September/October 2008 – VOL. 3 NO. 4
AP&EA P.O. Box 240 Montgomery, AL 36101 Address Service Requested
Board of Directors Officers Ken Taylor, President, Anniston* Fred Cespedes, Vice President, Hanceville* Wendell Shelton, Treasurer, Boaz* John Pittard, Secretary, Guntersville* Jack Sherwood, Immediate Past President, Troy* Directors Johnny Adcock, Woodland* Ronnie Adrian, Collinsville George Attwood, Anniston Roger Chappell, Cullman Billy Conquest, Cullman Rory DeWeese, Enterprise Melissa Durbin, Birmingham Randall Ennis, Huntsville Tim Esslinger, Eufaula Dale Gambrill, Snead Billy Gilley, Cullman Harold Hunt, Gadsden Spence Jarnagin, Huntsville* Ted Lankford, Athens Heath Loyd, Decatur David Massey, Montgomery Dennis Maze, Horton Todd McMahen, Dothan John Roberts, Cullman Kenneth Sanders, Brundidge Roddy Sanders, Gordo Taylor Steele, Albertville 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 Johnny Adams – Executive Director Wanda H. Linker – Administrative Director Wes Cumbie – Membership 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
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Director’s MESSAGE
he fall is a special time for our association in that this is the time of year that we are able to travel the state and hold various workshops and educational seminars. It is always good to see our members and discuss the future of our industry. We recently had our processors meeting in Birmingham and Processors Committee Chairman Tim Esslinger and his committee did a great job on presenting an informative workshop. This was followed by our broiler workshop in Auburn where Dale Gambrill and his committee had a two-day event that had great participation. We traveled to Cullman, Boaz, Troy and New Brockton for our annual grower educational seminars where our topic was poultry litter use and management. A grower panel made up of Grower Committee Chairman Johnny Adcock along with Dorman Grace, Dennis Maze, Kenneth Sanders and Chuck Tice gave the audience several ideas on how to use your litter to supplement your farming operation and grow better chickens. It’s been a tough summer for the poultry industry across the nation but perhaps better times are ahead. Gasoline prices have fallen more than $1.30 since last November and chick placements are down, but most importantly corn prices have dropped from a high of more than $8 a bushel. Hopefully, poultry prices will rise in the coming months giving some relief to our struggling industry. One uncertainty that could bring more trouble to the industry is the possibility of Russia lowering U. S. poultry quotas coming into Russia. Russia is a significant export market for U. S. poultry. There are always challenges in our industry but we’ve always worked together to address them. I know that we will continue to do this as we move forward in feeding the world. Let’s get to work!
FEATURING
THIS MONTH
Governmental Affairs Association News John Livingston – A Pioneer Remembers His Industry Grower Profile: Chad Folds Recipes Faculty Profiles Poultry Scholarship Winners Practical Applications Coming Events Alabama Poultry
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Governmental Affairs
California Passes Prop.2 – Animal Rights’ Score On November 4, the California voter initiative known as Proposition 2 was passed by a margin of 20 percent. This measure , set to go into effect Jan. 1, 2015, requires that calves raised for veal, egg-laying hens and pregnant pigs be confined only in ways that allow these animals to lie down, stand up, fully extend their limbs and turn around freely. Exceptions are made for transportation, rodeos, fairs, 4-H programs, lawful slaughter, research and veterinary purposes. It also provides misdemeanor penalties, including a fine
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not to exceed $1,000 and/or imprisonment in jail for up to 180 days. The following is a statement, in part, from the United Egg Producers on the Prop. 2 results: We are disappointed to see the preliminary results from the California Prop. 2 election, which appear to indicate the Prop. 2 was passed by a margin of approximately 60 percent to 40 percent. From the beginning, we knew we were fighting an uphill battle. Animal rights activists succeeded in convincing California voters into
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thinking Prop. 2 was about animal cruelty by using images of pets in their ads, when, in fact Prop.2 simply was a means to try to end animal farming in California. Because the wording of Prop. 2 is so vague, the state of California will have to determine how the law actually will be implemented and enforced when it comes into effect six years from now. Proponents of Prop. 2 have stated publicly during the campaign that it was not their “intent” to ban cage free production. Will they be true to their word when it comes time to implement Prop. 2? Will other states be targeted for initiatives similar to Prop. 2? Probably. But just because voters in one state like California pass Prop. 2, it doesn’t mean that the other 49 states should follow suit. California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore of Irvine, in a recent interview, said, “Prop. 2 will essentially shut down California’s meat and poultry industry.” Other critics of Prop.2 say it will increase danger to human health, particularly in poultry, with increased risks of avian influenza and salmonella. A report for the University of California Davis Agricultural Issues Center states, “The most likely outcome, therefore, is the elimination of almost all of the California egg industry over the next few years.” Could something like this happen in Alabama? Probably not for years to come. But, Paul Shapiro, who runs factory farming anti-cruelty efforts of the Humane Society of the United States, said that because California, the largest agricultural state, has passed this measure, other states will consider similar laws.
Bred for performance When it comes to performance, every Ross bird is a star.
