In cooperation with our Land Grant Universities in Alabama these animal agriculture related industries are forming a unified coalition to deal specifically with animal care and well-being issues. The Coalition (Alabama Coalition for Farm Animal Care and Well-Being) will promote and protect animal agriculture in the state of Alabama through responsible care and welfare of farm animals using sound science and education.

The Coalition will: • Serve as a body of knowledge and advocacy for legislatures on issues and political groups pushing for audits of on farm premises.

• Provide a unified group on animal care and well being • Be an advocacy for a safe and abundant food supply • Serve as a spokes group for animal care and well-being in Alabama agriculture • Be proactive educators for producers, consumers and policy makers • Provide a science perspective on issues affecting animal agriculture • Provide a training forum on issues of animal agriculture to producers, regulators and society • Be a forum of consensus building on animal agriculture

Alabama Poultry Magazine

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Ass oci at ion News

The traveling road show known as the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association Grower Seminars was held on October 26 and 27. The series kickedoff at the Cullman Civic Center, then went on to Snead State cafeteria for the evening session. The next day we were back on the road with stops in Luverne and a final destination in New Brocton. The seminars were sponsored by First South Farm Credit and Jones-Hamilton Company.

Executive Director Johnny Adams welcomed each participant and thanked our sponsors. The first speaker was AP&EA communications director, Huck Carroll, with a report titled Chicken Farmer, You’ve Got Enemies, on the various groups that stand in opposition to animal agriculture, either as animal rights groups or radical environmentalists (see the report, starting on pg.#6).

Ray Hilburn, poultry programs manager, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, spoke on the continued need for vigilant biosecurity measures and the importance of insisting that visiting technicians change clothes and shoes before entering your houses – if they have been exposed to poultry anywhere else before coming to your farm. He also spoke about the need for state approved catastrophic mortality plans, and having a preapproved site for burial well before it is needed. He also talked about the National Poultry Improvement Plan or NPIP; a state requirement to test every poultry flock sold in Alabama for AI, since most fast food chains require the testing and because of foreign export requirements.

James McAfee, of Alabama Department of Environmental Management, stressed that all CAFOs should have an approved Waste Management System Plan and have it onsite and up-to-date and all AFOs must implement Best Management Practices. In both cases, proper record keeping is a must, in case of a surprise EPA inspection.

Next on the agenda was Dr. Joe Hess, Auburn University, speaking on Ammonia – Broiler Health and Performance. Dr. Hess told the audience that ammonia has always been a problem. Ammonia affects bird health as well as causing fuel costs to rise and affects long term reuse of litter. He also reminded the audience that ammonia was harmful to human health.

The best way to control ammonia is to improve housing tightness with better ventilation and attic vents. He also suggested using liter treatments that acidify litter. Windrow composting was another effective treatment for litter by increasing bacterial activity with the introduction of oxygen.

Finishing the evening was Dr. Ken Macklin, also of Auburn University.

Dr. Macklin discussed Cold Weather Diseases – What They Are and How to Prevent Them. To Dr. Macklin, the greatest cause of diseases in birds during the colder months is stress. Birds become stressed when the litter is too moist or when there are cold air drafts. This stress make them vulnerable to respiratory diseases. Coccidiosis and runting and stunting also become problems.

Three hours of CAFO credits were awarded for the seminars.

Thanks again to our sponsors: First South Farm Credit – Jones-Hamilton Company

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Alabama Poultry Magazine

G row e r Profile

It was 1951, and what red blooded American girl didn’t go gaga over a handsome young fellow in a uniform, especially those Navy blues?

Bessie Cosper of Cullman was no exception. On March 29, 1951, Bessie married her sailor, young Seaman George Scott of the Bethsadia community.

They had met several years before at Brickyard Baptist Church in Good Hope. George had received his draft notice and decided to enlist, but couldn’t decide what service to go into. Bessie reminded him that he had talked about wanting to go to sea, and so the decision was made.

Now most sailors have to go to sea, and to this, George was no exception. But, after a brief cruise on an LST (troop transport), he and Bessie were reunited and on their way to George’s permanent duty assignment as an engineman in the toolroom at the Naval shipyard in Bayonne, N.J. In New Jersey, they rented a furnished apartment and bought a car, a 1949 Plymouth Club Coupe. Soon, they had moved up to an unfurnished apartment with their own furniture.

It was while in New Jersey, George and Bessie discovered that they loved to travel together.

The next few years, were, as Bessie says, “the honeymoon years.” With the bright lights of New York City, just across the Hudson River from the Bayonne shipyard, George and Bessie had ample opportunities to enjoy the B ess ie had a s tr oke s everal year s a g o a n d s o m e t i m e s st r u g g l e s t o c o m m u n i c a t e , b u t sh e l o v e s t o g o wit h G eorg e to the ch icke n ho us es – an d, it’s pret ty o bviou s, he loves havin g he r wi th him .

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Alabama Poultry Magazine

“Big Apple.” It must have been an incredible experience for two kids from the country. But they learned to take care of their money and work together, something that would serve them well in the years to come.

In 1955, after his discharge from the Navy, George and Bessie bought a small farm near Spring Hill. That same year, their first child, Ronnie, was born. On the 22-acre farm, they raised corn, hogs and a few head of cattle.

George knew that he needed more education, so in the evening, he commuted to Athens State Junior College to take classes to become a machinist. After graduating with an associates certificate, he began working in a machine shop in Decatur. Bessie also began working with Cullman Lingerie as a sewing machine operator.

