WINTER 2009 – VOL. 4 NO. 6
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 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 Jason Spann, Guntersville 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 Huck Carroll – Communications Director/Editor Jennifer Shell – Support Director
President’s MESSAGE
At the beginning of 2010, it is encouraging to see that the poultry industry in Alabama is holding steady. Even though a plant closure in 2009 brought tragic layoffs, 2010 shows the promise of better times ahead for the industry. Unfortunately, gasoline and propane are still high, but, with a decent corn crop, feed costs have come down and production is on the way back up. The industry seems poised to have a more profitable year. The Association is finishing the year strong. Our grower workshops were well attended and our combined breeder/hatchery, broiler, processor workshop drew a good group and was well received. At each venue, we presented a group of authoritative speakers covering a broad range of poultry topics. Comments on each event were very positive. We are about to begin our annual membership drive, so be watching for your new membership materials to arrive. Plans for this year’s “Evening of Fun” are underway. Mark your calendars for June 3. We will be announcing our entertainment shortly. Start making your plans for a great evening of celebration with friends and family. The Legislature is now in session, and, like every other year, we face some tough battles. Look for immigration reform and animal rights to be important issues. AP&EA has partnered with the National Poultry Technology Center at Auburn University to host six regional grower educational seminars this spring. We will send out more information on these meetings soon. It is encouraging to see that plans for the Auburn University feed mill are continuing. That is a technology that is becoming more and more important to the modern poultry industry. Let’s all work together to make 2010 a great year!
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.
FEATURING
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Governmental Affairs Association News Grower Profile – The Starlings of Shorterville Membership News Recipes Auburn Happenings Practical Applications
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G over nment al Affairs
Animal Rights Groups Using Religion to Guilt Meat Eaters By Meatingplace Editors on 1/8/2010
know theology or do not have a co- confinement for increased produchesive theology that helps inform tion is not necessary, but the result of human gluttony and greed. You Wes Jamison, associate profes- their spirituality. can still get your meat, cheese and sor of communications at Palm Beach Atlantic University, is study- Are other animal activists adopt- eggs from someplace else. They are very good at pointing out what they ing how the Humane Society of the ing this approach? are against, but they are not good at United States and other animal saying what they are for. I speculate They are all over the place. rights groups use religion in their messages. Meatingplace asked him Christians for Animal Rights is one. that the ultimate goal is vegetarianto describe what makes this tactic so HSUS is clearly the nine-million- ism. effective, and what the meat indus- pound gorilla. They are powerful, sophisticated and rich and they are What can the meat industry do to try can do about it. good at what they do. They are good counter this message? How is HSUS using religion to at building the agenda, good at framThe traditional response is to promote animal rights? ing issues, they know how to talk about issues, which is why they are bombard consumers with science Their framing of the issue is that effective. It is not limited to dealing and economics. What the farming they are providing a resource for with churches directly, or providing community has to do is not only own people who want to understand what sermon notes to pastors directly. the moral argument, but learn to their faith tradition says regarding They distribute documentary DVDs speak in language that assuages the food and faith. In reality, what they and sponsor Christian college musi- moral concerns. By religious and are doing is using very sophisticated, cal tours. secular standards, we have the right persuasive techniques. They have to use animals for consumption. discovered ways to selectively use What is the basis of their argu- However, the other side has the luxthe Bible, the Koran and the Torah ment? ury of not doing anything but proto amplify the guilt of consumers ducing ideas and philosophical who purchase and consume products They are attacking the classic thinking. Their income is not based produced by confinement animal dominion argument from Genesis, on competitive advantage and cost agriculture. The essence of their ar- that God has given people dominion per pound. And that’s a profound adgument is this, “We are not asking in animal agriculture to use the ani- vantage. you to stop eating meat, we are ask- mal — you can kill it, eat it, as long ing you to help the lives of animals a as you do not knowingly cause wanlittle bit.” ton suffering for the sake of suffering. That is being redefined as Is it working? suffering itself is a moral wrong. HSUS has been very successful in getting people to think about the religious issues of animals. The biggest example is California Proposition 2, where they used churches whose denominations were opposed to confinement agriculture to hold debates. Proposition 2 passed overwhelmingly in a landslide. The egg industry lost. The bottom line is they are very astute at tailoring arguments to consumers who either do not
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Is there evidence this is having an impact on consumers?
There has been no large-scale survey that quantifies the impact on the larger U.S. population. Qualitative research shows that it is highly effective, particularly among petowning Americans. The basic argument is this: you treat your dog like a child and your pig as a pork chop, and that’s immoral. They are saying
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Federation of Animal Science Societies Shares AVM Concerns The Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) has analyzed the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production’s report Putting Meat On the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America as well as the American Veterinary Medical Association’s (AVMA) response to the report. After a review by FASS’ Scientific Advisory Committees, FASS agrees with AVMA that there are significant flaws in the Pew report. As an organization dedicated to sound science as the foundation of any policy recommendations, FASS is concerned that the process utilized by the Pew Commission to ensure an unbiased work product was insufficient. As pointed out by the AVMA, the process for gaining scientific expertise in the technical reports was biased and did not incorporate the Findings and suggestions of a significant number of participating scientists. This represents a fundamental problem in the way the report was constructed. In addition to procedural defi-
ciencies, there are substantive problems with many of the recommendations in the report. For example, the Pew report recommends restricting the use of antimicrobials in food animal production to reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance to medically important antibiotics. Banning the use of antibiotics before sciencebased studies and risk based evaluations are done to determine if there is an actual risk to human health would be detrimental to animal and human health. Additional research is needed to determine what, if any, policy changes to antibiotic use are appropriate. In the area of animal welfare, the Pew report seems to assume that all intensive farming operations are inherently inhumane. It is possible to have good animal welfare in both small and large scale production systems and there are positive and negative trade-offs when choosing among different production systems. FASS also believes that housing type cannot be considered in isolation from other important factors that influence animal welfare, including
management, feeding systems, environmental features, and animal type. FASS encourages policy makers and other interested parties to consider both the Pew report and AVMA response when looking at policies for animal agriculture. FASS appreciates that both Pew and AVMA recognize the value of more research. It is important to maintain a continued dialogue on these issues and increase support for additional research in the area. Science must be the foundation as animal agriculture looks to the future. The Federation of Animal Science Societies (FASS) was formed in 1998 by the three founding member societies: the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA), the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS), and the Poultry Science Association (PSA). The mission of FASS is to strengthen the common interests and collective good of member societies through a unified science-based voice that supports animal agriculture, animal products, and food systems globally.