www.aviagen.com
an Aviagen brand
Association News
September 17, Sheraton Birmingham – After a hearty continental breakfast sponsored by Fitco, Tim Esslinger, chairman of the AP&EA Processors Committee presiding, welcomed everyone and opened the annual workshop. The first speaker was Dr. Jim Witte of Auburn University. Dr. Witte’s humorous look at human communication was titled Dealing With People, and took the audience through a series of communication exercises that involved verbal directions for drawing geometric designs. After he finished, AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams gave an update on the activities of the Association in legislative matters on both the state and national level. Mike Donohue of Agri Stats gave A Global Look at the Industry. This presentation featured a look at historic trends in the poultry industry and, even more importantly, the poultry marketplace. Following a break, sponsored by Baader-Johnson and Stork Food Systems, Dr. Al Yancy, vice president of food safety & production programs of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, gave A Regulatory Update to the USDA poultry processing regulations. The next presentation, Microbial Performance Standards, was made by Sandy Bishop, director of food safety/quality for Perdue Farms. She was followed by a look into the world of American Proteins as Fred Cespedes showed the audience How to Improve By-Product Returns. Then it was time for lunch, sponsored by D&F Equipment Sales, Inc. After lunch, Dr. Sarge Bilgili, extension processing specialist with Auburn’s department of poultry science, gave an insightful presentation titled Plant Water Conservation Audit Results. After Dr. Bilgili, the program took a non-poultry turn, but one that was needed never-the-less. Terry Gray and Cary Tew are both with First Response, a compliance and human resources service company. Together they presented a thought provoking program called Tips and Techniques for Motivating Employees. This presentation dovetailed nicely with Dr. Witte’s earlier presentation, and zeroed in on supervisors and the workers whom they supervise. Sincere encouragement and a sense of being a contributing part of the team were seen as essentials to a highly motivated environment. The final segment of the workshop was particularly prescient in light of the passage of Proposition 2 in California. Matt Jackson, animal social accountability manager with Equity Group, led a discussion on Animal Welfare in the Plant. At the end of the workshop, door prizes, furnished by our sponsors, American Proteins and Marel Food Systems, were given out. 6
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The Alabama Broiler Workshop was held on Tuesday, Oct. 14, and Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center. This event provides broiler industry representatives with an annual refresher course on current governmental regulations, diseases, environmental issues, housing and other pertinent issues facing the poultry industry. After a continental breakfast, sponsored by Cumberland/GSI and Hired-Hand Technologies, the morning session, presided over by Dana Brindley-Bennett, poultry unit manager, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, began. AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams gave the audience an update on AP&EA activities. Dr. Don Conner, head of the Auburn University poultry science department, gave an update on the department. Dr. Fred Hoerr, the director of the Thompson-BishopSparks State Diagnostic Lab, followed with an Alabama Disease Update. Dr. Gene Simpson, extension economist and professor in the Auburn department of agricultural economics, gave an in depth presentation of Economics of Today’s Broiler Production. The follow-up presentation on Saving Fuel and Energy by Jim Donald, extension engineer with Auburn University’s department of biosytems engineering, fit seamlessly with Simpson’s presentation. Following a short break, there was a panel discussion on Attic Vents, moderated by Jess Campbell. Campbell is an extension poultry housing technician with the department of biosystems engineering. Panel members included Will Jeffries of Equity Group, Stacy Jones of Farm Systems and Jim Jordan of Koch Foods. VIP SPONSORS After the panel discussion, Advanced Poultry Equipment and Supply, Inc. there were several short presentaAlabama Power Company tions followed by lunch, sponAlaTrade Foods, LLC sored by Cumberland / GSI. Alpharma The afternoon session was American Proteins, Inc. appropriately “kicked-off” by Aviagen Inc. Virgil Starks who is the senior asBiomune Company sociates athletic director at Cobb-Vantress, Inc. Auburn University. His topic was D & F Equipment Sales, Inc. Elanco Animal Health Building Character and DevelEvonic-Degussa Corporation oping Leadership. Starks presentation was both insightful and Federal Land Bank Association of North Alabama Federal Landbank Association of South Alabama inspiring. First South Farm Credit, N.A. It was a tough act to follow, Franklin Industries, Inc. but it had to be done. Stacy CunGSM Steel and Mechanical Contractors ningham of Aguatech presented Hill Parts the audience with Water TreatHubbard LLC ment Options, and Dr. Roger International Paper Company Lien of the poultry science deIntervet / Schering Plough Animal Health partment presented a short proIvesco, LLC K Supply Company gram on Lighting Programs. Marel USA, Inc. After Blake Gibson of JonesPfizer Animal Health Hamilton Co. talked about ManSand Mountain Electric Cooperative aging the Litter/Bedding Base, it Walco International Inc. was time to adjourn. The Vincit Group . 8
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Alabama Poultry
Executive Director Johnny Adams and Roger Chappell
AP&EA President Ken Taylor
Sgt. Kenny Price
ADEM’s James McAfee
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The 2008 AP&EA Grower Seminar Road Show opened at 11:30 a.m. on Monday, October 27, at the Cullman Civic Center. That evening, at the Snead State Community College cafeteria, the show continued, gathering momentum as it went. Tuesday, October 28, found the AP&EA crew at Sister’s Restaurant in Troy, where the poultry professionals met amid vote hunting politicians and their entourages, as well as regular patrons of the popular eatery. State senator “Walking Wendell” Mitchell, a long-time friend of Alabama’s poultry industry, walked in to say hello, when he heard of our seminar. The show finished with a flourish at the spacious New Brockton Farm Center. The fellowship was great and the food was outstanding, but the information was what everyone had come for and they were not disappointed. Various speakers made presentations at the events. Ken Taylor, president of AP&EA, spoke on the National Poultry Technology Center being established at Auburn University. Sgt. Kenny Price, Highway Patrol Division, Motor Carrier Safety Unit, Alabama Department of Public Safety, spoke on the most recent Department of Transportation Intrastate Farmers Exemptions. These new exemptions can be found in a PowerPoint presentation on our Web site, but the gist of the new DOT regulations says that any straight truck or a truck with a trailer under 26,000 pounds (empty) is exempt from all federal regulations while operating in Alabama. Dana Brindley-Bennett, poultry unit manager, Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries, gave an update on Alabama’s avian influenza monitoring program. She talked about how the monitoring program had been expanded to cover small flock non-commercial growers, wild game growers, and even inspections at flea markets. James McAfee, of ADEM, provided a CAFO update by letting everyone know that even though no changes had been made, it is still important to renew your registration in the program. The meat of the program came with presentations byAuburn University department of poultry science faculty and extension specialists, Dr. Ken Macklin and Dr. Joe Hess. The presentation was entitled How Growers are Saving and Making Money Through Litter Management. They had contacted poultry growers and live production managers from different regions of the United States to see what techniques are being used across the industry to save money on litter. Also, the relative costs of replacing litter vs managing ventilation and heating on used
Dr. Joe Hess
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Dr. Ken Macklin
Alabama Poultry
Dana Brindley-Bennett
litter. Each operation has its own unique situation, but trends in litter management from different regions may help growers verify that their decisions on managing litter are the best available. The latest thoughts from Auburn on many of these issues were discussed as well. At each seminar a panel of growers shared their experiences and fielded questions from the audience. Dennis Maze was present for all four seminars, while Johnny Adcock, chairman of the AP&EA Grower Committee, joined us in Cullman and Boaz. Joining them at Cullman and Boaz also was Dorman Grace. In Troy, Chuck Tice joined the panel and in New Brockton, Kenneth Sanders joined in. Dennis Maze talked in depth about his experiences in windrowing in his houses. He stressed getting down into the “hard-pan” when windrowing. The panel received some good questions, with a lively exchange of ideas at all four venues. Many thanks to Johnny Adcock and the AP&EA Grower Committee for putting together this outstanding seminar series. Thanks also to our sponsors, many of whom had displays set-up at the seminars.
Sen. Wendell Mitchell
Special thanks to our generous sponsors:
First South Farm Credit Cumberland / GSI • Jones-Hamilton Co. Auvil Insurance Agency / American National Insurance Hired Hand • Farmers Poultry Supply • Dixie Poultry
Kenneth Sanders
Dennis Maze
Alabama Poultry
Johnny Adcock
Chuck Tice
Dorman Grace
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In 1959, the plant and John were profiled in Processing Equipment News. Many of the photographs in this article are from that publication.