In 1959, the couple built their first two chicken houses. The houses were 40’ x 200,’ with a capacity of 8,500 chicks. Cost for construction was $4,000 each. They were equipped with hand feeders and heated by coal fired brooders. “When we had baby chicks,” George remembers, “we would get up at 1 or 2 in the morning and chuck some coal into the heaters to keep the baby chicks warm.” They were growing for Checkerboard at the time, even today George remembers “it was a good company to grow for. good feed and good chicks.” Soon, however, Checkerboard was out of business and the Scotts signed on with Forrest Ingram’s Golden Rod company.

It was also in 1959, that the couple was blessed with their second child, daughter, Patricia. That was also when Bessie cut short her sewing career.

In 1960, their second daughter, Sherry, was born.

By 1962, the Scott family had outgrown the small Spring Hill farm.

George purchased the old Scott home place in the Bethsadia community from his parents and moved his family to the larger farm. Several years before, George had talked his father into building two broiler houses, but his father had never been happy in the chicken business. “My father was the type of person who liked to get up and go in the morning,” George says, “He didn’t like being tied down to any one place and working with chickens can tie you down.”

Actually, it was Bessie who was tied down. She was in charge of the chickens when George was at work during the week. In 1966, he had started working with Americold Inc., a compressor manufacturer, as a machinist in the engineering lab. If Bessie had a problem with something, she would call George and he would walk her through the solution. “She was pretty mechanical,” George says, “there wasn’t much she couldn’t do.”

After chicken farming had raised and educated the kids, George and Bessie decided to get out of the business. In 1977, they sold the farm to Ronnie and his wife, Pam, who have added two more 40’ x 400’ houses.

For people who wanted to retire from the chicken business, George and Bessie didn’t move far; they built a house on a rise overlooking the chicken houses, near their son’s home and thought that they were through with the chicken business.

George continued working for Americold and was looking forward to retirement in 1995. However in 1985, Pattie, who was office manager at the Golden Rod processing plant in Cullman came to her dad with a business proposition. She and her husband, Rex Motes, had a young son and Pattie wanted to stay home with her son. However, she realized that the only way she could stay at home was to have a home business – just like her mother

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George worked away from the farm on weekdays and Bessie took care of the chickens. If there was a problem, she would call George and he would walk her through solving it. “She was pretty mechanical,” George says, “there wasn’t much she couldn’t do.”

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Bessie and grandaughter, Amanda Motes. Over the years, not only have the Scott children worked in the chicken houses, so have the grandchildren.

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had. Pattie decided, with Rex’s agreement, that she wanted to raise chickens, but she needed her folks’ help.

George was not all that ready to jump back into the chicken business, even in partnership with his daughter and her husband, so he stalled. He and Bessie were finally out of debt and he wasn’t sure he wanted to go back to the bank. Pattie persisted. George argued that Rex, who had no experience with farming, might really not be suited for chicken farming. Once again, Pattie persisted and George gave in. They formed a partnership called S&M Farms, and in 1986 built two 40’ x 400’ broiler houses and in 1987 added a third house, each at a cost of approximately $50,000 each.

S&M Farms has also aquired two 40’ x 400’ houses built by Ronnie and Pam in the late 1980s.

All of the houses are side curtain houses without many of the refinements and cost-saving features of the newer more expensive tunnel vent houses, however, they are still profitable. The secret, George says is “spend time in the houses. You can’t just go down to the chicken house in the morning and pick up dead birds and go back again in the afternoon. Chickens need to be checked at least every three to four hours.” George continues, “You need to check to make sure your feed lines are all working and that your fans are working. Equipment maintenance is key to a successful operation. Any equipment failure could place stress on the chickens and you can damage a broiler if they get too hot or too cold – and as high-tech as poultry equipment is today, equipment failures can still occur.”

He did retire from Americold in 1995 and deeded the land that the broiler houses were on to his daughter, and now, at the age of 79, he continues to work with Pattie and Rex. He also continues to farm his own land, raising brood cows and Holstein heifers.

He is glad that Ingram Farms has not pushed its growers to modernize to the point of requiring large capital outlays.

He has just modernized his brooders and his houses are neat and clean.

In 2000, George and Bessie were named Cullman County Farm Family of the Year and in 2009, George was inducted into the Cullman County Poultry Hall of Fame.

The couple continue to be a vital part of their community.

They are active members of St. John’s Evangelical Protestant Church, as well as the Cullman Civitan Club. George has served as a board member of the Cullman Regional Medical Center and is a past presidnet of the Cullman County Poultry & Egg Association.

George and Bessie have a close and loving family. Beside their three children with their spouses, they have seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

George and Bessie still love to travel. They recently toured the West, seeing Mt. Rushmore, Yellowstone National Park and even tried their hand at the slot machines in Las Vegas. Their next trip? Well, if Alabama should make it to the national championship game in Pasadena, then just maybe ...

Roll on – George and Bessie – Roll on!

September/October 2009

Alabama Poultry Magazine

AP&EA Seeking Nominations for Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame Do you know an Alabamian who has pioneered an idea or some new technique in poultry and egg production, processing or marketing that has led to a stronger and better Alabama poultry industry? Do you know someone who has through the years promoted the general welfare of the poultry industry by giving their time or services?

Perhaps the person you’re thinking about has done none of these things, but still you know he deserves to be recognized for his lifelong interest in and support of the industry.