Russians Move to Block US Poultry Shipments Washington, D.C. – (Reuters) Russian officials will begin to block imports of U.S. poultry as of Jan. 1 because of concerns about a commonly used chlorine treatment, U.S. industry officials and a Russian news agency said. Russia’s consumer protection agency has decided to enforce the ban, said Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council. “There may be about 30,000 tonnes (of U.S. poultry) en route or at the port in Russia, but we are opBy Roberta Rampton
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timistic that it will be allowed to enter, based on the assurances earlier from the Russian Veterinary Service,” Sumner said in an e-mail to Reuters. “Future exports are questionable, however, until this issue gets resolved,” he said. The issue has threatened the top market for U.S. poultry — worth $801 million in 2008 — for more than a year. A week ago, Russian veterinary officials indicated trade would continue. U.S. government officials are
Alabama Poultry Magazine
“fully engaged” on the problem, Sumner said. Officials from the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Agriculture Department were not immediately available for comment. Poultry processors in the United States routinely use chlorine rinses to kill pathogens that can cause food poisoning. There are no detectable residues left from the treatments, which have long stalled U.S. poultry exports to the European Union. The United States has complained about the EU ban at the World Trade Organization. The new rule will not affect Rus-
sia’s imports of EU poultry, said Gennady Onishchenko, head of the consumer protection agency Rospotrebnadzor, in an interview with Russian news agency Interfax. “It’s not a ban on anyone’s quotas. Just treat your meat the way our national legislation prescribes and no one will object to its imports,” Onishchenko said. Russia’s requirements will restrict the use of chlorine in poultry plants to 0.5 parts per million, which Sumner said is 10 times lower than the standard chlorine content in U.S. municipal drinking water. “The U.S. industry will be unable to comply with Russia’s requirements,” Sumner said. Technical and health-related barriers have become a thorn in U.S.Russia meat trade, increasing as Russia moves to boost its domestic meat production and decrease its reliance on imports. Russia, which does not belong to
the WTO, lowered its quota for U.S. poultry this year. But industry officials believe the chlorine issue will be worked out because Russia cannot yet produce enough to meet its needs. “I think they will still need us for chicken,” Rich Nelson, analyst at the agriculture advisory firm Allendale Inc, said in response to the possible ban. “I think they will need our chicken for at least another year,” Nelson said. Additional reporting by Bob Burgdorfer in Chicago; editing by David Gregorio
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Mike Hughes Vice-President 611 Glover Avenue Enterprise, AL 36331 866-347-9944
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Greg Graham Vice-President 2201G Gault Avenue North Fort Payne, AL 35967 877-245-4271
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Ass oci at ion News
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.
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.
If you would like a copy of the Alabama Poultry Hall of Fame poster, please call our office at 334-265-2732. The cost is $38.00 per poster. Poster size is 30” x 20”.
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
November 11, 2009 – Auburn – For the first time AP&EA conducted a poultry industry workshop, combining both broiler industry, breeder/hatchery and processing industry, in an effort to maximize resources and provide better service to our members. The morning session featured subjects that were applicable to all three groups, while the afternoon sessions featured breakouts for all three. The morning session was presided over by Dr. Joe Hess, extension scientist and professor in the poultry science department. He introduced AP&EA executive director Johnny Adams, who welcomed all of those in attendance and gave a brief overview of the program. The first presentation was by Dr. Fred Hoerr, director of the Thompson-Bishop-Sparks State Diagnostic Lab in Auburn. His presentation Alabama Disease Update was followed by Alabama Department of Agriculture Update by State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Frazer. Dr. Don Conner, head of the Auburn University department of poultry science, talked about his department’s plans, including plans for the new feed mill and farm relocation Mike Donohue, vice president of Agri Stats, gave a statistical overview of the industry looking at the Success and Challenges for the Poultry Industry, and presenting a series of charts to illustrate. He was followed by a much needed break. After the break Dr. Jim Witte, associate professor department of educational foundations, gave the audience a look at Communications: Influence and Power. He was followed by AP&EA Communications Director Huck Carroll who gave an update on animal rights activist groups. Then the group broke for lunch. After lunch, each group went to seperate meeting rooms for the break out session. Taylor Steele presided over the Breeder/Hatchery Session, while Jason McCamy presided over the Broiler Session and Tim Esslinger oversaw the Processing Session. In the Breeder/Hatchery Session, Dr. Jeanna Wilson covered The Effect of Egg Size on Broiler Performance and there was a panel discussion on Hatching the High Yield Bird. The National Poultry Technology Center’s Jim Donald and Jess Campbell talked on Updating Ventilation for Breeder Houses. They were followed by Dr. Wally Berry of the poultry science department made a presentation on Breeder Male Rearing. In the Broiler Session, there were panel discussions on Litter Management and High Yield Broiler Management as well as a
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November 20, 2009 – Amid laughter and the songs of children, Bill Bates, Alabama’s turkey grower preeminent, presented, for the 60th year, a prize turkey, with the perineal sobriquet of Clyde, to the governor of Alabama. Accompanied by his feathered consort, Clyde, cavorted as Gov. Bob Riley proclaimed, “Thanksgiving is a unique American holiday,” he said. “It’s a time when we can pause and thank God for all the ways he blesses us. The beliefs we hold and the values we live by are what have made this state and this country so great for generations.” He then, as all other Alabama governors in the past have done, pardoned Clyde to a life of barnyard bliss. Clyde gobbled in appreciation. Most of the Bates clan from Lowndes and Butler counties were on hand. Taking part in the festivities for the first time was Bill’s beloved wife of 63 years, Teressa. Miss Teressa runs their restaurant, Bates House of Turkey, in Greenville, but took a few hours off to celebrate the milestone with Bill. The event, also showcased first lady Patsy Riley’s annual “Blankets with a Blessing,” campaign to collect blankets for the needy as winter nears. We look forward to seeing the whole crew back for next year, especially Mr. Bill and Miss Teressa!
Children from Dalraida Elementary and Fort Dale Academy performed special holiday songs.
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First Lady Patsy Riley greets Miss Teressa
The Bates family, along with Gov. and First Lady, Bob and Patsy Riley, on the steps of the Alabama Governor’s Mansion
Bill Bates addresses the gathering
Gov. Bob Riley issues the pardon
Clyde, who looks mighty spry for his age and pedigree, will spend the holidays, along with his lady friend, Henrietta, at the state farmers’ market in Montgomery
Miss Patsy receives a gift from AP&EA
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December 9, 2009 – Montgomery –The walls were decked and the tree was ready; and the food was hot and abundant when the doors opened on the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association’s 2009 Christmas Open House. It was time for the Alabama poultry pros to mingle with Alabama politicians and dignitaries, as well as our Auburn University friends. Cheerful faces filled the room and conversations were upbeat. Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Industries and gubernatorial candidate Ron Sparks worked the room. Judge Jim Main and Judge Bill Thompson of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals were in attendance as well as Judge Kelli Wise and Judge Beth Kellum of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. ADEM was represented by James McAfee and Brandy Bowen. Dr. Don Conner was there, along with a host of Auburn poultry science and College of Agriculture cadre. It’s always a good time when poultry professionals and their friends can gather to celebrate this great industry.