A Proud Daughter Writes... In the late 1940s, the plant was finally up and running and Daddy had the idea of processing turkeys for Thanksgiving. He ordered 400 turkeys from the growers. They had blocked out a day to process the turkeys, but unfortunately didn’t account for the fact that the turkeys wouldn’t fit on the line – so they had to be hand processed! They were still working at 9:00 that night with many more turkeys left to be processed, but the workers were all exhausted. Finally, Daddy sent everyone home. They couldn’t leave the live turkeys in the crates overnight, so he and D. C. Barlett built a small pen to hold them, and Daddy finally got home around midnight. The next morning, when he got back to the plant, the turkeys were missing from the pen – they had escaped from the pen and flown into the nearby trees where they were happily roosting away! Daddy and D. C. Barlett used a most sophisticated technique to get the turkeys out of the trees: they threw rocks at them! Never again did they try to process turkeys! – Gail Livingston Mills
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n 1947, John Livingston had just processed his first batch of chickens at the new North Alabama Poultry Cooperative plant, when he realized that he had no place to sell the chickens. Peddling boxes of chickens to local grocery stores, he met an old friend who was selling meat for Wilson Packing Company. He told John to call his boss in Atlanta. M. D. Norton was the district manager for Wilson Packing Company in Atlanta in the spring of 1947, when John Livingston called. John asked Norton if he was interested in buying broilers. Norton replied that he had no interest in broilers, but was interested in buying all of the hens that John could supply. He explained that in the 1920s he had spent time in the Sand Mountain area and had seen many of the farm women selling eggs to peddlers, and he knew that there was a large supply of hens. Several days later, Norton pulled up in front of the plant, and, in John’s words, “he was driving a brand new Buick automobile and was wearing a suit and tie.” Norton was an older man, at least as old as John’s father. He showed John how he wanted the hens dressed and packed. Norton instructed him to pack the chickens in 30-gallon wooden barrels with a 25-pound block of ice in the bottom and then a layer of chickens and a layer of ice. He was to continue layering the chickens and ice until the barrel was full and then ship it by railway express to Atlanta. Sen. John Sparkman’s son-in-law, Pat Courington, had just started a radio station, WAVU, in Albertville. The station’s signal carried all over Sand Mountain. John placed an ad on the radio calling for chickens and before long, he had all the chickens that he could handle. John was also attending farmers’ meetings and encouraging farmers to get into the poultry business. Jimmy Garvin, who was operating a Ralston Purina feed store, built a 2,000-bird chicken house. He was so successful the first year that he was able to buy his wife a new stove and refrigerator.
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He was held up as a great success story. That new stove and refrigerator inspired a lot of farmers to get into the chicken business. That same year, he received a call from a man with Memphis Packing Company. The man told John that he wanted him to come to Memphis to discuss a deal that could make John’s plant a lot of money. John was reluctant, he had no one at the plant that he felt comfortable leaving it with, but the man persisted and John agreed to go. John had another problem, his and Virginia’s car had over 100,000 miles, and he was afraid that it wouldn’t make the trip. Fortunately, he was able to borrow his father’s car. As he was loading the car, he put two of the new chicken crates in the car to show this potential new customer. Previously, John had to go to Birmingham to buy used orange crates to transport live chickens. These flimsy crates were often damaged and could injure live birds. Decatur Box & Basket had developed a new wire bound, solid wood crate that could be used over and over to haul chickens from the grower to the processing plant. These were the crates that John was taking to Memphis. John was disappointed and frustrated by the meeting at Memphis Packing Company. The money making plan had turned out to be the opposite of what had been promised. But, driving up River St., John saw a sign for Wilson Packing Company and decided to stop. John met with produce manager, Jim Tate. He asked Tate if they sold chickens. Tate’s reply was a flat, “No.” Pressed as to why he didn’t sell chickens, Tate told him that Wilson had a plant in Cumming, Ga., that had never sent him what he ordered, just what they had on hand, and so he just stopped selling chicken. John promised him that things would be different with his plant, but Tate still refused. It was no use arguing, so John packed up and headed back to Albertville. He may have left Memphis, but he was not through with Jim Tate. Back in Albertville, John got on the phone to M. D. Norton. Norton told John that Tate was one of the best men in the company and if John could get Tate to order chickens from Albertville, he would remove the Cumming, Ga., plant from the supply chain for Memphis. Every morning, like clockwork, John was on the phone with Tate. Soon his persistence paid off, when he was given an order for 10 boxes of chickens. That initial order was quickly followed by other orders. Then Wilson Packing Company in Memphis landed the Kroger Supermarket account, and it wasn’t long before two large trucks a week were going to Memphis loaded with dressed chickens. Allied Mills had a large feed mill in Memphis. John had his now empty trucks picking up feed in sacks to bring back to Albertville, but it wasn’t enough. John convinced Allied Mills to build a feed mill in Guntersville to serve the exploding chicken business on Sand Mountain. Ralston Purina was after the market also. They had a mill in Nashville and began shipping feed into Albertville by railcar to Jimmy Garvin’s store. Just as the chicken supply had stabilized, in 1954 a new disruption came on the scene. Doyle Terry, a successful processor from Athens, Ga., decided to build a plant, Colonial Foods, in Albertville and put his two sons-in-law in charge of the operation. John was concerned about his chicken supply, so Alabama Poultry
(Above) Jimmy Garvin. Garvin was a native of Missouri. He grew broilers as an FFA project. After graduating from the University of Missouri, he taught vocational agriculture and had his students grow broilers. Several years before the outbreak of World War II, Jimmy went to work for Ralston Purina. They sent him south to Alabama to work in feed store management. He worked in Gadsden and then in Birmingham. It was in Birmingham, at age 23, that he became Ralston Purina’s youngest store manager. The war changed all of that. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Navy in the South Pacific. After the war, Purina gave him the smallest store (Below) The eviscerating line at the North Alabama Poultry Cooperative plant in Albertville in 1959.
