5 minute read
Egg-ceptional Care
Egg-ceptional Care
IOWA POULTRY FARMERS ARE REVOLUTIONIZING FACILITIES TO IMPROVE FLOCK WELFARE.
By Kelsey Ritchey
When Craig Rowles reminisces about his first job, his eyes twinkle and a mischievous grin appears — a sure sign of fond memories of life outside Grand Junction.
“I was a typical ag kid,” says Rowles. “As a young boy, it was my job to gather eggs from the hen house and bring them to my mom. I grew up on a diversified farm with cattle, hogs and chickens. I’ve had a passion for animal agriculture for as long as I can remember. It was ingrained in me from both my parents.”
By age 14, Rowles managed his own sow herd, which included 20 sows and two boars, on his family farm in Greene County. His passion transformed into a professional pursuit when he went to Iowa State University and graduated from the veterinarian program, making him Dr. Craig Rowles.
“You can take the boy off the farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the boy,” Rowles laughs.
After practicing animal medicine for 14 years, Rowles returned to his roots. He ventured into pork production, eventually partnering with egg producers to create a support network for both business areas. Today, his resume is lengthy. He serves as board president of the North Central Poultry Association, which raises confidence in the poultry community through leadership, support, advocacy and education; he is a partner at Versova, a family-owned company that brings together farms in Iowa, Ohio, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Colorado to be among the largest egg producers in the U.S.; and owns Iowa CageFree, one of the largest cage-free egg producers in the country. Three titles that demonstrate his commitment to improving animal agriculture in Iowa.
“I have been in agriculture for over 40 years,” says Rowles. “During that time, I’ve seen the number of people in this industry shrink. It’s more important than ever that people understand where their food comes from.”
OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT RIGHT FOR THE BIRDS. THEY NEED TOP-NOTCH CARE TO PRODUCE EVERY DAY.
Iowa: The Nation’s Egg Producer
Iowa ranks number one in egg production and has five egg production types: cage-free, freerange, conventional, pastureraised and organic. Each practice has benefits and challenges, but evolving consumer demands have expedited the egg production revolution. Overseeing the care and logistics of millions of hens is no easy feat — so embracing technology and utilizing a talented workforce is vital.
“Our goal is to create an environment right for the birds,” said Rowles. “They are remarkable creatures but require high-quality air, water and food because they are delicate. They need top-notch care to produce every day.”
At Iowa Cage-Free, everything is designed to mimic life in the wild. This means going to sleep at night and laying eggs each morning. From lighting and temperature to ventilation and nutrition, it’s all taken into consideration.
“The technology that goes into these barns is essential,” he says. “We have computer systems that monitor and analyze feed and water consumption. We are also looking at new robotics to help us further improve our care techniques, but having a skilled workforce remains extremely important. Taking care of the birds and managing this technology requires dedicated employees.”
Iowa’s egg producers create more than 8,000 jobs annually and contribute $2 billion in total sales, $502 million in personal wages and over $22 million in state tax revenues. Iowa Cage-Free is home to nearly 2.5 million hens living in an enriched, cage-free environment and laying about 720 million eggs yearly.
Animal Welfare Is Paramount
Iowa’s poultry farmers are committed to the health and well-being of their flocks. Certifying bodies like United Egg Producers and American Humane Certified work collaboratively with farmers to ensure animal safety and well-being. Industry standards consider egg safety, hen well-being and biosecurity.
“Versova’s hens live in various environments, including traditional and cage-free housing,” says Rowles. “But no matter the type of house they live in, all Versova hens are given the same excellent care.”
Versova, a holding company formed in 2016 to guide the business functions of a group of family farms across seven states, manages nearly 40 million hens, approximately 12 million of which are raised cage-free.
Small In Stature but Mighty In Nutrition
After egg laying, collecting, washing, candling, packing, shipping and shelving — eggs make their way to consumers’ homes and provide a protein-rich option for breakfast, lunch, dinner and every recipe in between.
Eggs can add significant nutritional value to a diet, providing energy and protein that curbs hunger, builds and maintains muscle, improves cognition and memory, and promotes healthy metabolism. One egg contains six grams of protein, zero carbs or sugars and only 70 calories.
Evolving Technologies, Steadfast Commitment
While Rowles’ role in agriculture has evolved over the years, his passion for the industry and its future has remained unchanged.
“Everything in life changes,” he says. “But our commitment to the care and welfare of our birds remains as strong now as it was when I was a kid on a small family farm. We may do it on a larger scale, and we may do it differently, but our commitment is unwavering. We are committed to ensuring the birds in our care get the best quality attention daily.”
And, as for the poultry industry specifically:
“We’re focused on continuous improvement,” says Rowles. “We are constantly working to evaluate our methods, nutrition and management. The goal is always to get better.”