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
Cespedes Presents Ford Foundation Check
December 9, 2009 – Montgomery – Fred Cespedes, AP&EA president and U. S. Poultry & Egg Association board member, along with AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams, presented Dr. Don Conner, head of Auburn University’s department of poultry science, with a check in the amount of $16,746 on behalf of the U. S. Poultry & Egg Association Harold Ford Foundation at the headquarters of the Alabama Poultry & Egg Association. Accepting the check along with Dr. Conner was Amanda Martin, poultry science student recruiter.
AP&EA Winter Board Meeting
December 10, 2009 – Montgomery – AP&EA president Fred Cespedes called the winter board meeting to order. He commented briefly on some signs that indicated better time ahead for the industry, including lower fuel prices Wanda Linker presented the Allied Committee report for Richard Lusk. She reported that the October Allied Golf Tournament netted $11,228 for the scholarship fund, and that other projects were in the works. Grower Committee chairman. Johnny Adcock. reported that the grower seminars had been well attended and had gotten good comments. He also added that EPA had dropped the requirement for CAFO reporting on ammonia emissions. He said that he was encouraged that gas prices were down. Tim Esslinger, in giving the Processors Committee report, reviewed the combined breeder/hatchery, broiler and processor seminar. He gave it high marks, but was disappointed that the processor side was not as well attended. Ray Hilburn of the Alabama Department of Agriculture reported that, despite serious underfunding, the department was able to conduct more AI tests than any other state in the nation. He also reported that one of the biggest problems that the department faced was the composting of dead birds. Jim Donald of the National Poultry Technology Center at Auburn University reported on the successful Cold Weather Service Technician Training schools that had been held in north and south Alabama. He said that they were currently involved in testing a solid fuel furnace. Dr. Don Conner, head of the Auburn department of poultry science, reported that the feed mill project was, “moving ahead with good tracking,” and that an architectural firm had been hired to draw up the plans. He also addressed relocating the Auburn poultry farm. Dr. Joe Hess of the Alabama Cooperative Extension System reported that the Extension System was down 29 percent in funding, but is seeking some grant funds. They are currently working in the area of paw quality. Perry Oaks, the state conservation engineer with the NRCS, told the audience that the NRCS was currently working on a manure management computer program. He is also encouraging growers to develop a catastrophic mortality disposal plan. To close the meeting, AP&EA Executive Director Johnny Adams covered the upcoming legislative session and made comments on the past year.
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G row e r Profile Michael Starling was to stand up, introof Shorterville, Ala., The Starlings of Shorterville duce themselves, and had no interest in tell where they were going to college. He from. Michael was surwanted to stay on his prised when an attracfamily’s farm and tive young lady in the work with his parback of the class, introents. After all, his faduced herself as Aimee ther was a successful Kirkland from Headrow crop farmer, raisland. ing peanuts, corn and Now, Headland is sometimes a little less than 30 miles from cotton. They had Shorterville, so all some cattle also. Life through class, Michael was sweet, why mess wondered why he hadit up by going to coln’t met this young lady lege? before. When class Michael’s father was over, he made a did not agree. He had beeline to meet her. always wanted to go And, as Michael says, to Auburn, and now “she met me halfway.” he insisted that Turns out, they had Michael go in his gone to school together stead. So Michael for a while, though she went, but he was dewas in the fourth grade termined to take the and he was in the fifth, easiest possible but her family had route. He knew soils moved away from the from his work on the area shortly after. He farm, so agronomy, didn’t remember her, he reasoned, should but she remembered be an easy way to go. him. Still, it would be the Aimee, from a longest distance he had ever been from home. farming family herself, was majoring in political sciMichael’s academic career almost ended before it ence with a minor in agricultural economics. She was got started. Shortly after enrolling at Auburn, Michael actually dating a high school friend of Michael’s, but was called home to run the family farm when his fa- they became friends. They didn’t start dating until ther’s U. S. Army Reserve unit was activated for the first Michael was in graduate school in 1996. Gulf War and deployed in Kuwait. He did, however, In the spring of 1995, Michael was about to graducontinue his education by taking classes at Wallace ate with a degree in agronomy, but he was unsure what Community College until his father returned from ac- to do next. As he puts it, “You know what they say – tive duty. He returned to school at Auburn but continued you go off to Auburn to find yourself a wife.” He continued, “I had met somebody who had caught my eye, coming home on the weekends to work on the farm. Everything was going well until the end his senior but I didn’t want to come home empty-handed.” Michael’s parents, Thomas Earl and June Starling, year. He found himself needing an elective to graduate. His choices were between organic gardening and a had made a good living growing peanuts and other row crops, but at the age of 56, Michael’s father realized that tougher ag finance course. He chose ag finance. He was assigned to Dr. Bill Hardy’s ag finance for Michael to come home, even “empty-handed,” the class. The first thing that Dr. Hardy had everyone do farm could not generate the kind of revenue that would
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be required without more land. As he told Michael, he did not feel that he could take on the additional debt for more land. Besides, he wanted to retire and turn the farm over to Michael; he just wasn’t quite ready. About this time, a Thai poultry company, Charoen Pokphand (CP), came into southeast Alabama and they were looking for growers. Aimee and Michael were seriously dating by this time. Michael attended a meeting that CP put on in Auburn for potential growers. Aimee’s father, Phil Kirkland, also attended with Michael. A sheet was passed around asking farmers to give an indication as to how many houses that would want. Michael indicated that he would like to build eight, his future father-in-law signed up for four. Michael went to his father with this new idea, but his father was skeptical, once again citing his unwillingness to take on additional debt so close to retirement age and the perceived risks involved in working with a new and foreign company in an industry that was unfamiliar to him. He advised Michael to stay on at Auburn for graduate school, after which they would decide the best course. Michael had already been encouraged to pursue graduate school by several of his professors, so it was an easy decision. He went back to school. Working toward his master’s in agronomy, Michael participated in some of Dr. Paul Mask’s groundbreaking studies using GPS for soil mapping and precision agriculture. Aimee had graduated in the spring of 1996 and had taken a job with an accounting firm in Opelika. She and Michael were married in July of 1997. In December of that year he received his master’s degree in agronomy