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(Above) In 1972, John Livingston was inducted into the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame. Inducted posthumously was his great friend, Leon “Buck” Lester. Buck came from a large family, but his father died while Buck was quite young. As a result, Buck had little formal education, but he was a hard worker. As a young man, he worked as a plumber. He was a very good plumber. So good, in fact, he was at one time the assistant superintendent of the City Water, Sewage and Street Maintenance in Athens, Ga. In the 1950s, he entered the broiler business with the Colonial Poultry Company, founded by Doyle and Herbert Terry. Buck had a philosophical bent and was fond of witticisms. One of his favorites was, “You can get used to most everything in life, except a rock in your shoe.” (Below) Buck Lester
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he went to see Jimmy Garvin. They had been buying all of the chickens that Garvin and Ralston Purina grew, and John wanted some assurance that he could still rely on their chickens. Garvin assured John that he would continue to sell him chickens. However, when the new plant opened, John got no more chickens from Jimmy Garvin. Now, there were too few live chickens for both plants. This began a sort of chicken war between the two plants as they vied for the existing chickens. It was this shortage, however, that encouraged more farmers to build more chicken houses. It soon became apparent that Terry’s sons-in-law could not handle the job, so Terry elevated his plant manager, Buck Lester, to the top spot. And, as the chicken supply once again stabilized, Lester and John became close friends. That friendship paid dividends for Lester when his plant was badly damaged by fire. John gave Lester access to his plant so that both plants could meet their orders. John’s people worked during the day and Lester’s worked at night until repairs could be made to the Colonial plant. During this period, the growers were taking all the risks. The chicken war had encouraged growers to increase production. They had, in turn, overbuilt and the supply of chickens had outpaced demand. When the farmers sold their chickens, in many cases, they found that they could not make enough money to pay their feed bills. With this development, many of the farmers decided to get out of the chicken business, but Garvin went to the farmers and assured them that times would get better and, if they would continue to grow chickens, he and Ralston Purina would “write off” their losses. It was a promise that surely kept many farmers in the chicken business, but ultimately cost Garvin his job when Ralston Purina refused to honor his promises and fired him. Garvin later went to work with Arbor Acres and was very successful. About this time, John built a small hatchery and began contracting with local growers in much the same way that had been pioneered by Jesse Jewell in Georgia and Forrest Ingram in Cullman. This was, however, on a smaller scale, and John wanted to keep it as a cooperative. He began making every grower a member of their county’s exchange and bringing them in as a member of the cooperative. Everything was going well until 1962. That’s when the IRS decided to audit the North Alabama Poultry Cooperative. The auditor stayed a very long time. When he finished, he told John that the co-op was not doing business with its members, and that the farmers who were supposed to be members were, in fact, not really members at all. Furthermore, the co-op owed the IRS $265,000 in back taxes. John knew that the co-op did not have the money, so he reached in his pocket and pulled out the keys to the business and handed them to the IRS auditor. The auditor shook his head; he didn’t want the business – he wanted the money. John called a tax attorney in Birmingham, and a meeting was set with the IRS. In the meeting, it became evident quickly that the attorney knew little about co-op law and was not sticking to the facts. John, frustrated by his lawyer’s lack of veracity, asked the IRS officials for a few minutes to talk with his attorney alone.
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When they were alone, John accused him of not being factual in his presentation. The lawyer replied that John had hired him and that he was doing his job. John asked him what his charges were thus far. The lawyer replied, “$5,000.” “We’ll send you a check,” John said, as he fired the attorney. When he rejoined the IRS officials, he explained what had just happened. They were appreciative of his honesty and agreed to give him time to find new counsel. The first call that John made was to Peter Garry, the head of the Alabama Farmers Cooperative in Decatur. Garry gave him the name of a retired tax attorney living in Washington, D.C., and John called. The retired attorney told him to bring his books and come. John was on the first flight out of Atlanta, bound for Washington, D.C. In Washington, the lawyer, after examining the books and contacting the IRS, told John that the co-op had not been properly set up and that the IRS was correct. However, because the previous years’ taxes had been paid in good faith with no attempt to defraud the government, he believed, that the IRS would settle for just the taxes owed for that year just as any other corporation. It required another trip to Washington and a meeting with the IRS, but just as the attorney had promised, everything was settled. Elated, John asked the retired lawyer what his fee was. “ Oh, $1,500 will be enough,” was the reply. John returned to Albertville with a determination to reorganize the coop along regular co-op lines. However, he believed that the farmers themselves should have a financial interest in the co-op. He believed that it should be possible to raise $200,000 in stock if every grower would pay $10 for every 1,000 chickens that they had. The farmers thought that it was a good idea, but only a few were willing to pledge the money. In the end, the project only raised $60,000. John was very disappointed. He had made arrangements with the Federal Land Bank for a loan to renovate and expand the hatchery and feed mill, predicated on the farmers’ willingness to buy into the co-op. But, it was all for naught. The North Alabama Poultry Cooperative board met and decided to sell the plant to Allied Mills for $1million. When the deal was closed, John prorated the money and sent checks to all of the farmers who had supplied chickens to the plant over the years. Allied Mills asked John to stay on as complex manager. Which he did, for the next 20 years, serving as a mentor to up-and-coming poultry professionals like Elton Maddox and Jack Sherwood. He also saw tremendous changes in the industry with large companies exiting the marketplace and other companies growing larger and buying companies. It wasn’t long before Allied was taken over by Continental Grain, which was bought by Wayne Farms. Through it all, John Livingston stands, not only as an industry pioneer and leader, but as an example of persistence and high integrity. He has been a great mentor and is a treasured friend to many. The Alabama poultry industry has been truly blessed by his leadership. Alabama Poultry
(Above) Virginia and John at home Last year the Livingston family celebrated John and Virginia’s 90th birthdays (both were born in November) with a party. Gail writes, “We lost our oldest brother, Mark Livingston, in 1988 to cancer when he was only 40 years old. Of all the heartaches and struggles in our lives, none was any harder for us than losing our dear Mark, as Daddy will tell you. On a happy note, we had over 100 guests come to Mother and Daddy's 90th birthday reception, which is amazing since they have outlived virtually all of their friends!”
Below) From left to right: Alan Livingston, Dothan, Ala.; Gail Livingston Mills, Vestavia Hills, Ala.; John and Virginia; David Livingston, Gadsden, Ala.; Carol Livingston Reed, Vestavia Hills, Ala.
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Grower Profile
Chad and Summer Folds Chad Folds and Summer Gunter met in Mrs. Patterson’s third grade class at Holly Pond Elementary. And, while it might not have been love at first sight, something definitely started. All through school, they only had eyes for each other. About this time, something else took a strong position in Chad’s heart. It was Chad’s love of chicken farming. It began with him helping his grandfather, Oneal, or as Chad calls him, Pawpaw, in his chicken houses Soon, whenever he was asked what he wanted to do when he grew up, his answer was always the same: “I want to be a chicken farmer.” That ambition persisted, even into high school. Just before graduation in 1995, Chad’s father, Jackie, also a chicken grower, told him that he needed to work outside the chicken business for a while and learn a trade. That way he would have something to tide him through downturns in the poultry markets. Chad heeded his father’s wisdom. After graduation from Holly Pond High School in 1995, he went to work with an electrical contractor. Several years later, having successfully learned the business, he got his own general contractor’s license and started his own business. In 1997, Chad and Summer were married, fulfilling
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September/October 2008
Makenna Oreo Maddie
Summer
Chad
(Below) Chad and Maddie inspect a new load of chicks, delivered just a few hours before.
