Poultry Times October 8 2012 Edition by The Times

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October 8, 2012

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October 8, 2012 Volume 59, Number 21 www.poultrytimes.net

Jones presented CPF Golden Rooster Award

Special

Golden Rooster Award: California Poultry Federation President Bill Mattos, left, and CPF Vice Chairman Mike Leventini of Petaluma Poultry Processors, right, present the CPF Golden Rooster Award to Dr. Annette Jones, California’s state veterinarian.

MODESTO, Calif. — The California Poultry Federation presented its Golden Rooster Award, the association’s highest award, to Dr. Annette Jones during the group’s recent annual meeting. Jones is the state veterinarian and director of the Animal Health and Food Safety Services Division in California. The award is presented to an individual or family whose dedication and inspiration is an example for all in the industry. The CPF said her contributions to the industry included heading a task

force to combat exotic Newcastle disease and keep it from moving north past the Tehachapi Mountains. She has also continued to work with the poultry industry to enhance area emergency preparedness and promote quality assurance throughout the state. Presenting the award were CPF President Bill Mattos and Mike Leventini, general manager of Petaluma Poultry Processors and CPF vice chairman.

See CPF, Page 12

Minn. poultry Prince & Princess named at state fair MINNEAPOLIS — August Otto, a 16-year-old from Delano in Wright County, Minnesota; and Eleni Solberg, a 16-year-old from Stewartville in Fillmore County, Minnesota, were given the royal chicken treatment recently after winning the third-annual Poultry Prince and Princess Contest, a scholarship program of Minnesota 4-H and Gold’n Plump®. The program recognizes the knowledge, leadership and skills of Minnesota’s youth in the state’s poultry industry by awarding two teenagers with poultry ambassador titles and $1,000 academic scholarships. The Poultry Prince and Princess Contest involved eligible Minnesota State Fair 4-H poultry participants. Otto and Solberg stood out among the dozen contestants to take seats on the poultry royalty court after ranking highly in a poultry showmanship competition, chicken BBQ contest and final round question and

answer, officials noted. Runners up included: Alex Oelke, 16, of Otsego in Sherburne County; Quinn Jaeger, 18, of Red Wing in Goodhue County; Mary Sarah Sauber, 16, of Motley in Cass County; and Mary Boyle, 16, of Otsego in Wright County. The finals required the top six contestants to showcase their poultry knowledge, confidence and personality with questions like ‘How often do most hens lay eggs?’ and ‘What goes into preparing your chickens to be shown at the State Fair?’ Last year’s winners, Brandon Severns of Good Thunder in Blue Earth County; and Amy Anderson of Cambridge in Isanti County, were in attendance to pass on the festively feathered royal garb. Along with $1,000 scholarships, the Poultry Prince and Princess will have the opportunity to expand

See Minn., Page 18

Special

Minnesota Prince & Princess: August Otto, left, of Delano, Minn., and Eleni Solberg, right, of Stewartville, Minn., were recently crowned as the 2012-2013 Minnesota Poultry Prince and Princess, at this year’s Minnesota State Fair. With this recognition, Otto and Solberg won scholarships and will be advocates for the state’s poultry industry on behalf of Minnesota 4-H and Gold’n Plump.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Technology update and trends for attic inlets By Jim Donald, Jody Purswell, Gene Simpson & Jess Campbell

Special to Poultry Times

AUBURN, Ala. — This past harsh winter constituted a rather extreme testing of current attic inlet technology and management apJim Donald is an Extension engineer and Gene Simpson is an Extension economist with Auburn University; Jess Campbell is program manager of the National Poultry Technology Center; and Jody Purswell is with the USDA-Agricultural Research Service Poultry Research Unit at Mississippi State, Miss. More information can be obtained at www. poultryhouse.com.