from Auburn University. He took a job as regional agronomist with Alabama Farmers Cooperative in north Alabama, working out of Cullman. Aimee, who had never been north of Birmingham, was a little uncertain, but came along joyfully. Their son, M.J. (Michael, Jr.), was born there, and where they got the news that Michael’s father had been diagnosed with cancer. After two and a half years in Decatur, the co-op moved them back to the Headland area. Michael worked with the co-op and helped his father on the weekends. In September of 2001, his father died. That year their daughter, Rebecca, was also born. In early 2002, Michael left the co-op and began farming the family land. The first three years were wonderful, but 2005 was difficult, it was a bad crop year with late rains making harvest difficult. One day he was talking with his banker who told him that the trends were showing that row cropping was getting less and less profitable. Michael told his banker that his father-in-law was in the poultry business and that he was looking into poultry farming. The banker got excited. By this time, Equity Group, a division of Keystone Foods, LLC, had acquired the CP complex. Michael contacted Equity in 2005 about growing for them. In January of 2006, he was given a letter of intent to proceed, even though the expansion of their grower base was somewhat limited. At the time, Equity was modifying their housing program to include a change to solid wall housing. In fact, the Starlings’ houses would be
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Rebecca, the gymnast, is always ready to strike a pose
among Equity’s first solid wall houses, so detailed blueprints and site plans were being developed and were approved by Equity before construction could begin. By August the plans were approved and ground was broken for four state-of-the-art broiler houses. Even though the time seemed to drag, it gave Michael and Aimee the opportunity to observe other operations and to actually work on her father’s poultry operation in Headland. In the end, it was time, they consider, well spent. Michael credits Phil with being extremely helpful. They were also able to work on one of their neighbor’s farms to get a different perspective. On February 15, 2007, they got their first shipment of chicks. It was exciting, but also filled with anxiety. They got great support from the managers at Equity, including live production staff members Will Jeffries and Ken Baker, who were extremely helpful in making the new venture as painless as possible. Initially, the Starlings saw poultry farming as a way to subsidize their row cropping and provide fertilizer for their hay fields; now, however, it is the primary source of farm income. They still have some cattle, farm some small grains and do a little row cropping, but the advantages of having cash flow from regular flock sales, instead of the once a year payout on row crops and cattle sales is a tremendous asset to the farm. Since building their four houses, Michael’s mother has built six houses across the road, which he also manages. In Headland, Phil now has 12 houses and Aimee’s
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uncle, Eddie Barrentine, has six houses. All grow for Equity Group, and all also work together, sharing equipment to avoid duplication whenever possible. When chicks are delivered, they all get together to help in distribution. When house clean up is needed, they get together. It is a system that works very well. Michael and one full time employee work the farm, keeping it neat and efficient. They have just upgraded to cold cathode lighting and are looking at additional cost saving improvements. Aimee handles the finances for the farm. Her accounting background is an invaluable asset. She also home schools the children – M.J. is in the fourth grade while Rebecca is in the third. The children are also involved with chores around the farm, but both have active social lives. M.J. plays baseball and Rebecca is a champion gymnast, winning First Overall in her age class at the state meet in Birmingham. The family is also active in their church, Bethlehem Baptist in Headland. Some might say that they’ve been lucky. But Michael and Aimee know that they have been truly blessed by God, blessed to have their family, their farm and a lifestyle that they would not trade for anything.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Memb er News
Federal Landbank of South Alabama Changes Name
Montgomery — Farmers and land owners in South Alabama have a new choice for operating and equipment loans — from a lender they’ve trusted for more than 90 years. The Federal Land Bank Association of South Alabama is now called Alabama Ag Credit, ACA and will offer short- and intermediateterm financing in addition to land and mortgage loans. The cooperative association’s new name reflects its new status as an agricultural credit association (ACA). In September 2009, stockholderowners of the cooperative association voted to approve the conversion to an ACA so that the association could broaden its lending authorities. Alabama Ag Credit will con-
tinue to finance and refinance rural real estate, timberland and recreational land purchases and improvements. The association will now additionally offer loans for equipment and operating expenses, such as seed, feed and livestock purchases. “Our association is not merging or being acquired. We are a very strong financial institution and we are excited about growing even more with this new opportunity,” said Thomas Dozier, chairman of the Alabama Ag Credit board of directors. “You will still find the same friendly people to work with and the same land financing experts. Only now we have even more to offer our stockholder-owners.”
Alabama Ag Credit finances farmers, rural landowners and agribusiness o w n e r s throughout South Alabama. The association is headquartered in Montgomery and has nine branch offices in Demopolis, Dothan, Enterprise, Loxley, Monroeville, Montgomery, Opelika, Selma and Tuscaloosa. It is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System, the nation’s largest lender to rural America. For more information, visit www.AlabamaAgCredit.com.
Lee Energy Solutions Opens New Wood Pellet Plant
December 2009 – Crossville - Lee Energy Solutions, LLC, announces the opening of it’s “state of the art” 116,000 ton/year wood pellet manufacturing plant in Crossville, Ala. Built for 8 million dollars the “All Green” operating plant is scheduled to start production on December 14, 2009. It will employ about 20 people and plans to be producing at full capacity by January 2010. DeKalb Forest Products of Crossville, Ala., has reached an agreement with Lee Energy Solutions to supply the plant with the raw materials needed to produce the wood pellets creating an additional 35-40 jobs. Along with poultry growers who use wood pellet fired furnaces and homeowners who have wood pellet burning stoves and/or furnaces, there
is and will continue to be a growing demand by foreign countries committed to bio-mass sources of energy to help combat greenhouse gases. Unlike all petroleum based energy sources, wood pellets are carbon neutral. With every 20 tons of pellets produced equating to 100 barrels of crude oil, an estimated 40.6 million U.S. dollars annually will stay here at home. “Having been a poultry grower, I truly recognize the need to have independence from the whims of international oil markets and the results they have on our oil costs here in the United States,” says Davis Lee, owner of Lee Energy Solutions and developer of the wood pellet burning furnace designed especially for poultry houses.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Lee Energy Solutions is one of the Davis Lee Companies with corporate offices located in Guntersville, Ala. For more information contact Lee Energy Solutions at 256-5827290 or visit www.leeenergysolutions.com.