Alabama Poultry
one of his childhood dreams. They built their home close to Pawpaw’s two chicken houses. Two years later, he took over those houses from his grandfather and dream number two blossomed. Next, it was time for kids. Maddie, the oldest, is 9. She is in the fourth grade and loves history, especially the Indians, and softball. Makenna, is a gymnastics loving 6-year-old in kindergarten. Chad has four chicken houses now; the two that he bought from his grandfather and two that he built in 2003. In 2005, he renovated the two original houses, and enjoys growing a 4..75 pound bird for Tyson in Blountsville. In the coming years, he would like to build additional houses, (Above) Three generations of chicken farmers: Pawpaw, Chad and Jackie if the economy will allow it. He is fortunate to be able to heat with natural gas. Litter material is problematic, however. He cleans out two houses each year and expects to spend in the neighborhood of $6,000 on shavings this year. He also plans to begin windrowing and using PLT. Chad sees “keeping expenses down” as his biggest challenge. Chad’s four houses are just four of 26 chicken houses in a three mile area. Nine of those other houses are owned by family. They all look out for each other. When Chad and Summer want to take the girls to the beach, they can always count on Pawpaw or Chad’s father to mind the farm. Summer, despite being a mother and farmer’s wife, has gone back to school and serves as a nurse for special needs children at Holly Pond Elementary. She finds the work very satisfying. The Folds are active in their church, teaching Sunday School at Mount (Above) Maddie loves the spotted chicks Zion Baptist, and coaching basketball and girls softball. Chad and Summer are an outstanding example of what hard work and dedication can achieve in the poultry business and in life. This industry cannot fail to prosper with young farmers like Chad Folds leading the way. Chad and Summer are great people. They have a passion and desire to be successful in all their endeavors. We appreciate their success on the farm and especially thank them for their efforts in raising two great girls, teaching Sunday School, coaching youth sports, and caring about the community they live in. Dale Gambrill, Tyson Foods (Above) Makenna loves to play with Oreo.
Alabama Poultry
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Recipes We’ve all heard the old adage that the holidays are for children so this is a great time to involve them in cooking. The holidays are about family, loved ones and togetherness, and food is an integral part of all celebrations. Whether they are making edible gifts for the neighbors or planning a portion of the big dinner, kids love to be a part of the preparations. With easy recipes, like these, they can master some great cooking skills. Kids love to chop, measure and stir. There is nothing more fun than seeing and enjoying the results of turning recipes into food. Eggs offer many options when it comes to ease of preparation and they are frequently one of the first foods kids learn to cook. From scrambled to hard cooked, many egg recipes require just a few ingredients and lots of options to personalize with a child’s favorite ingredients such as cheese, veggies, bacon and chopped ham. For great tips and recipes for cooking with kids, fun facts, trivia as well as more holiday ideas visit the American Egg Board’s at: http://incredibleegg.org/kid.
Kid Friendly Deviled Eggs
Everyone loves deviled eggs and making them in a throw away freezer bag will be a big hit with children of all ages! Santa’s Favorite Lil’ Devils are a handheld snack or appetizer that kids will have a great time making, take pride in serving, and enjoy eating. Requiring few utensils and oh so easy cleanup, the tactile pleasure of squeezing the ingredients together and piping the mixture into the egg halves will turn kids into sous chefs. Great for holiday parties the red pimento strips and chopped green pepper garnish adds a festive touch to an ever popular classic.
Santa’s Favorite Lil’ Devils 12 Servings 6 hard-cooked* eggs 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard 3 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sweet or dill pickle relish Pimento strips, chopped bell pepper or pimento stuffed olives for garnish
Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Place yolks in 1-quart plastic bag. Place remaining ingredients in bag with yolks. Press out air. Seal bag. Knead bag until filling mixture is thoroughly mixed and blended. Push filling toward corner of bag. Snip about 1 inch off the corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag gently and fill reserved whites with the yolk filling. Use pimento strips, chopped bell pepper or pimento stuffed olives to garnish tops of deviled eggs for holiday parties. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Yield: 12 deviled egg halves * Place eggs in single layer in sauce pan. Add water to cover eggs at least 1 inch. Cover. Bring to boiling. Turn off heat. Let eggs stand, covered 15 minutes for large eggs. Run cold water over eggs until completely cooled. **May also sprinkle with paprika to garnish. Another way to mix deviled egg mixture is to place ingredients in a small bowl and mash with a fine grate potato masher
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September/October 2008
Alabama Poultry
AM Best Rating A+ (Superior) Standard & Poor’s Rating AA (Very Strong) Alabama Poultry
September/October 2008
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Slice and Bake Christmas Cookies
Holidays are all about time honored traditions and there are few so revered as leaving a snack out for Santa and his reindeer! Homemade cookies and a hot cup of cocoa along with some carrot sticks are sure to refuel the jolly man in the red suit and his antlered team that flies through the sky. To add to the anticipation and imagination, involve children in the cookie baking. Frosty's Quick 'N Easy Cookies make this an easy-to-do project for even the littlest chefs! This shortbread type of cookie with red and green cherries offers the added benefit of being a make ahead that you roll in a log, freeze, slice and bake when time permits. They also make a great gift for children to make for neighbors or their school festivities.
1 1 1 1 3 1
Frosty’s Quick ‘N Easy Holiday Cookies 36 Servings
cup sugar cup butter or margarine egg plus 3 egg yolks teaspoon vanilla cups self-rising flour cup candied red or green cherries
Cream together sugar and butter; beat in egg, yolks and vanilla. Add flour, salt and baking powder; mix thoroughly. Stir in cherries. Divide dough in half and place dough on sheets of waxed or parchment paper. Using waxed paper or parchment paper and your hands, carefully shape into two rolls, 1-inch by 12-inches. Wrap in freezer wrap. Place rolls on cookie sheet and freeze until ready to bake. Peel paper off cookie rolls. Slice cookies into 1/2 inch slices and place on cookie sheet. Bake cookies in a preheated 350F oven for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: about 3 dozen cookies
**May also add 1 cup chopped toasted nuts to dough if desired.
Kids Creative Breakfast Sandwich
A great way to feed a group of kids (or adults!) during the holidays is to set up a "make your own" breakfast egg sandwich bar. Offering fried eggs and variety of breads, rolls and add-ons insures that everyone's taste buds are satisfied. Encourage kids to be creative by modifying the recipe with their own combination of ingredients. Chill Chasin' Breakfast Sandwiches are also a nutritious, quick solution to getting them fed on hectic Christmas morning when gifts are their only interest.