proaches. While many growers using attic inlets have reported being satisfied with their performance, we have received many calls and reports of problems occurring with attic inlets that were not a problem with conventional perimeter inlets. Especially when the outside temperatures were in the teens and 20’s, we received a lot of reports of house temperature unevenness and drafting of birds. Attic inlets are still a rather new and evolving technology. Growers have lots to learn on how to manage attic inlets successfully, and you can bet that there will be many more tweaks and versions to this technology before it stabilizes and fully matures. The interest in attic inlet technol-

ogy began about five years ago with the installation of quite a few passive gravity type, four way inlets across the broiler belt. Shortly thereafter several types of actuated inlets and combination gravity/actuated inlets appeared on the market. Today, there are many different types of attic inlets being used in the broiler industry. When complex new technology is introduced to the broiler industry there is often a steep learning curve. For example, consider how long it took for the industry to fully develop and learn to properly manage evaporative cooling. Going from in-house foggers, to fogger pads, to various types of pad flutes, and finally to the now-standard 6-inch recirculating cool cells took about 15 to 20 years of tweaking and learning. The technology has to develop and mature, and growers and managers with different levels of technical expertise have to learn how to manage the new tool for best results. Additionally, the economics must be worked out so the technology will pay its way. Similarly, we are seeing the first versions of many of the initial attic inlets being modified based on in-house experience, along with inlet management recommendations being refined. The basic science behind using attic inlets is sound. There is hat available in the attic and this can be used to preheat incoming cold air, which helps reduce BTUs (British thermal units) of heat that must be supplied by propane or other fuel. This report provides a brief update on the most common questions and misconceptions regarding current attic inlet technology and management we have been hearing in calls and conferences with growers and managers across the broiler belt, along with some thoughts on developments we think likely to come in the next year or two. While we certainly do have workable and beneficial attic inlet systems now, we are probably nowhere

near the final versions of either the hardware or the best management practices.

Questions & answers (1) If I use attic, can I reduce may minimum ventilation fan run times because I am getting free heat from the attic? Answer: This is not the best way to look at attic inlets. The attic inlet is not just another air inlet, it is a preheater for incoming air. This means that if anything, a grower or manager of a house equipped with attic inlets should increase his fan run times in order to take advantage of the free attic heat during times when it is plentiful. He should use longer fan run times in the middle of the day and he can start earlier in the morning and run later in the evening because of the attic inlet pre-heating incoming air. Basically, having a pre-heater for cold air allows us to have much bigger windows of time that we can run minimum ventilation, getting even better moisture control and adding heat to the house without burning more fuel. The air doesn’t know if the heat is coming from the attic or from propane burned in the house. Of course another major advantage of attic inlet technology is the ability to dry litter between flocks and to assist in preheating the house. We have seen many cases where people are really not taking advantage of this major benefit. (2) Is there much advantage to pulling air from the attic inlet at night? Answer: USDA temperature data shows that the amount of heat available from the attic is minimal at night. This information was reported in 2007 and is still valid today. During the middle of the night the air temperatures are coldest and solar heat is nonexistent. So attic inlet operation in extreme cold weather in the middle of the night at best will yield little to

no fuel savings and at worst has the potential to cause problems. (3) Is it true that attic inlets don’t take much management? Answer: Not true at all. Because unlike conventional perimeter inlets, attic inlets bring (more or less) heated air into the house, they actually introduce another dimension of minimum ventilation management. Yes, there are different levels and kinds of management required for gravity versus actuated attic inlets, but both require proper management to get the benefits they offer. Whatever type of attic inlet system you put into a broiler house, be sure you know what you are getting into, be sure you are not expecting too much, and be prepared to tweak the system as conditions change from day to day and from season to season. (4) Which is better, passive gravity or actuated inlets? Answer: This is a hard question. Which is better, a hand saw or an electric circular saw? Both cut wood, both get the job done. It depends on what your expectations are, how much time you have to do a precise job cutting

See Inlets, Page 8

INDEX AEB Hotline.........................23 Business........................... 6--7 Calendar.............................10 Classified............................20 Viewpoint..............................4 A directory of Poultry Times advertisers appears on Page 23

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

USDA drought assistance expanded to 22 states WASHINGTON — U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced $11.8 million in additional financial and technical assistance to help crop and livestock producers in 22 states apply conservation practices that reduce the impacts of drought and improve soil health and productivity. The USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides this assistance through its Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program (WHIP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). Since early summer, USDA has announced a variety of assistance to producers impacted by the drought, including opening conservation acres to emergency haying and grazing, lowering the interest rate for emergency loans and working with crop insurance companies to provide flexibility to farmers. Just a few weeks ago, USDA announced $16 million in financial and technical assistance to immediately help crop and livestock producers in 19 states cope with the adverse impacts of the historic drought. In July, Vilsack announced USDA would allow producers to modify current EQIP contracts to allow for grazing, livestock watering and other conservation activities to address drought conditions, and also