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Aviagen Announces Retirement of Ian Panton
December 17, 2009 – Huntsville – After 40 years of service in the primary breeding industry, Ian S. Panton today announced his retirement from Aviagen effective Dec. 31, 2009. Ian Panton started his career with Ross Breeders and until recently held the position of CEO of the Aviagen Group. In 2008, he assumed the role of chairman of Aviagen Group Holding (a subsidiary of the EW GROUP). Holding leadership roles at Ross Breeders since 1970, Panton moved from Scotland to the United States in 1992 as president of Ross Breeders
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
Inc. In 1999, he led the integration of Ross, Arbor Acres, and LIR into the company known today as Aviagen, which is recognized as the world leader in poultry genetics. Dirk Wesjohann said: “With his tremendous experience and his know-how Ian played a vital role in Aviagen’s success story. We are pleased that he has agreed to stay on with the EW GROUP as a non-executive director, acting as a consultant.” Aviagen is headed by Randall Ennis (CEO, Chicken Breeding), Chris Hill (CEO, Turkey Breeding and Group CFO) and Alfons Koerhuis (Head of R & D).
Me mbe r News
Hubbard LLC Appoints Dr. Arnoldo Ruiz Hubbard LLC is pleased to announce that Dr. Arnoldo Ruiz, previously sales and technical services consultant for the Central American region, has been promoted to the position of Latin American sales and technical manager. Arnoldo Ruiz will report to Mark Barnes, COO of Hubbard LLC and will have Dr. Juan Diaz (Mexican territory manager) and Dr. Patricio Liberona (Southern Cone territory manager) reporting to him.
In the past few years Hubbard has made tremendous inroads with the Hubbard M99 breeder male and the recent introduction of the Hubbard Yield breeder female which has exceeded expectations. Arnoldo will focus on the further expansion of Hubbard’s business in the whole of Latin America, which recently has seen a strengthening of its customer base once again in the Central American and Caribbean regions.
Ennis Challenges Poultry Science Club
Auburn – The final 2009 meeting of the Auburn University Poultry Science Club featured a presentation by Randall Ennis, chief operating officer of Aviagen Group’s global chicken genetics division. Ennis candidly and humorously reflected on his days as a freshman at Auburn and his climb to the top of the corporate ladder. At 18 years of age, he had come out of Hewitt-Trussville High School with a 3.0 average and experience working in a veterinary clinic. Cocky and full of himself, he had expected to breeze through undergraduate school and into vet school. But, as with many, his freshman year was devoted more to partying than to his studies, and his grades reflected his lifestyle. It was a humbling experience. His parents were unhappy and vet school was out of the question. For a while he floundered. He wanted to stay in the College of Agriculture, but he was unsure of what path to take. He looked into ag economics and ag engineering, but both involved his most dreaded subject, calculus. So he looked elsewhere.
Randall Ennis, of Aviagen, talks candidly with students.
A family friend from Trussville suggested that he take a look at poultry science. So, he took an introductory poultry class and was hooked. Upon graduation in 1983, he took a job at the Gold Kist plant in Trussville, working on the processing line. He would not be there long.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Randall was ambitious. He wanted to be in leadership. He soon took a job with ConAgra as a poultry specialist in broiler and breeder production. From there, he began the climb to the top, eventually becoming division manager for ConAgra at their Gainesville, Ga., plant. From ConAgra, he went to Arbor Acres which merged with Ross to form Aviagen. With each move, he achieved higher leadership positions. But there was a high price to be paid for his ambition, including problems in his family. Randall finished by challenging the students to seek leadership in the industry, but not at the expense of their families.
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Re c i p e s
The Holidays may be over and Old Man Winter may have come calling, but ... Hey! Shake off those ho hum winter blues and spice things up with some sure-fire recipes to cheer even the most hardcore curmudgeon.
Serves 4 Chicken: 4 1 tbls 1 tbls 1 tbls 1 tsp 1 tsp 1/2 tsp 4
Orange-Rosemary Glazed Chicken Breasts
chicken breast halves, bone-in and skin-on olive oil rosemary leaves, minced Italian flat parsley, minced grated orange zest salt black pepper fresh rosemary branches
Glaze: 1/2 cup 1/2 cup 2 tbls 2 tbls 2 cloves 1 tbls 1/8 tsp 1/2 tsp 1/4 tsp
orange marmalade orange juice red wine vinegar chicken stock garlic, minced fresh rosemary leaves, minced crushed red pepper flakes salt black pepper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare glaze by combining in small saucepan the marmalade, orange juice, vinegar, stock, garlic, rosemary, crushed red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Pour 1/4 cup of the sauce into a small bowl and reserve. Pour remaining sauce into pitcher or serving bowl for passing at the table. Heat olive oil in large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. In small bowl, combine rosemary leaves, parsley, orange zest, salt and pepper; rub all over chicken breasts. Place chicken, skin-side down, in skillet and brown, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet. Place rosemary branches in pan and place chicken breasts, skin-side up, on top of the rosemary branches. Place in hot oven and roast 15 – 20 minutes, brushing chicken breasts with 1/4 cup of glaze several times during the last 10 minutes of cooking.
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
Serves 4
Sweet and Tangy Chicken Wings
1/4 tsp coriander chicken wings 1 clove garlic, crushed (about 16 – 20) 1/4 tsp salt 1 can (8 oz) cola 1/2 tsp black pepper 1 jar (12 oz) bottled chili sauce 3 tbls chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 tsp cumin In medium saucepan over medium high heat, combine cola, chili sauce, orange juice, cumin, coriander and garlic. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil and reduce until sauce is thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. 3 pounds
Preheat broiler and arrange rack about four inches from heat. Place wings on broiler or baking pan covered with aluminum foil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven and broil 6 minutes, turn and broil for another 6 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn off broiler and heat oven to 400 degrees F. Pour sauce over wings, tossing until well-coated. Place tray with wings in oven and bake 35 minutes, or until wings are tender and register 165 degrees F when tested with meat thermometer. To serve, remove wings to platter and sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 4
Chicken Tenders Stroganoff
1 1/2 pounds chicken tenders, (sliced in half lengthwise) 1 tbls butter 1 tbls olive oil 3 shallots, thinly sliced 16 ounces baby bella mushrooms, (sliced thin) 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp 1 tbls 1 tsp 1 tbls 1 1/2 cups 3/4 cup 2 tbls
black pepper Dijon mustard paprika tomato paste chicken stock sour cream chopped parsley
In large sauté pan, warm butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken strips and sauté until browned but not cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and place into bowl to reserve while making sauce. In same pan, add shallots; sauté for 1 minute. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and sauté until mushrooms have released all of their liquid, about 7 minutes. Add Dijon mustard, paprika and tomato paste. Stir until combined. Add chicken stock, cover and bring to a boil. Cook to reduce liquid by half, about 12 minutes. To sauce, add sour cream and stir to combine. Cook over medium heat until sauce thickens slightly. Add reserved chicken and stir to combine. Warm over low heat for another 5 – 6 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
Garnish stroganoff over cooked noodles.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
WINTER 2009
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Chicken with Golden Raisins, Green Olives and Lemon
Serves 6 1
whole chicken (3 1/2 – 4 pounds), cut into eight parts 2 tbls olive oil 1 tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp turmeric 1 tsp freshly grated ginger 1 stick (2”) cinnamon
2 1 cup 2 4 1 cup 1/2 cup
lemons, one juiced and the other sliced chicken stock potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2” thick slices carrots, peeled and sliced thin golden raisins pimento-stuffed Spanish olives
Preheat oven to 400 F. In large non-stick pan or Dutch oven, warm oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces to pan and brown on all sides, turning at least once. Remove chicken from pan and set aside. Lower heat to medium. Add to pan garlic, turmeric, ginger and cinnamon stick; cook, stirring constantly, for 15 seconds. Pour lemon juice and stock into pan, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Place chicken back in pan. Add potatoes, carrot slices, raisins, olives and lemon slices to pan around the chicken pieces. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Cover pan and place in hot oven for 45 minutes. Remove lid and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, or until cooked through.