W. L. Walsh B. W.“Buck” Appleton C. F. Clegg, Sr. Marshall Durbin, Sr. Auston A. Middleton John E. Ivey Dale F. King Robert “Buck” Lester John Livingston Charles Miller Forrest G. Bridges J. P. Garvin, Jr. H. J. “Tony” Harrell

It is possible that the very person you’re thinking about could be enshrined in the 2010 Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame! While it is possible, it cannot happen unless that deserving person is nominated!

Mail your nomination the AP&EA office today.

SELECTION CRITERIA 1. Nominations may be made on any type paper or letterhead, 8 1/2 x 11.

2. Nominations close February 10, 2010.

3. Mail nominations to:

4.

5.

6.

7.

Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame Selection Committee P. O. Box 240 Montgomery, AL 36101-0240 The inductee(s) is chosen by a committee of Hall of Fame members appointed by the AP&EA president.

A living and/or posthumous inductee may be selected.

An inductee does not have to be selected every year.

The inductee will be honored at a special Hall of Fame event in the recipient’s hometown.

Current Hall of Fame Members Dr. S. Allen Edgar John D. Bagwell Joe L. Jones Marshall Durbin, Jr. Harold Ellis Forrest Ingram Ross Debter Morgan Edwards Maynard Sylvest E. O. Creel Herman Hickman

Sam Gibbons Gerald F. Bailey Bill Baggett Wayne McElrath Henry H. Hilburn Wade Skidmore Harold Sylvest E. S. Harris, Jr. Dean Strickland Herman McElrath Dr. Robert N. Brewer

B a by R o o s t e r s I n t h e H o u s e AP&EA is pleased to announce the birth of two very special little boys: Master Noah Patrick Shell and Master Paxton Grant Bennett.

Noah, born Thursday, October 15, is the son of our own Jennifer Shell, AP&EA’s support director, with a collaborative effort from her husband Johnathan, of course. Vital statistics: 7.5 lbs. and 20” long. His excited grandparents are John and Dianne Roberts of Cullman and Ron and Jerry Shell of Millbrook.

Paxton is the scion of our once membership director and current poultry unit manager, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, Dana Brindley-Bennett and her husband, Grant Bennett. Paxton was born on Friday, October 19, and weighed in at just a little over 5 lbs. His proud grandparents are Wayne and Billie Bennett and Frankie and Donna Brindley. Dana says, “ Grant and I just realized that Paxton is the only member of the family who isn’t from Eva.”

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Emris Starkey Bill Jordan Dr. Dwight S. Bond Morris Putnam W. C. “Bill” Bates Jan Powell Dr. Claude Moore Bernice Watson Dr. J. Lee Alley Rhonell Word Jerome Hickman Dr. Gayner McDaniel Denny Hickman

Noah

Paxton

September/October 2009

17

Mem ber News

Hubbard Names Dr. Ken Powell as Director of Veterinary Services

Hubbard announces that Dr. Ken Powell has been named director of veterinary services of Hubbard LLC. In his new position, Ken will have a much diversified role. He will report to Mark Barnes, COO of Hubbard LLC. Primarily, he will be responsible

for continuation and implementation export department for the continual of all avian health programs inside supply of breeding stock outside the the organization. As such, his duties United States. will be to oversee bio-security, including farm, feed mill and quality assurance audits as well as the flock and hatchery monitoring undertaken by the two Hubbard laboratories in Walpole and Pikeville.

Furthermore Dr. Powell will be available for customer technical issues involving veterinary and live production aspects (health, quality, diseases, etc.), including seminars and/or roundtables. He will also serve as the official company representative in industry-related associations. And he will work with the regional, state and federal veterinary departments in conjunction with the

Sunshine Farms

Sunshine Farms is the Southeastern source 13th Annual for Sim-Angus Bulls that are genetically Carcass Merit Bull Sale planned to produce cattle that will help our customers to survive the escalating proDecember 5, 2009 duction costs. We have been busy analyz100 Homozygous Black Bulls ing thousands of records gathered since 45 Lots 1/2Sim-1/2An 1993 and have sorted our bulls into 3 lines Brand U179 35 Lots 3/4 Sim 1/4 An to simplify the selection of bulls for spe- sired by GW 15 Lots PB Simmental cific programs. Due to the constraints of Lucky Charm time and cost of traveling we are develop- This 3/4Sim bull 5 Lots Ultrablacks sells Dec 5th ing these lines of bulls so customers can buy the bulls they need at the December 5, 2009 Bull by phone or email. Complete satisfaction will be guaranteed on all bulls purchased through the sight unseen purchasing program. The bulls will be delivered to the buyer as economical and timely as possible.

Sunshine Farms –Genetically designed lines of Sim-Angus Bulls SSF A Plus Bulls (A+) - All Purpose bulls The A+ Bulls are selected for negative BW EPDs, calving ease, average growth and milk and a high API index.

SSF P Plus Bulls (P+) – Power Bulls The P+ bulls have average BW EPDs and above average growth and milk EPDs. SSF T Plus Bulls (T+) –Terminal Bulls The T+ bulls have above average BW EPDs with growth EPDs that are in the top 10% of the breed. These bulls are ideal for the Brahman influenced cowherds located throughout the Southeast and Gulf Coast regions.

The A+, P+, and T+ bulls all come with the convenience traits of being Black and Polled and have different % of Simmental and Angus genetics to fit the variations in our customers cowherds. These bulls also have Carcass Merit-Feed Efficiency-Tenderness traits bred in to increase value of their progeny.