authorized haying and grazing of WRP easement areas in drought-affected areas where haying and grazing is consistent with conservation of wildlife habitat and wetlands. This most recent announcement expands upon these efforts and brings the total assistance to nearly $28 million. “As this drought continues to impact American farming and ranching families, USDA will be there to help our agriculture sector recover,” Vilsack said. “This additional assistance builds on a number of steps USDA and other federal agencies have taken over the past few months to provide resources and flexibility in our existing programs to help producers endure these hardships. But Congress also needs to act, and the urgency to pass a comprehensive, multi-year food, farm and jobs bill is greater than ever.” Funding from NRCS targets states that are experiencing either exceptional or extreme drought conditions. Exceptional drought continues to dominate sections of Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming, causing widespread losses of crops and pastures and water shortages in

reservoirs, streams and wells. Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina and Utah are under extreme drought, with accompanying major losses of crops and pasture, widespread water shortages and restrictions on water use. More information about drought categories can be obtained at http:// droughtmonitor.unl.edu/. The additional funding will allow NRCS to address the backlog in applications from the previous drought assistance sign-up, as well as accept new applications from producers interested in applying selected conservation practices to address drought, including prescribed grazing, livestock watering facilities and water conservation practices, the department said. Producers can also apply for financial assistance to re-install conservation practices that failed due to drought. At the direction of President Obama, Vilsack is helping coordinate an administration-wide response that has included: the National Credit Union Administration’s increased capacity for lending to customers including farmers; the U.S. Department of Transportation’s emergency waivers for federal truck weight regulations and hours of service requirements to get help to

drought-stricken communities; and the Small Business Administration’s pathway for small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and nonfarm small businesses that are economically affected by the drought in their community to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL).

Assistance Since July, USDA has announced:  Intent to purchase up to $170 million of pork, lamb, chicken and catfish for federal food nutrition assistance programs, including food banks, to help relieve pressure on American livestock producers and bring the nation’s meat supply in line with demand.  Allowed emergency loans to be made earlier in the season.  Intent to file special provisions with the federal crop insurance program to allow haying or grazing of cover crops without impacting the insurability of planted 2013 spring crops.  Authorized up to $5 million in grants to evaluate and demonstrate agricultural practices that help farmers and ranchers adapt to drought.  Granted a temporary variance from the National Organic Pro-

gram’s pasture practice standards for organic ruminant livestock producers in 16 states in 2012.  Authorized $16 million in existing funds from its WHIP and EQIP to target states experiencing exceptional and extreme drought.  Initiated transfer of $14 million in unobligated program funds into the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) to help farmers and ranchers rehabilitate farmland damaged by natural disasters and for carrying out emergency water conservation measures in periods of severe drought.  Authorized haying and grazing of WRP easement areas in drought-affected areas where haying and grazing is consistent with conservation of wildlife habitat and wetlands.  Lowered the reduction in the annual rental payment to producers on CRP acres used for emergency haying or grazing from 25 percent to 10 percent in 2012.  Simplified the secretarial disaster designation process and reduced the time it takes to designate counties affected by disasters by 40 percent. More information can be obtained at the NRCS website at www.nrcs. usda.gov.

Dairy farmers push failed to win passing farm bill vote The Associated Press

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho’s $2 billion milk industry failed to convince Congress in September to pass the new federal farm bill and its provisions to help dairies mitigate rising grain costs and volatile markets that have pushed them to three quarters of losses. Though a farm bill cleared the U.S. Senate, it’s languished in the House. Republican House leaders say they didn’t have the votes, with conservatives demanding greater cuts

in the bill’s big food stamp program and Democrats opposing such deep austerity measures. After Congress quit on Sept. 22, the $100 billion farm bill likely won’t be voted on until after the Nov. 6 presidential election. Bob Naerebout, director of the Idaho Dairymens Association, said on Sept. 26, his members are disappointed by the delay, as they want the dairy-related provisions enacted quickly to help them reemerge from nine months of losses. While grain farmers can wait until

next planting season, he said dairies need relief now from rising feed prices that have driven dairies’ costs above profitable levels. “We harvest a crop every day, 365 days of the year,” Naerebout said. “It’s critical for us to have stability in the farm bill.” Idaho’s roughly 553,000 dairy cows and 560 licensed dairies make the state America’s third-biggest dairy producer, with about $2 billion in cash receipts. Only California’s and Wisconsin’s dairy industries are bigger.