Grilled Butterflied Chicken with Basil and Mint Vinaigrette
Serve immediately with parsley-flecked couscous.
Serves 4
Vinaigrette: 2 tbls 1 tbls 2 tsps 1 clove 2 tsps
1whole chicken, 3 1/4 - 4 pounds Brine: 4 quarts water 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup salt
lemon juice soy sauce honey garlic, chopped fresh ginger, chopped
1/4 tsp 1 tbls 2 tbls 1/4 cup
red pepper flakes fresh mint, chopped fresh basil, chopped olive oil
Make brine by combining water, sugar and salt in large stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes, or until sugar and salt are dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely. Butterfly chicken by removing backbone by cutting down either side of the backbone with a sharp knife. Remove the backbone. Turn chicken over so that rib bones are facing up and cut out breastbone. When brine is cool, add chicken to stockpot and refrigerate at least one, and up to five, hours. Do not brine longer as chicken will become too salty. Remove chicken from brine and pat with paper towels to dry.
Heat grill to high, or, if using coals, heat and arrange with more coals on one side of grill than the other. (This creates two areas of heat – one high and the other cooler.) Place chicken over high heat and grill about 4 minutes per side until nicely browned. Turn off middle burner of gas grill (or one burner if there are only two) and move chicken over the area that is turned off. Or, if using a charcoal grill, move chicken to cooler area of grill. Grill chicken for another 18 – 20 minutes, turning often, until chicken registers 180 degrees F when a thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh. While chicken is grilling, make vinaigrette by combining all ingredients except the oil in a food processor. Pulse to combine. With motor running, slowly pour oil into mixture; continue pulsing until well-incorporated. Remove chicken to a platter and pour vinaigrette over hot chicken. Turn chicken to coat in sauce.
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Alabama Poultry Magazine
Serves 8 1 1/2 pounds
2 tbls 2 1 tsp 1/2 tsp 1/4 tsp 1 package
Chicken Florentine Strata boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips olive oil shallots, minced salt black pepper cayenne pepper frozen spinach (16 oz), thawed and welldrained
1 cup 10 slices 2 cups 6 2 cups 2 tsps 1/4 tsp
sundried tomatoes, drained and chopped white bread, cut into cubes grated Monterey Jack cheese eggs whole milk Dijon mustard nutmeg
Lightly grease a 3 quart casserole dish. In large skillet over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add shallots to skillet and sautÊ 1 minute. Add chicken strips and cook 5 minutes more, or until cooked through. Season chicken with salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Place a layer of bread cubes in the bottom of the dish. In alternating layers, place chicken, spinach, sundried tomatoes, cheese and bread, ending with a sprinkling of bread on top. In large bowl, combine eggs, milk, mustard and nutmeg with a whisk. Pour mixture over the casserole, cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 350 F. While oven heats, remove casserole from refrigerator and warm to room temperature. Place casserole in oven and bake 35 – 40 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature. Serves 4 4 4 cups 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup 1 1 tbls 1/4 cup 3 cloves 1 1/2 tsps 1/2 tsp
Quick Chicken Pot au Feu
whole chicken leg quarters chicken stock beef stock dry white wine water bay leaf fresh thyme leaves chopped parsley garlic, peeled and halved salt black pepper
8 12
baby red potatoes, halved Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved 4 stalks celery, cut in half 4 parsnips, peeled and halved 2 leeks, sliced thin 1/2 pound green beans, halved 1 baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices Dijon mustard Sweet pickles Fresh horseradish
In large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine chicken stock, beef stock, white wine, water, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and garlic. Season chicken legs with salt and pepper; add to pot. Also place in pot potatoes, Brussels sprouts, celery and parsnips. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover and decrease heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until vegetables are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Use tongs to gently move ingredients around a bit. Continue to simmer, partially covered, until chicken is almost cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Add green beans and leeks and continue cooking until chicken is completely cooked and vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. To serve, ladle broth into soup bowls. Serve with slices of baguette. Dice chicken and vegetables on plate. Ladle over broth in soup bowls. Serve hot, accompanied by mustard, pickles and horseradish.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
WINTER 2009
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2010 National FFA Week February 20-27, 2010 The Alabama FFA Association and the National FFA Organization will celebrate National FFA Week, February 20-27, 2010. The theme this year, “Lead Out Loud,” embodies all the best about FFA members, from the most recognizable symbol of the organization, the blue corduroy jacket, a symbol of pride and tradition, to the bright future of agriculture and the traditions of leadership and hard work. More than half a million members around the nation, including over 15,000 in Alabama, will participate in FFA Week activities at the local and state level. The focus of National FFA Week is to tell America about the great opportunities available in agriscience education for all youth. With its beginnings in 1928 as the Future Farmers of America, the National FFA Organization today reaches out to all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands The Alabama FFA Association was chartered in 1929. FFA is committed to developing character and leadership skills and preparing members for a lifetime of civic leadership and career success. FFA members have opportunities to attend national leadership conferences, develop a supervised learning project, learn life skills and serve their communities with service projects. Through classroom instruction and hands-on learning, agriscience education and FFA are making a positive difference in the lives of students everyday. FFA members are the leaders of tomorrow. They are our future engineers, scientists, teachers, and producers. Students may earn awards and recognition and educational scholarships to pursue their career goals.