This year we are adding Ultrablack bulls for our customers that need to add heat tolerance to their programs.

Visit our web site for information on the genetic lines and the total genetic program at Sunshine Farms –www.sunshinefarms.com

Sunshine Farms

Jamie McConnell 205-312-1354

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September/October 2009

P O Box 1777 Clanton, AL 35046 Tim Minor 205-755-4203

Tommy J Brown 205-755-5431

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Tyson to Pay $250,000 in Ala. Donning-Doffing Suit

By Tom Johnston on 11/6/2009 JBT FoodTech

The U.S. Department of Labor on Thursday said a federal court jury sided with the government in a wage and hour lawsuit the agency filed in 2002 against Tyson Foods, Inc. The government alleged that Tyson failed to keep accurate records and to pay workers at the company’s Blountsville, Ala., poultry plant for pre- and post-shift and meal period activities including donning and doffing protective gear over a nine-year period beginning in May of 2000.

Tyson said in a statement the ju-

rors did conclude there was some unpaid work at the Blountsville plant during that time period, but the amount the jury awarded was $250,000. Tyson said the jury found no violation of federal recordkeeping requirements.

A DOL spokesman confirmed that the jury decided that Tyson did not violate recordkeeping rules and that the jury awarded $250,000 in back wages. He said the agency was seeking $5.8 million in back wages.

“The Department is gratified that the jury determined that there were overtime pay violations, but is disappointed about the size of the back

Alabama Poultry Magazine

wage award and the failure to find recordkeeping violations,” the spokesman told Meatingplace in an e-mail.

Tyson said: “We very much appreciate the jury’s service in this complex case. We will now evaluate the implications of the verdict and determine what our next steps will be.”

Tyson’s Blountsville plant employs approximately 800 people.

According to the DOL, Tyson’s alleged violations affected some 3,000 current and former workers at the plant.

September/October 2009

19

Putting Contest winner: the newly bewhiskered, Wendell Shelton

October 8, Chesley Oaks Golf Club – The 18th annual Allied Golf Tournament got underway after a delicious lunch provided by First South Farm Credit. The competition was hot. Wendell Shelton, sporting a set of Heminwayesque whiskers, 5-putted his way through the putting contest. On the links the poultry pros jumped off to a shotgun start and the driving and chipping and putting started in earnest. Good fellowship was the rule of the day as the poultry pros raised more that $8,000 for scholarships, and some even picked up some walking around money for themselves.

The Winning Teams:

1st Place – Davis Lee, Jamie Sewell and Kelly Clark 2nd Place – Donny Parker, Dale Neely, Kyle Martin and Frank Loftis 3rd Place – Mitchell Pate, Phillip Cowart, Wes Cumbie and Johnny Adams 4th Place – Andy Neil, Jeff Borrelli, Clay Borden and Brad Bigham Longest Drive – Mike Walker Closest to the Hole – Heath Mann Putting Contest – Wendell Shelton

Long Drive winner: Mike Walker

Closest to the Hole winner: Heath Mann

1st Place

After the tournament, everyone enjoyed a delicious meal provided by IVESCO. Drinks were provided at each meal by Aviagen. American Proteins provided a shotgun that was raffled off. Many thanks to these sponsors and to our other great sponsors.

It was a lot of fun. Let’s do it again next year!

2nd Place 20

September/October 2009

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Raffle Prize Sponsor: Drinks Sponsor:

Box Lunch Sponsor: Post Tournament Meal Sponsor:

Scholars hip Sponsors

AlaTrade Foods. LLC American Proteins, Inc. Aviagen Inc. Baader/Johnson Bob Cryar Consulting/FMS C & E Supply Cobb-Vantress Inc. Cumberland/Hired-Hand Equity Group Eufaula Div. Federal Land Bank Assn, NA Fibrowatt LLC First South Farm Credit, NA First South Farm Credit, SA Fitco

Fort Dodge Animal Health Franklin Industrial Minerals GSM Steel & Mechanical Contractors H. J. Baker & Bro., Inc. Hubbard LLC Jones-Hamilton Company Lee Energy Solutions Marel Food Systems Meyn America Professional Veterinary Products Reeves Supply Company Walco International

Prize Sponsors

First Place – American Proteins Second Place – Keystone Foods Third Place – Cobb-Vantress Fourth Place – Aviagen Inc. Longest Drive – American Proteins Putting Contest Prize – Aviagen Inc.

Hole Sponsors

American Proteins, Inc. Baader/Johnson Cobb-Vantress Inc. Cumberland/Hired-Hand Equity Group Eufaula Division Federal Land Bank Assn, NA First South Farm Credit, NA

Franklin Industrial Minerals GSM Steel & Mechanical Contractors H. J. Baker & Bro., Inc. Hubbard LLC Lee Energy Solutions Marel Food Systems

4th Place 3rd Place Alabama Poultry Magazine

September/October 2009

21

R e c ip e s

The holiday season is a time for friends, family and food. Each gathering is sure to include a festive dish that adds to the warmth and glow of the season. Whether the get-together is a family brunch or neighborhood progressive holiday dinner, serving favorite holiday recipes doesn’t need to break the bank.

Does mincemeat conjure up images of holidays long ago? This sweet, tangy filling gives the holidays a whole new meaning! Memories of yesterday enhance flavors of today. Just try these orange crepes, which surround modern day prepared mincemeat filling to give this rich and wonderful dessert just the right flavoring.