But sheer size doesn’t equal profitability. To help make good on losses, Naerebout’s members want the federal government to suspend impending new ethanol requirements for gasoline. Ethanol is made from corn, putting refineries in competition with farmers and boosting prices. But the farm bill was a big hope, too. The Idaho Dairymens Association has joined similar groups in other states that are pushing the bill’s

provisions that replace dairy subsidies with an insurance program, to pay farmers when the profit margin evaporates on their milk products. Other changes call for production cuts when demand falls short of supply. It wasn’t these dairy provisions that stalled a 2012 farm bill vote, however. Rather, stumbling blocks have included differences over how the

See Bill, Page 5

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Viewpoint Compiled by Barbara Olejnik, Associate Editor 770-718-3440 bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

Ethanol/taxes/drought continue industry effect By James Grimm

Special to Poultry Times

ROUND ROCK, Texas — As you read this, the Environmental Protection Agency should have reached a decision on the RFS 11 mandate for corn-based ethanol. Since 2007, corn prices have risen to record highs and with the current crop prices are going crazy. I do not have to explain this to you, but I Grimm do hope you assisted the National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation with letters urging the EPA to waive the RFS 11 mandate. Only eight state governors requested the EPA for a waiver of RFS 11. Where is the remainder? The ethanol industry has never lived up to the promise made in 2007. Ethanol has cost the government millions of dollars. Most all plants have gone bankrupt at some point. It is now time for a change. This is not a chicken problem, it is a U.S. problem. We all are consumers and we will pay dearly for food in the future if relief is not given soon. Another Washington, D.C., issue James Grimm is executive vice president of the Texas Poultry Federation with offices in Round Rock, Texas.

up this year is the death tax. As you should be aware, on Jan. 1, 2013, the death tax will fall back to its original position of having only a $1 million exemption toward the value of the estate and then it will be taxed at a rate of 55 percent.. With the cost of land, many farmer and rancher families who have worked to improve their farms, reduce debt and pay the bills will be saddled with this burden. When you look at the average family poultry operation of acreage, poultry houses, and the equipment — how much do you have invested? A lot! Now is the time to contact your congressman and urge him to increase the exemption. It seems the political atmosphere is changing in the U.S. In Texas, we lost five chairmen — 10 incumbents. Since 2010 due to losses and retirements, we have lost over 414 years of legislative experience. This year is the year of water and state funding in the U.S. Bob Turner, our lobbyist, wrote the following article for our board which I would like to share with you: Water — or — the lack of it is the topic of a number of folks in Texas. Problem is, very few understand the severity of the issue or how to deal with our future needs and still deal fairly with all segments of our Texas business climate and economics. It appears obvious to me that funding the State Water Plan, to provide funding sources at Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) for infrastructure has the ear of more folks than any other aspect of the

water issue. Almost every organization has organized a water plan funding committee in an effort to educate the incoming legislators and convince them to DO SOMETHING to meet these needs. Texas Association of Business, Texas Manufacturers Association, Economic Development Interests, as well as our own Texas Agricultural Council’s water sub-committee are meeting — weighing all alternatives, and trying to have realistic and acceptable proposals for the legislature come January. The estimates that I have seen, after numerous hours spent in such meetings, speaks of $150 MILLION over the next two-year period. This would enable TWDB to provide assistance that is needed to enable local communities to deal with their infrastructure needs, i.e.: replace leaking and wasteful pipe and systems when needed to provide pipe to enable moving water from sources to communities that have no source of their own, etc. How to raise this $150 MIL gets real sticky. All sorts of proposals are being considered from additional sales tax dedicated to this purpose, a fee for each person with a water meter, tax on bottled water, AND NUMEROUS OTHERS ARE BEING PRESENTED. How decisions are reached by TWDB dealing with the issue of prioritizing projects is a topic of much conversation. Needless to say, our local Ground Water Districts are concerned when we speak of the state financing pipe that might be utilized to move water out of our district. I see very little probability (perhaps almost none) that the next legislature will make any major alterations in dealing with such issues as Desired Future Conditions, etc. Concern is being expressed as to the appeals process; but, doubt seriously that any changes will make it past the next legislative session. There are simply too many major issues facing the legislature, such as the high dollar backlog which will be required to at least temporarily alleviate the Medicaid funding shortage, public education finance,