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For Alabama chapters, that focus on the future showed last fall when over 520 state members joined more than 54,000 members, advisors and supporters at the 82nd National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. The state delegation had competitors involved in 12 different career development events. The Falkville FFA Chapter’s forestry team placed third in the nation. One of every five Americans is employed in the critical food, fiber and natural resources industries of agriculture, and former FFA members and supporters serve in these essential careers. Today, more than 300 career opportunities are available to students through agriscience education. FFA makes a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. For more information about the Alabama FFA Association, visit their website at http://www.alabamaffa.org or the National FFA Organization’s website at http://www.ffa.org .
(Back) Sentinel Joey Stabler, Secretary Wiley Bailey, (Front) Treasurer Kacey Colquitt, Vice President Mary Helen Jones, President Hunter Garnett, and Reporter Patrick Howard
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Auburn Happenings
NEWS from the Auburn University College of Agriculture
State-of-the-Art Feed Mill To Be Built on Auburn Campus
Auburn — High-quality, nutritious feed is key to the success of any poultry or livestock operation, and soon, a new $7-million, state-of-the-art feed mill and animal nutrition facility at Auburn University will help animal industries provide the best feed possible. Despite the essential roles that nutrition and quality feed play in supporting animal industries, few of the nation’s universities focus on those areas. Auburn, which has strong academic programs in poultry science and in animal sciences, recognized the need for such several years ago and began formulating plans for an advanced animal nutrition facility. Auburn will break ground on the dream facility in early 2010. Don Conner, head of Auburn’s department of poultry science and leader in the effort to establish the new nutrition center at Auburn, said the new feed mill will significantly advance Auburn’s teaching, research and extension efforts in feed science, technology and manufacturing. “Auburn University is the ideal location for this much-needed academic feed mill facility, as this campus lies in the heart of the southeastern United States, where the majority of U.S. broiler production is located,” Conner said. The new facility’s design will be flexible so that it can be used not only for the poultry industry but for the beef cattle, pork and aquaculture industries as well. The facility will be modeled after a modular nutrition center recently constructed on California Polytechnic University’s San Luis Obispo campus. Conner said the modular design minimizes construction costs and time, allows for the flexibility needed in an academic feed mill and enhances the facility’s teaching value.
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“This facility will be a flagship academic/industry feed mill facility for the Southeast,” Conner said. “It will provide a unique opportunity to advance Auburn’s relevant programs to enable the university to better serve our industry clientele.” The center will contain equipment representing current and future industry standards, which Conner said is imperative to ensure the facility effectively serves the needs of the industry. Krebs Engineering of Birmingham and T. E. Ibberson of Hopkins, Minn., will design the feed mill, with a technical advisory committee that includes poultry nutritionists and feed-milling personnel providing input on technical specifications. The committee will evaluate every design aspect to make certain that the design and the equipment will be optimal for meeting the industry’s needs now and well into the future. That will result in a feed mill and nutrition center that will give scientists the technology and equipment to meet research needs, expand Auburn’s outreach efforts via industry short courses for the feed and poultry industries, provide Auburn students with hands-on training in feed manufacturing and science, enhance outreach and proprietary research programs via contracting/leasing arrangements between Auburn and private companies and provide feed for Auburn University’s research and teaching animals. Auburn University monies, in-kind equipment donations and private donations will fund the feed mill project. To date, about 15 percent of the funding has been secured, which means more support is needed to complete the project. For more information on the feed mill and on donor opportunities, contact Conner at 334-844-2639 or connede@auburn.edu. Visit www.ag.auburn.edu/poul to learn more about the poultry science department.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
Prac ti ca l Applications
Is Shifted Ceiling Insulation Running Up Your Gas Bill?
Thermal images show cooler areas in shades of blue, warmer areas red-orange to white. This picture shows a ceiling that originally had 3.5-inch fiberglass batt insulation installed only over the peak of the ceiling to prevent heat lost due to shifted blown insulation. The batts mostly fixed the problem over the peak but didn’t stop the rest of the insulation from shifting, leaving large areas of uninsulated ceiling. January 2010 – Jess Campbell, Jim Donald, & Gene Simpson
When was the last time you peeked into the attic of your poultry house? Do you know what the insulation looks like? If not, maybe it is time to take a look. Over the years wind, rodents, and gravity coupled with vibrating ceiling material (due to placing negative pressures on the house during ventilation) can take a toll on ceiling insulation, especially those insulated with blown cellulose. Shifted insulation catches many producers off-guard because it is out of sight. If you have areas of uninsulated ceiling it can cost you big bucks on fuel bills. Even with LP prices at $1.30 to $1.50/gal., rearing cold weather flocks in a poultry house with shifted ceiling insulation can quickly run up your gas bill.
How can you tell if insulation has shifted? It is hard to tell from the ground with the naked eye if and where insulation in the attic has shifted. Two primary indicators you can see from the inside of the house are condensation and light. Condensation often collects on uninsulated surfaces when it is cold outside and warm
and humid on the inside of a house. If you spot condensation on your ceiling this means for all practical purposes there is no insulation above the area where you see condensation. Due to the condensation, thick layers of dust accumulate on these areas over time, making uninsulated places easier to spot. Another indicator is seeing transparent places in the ceiling material when the lights are dimmed and it is sunny outside. The best way to find out for sure if insulation has shifted is to visually inspect the attic through access holes in the ceiling. If you have never done this or can’t remember when you did it last, now is the time to check. You may be surprised at what you find. Ceiling insulation should be checked on a yearly basis to make sure it has not shifted or blown away. Be careful when you do this because litter can sometimes unexpectedly shift under a ladder and cause it (or you) to fall. It is best to stick at least 36 inches of ladder above the hole framing in the ceiling and have someone hold the ladder while you are climbing up to the attic. Checking ceiling insulation alone is not recommended.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
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Speaking of insulation, what is an R-value anyway? An R-value is a number that indicates how well a material resists heat flow. Higher R-values slow the rate of heat loss and so will help keep more heat inside your houses during cold weather between minimum ventilation timer cycles. So the higher the R-value in the ceiling, the greater the insulating effectiveness and less heat lost from the ceiling. Blown cellulose and fiberglass batt insulation are both rated at approximately R-3.2 per inch of material thickness. Six inches of blown cellulose or fiberglass batt insulation will both provide about an R19 insulation value. Most new houses are constructed with a minimum of R-19 attic insulation in the southern regions of the U.S. and more insulation, typically up to R-30, in colder climates.