If you are looking to have a big finish following a holiday meal, this is the recipe as it can be served flambé style for a real show.

ORANGE MINCEMEAT CREPES WITH CREAM SAUCE Yield: 10 to 12 ten-inch crepes (2 Crepes per serving)

Orange Dessert Crepes 3 eggs 1 cup skim milk 3 tablespoons butter, melted ¾ cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons grated orange rind ½ teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in blender container. Blend about 1 minute. Scrape down sides of blender container with rubber spatula; continue blending until smooth, about 30 seconds. Heat a non-stick 10-inch skillet or omelet pan to a medium-high heat, just enough to sizzle a drop of water. For each crepe, pour ¼ cup of batter in pan, rotating pan as batter is poured.

Cook until lightly browned on bottom. Remove from pan or if desired, turn and brown other side. Crepes to be filled need only to be browned on one side. Place filling on the side of the crepe that is not browned.

Filling 1 (27-ounce) jar prepared mincemeat pie filling made with apples and raisins

Spoon about ¼ cup mincemeat down the center of each crepe. Roll crepe or fold two opposite sides of crepe over filling. Arrange two crepes on each serving plate. Spoon some of the Orange Cream Sauce (see below) over each serving.

Cream Sauce 2 egg yolks ½ cup sugar 1 tablespoon cornstarch ½ cup skim milk ½ cup orange juice

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Beat egg yolks with sugar and cornstarch in a large glass bowl. Gradually stir in milk and orange juice to blend. Cover and microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes.

Remove and stir sauce. Cover and microwave on HIGH again for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking, until thickened to desired consistency. Yield: 1 ½ cups sauce

September/October 2009

Alabama Poultry Magazine

SUBLIME SWEET POTATO CRÈME BRULEE Yield: 9 servings

Cooking spray 1 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg 8 egg yolks * ¾ cup sugar 1 quart whipping cream 1 tablespoon vanilla ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar, optional ½ cup chopped, toasted pecans, optional Additional whipped whipping cream, if desired Stir together sweet potatoes, ¾ cup brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until well combined. Spoon into a 10 to 11-inch deep quiche dish coated with cooking spray to form a bottom layer. Beat together egg yolks and sugar in a large glass bowl; stir in whipping cream and vanilla until thoroughly mixed. Cover and heat in microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes; stir and continue heating for another 3 minutes. Stir and heat another 2-3 minutes or until mixture is hot. Gently pour over pumpkin layer. Place dish in a shallow baking pan. Add hot water to baking pan to depth of 1-inch. Bake crème brulee at 325ºF for one hour or until the knife inserted near center comes out clean and the center shakes slightly. Remove from water bath and cool on wire rack. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. When ready to serve, sprinkle top of crème brulee evenly with additional ½ cup brown sugar. Place on baking pan and broil 5-8 inches from the heat until the sugar melts, or about 2 minutes. Let stand a couple of minutes for the sugar to harden. If desired, sprinkle toasted pecans around the rim of the crème brulee, add a dollop of whipped cream, and serve. * Refrigerate leftover egg whites in a covered container for up to four days, or freeze for up to a year in a tightly sealed freezer con-

tainer.

PHENOMENAL PUMPKIN MERINGUE PIE Yield: 7 servings

1 ½ cups cooked pumpkin 4 eggs, separated ½ cup sugar 1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup sugar 1 9-inch unbaked pie shell Beat together pumpkin, egg yolks, ½ cup sugar, condensed milk, spices and salt until smooth. Pour into pie shell and bake at 400ºF for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 350ºF and continue to bake until knife inserted near center of pie comes out clean or about 50 to 60 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325º F when pie is done. Meanwhile, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add cream of tartar and ½ cup of sugar, one tablespoon at a time until egg whites become stiff.

Spoon meringue onto pie, making sure to seal meringue around rim of pie crust. Bake at 325ºF until meringue becomes golden brown on top or about 20 to 22 minutes. Chill before serving. Refrigerate leftovers. *May place meringue in dollops on pie instead of covering top of filling.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

September/October 2009

23

H umani t ari a n Profile

Joseph B Hess, D.E. Conner and Robert A. Voitle Poultry Science Department Auburn University

Many young adults today will misinterpret this title, thinking that the topic of this article involves the recent upswing in interest among consumers for more environmentally conscious farming practices. In some ways, the opposite may be true if you examine the conditions that lead up to the period called the green revolution credited to Norman Borlaug. Many people today forget that in the late 1960s, most experts felt that the burgeoning human population would rapidly outstrip our ability to produce food and that mass starvation was inevitable. Author Paul Ehrlich painted a very gloomy picture in his 1968 bestseller titled “The Population Bomb.” With the world population increasing at a rate faster than the increase in food production, Ehrlich predicted massive starvation, particularly in third world countries. This may very well have happened if it weren’t for Norman Borlaug and others like him.

Norman Borlaug was a Midwestern farm boy with strong lifelong ties to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

He earned PhDs in plant pathology and genetics. In 1944, he traveled to Mexico at the request of the Rockefeller Foundation to improve wheat breeding in Mexico. He established wheat breeding sites in the highlands and lowlands of Mexico so that the resulting wheat species could grow anywhere. Next he crossed highly productive wheat cultivars with dwarf wheat species so that the stems were shorter and the wheat didn’t lodge (fall over). By 1963, Borlaug’s wheat varieties made up 95 percent of the wheat grown in Mexico, producing six times as much wheat as before. Mexico moved from an importer to an exporter of wheat.