“ ‘Ethanol has cost the government millions of dollars . . . This is not a chicken problem, it is a U.S. problem.’ James Grimm

Texas Poultry Federation

providing adequate funding for the Texas Animal Health Commission to control ever increasing health and disease issues, dealing with the lawsuits concerning public school funding issues, dealing with a highway

transportation that is in need not only of maintenance and repair, but expansion to provide the capability

See Grimm, Page 5

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Farm Aid concert still working to help farmers The Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Farm Aid is synonymous with star-studded rock concerts, like the one that attracted approximately 30,000 people to southeastern Pennsylvania on Sept. 22. But the real work of the organization happens mostly behind the scenes across rural America every day. Singer-songwriter Willie Nelson, president and co-founder of Farm Aid, believes the group’s commitment to protecting farmland puts it on “the right side of history.” “Everything helps or hurts, and I think Farm Aid has helped,” Nelson said in a telephone interview on Sept. 19 from Minnesota, where

he was scheduled to perform in Mankato. With more than $40 million raised through the musical performances and private contributions since the first Farm Aid concert in 1985, the organization works to keep family farmers on their land by awarding modest cash grants to groups that help small- and medium-size farms across the country. Farm Aid awarded nearly $308,000 to 42 organizations last year. “Willie is the one who makes all the decisions on where the grants go,” said Carolyn Mugar, the organization’s executive director. The Farm Aid website also is a resource for farmers, providing

information on a range of topics: how to get into farming, sources of credit for farmers, farm-fresh food as an alternative to food produced by large-scale, mechanized agri-operations. “I grew up working on farms and I know their problems firsthand,” said Nelson, 79. “I don’t think it’s that big of a stretch for a guy who is a farmer, was a farmer, (to) help if he can. That’s what we’re supposed to do.” The Farm Aid concert, which was held at Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, 14 miles east of Pennsylvania’s capital, was designed to reinforce the Farm Aid message. Food sold at the concession stands had to be approved by Farm Aid’s

culinary director. Concert-goers could mingle with farmers and learn about agriculture through interactive exhibits at the “Homegrown Village.” Video images of Pennsylvania farms and farmers were the backdrop for performers on the main stage. Two Pennsylvania supermarket chains — Sunbury-based Weis Markets Inc. and Carlisle-based Giant Food Stores Inc. — were among the concert sponsors. Weis recruited volunteers for “greening” work, separating trash into recyclables. Giant donated food for meals and snacks for the hundreds of people who worked backstage. The concert is typically held at different locations each year.

The Pennsylvania location was fitting since agriculture is the state’s leading industry. Pennsylvania ranks third nationally in direct farmer-to-consumer sales — after California and New York — and sixth in the number of organic farms with nearly 600. Mark O’Neill, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, said 91 percent of the state’s farms are owned by individual families and 7.5 percent are family partnerships or family corporations. “We think there’s room for all farmers,” O’Neill said. “We think it’s more about the people who are running the operations — do they care about the crops and the environment? Do they care about the animals?”

conservatives say that’s too generous; some Democrats said cuts to the food stamp program were unacceptable. In the Senate, Idaho U.S. Sens. Mike Crapo and Jim Risch voted against the farm bill in June, but it passed 65-35. In the House, a bill cleared the Agriculture Committee but never got a

floor vote despite a dairy industrybacked letter — signed by dozens of House members — sent Sept. 14 asking the chamber’s leaders to let lawmakers vote on the bill. Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho signed, too, hoping for a speedy vote to help his constituents in Idaho’s dairy country. “Congressman Simpson thinks

Congress should be in session working on that bill, in particular,” said Nikki Watts, Simpson’s spokeswoman in Boise, on Sept. 26. “The Senate has passed a bill, the House needs to pass a bill.” But GOP Rep. Raul Labrador declined to join the letter-signers, though the dairy industry sought his

backing, too. Labrador, a deficit hawk, said on Sept. 26, through a spokesman he wants Congress to do more to rein in the farm bill’s overall costs, especially the food stamp program. Spokesman Phil Hardy didn’t immediately comment on Labrador’s position on the dairy provisions.