Chill Chasin’ Breakfast Sandwich One Serving
1 fried egg 1 whole wheat sandwich bun, toasted 1 tbls reduced-fat mayonnaise 1 slice reduced fat American cheese 1 piece leaf lettuce 1 ounce sliced or shaved lean, cooked ham
Prepare egg in a non-stick skillet sprayed with vegetable spray. Spread mayonnaise on each half of bun. Place egg, cheese slice, lettuce and ham on one side of bun. Top with other bun. Yield: 1 serving **May use toasted light multi-grain English muffin, whole wheat pita pocket, Canadian bacon, crisp bacon, smoked turkey, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, tomato slice, sliced mushrooms, etc. Variety is limited only by child’s imagination and taste.
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September/October 2008
Alabama Poultry
Alabama Poultry
September/October 2008
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Farewell To Friends Two Retired Poultry Educators Die:
Dr. Claude Moore and Dr. Mike Eckman
Dr. Claude Henry Moore of Auburn, Alabama, died on September 13, 2008. Moore was born in Greensboro, Ala., on May 8, 1923, to William Henry and Grace Weeks Moore and moved to Cullman, Ala., at the age of 6 months. He graduated from Cullman High School and enrolled at Auburn University where he completed his undergraduate studies in agriculture.
From Auburn, he went to Kansas State University for his master’s degree and to Purdue University for his doctorate in genetics. He remained at Purdue as assistant director of regional poultry breeding with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Purdue University until 1956 when he began his tenure at Auburn University. In 1959, Moore became department head of Auburn University’s poultry science department, a position he held until 1986 when he became associate director of the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Upon retirement in 1989, Moore was appointed emeritus professor of poultry science. He was a charter life member of the Agricultural Alumni Association.
Moore was a member and president of the national Poultry Science Association and was elected a Fellow. The Alabama Poultry & Egg Association elected him to the Poultry Hall of Fame in 1998. Moore was a member of Auburn First Baptist Church where he served as chairman of deacons, Sunday School teacher, treasurer, and on numerous committees. An active Auburn athletic booster, Moore attended almost all of Auburn’s home football and basketball games and was a life member of the Auburn Alumni Association. He and his wife enjoyed travel, especially to visit grandchildren. His wife, Mary Virginia, their five children and spouses, and 13 grandchildren survive him:
Dr. Michael Kent Eckman, 66, died peacefully at Bethany House, October 28, 2008, following a brief illness. Born in Englewood, Colo., in 1942, Eckman was educated in Englewood’s public schools before earning both bachelor’s and master’s of science degrees at the University of Northern Colorado [then Colorado State College] in Greeley. There he met and married his wife of 45 years, Sheila Hitch. He left Colorado to
work at Norwich Pharmacal Company, Norwich, N.Y. That company supported his pursuit of a doctorate in poultry parasitology at Auburn University, which he received in 1970. Eckman returned to his work in New York prior to joining Dow Chemical in Midland, Mich., then Lake Jackson, Texas. In 1977, his major professor, Dr. Allen Edgar, called to offer him a position at Auburn and he accepted without hesitation. In 2003, he retired as professor emeritus after 26 years in the department of poultry science. Eckman’s work at Auburn was predominantly in service to Alabama’s poultry industry, and thus involved regular travel throughout the state. He served as a board member of the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association, which honored him with its Presidential Award in 1987 and 1996. He treasured the lifelong friendships he made among many in the Alabama poultry industry and his calm, low-
key approach to professional challenges led to invitations to lecture in 33 countries during the course of his career. Following retirement, Eckman was a catalyst in the creation of the National Poultry Technology Center at Auburn University, formed in August 2007. He was an early proponent of the Center and was named to its first board of directors as well as its first Executive Operations Committee. He leaves son, Kent, McCaysville, Ga., and daughter, Amy, and husband, Anthony Talorico, of Beaver, Penn., along with their children, Aidan, Sam and Ava. They, along with his wife, Sheila, mourn his passing but cherish the honor of having shared his life. For those wishing to remember Mike, please consider a memorial gift to Bethany House, at 1171 Gatewood Dr., Auburn, AL 36830 or the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, Mike’s favorite charity.
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September/October 2008
Alabama Poultry
Wood Pellet-burning Furnace Exclusively for Poultry Houses
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Faculty Profile Auburn University Department of Poultry Science
Dr. Shelly McKee Associate Professor
AP&EA: Where did you grow up? McKee: I grew up in south Texas in a small town called Gonzales. Even though it was a small town, the poultry industry in the area included turkeys, broilers and eggs.
AP&EA: Where did you go to school? McKee: While growing up in Texas, I always wanted to be a Texas Aggie. In my junior year in high school, my dad and I visited the Texas A&M campus. The atmosphere was so welcoming and friendly that I did not want to leave. While at Texas A&M, I received my bachelor’s, Master of Science and doctorate. AP&EA: What is your current scientific discipline? McKee: Today, my research focuses are on meat quality and food safety of poultry meat and poultry meat products.
AP&EA: How did you get interested in poultry? McKee: My grandfather was a USDA inspector at what used to be Holley Farms in Seguin, Texas. From the time I was 9 or 10 through high school, he would take me to the plant and teach me about poultry processing. This is really where I
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plan is split 50/50 with half being focused on improving meat quality and the other half being focused on reducing salmonella, campylobacter and listeria on poultry and poultry products.
gained my interest in the field of AP&EA: How is your work at poultry and poultry processing. Auburn benefiting the Alabama poultry industry? AP&EA: When did you join the facMcKee: We help some facilities in ulty in the department of poultry sciAlabama directly with meat quality ence? issues and implementing food safety McKee: I joined the department of intervention strategies to reduce salpoultry science faculty at Auburn monella and campylobacter in poulUniversity in 2002. Prior to that, I try plants. Other ways that we help had been on the faculty in food sci- the industry are with the research ences at the University of Nebraska projects that we conduct to improve at Lincoln for five years. meat quality and by investigating new food intervention strategies and AP&EA: What is the focus of your determining their impact on product teaching, outreach, and research? safety and quality. This research is McKee: At Auburn, I teach a often published in scientific journals course entitled further processing or trade journals for the industry to and products. We start out with a access. live chicken and end up with chicken nuggets, hot dogs, rotisserie birds, For more information: etc. In addition to teaching, I do a Dr. Shelly McKee significant amount of outreach. Our Auburn University outreach efforts include hosting Department of Poultry Science courses called Poultry 101 and Poul- 201 Poultry Science Building try 201 that teaches industry person- Auburn, AL 36849-5416 nel about poultry processing and Phone 334-844-2765 further processed products. We also Fax 334-844-2641 do a lot of work improving meat Email: mckeesr@auburn.edu quality and yield in poultry processing as well as designing and Poultry Farms for Sale in Alabama validating food The Progressive Group safety interHas Farms Available in Many Locations, ventions for Six House Farm near Altoona Eight House Farm near Hackleburg plants needing Eight House Farm near Russellville help. Our reFour House Breeder Farm near Gordo search is heavTwo Eight House Farms near Pineapple We also have farms available in Georgia ily tied to the outreach activ- If you are looking to Buy or Sell a poultry farm ities that we CALL TOM CROFT www.poultryfarmsales.com or 770-316-4041 conduct. I The Progressive Group Real Estate would say that my research
September/October 2008
Alabama Poultry
Poultry Scholarship Winners Auburn Awards Poultry Science Scholarships
On Saturday, September 13, Auburn University’s College of Agriculture awarded scholarships to deserving poultry science students. Poultry science department head, Dr. Don Connor, could not be prouder of these talented young poultry students. Some will go into areas like veterinary medicine or graduate research, still others will find jobs with integrators. Some might even go back to family farms or build their own.