Costs incurred by not replacing insulation? Let’s consider a typical scenario: A 40 x 500 house has about 20,000 sq ft of floor area and about 20,000 sq ft of ceiling area. If during brooding there is a 60-degree F temperature difference from inside to attic (30°F outside and 90°F target temperature inside the house), 20,000 sq ft of uninsulated ceiling (R-1) would lose 1,200,000 btu’s per hour. The same ceiling insulated to R-19 will lose only 66,157 btu/hr. But that is on day one when the house is new. After 10 years the insulation may have shifted approximately two feet away from the peak of the ceiling in both directions, so there is a 4-foot by 500-foot or 2,000 sq ft strip of uninsulated ceiling where the insulating material shifted away, and this R-1 strip at the same 60-degree F temperature difference will lose about 120,000 btu/hr. Because of compaction over the years, the insulating value of the remaining 18,000 sq ft of insulated ceiling might have dropped to around R-10, so this area will lose about 108,000 btu/hr at the 600F temperature difference. The total rate of heat loss through the entire ceiling with the combination of shifted and unshifted ceiling insulation would then be about 228,000 btu/hr. In other words (or numbers, that is): after 10 years the ceiling loses 3.5 times the amount of heat each hour of a cold weather day than it did the day it was built. Looking at how much that heat loss costs in the additional propane needed to maintain house temperature: We will need to supply an additional 164,843 btu/hr (228,000 btu/hr – 63,157 btu/hr = 164,843 btu/hr). Since propane provides 92,000 btu’s per gallon, that means we will be burning an extra 1.79 gallons per hour (164,843 btu/hr/92,000 btu/gal = 1.79 gal/hr). At $1.40 per gallon of propane, that means spending $2.50 more
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This thermal photo was taken from the attic of a house looking at the back side of the ceiling material. Orangeto-red areas show heat escaping from the house where blown-in cellulose insulation has shifted away from the peak.
per hour per house, $60 more per day for each house, and if we have four houses we will be spending $240 dollars more per day for the 4-house farm. If this same scenario is looked at after a 7-day period, the grower cost in heat lost through the 4-house farm ceilings would be $1,680.00 in gas at $1.40/gal.
Insulation replacement costs and payback? For the typical older 40 x 500 house that has lost about half of its original R-19 ceiling insulation value, it costs approximately $3,000 to hire a crew to add an average of three inches of blown cellulose over the entire ceiling. (Some areas of the ceiling will need 6 inches and some only one inch of insulation added to get back the desired six inches to achieve an R-19.) The cost would be $12,000 for a 4-house farm to re-insulate. So, $12,000/$240 day = 50 days to recover the money spent on replacing the insulation in the ceiling using this example.
What if it hasn’t shifted but it is thin, say only about two inches deep? Two inches of blown cellulose will have an insulating value of R-6. which will mean about 200,000 btu/hr lost through the ceiling. With R-19 only 63,157 btu/hr is lost, so an R-6 loses almost three times the amount of heat as an R-19 under these conditions. An R-6 ceiling, especially if there are no bare areas, is certainly better than an uninsulated ceiling and may be better than an R-19 with significant areas where the insulating material has shifted and left bare ceiling. Still, re-insulating houses with little or thinned insulation will significantly reduce heat losses and propane usage during cold weather.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
These pictures were taken in a north Alabama in a house about 10 years old. Notice the bare ceiling material in the middle of the house and the exposed lumber at the bottom of the trusses. If your insulation looks like this, a new insulation job should be at the very top of your list of things to do after the flock is caught and cold weather gone.
Six inches of blown cellulose or fiberglass batt insulation yields about an R-19 insulation rating and should just cover the bottom 2x6 lumber of the ceiling trusses. If the ceiling material is sagging, then the top of the lumber may be exposed, but not too much. The best way to check to see if you have enough insulation is to ask the insulation installer how many bags it will take to re-insulate the houses and ask to count them after the job is done in each house to ensure that is how much was used. When blowing cellulose, water must be added during the process to activate the binder in the product. If adequate water is not added, binding of the material will not be complete, and added insulation will be more prone to further shift and settle.
Alabama Poultry Magazine
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If R-19 is good, what about R-30? Increasing the thickness of ceiling insulation from the typical R-19 to an R-30 does further reduce heat loss. However R-19 is sufficient in most parts of the broiler belt in the U.S., primarily in the warmer climates, and yields a quick payback. Ceilings insulated to R-30 are typically recommended in colder regions of the U.S. Using the 60degree F temperature difference with an R-19 ceiling, the heat lost each hour is 63,157 btu/hr. With an R-30 ceiling the heat lost would be 40,000 btu/hr. The R-30 ceiling reduces the heat lost every hour by 37% but costs an extra $2,000 per house to install just the insulation, and additional ceiling bands are recommended to support the extra insulation installed above the ceiling material. Most installers recommend bands on 4-inch centers for R-30 instead of 6-inch centers for R-19 ceilings. $2,000 per house on a 10-year old farm in southern regions could be spent better on something else, like stir fans or house tightening. What is the best insulation to use for ceilings in brand new housing? When building a new 40 X 500 house the increased cost to have a 6-inch fiberglass batt attic vs. a 6-inch blown cellulose attic is about $4,000. Fiberglass batts do not shift or settle. Blown cellulose is the cheaper way out, and fiberglass batts are the quality way out. If growers and companies believe the price of fuel will increase during the next 20 years, the best economic decision is to use fiberglass batt insulation in the ceilings.
Take Home Point: Bare spots and thin insulation are very big problems in most of the Broiler Belt. Fixing the problem is relatively easy and has a very short payback period. Some growers burn an estimated 50 percent of their annual fuel in the two cold weather flocks each year due to the extreme outside conditions and extended brooding periods. The colder the outside temperatures get, the more valuable good ceiling insulation becomes. Yearly inspections must be done to ensure ceiling insulation is in place before cold weather arrives. presentation on Mortality Disposal Issues by Ray Hilburn of the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries. The Processing Session featured presentations on the dangerous Arc Flash, by Tybo Sipper, compliance manager at Wayne Farms in Union Springs and Salmonella Control During Processing by Dr. Shelley Workshops.......continued from pg. 9
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McKee, Auburn department of poultry science. Jessica Butler, a graduate student in the department of poultry science led a discussion on Water Conservation. She was followed by Roy Williams, quality assurance manager for Equity Group Eufaula Division, speaking on Foreign Material Control. Tom Mallalieu, operations manager of Wayne Farms in Enterprise, ended the session with a presentation on Using 5S Methodology in Poultry Processing Plants. Many Thanks To Our 2009 Alabama Poultry Industry Workshop Sponsors Cobb-Vantress, Inc.
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