ence in legislating. Even though the incoming revenue stream — sales tax, oil/gas severance tax, etc., are generating at an all time high, it should be noted that cost of running government is soaring, as well. You need to understand that a goodly portion of the incoming and returning legislators have run for election based on no new taxes, fees, or revenues to the state. You can see the challenges that all of these men-

tioned major issues will be facing during this legislative session. The Legislative Budget Board and the governor’s office have already notified state agency heads that their budget proposals/requests must be submitted with a 10 percent reduction from last session’s funding level. Considering the severe cuts that several state agencies received then, you can see where the level of services by the state are heading in the

upcoming two-year budget cycle. Due to the drought, agriculture, business, industry, electrical power generation and tourism and recreation are all extremely negatively impacted. In view of the severity and impact of this drought, the revenue stream from these sources can be expected to be reduced. As I have said many times in the past, our legislative body traditionally legislates by crisis — generally

“Reacting” — not “Acting.” Therefore, in the event of meaningful rainfall during the fall and winter, I see very little likelihood that any meaningful State Water Plan funding is forthcoming. We are all too prone to let the highway system deteriorate and rebuild it, rather than spending lesser amounts of money UPFRONT in maintenance. Truly the adage of “A stitch in time can save nine” is applicable.

•Bill (Continued from page 3)

farm bill’s other, higher-profile components should address competing demands: Helping low-income families eat, while still contributing to debt reduction. The food stamp program costs nearly $80 billion a year, 80 percent of the farm bill’s spending. House

•Grimm (Continued from page 4)

of dealing with a huge increase in vehicles — to name a few of the really serious problem areas that these incoming legislators will be facing when they are sworn in for their new two-year term. Add to that the lack of institutional knowledge of governing brought on by the fact that approximately half of the 150 members in the House will have two years or NO experi-

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Business Compiled by David B. Strickland, Editor 770-718-3442 dstrickland@poultrytimes.net

Tyson gift establishes art scholars program BENTONVILLE,Ark. — Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, in its inaugural year, has received a $5 million commitment from the Tyson family and Tyson Foods Inc., to establish the Tyson Scholars of American Art and the Don Tyson Prize. Tyson Scholars is a research and residency program that will help promote the study and understanding of American art, while the Don Tyson Prize is a special recognition for lifetime achievement in American art. Research residency programs provide scholars the opportunity to focus on large-scale projects without the interruptions of their regular professional duties. With the Tyson Scholars of American Art program, Crystal Bridges joins other national institutions, such as the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, the Terra Foundation for American Art, and the Getty Research Institute, in supporting research that contributes to the overall body of knowledge in the field of American art history. “American art has historically received too little attention from scholars and academic programs as a field of research,” said Don Bacigalupi, executive director of Crystal Bridges. “Funding for its study has been sadly limited. Here at Crystal Bridges, we have made it part of our mission to help improve that situation. Thanks to the generosity of the Tyson family and Tyson Foods, our museum will be

able to develop and foster a community of scholars committed to furthering the understanding and appreciation of American art.” “In addition, through the Don Tyson Prize, named in honor of the late Don Tyson, former chairman and CEO of Tyson Foods, we’ll also be able to honor people who have advanced American art during their career,” said Bacigalupi. “We’re proud to help establish this unique scholars program and the lifetime achievement award named in honor of my dad,” said John H. Tyson, chairman of Tyson Foods. “This gift reflects our long-held love of art, as well as our belief in the importance of education. It also demonstrates how much we value the mission of Crystal Bridges and what this incredible museum means to Northwest Arkansas and the rest of the nation.” The Tyson family’s interest in American art began with Don Tyson’s love of traditional American Western art, which he started collecting in the 1960s. His son, John H. Tyson, is also an avid collector. During the past 20 years he has significantly expanded and diversified what has now become the Tyson Foods corporate collection. It includes the works of such artists as Ansel Adams, Troy Anderson, Thomas Hart Benton, Charlie Dye, Sam Francis, Harry

See Tyson, Page 12

Other Business News Perdue salutes pro. truck drivers

ConAgra expands facility in Ark.