AP&EA Scholarship Award Winners
Seven deserving Auburn poultry science students have won AP&EA scholarships for outstanding achievement. These scholarships are provided through funds donated to the Alabama Poultry Foundation. The students receiving scholarships this year are: (Front row) Aubie Bradley, Jill Vest, Kimberly Triplett and Dr. Conner (Second row) Sam Rochell and Silas Dobbs (Third row) Jessica Chesnutt and Richard Peek Alabama Poultry
September/October 2008
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Practical Applications
Minimizing Floor Eggs in Broiler Breeder Flocks
Joseph B. Hess1, Roger J. Lien1, Wallace D. Berry1 and Jeanna L. Wilson2 1 Poultry Science Department, Auburn University 2 Department of Poultry Science, University of Georgia
Egg and egg quality losses through floor and slat eggs have been a problem in broiler breeder production for a long time. Floor eggs are generally dirty, and can add to the microbiological load in incubation and hatching if allowed to enter the hatching egg system. If separated out, floor eggs may not command the same monies that hatching eggs do, reducing profitability. Additionally, many floor and most slat eggs will be lost to bird activity or egg eating. Once started, egg eating can be an expensive habit that is impossible to break. Broiler breeders lay the majority of their eggs in the first six hours after the lights come on in the morning. For that reason, nest access must not limit birds during this period. On average, an individual bird will spend approximately 45 minute in the nest during egg laying. Practically, hens per nest can not rise above five or six birds per nest, before the hens will be looking for other accommodations when favored nests are full. Another way to look at nest numbers is that you need one hour of nest occupancy for each egg laid. This is particularly important in early production when hens are laying at a high rate and have not adapted to the nests entirely. Training young hens to the nests early is important. Some integrators have gone so far as to offer perches to replacement pullets during rearing so that the birds become accustomed to jumping up prior to entering the breeder house with a raised slat area. Floor eggs tend to decrease with time as production drops and the birds become more comfortable with their routine. For this reason, extra effort spent picking up floor eggs early in the flock usually keeps hens from making a habit of laying in the wrong place. Also, fre26
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quent walking of the house that comes with early pickup of floor eggs keeps the hens moving and does not let them become comfortable on the floor. Hens choose their nest site by the time they lay their first 5-6 eggs. Therefore, floor egg problems that extend beyond 28-30 weeks without being addressed through management changes are likely to be a long-term issue. Dominant hens often block subordinate hens form nests. Highly uniform pullets, reared under proper short days of eight hours of light or less, will enter production and peak together uniformly. Their behavior will be more uniform, reducing the number of highly dominant or highly submissive hens. Nest usage will improve as a result but competition for a nest will increase as well, further making it very important to have adequate nest numbers. Lighting, specifically the uniformity of light in the house, can have an impact on floor and slat eggs. It is well known that breeders will search out areas of shadow to nest on the floor, so making sure that light levels are uniform throughout the house will help to reduce the number of birds that attempt to nest on the floor. Replacing blown light bulbs, particularly early in the flock, is one easy way to insure even light levels. Other light level inconsistencies may take some mechanical changes if the original house lighting system leaves shadowy areas. The addition of a few light fixtures in the cool cell end of the house will often improve house light distribution without a lot of expense. Although converting to mechanical nests has been a wonderful technological boon to the breeder farm owner, mechanical nests have probably added some new problems in trying to control floor eggs. Field experience has shown mechanical nests to increase floor eggs by 1-3 percent. Drafts in the mechanical nests may lead birds to search for more comfortable areas to nest.
Alabama Poultry
Often, a draft from the egg room through the egg tunnel may chill both the birds and the eggs in cooler weather. For this reason, the ventilation system may be a consideration if hens start off a flock searching for floor nesting spots. Keeping a consistent temperature throughout the house will help to reduce floor eggs and provide other production benefits as well. If feces and dirt build up in mechanical nests, hens may move toward alternative nesting sites as well. Hopefully, nests are not overly dirty early in the flock, but all possible contributing factors must be checked out quickly if a new flock begins to lay too many floor and slat eggs. Hens defecate at night while roosting. For this reason, if at all possible, nests should be closed at night to prevent the hens from roosting there and soiling the nests. Studies have shown that hens do not have a marked preference for a particular color of nest or nest pad. However, hens do seem to prefer nests that are the color of the pullet house equipment they are familiar with. Birds will avoid nests where they were frightened by a loud noise or shock. For this reason, nests should be opened early on after hens are housed to allow hens to inspect the nests. Also, belts should be run occasionally during this time to accustom birds to the noise and vibration. Field observations have indicated that stray voltage (generally 2-4 v, although differences up to 18 v have been recorded) that develops in mechanical nests may make it uncomfortable for hens to enter nests at times, increasing the number of floor eggs. These problems can be tough to nail down as voltage levels can change with season and time of day. As with all poultry house equipment, make sure that the nest system is properly grounded to reduce the chance of stray voltage discouraging nest usage. Take a minute to look around your breeder houses for areas that might encourage floor and slat laying. If your slat height is over 18-20 inches, this could encourage the hens to stay in the scratch area instead of going to the nest. If you don’t winch the male feeding system up after the roosters eat, this encourages the hens to lay their egg under the feeder pans. If you put 8-10 inches of litter in the scratch
area, this further encourages scratch area laying as there is nothing more inviting than deep litter to these hens. If your feeding and nesting equipment is not installed to give the hen easy access to the nests, they will select an easy-to-get alternative. Aggressive males may lead to an increase in floor or slat eggs. This may be difficult to reduce on an individual farm, but may be addressed by the integrator in modifying breeder male rearing and placement strategies. Highly uniform males are better able to compete with each other and suffer less social stress than nonuniform males. This leads to less abnormal social behavior and aggression towards the hens. Genetics do play a role in the number of floor eggs produced. Some strains are more prone to floor eggs than others, however, good husbandry techniques can keep floor eggs from becoming a serious problem even with those strains that do look for alternate nesting.