Next the Rockefeller Foundation sent Dr. Borlaug to Pakistan and India, where hunger and malnutrition were major health concerns. By 1970, India’s grain production had doubled and both India and Pakistan were self-sufficient in grain production. It was in 1970 that

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September/October 2009

Borlaug was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for saving hundreds of millions of lives in India and Pakistan simply by improving grain production. The committee the awarded the Nobel Peace Prize to Dr. Borlaug commented that “He has given us well-founded hope, an alternative of peace and of life – the green revolution.”

Over the decades, Dr. Borlaug worked on improving corn, rice (in China and Southeast Asia) and wheat on many continents. In a nutshell, he showed us that intensive crop production using synthetic fertilizers could, indeed, save the world from starvation. Some environmentalists have opposed his methods of high-productivity farming because of a lack of biodiversity, using synthetic fertilizers and genetically-engineered crops.

Dr. Borlaug responded, saying “Some of the environmental lobbyists are the salt of the earth, but many are elitists. If they lived just one month amid the misery of the developing world, as I have for 50 years, they’d be crying out for tractors and fertilizer and irrigation canals and be outraged that fashionable elitists back home were trying to deny them these things.” Others have argued on Dr. Borlaug’s behalf that high-yield agriculture is actually an advantage environmentally as fewer acres are required to grow food, allowing more acres to be left wild.

Dr. Borlaug’s advances in crop production have been credited with saving a billion lives over his long career. President Jimmy Carter said “My good friend Norman Borlaug has accomplished more than any one other individual in history in the battle to end world hunger.” In the United States , food is generally available and cheap. Since most of us grew up not worrying about our next meal, we tend to take food for granted.

Dr. Borlaug’s story shows that this was not always the case, even in the recent past.

U.S. high-yield agriculture has provided safe and inexpensive food for everyone in this country and in other countries as well. A vocal subset of our consumers tends to forget this when complaining about how food is grown in this country. Perhaps we involved in agriculture need to remind the public from time to time how productive, efficient and safe our food supply is. It is a shame that our populace doesn’t appreciate what they have here at home. A wise man once said something along the lines of “A man with a full stomach has many problems, a hungry man only one.”

Reference: Hesser, Leon, 2008. The man who fed the world. Durban House Publishing, Dallas, Texas.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Auburn Happenings

2009-2010 Poultry Science Scholarships

2009 - 2010 Auburn poultry science scholarship recipients pictured with Dr. Don Conner, poultry science department head.

On October 2, the Auburn University poultry science department held its 10th annual Alumni, Friends and Recruiting Barbecue. They hosted more than 175 recruits, family members and friends.

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September/October 2009

The department of poultry science took the opportunity to recognize the donors and supporters of the department’s scholarship fund on Saturday, August 29. Currently more than half of the undergraduate students in Auburn’s poultry science program are receiving scholarships.

This year, more than $100,00 was awarded in scholarships.

Without this continued support from our donors and the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association, many of the students would not have the opportunity to attend Auburn.

John Brett Pepper, a recipient of the William R. and V. Jean Cummickel Endowment, is extremely greatful for the opportunity. “I am a lifelong Auburn fan,” he said, “and this scholarship helps grant me the opportunity to live, grow and learn during my time on ‘the plains.’ This donation helps so much, especially coming from a family where education is so important and an Auburn education is highly prized.”

John is one of many students who we are so proud to have in our program. Auburn poultry science students are exceptional, to say the least. Having top quality students in our program – we can state with confidence that these future leaders in the poultry industry will definitely make a positive impact.

Amanda L. Martin Coordinator of Recruiting Department of Poultry Science Auburn University amartin@auburn.edu 334-844-2881

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Prac ti ca l Applications

When the weather is cold, sweating or condensation will be prevalent in many Alabama chicken houses. This wetness contributes to wet litter, ammonia, damage to equipment and the structure, and also poor bird health.

In this article, we look at the causes and cures for sweating, condensation and wetness. We have also included a handy 10-point guide summarizing good cold-weather management strategies.

Why Condensation Happens

When warm moist bird air comes in contact with cold surfaces, such as curtains, vent doors, or water

The wet wall s hown in t his pho to is caus ed by ve ry hig h r el a tive h um i d it y a n d wa r m , m o i s t b i r d a i r c o m in g in t o c on t ac t w it h c oo l b u il d in g wa ll s a n d f ou n d at io n s . Th e pr obl em can be mi nim ized by l oweri ng rela tive hum idi ty in the ho us e th rou gh m or e fan ru n t ime and by imp rovin g a ir m i x i n g w i th p r o pe r ly a d ju s t e d v e n ts or by u s i ng s t i r f a n s.

lines, condensation and sweating can and does occur.

This happens because the building’s inside surface temperatures have dipped below the indoor air dewpoint temperature. The more moisture there is in the house air (the higher its relative humidity), the smaller the temperature drop it takes to cause sweating.

Condensation is a problem in wintertime because interior building surfaces are at their coldest then. Let’s remember that for each pound of live weight that we have in a poultry house, we will get about 5 BTUs per hour of heat released into the house, and we will get about 0.01 pounds of moisture per hour as well. So, birds in a house put off heat and moisture. It is typical to have air temperatures of 80-85 degrees in the house during the first couple of weeks of bird life. If ventilation and heating systems are not managed properly, we can have relative humidities in the neighborhood of 7580 percent. This sets the stage for lots of condensation throughout the house.