Alabama Poultry
Craftmaster
September/October 2008
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Practical Applications
Serious energy savings can be realized by replacing curtain walls with insulation. There are many ways to insulate sidewalls. One of the best methods is to add a 3-inch fiberglass batt between existing posts, as shown in this photo. Wall R-value increases from R-1 to R-11, drastically reducing the amount of heat lost through sidewalls. Sometimes curtains are put back up on the outside and nailed in place until money for tin is in the budget.
Three Basic Steps by Jess Campbell, Jim Donald, and Gene Simpson, Auburn University
With the highest fuel costs on record, Alabama poultry men need to evaluate their houses and management to find ways to keep winter heating costs from eating up profitability. We get lots of calls and inquiries looking for the magic bullet that will reduce heating costs. The fact is that there is no one single thing we can do to minimize fuel cost. In hard times, often doing the best with the resources we have at hand is our best management philosophy. In today’s energy economy when you wisely spend money on energy reduction practices it usually is a very good investment and pays back in less than two years. There are three relatively inexpensive fuel-saving steps we tell folks to look at first when they ask where they should focus their time and resources to reduce energy consumption and keep bird performance up. These steps are not new and not particularly high tech. They are the basics. Remember that doing a good job in keeping costs down in poultry production is similar to doing a good job coaching a football team. Successful programs usually start with a good understanding and application of the basic principles. Here is our list of basic steps you need to take (if you have not already) to tackle your runaway energy costs. Step 1. Tighten the house – Stop air leaks Air that bypasses the ventilation air inlets and comes in through cracks, holes, etc. spoils environmental control of any poultry house. A house that cannot achieve a 0.12 - 0.15 inches of water column during a house tightness test must burn unnecessary energy and fuel to maintain the target environment for the bird. Common voids that allow air infiltration into the building envelope are: loose sidewall curtains, loose tunnel inlet curtains, voids between carpenter joints, voids between 28
September/October 2008
lumber walls and concrete footings, cracks around end wall doors, cracks around access doors, sidewall or ceiling vent inlets that hang loose, damaged fan shutters, holes rusted in outside wall metal, and holes in the dropped ceiling material. Maintaining a tight building envelope around the birds is of utmost importance. Making serious adjustments tightening the building envelope of a house that tests below 0.09 inches of water column can save 25 percent on heating fuel costs. Step 2. Stir the air There have been so many good newsletters written about using stir fans to cut fuel costs in heated poultry buildings that it is hard to understand why so many houses in the poultry belt don’t have them. Stir fans can be used on new or old poultry farms to produce a sizeable fuel and production benefit for the grower. In non-engineering terms here are the basic facts about stir fans: Without stirring, air stratifies; that means hot air rises and cold air falls, so most of the warm air will concentrate in the top center of the house. We are basically heating the poultry house from the top down. Good ventilation management in a tight house, with vent doors throwing the outside cool air to the top of the house certainly helps reduce stratification. However, especially in older houses and even in new houses there is more stratification and need for stirring air than the vents can accomplish. This is especially true during minimum ventilation when air flow is at the lowest. Stirring of the air reduces stratification, promotes uniformity, makes for a drier house and causes the brooders and heating devices to run less. How much do stir fans help? Study after study after study shows stir fans in newer houses can save about 10 percent on fuel in newer houses. Older houses can see
Alabama Poultry
as much as a 25 percent reduction in fuel costs. The taller the house the more benefit to using stir fans. If you have a house with no air inlets (curtain crack ventilation) or very poor air inlet air profiles, the stir fan is the best single band-aid you can place on your house. We like to see folks using one-third to one-fourth horsepower axial fans in smooth ceiling houses. These fans should be slightly tilted up to wash the heat off the ceiling. There are many different ways to run stir fans. Some would recommend them be run continuously, others would alternate them with the opening and closing of the vent doors. There may not be one correct answer to that question but it should be decided on a house-tohouse basis. In high ceiling houses the paddle fan is the stirring device of choice because of the baffles that have been installed. Step 3. Wall up and insulate People that are serious about saving money on fuel convert their buildings to solid sidewall. Using solid walled buildings drastically cuts down on the amount of heat lost through conduction. Insulation is installed in or on the surfaces of the building to prevent the transfer of energy through the surfaces of the building. There are several methods that can be used to achieve a true solid sidewall that is air-tight and well insulated. Insulation value is measured in (conductive) R-values. The higher the R-value the better the insulation is at preventing heat transfer through the material. Typical (conductive) Rvalues of materials in poultry buildings are as follows: Curtain material = R-1; 2-inch dimensional lumber = R2.5; 1-inch board insulation = R-5; 3.5-inch fiberglass batt = R-11; 6-inch blown cellulose = R-19; 1-inch spray foam = R-7; and bubble wrap = R-1. The first few points in R-value will yield the quickest paybacks. A good rule of thumb is that when you increase the R-value of a material from R-1 to R-2, you essentially cut the heat lost through that material by 50 percent. When you go from R-1 to R-8 you cut the heat lost by 85 percent. New construction specifications for poultry buildings commonly call for R-11 or R-19 sidewalls and R-19 to R-21 ceiling insulation. A grower that does a good job tightening and insulating the entire building envelope and goes from a loose, R-1 curtain sided house to a well tightened R-11 sidewall and R-19 ceiling could see a 50 percent reduction in fuel costs. For more information on making your poultry house more fuel-efficient, check out the publication and newsletter files at www.poultryhouse.com. 30
September/October 2008
Smoke does not lie. One of the best tools for diagnosing a poultry house for tightness is to test with smoke. Place the house under 0.10 inches of static pressure and smoke the exterior. Incoming smoke shows where air leaks will occur. Just because a house is new – like the one in this photo – does not mean it is tight. Air infiltration in loose poultry houses causes ventilation systems to run overtime, which costs growers lots of money.
Calendar of Events International Poultry Expo International Feed Expo January 28 -30 Georgia World Congress Center Atlanta, GA
ADVERTISING INDEX ALFA Insurance American Proteins ANPAC Auvil Insurance Aviagen Craftmaster Dura-Slat Farmers Poultry Supply Federal Land Bank First Financial Bank First South Farm Credit Lee Energy Solutions Poultry Supply Progressive Group Sunshine Farms Superior Metal Systems Van Beek
Alabama Poultry
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