If 85-degree air at 80 percent relative humidity comes in contact with a surface that is at 78 degrees (or lower), condensation will occur (see table on page 3).

The air coming into contact with the cooler surface is slightly chilled and can no longer hold the amount of water that it did at 85 degrees, so water pops out of the air onto the cool surface. As we said above, the more moisture there is in the air (the higher the relative humidity), the closer the sweat temperature is to the actual temperature. This means that in cold wintertime, sweating is much more likely to occur, especially on poorly insulated inside surfaces.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

September/October 2009

27

How to Prevent Condensation The key to minimizing condensation or sweating is to operate the house at lower relative humidities. An 80 percent relative humidity is extremely high moisture, at which condensation will occur on almost all building surfaces. At 80 percent relative humidity, air only has to be chilled by about 7 degrees for sweating to take place. If we can reduce the relative humidity of the air in the poultry house to 65 percent, the air would have to be chilled about 13 degrees for sweating to take place.

Your ventilation system is the tool for reducing the relative humidity of indoor air. When you bring in fresh air through the inlets and mix this fresh air with the warm, dryer air in the top of the house, overall relative humidity of house air will be lowered, and in turn, sweating will be reduced. You should realize that even at proper relative humidities some condensation will occur on extremely cold surfaces such as curtains, water lines and concrete foundations. But the key to controlling condensation on most building surfaces is to move more air through the house while placing a special emphasis on good air mixing and stirring. This will remove moisture from the litter and reduce relative humidity.

Good Insulation Is Essential

Even if the house is running properly, with relative humidity in the mid-60 percent range, condensation will occur on any uninsulated or under-insulated wall or ceiling surface in the house. If the attic insulation is thin, the tri-ply ceiling will sweat. If wind or varmints have shifted insulation in the attic so there are bare spots, then the cold air in the attic will contact the tri-ply on the attic side and the warm poultry air below the tri-ply will cause the ceiling in that area to sweat. Of course, the way to head off this problem is to inspect the attic at least once a year and to be sure that you have good coverage of insulation in the attic.

Air Leaks Will Cause Sweating and Wet Litter

Anywhere in the house where cold outside air is allowed to leak into the house, condensation is likely to occur. A very common sight, is a wet foundation wall caused by air leaking past an unsealed sill plate or air coming through an unsealed curtain. The incoming cold air flows out across the warm litter, causing condensation on the litter itself. Air leaks also defeat the function of the ventilation system, and must be sealed.

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September/October 2009

A n i n s pe c ti o n of i n s ul a ti o n in t h e a tt i c of t h is c h i c k e n h o u s e r e v e a l s t h a t w i n d h a s m o st l i k e l y s h i f t e d i n s u l a t i o n .

No te the ba r e c e ili ng . W he n c old a ir in th e a tti c c om e s i n co nta ct w ith th e ce ili ng t ri -pl y i n t he a tti c, w e wi ll have c on d e n s a t i on i n t he b ir d c h a m b e r a s wa rm i n -h o u s e a i r co ntact s the chi lled tri -pl y.

How to Keep the Tunnel End Dry During Brooding

When we brood chickens and exhaust all air through the tunnel end of the house, that end of the house will almost always get very wet. When the warm, moist bird air in the brood chamber is taken into a cold off end of the house, sweating will occur on almost all building surfaces. We have seen mold growing in houses and extremely undesirable conditions develop.

A cure for this common problem is to use one fan in the brood chamber and one fan in the back of the house.

If a 48-inch fan is used in the back of the house and a 36-inch fan in the brood chamber for minimum ventilation, the moisture load in the back of the house will be reduced by about 33 percent. If 36-inch fans are used in both the front and back of the house, the moisture load in the back of the house will be reduced by half. Ventilating solely out of the back of the house in cold weather will cause big problems.

Another step that will minimize condensation in the back of houses during brooding is to put some heat in the off end. Growers are reluctant to do this, but they will get the benefit of this heat, for they are preheating the back of the house for turnout, as well as preventing damage to the house and equipment.

Sweating in the backs of houses rusts cables, disrupts electronic circuitry in furnaces and heaters, and causes ammonia, mold, and rotting and warping of wood. Do not allow the off end of your house to sweat

Alabama Poultry Magazine

Surface Temperature at which condensation occurs

C o nd e n s a t io n a r e a s o n c e il in g s s u c h a s t h is d u ri ng c ol d w e a t h e r i s a g o o d si g n t h a t i n s u l a t i o n h a s b e e n m o v e d o r is n ot in pla c e in th e a t tic . If le ft un a tte n de d , t he c ons ta n t a c c u mu la tio n a nd dr ipp ing of mo is tur e wi ll ind uc e mol d gr ow th and caus e dam age t o th e h ous e str uct ure and any e q u i p m e n t t h a t i s c o n t i n u a l l y k e p t w e t.

profusely during brooding. Take steps to reduce or eliminate that condensation.

Run Proper Minimum Ventilation to Prevent Wet Litter

Be sure fan run times are sufficient to remove the moisture that is deposited in the litter by birds on a daily basis. If we manage houses for several days at very low fan run times, we will wake up one day to a slick house because we have not been keeping up with the moisture as it has been dropped into the house. For more help on good wintertime ventilation management, go to www.poultryhouse.com to find our newsletters #15, Cardinal Rules for Wintertime Ventilation, and issue #4, What is The Most Important Part of Your Poultry House Ventilation System?

Conclusion

Excessive condensation and sweating is generally a sign of relative humidities that are too high in poultry houses. Excessive sweating will aggravate ammonia problems, damage equipment and the structure, and will lead to reduced flock performance. Growers and industry representatives need to know what causes this condensation and how to minimize the problem.

Fo r any g iven air temp eratu re, the high er t he r elat ive hu m i d i t y ( R H ) , t h e l e s s a su r f a c e n e e d s t o b e c h i l l e d t o b r i n g on co nd ens a tio n. Th e s h ade d a rea s s how tha t i f ai r tem pe ra tur e is 85 degr ees and its re lative hum idi ty is 80 percent , co nden sat ion will happ en if th e ai r to uch es a s ur face on ly 7 degr ees coo ler, at 78°F. If we can keep the RH at 70 pe rc ent, however, th e s urf ace te mpera tur e has to dr op all t he way to 7 4 °F to c au s e sw ea ti n g, a n 1 1 - de gr ee d if f erence. The low er the RH in th e hou se, the les s sweating will oc cur.

Ra i s i n g t h e t e mp e ra t u r e o f a i r g re a t l y i n c re a s e s t h e a mo u n t o f wat er it c a n ho l d . Thi s is why w in t er t im e ve nt i la ti o n wor ks to rem ove mo is tur e f rom a hou s e. E xamp le: Wh en i t’s 3 0 °F an d ra in i ng ( 10 0 p erc en t R H) , th e ai r ca n h ol d on ly 4 .3 o un ces of wat er/1 ,00 0 cu ft. When we b rin g th at a ir i n to a h o us e , w it h g o o d m ix i ng , a n d i ts te m pe ra tu r e r is es t o 8 0° F, i t ca n ho ld a m axi mu m of 24 .3 o un ces ( at 1 0 0 pe rc en t R H ). We do n ’t l et t h e R H g o t ha t h ig h , b u t e v e n a t 7 0 p e r c e n t R H i t w i l l h o l d 1 7 o u n c e s, f o u r t i m e s a s mu ch as at 3 0°F. This is h ow venti latio n ai r is ab le t o pi ck u p m o i s t u r e f r o m t h e l i t t e r a n d e x h a u st i t o u t o f t h e h o u s e , even in c old, wet weat her.

Alabama Poultry Magazine

September/October 2009

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TEN WAYS TO R ED UC E SW EATI NG AN D W ET H OU SES 1. Run heating and ventilation to keep house air relative humidity at 70 percent or lower in cold weather. Get a relative humidity (RH) meter and use it. Humans cannot judge relative humidity very well.

2. Check your air inlet openings and static pressure. A modern house relies on the proper inlet opening and the proper static pressure to throw air to the center of the house. In winter, pressures of about 0.10 and with inlets opened to about 1 to 1-1/2 inches are what is needed. Failure to do this results in poor air mixing.

3. Check your house for cracks and air leaks. Cold air coming in through a crack or around a curtain will drop straight to the floor. Cold air falls and warm air rises. Stop up all cracks. This reduces sweating and litter caking and improves the bird environment.

4. Take a hard look at your tunnel inlet. Most are not sealed well enough. Consider a flap, an interior curtain, or other cold air barrier. Cold air leaking in at the tunnel inlet end causes sweating, condensation, and cake. Sealing this up is the solution to this problem.

7. Take a hard look at your fan run times. Too many folks cheat on fan run times. Insufficient run times lead to higher humidities, sweating and higher litter moisture.

8. Look your ceiling over. If you have wet and dripping spots here and there on your ceiling, most likely you will find places with little or no insulation in the attic. Get into the attic and be sure your insulation has not shifted.

9. To stop sweating and fog in the back half of a tunnel house during brooding, quit pulling all the air to the back and exhaust some air from a side wall or front wall fan in the brood chamber.

This reduces the amount of moist air going through the back of the house. Also turn on heat in the back of the house to 55-60°F. 10. Don’t turn your heat off, even if you have big birds. In a cold winter, especially if your house is not very well insulated, you might well need some heat all the way to the end of the growout.

Turning the heat off places too much demand on bird heat and causes us to load the house with moisture, resulting in heavy sweating and caked litter. Turning heat off also increases feed consumption.

5. Take a hard look at tunnel fans. Even the best shutters don’t seal perfectly. In very cold weather installing bonnets or plastic over shutters that are not in use is a must, otherwise cold air hits the warm floors and we have condensation and caking.

6. Consider using stir or mixing fans. The more we can stir the air without causing drafts on the birds the better able the air is to pick up litter moisture. Stir fans mix air and aid in moisture pick up.

King Realty

Calendar of Events Dec. 9 AP&EA Christmas Open House

Jan. 27-29 International Poultry Expo Atlanta, GA

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

Here are a few of our phone calls and emails.

• Buyer from Sarasota, FL is looking for a 4 to 6 house broiler farm with a home • and acreage.

• Buyer from Nashville is looking for a breeder farm.

• Buyer from Tifton, GA is looking for large tracts of pasture and timberland.

• Buyer from Tallahassee, FL is looking for a large poultry farm.

If you are interested in selling your farm give us a call.

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

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September/October 2009

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Alabama Poultry Magazine

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