SALISBURY, Md. — Perdue Farms celebrated the important contributions of its 627 professional drivers during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Sept. 16-22. “National Truck Driver Appreciation Week gives us an opportunity to visibly salute our drivers by displaying banners and signs throughout the company where our drivers deliver and pick up product, and treating them to cook outs,” said Jim Perdue, Perdue Farms chairman. “During the week, I, along with dozens of our managers, ride along with one of our drivers. It gives you a real appreciation for their dedication to safety and customer service. Once you sit in the cab of a truck, you gain a true perspective on how professional these drivers are.” Through its Perdue Transportation Inc. fleet, the company’s drivers traveled more than 20 million miles in 2011 to deliver food products safely and on time to its customers, the company noted. Throughout its operations during National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, Perdue associates took time to personally thank the professional drivers who deliver those products to the company’s customers, as well as drivers who deliver eggs to hatcheries, chicks and feed to the farm families who contract to raise the company’s birds, and who ship products between plants, the company added. According to the American Trucking Association, National Truck Driver Appreciation Week honors the 3.1 million professional truck drivers who deliver America’s freight safely and securely everyday. Truck drivers log close to 398 billion miles each year and in 2011 delivered 67 percent of the 9.2 billion tons of freight shipped in the U.S., the group noted. More information can be obtained at www.perdue.com.

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — ConAgra Foods Inc. announced on Sept. 24 that it is expanding its facility in Russellville, Ark., to make Bertolli® and P.F. Chang’s® frozen meals. The expansion, anticipated to be a $100 million investment, is expected to create more than 80 jobs. “ConAgra Foods has a long history in Russellville and we are pleased to grow our presence in the area,” said Mike Tracy, senior vice president of Consumer Foods Supply Chain for ConAgra Foods. “Our dedicated employees, along with the support of the city of Russellville and the state of Arkansas will allow us to make great food here for many years to come.” ConAgra Foods has approximately 1,350 employees in Russellville, Ark., and has operated in the area since 1965. ConAgra Foods acquired the Bertolli and P.F. Chang’s Home Menu frozen meals businesses earlier this year as part of its growth strategy, which includes growing its core businesses and expanding into strategic adjacencies, the company said. ConAgra Foods frozen meal line also includes Marie Callender’s®, Banquet®. Healthy Choice® and Kid Cuisine®. The Bertolli and P.F. Chang’s brands are used under license. More information can be obtained at www.conagrafoods.com.

Campbell to close two U.S. plants The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Campbell Soup Co. is closing two U.S. plants and cutting more than 700 jobs as it looks to trim costs amid declining consumption of its canned soups. The world’s largest soup maker said on Sept. 27 that it will close a plant in Sacramento, Calif., that has

about 700 full-time workers. The plant, which makes soups, sauces and beverages, was built in 1947 and is the company’s oldest in the country. That also means it has the highest production costs of Campbell’s four U.S. soup plants. Campbell also plans to shutter a spice plant in South Plainfield, N.J., that has 27 employees. Production will be shifted to the company’s other spice plant in Milwaukee. Employees at the two closing plants were notified that there would be a meeting at 6 a.m. local time on Sept. 27; about 400 workers showed up in California, where they were told of the closure. “It’s always difficult, even when there’s a business case that is compelling,” said Anthony Sanzio, a Campbell spokesman. “You’re dealing with people, and this is going to impact 700 employees who’ve worked together closely for many years.” CEO Denise Morrison, who was been on the job for about a year, was not present at the meeting. The announcement comes as Campbell looks to freshen up its image with dozens of new soup flavors and sauces intended to lure younger consumers. Many of the new products come in pouches designed to convey a fresher feel, rather than the iconic steel cans that have long defined the company. Those new pouches are manufactured with another party and are not made at Campbell’s soup plants. Although Campbell makes other products such as Pepperidge Farm baked goods and V8 vegetable juices, soups account for half its revenue. And the Camden, N.J.-based company has struggled to fix the soup unit amid evolving consumer tastes. During the past decade, overall canned soup consumption is down 13 percent, according to the research firm Euromonitor International, as fresh soups have become (Continued on next page)

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012 (Continued from previous page)

more widely available at supermarkets and restaurants. Campbell’s share of the market has also declined to 53 percent, down from 67 percent a decade earlier. To expand into products with more growth potential, Campbell this summer purchased Bolthouse Farms in a $1.55 billion cash deal. The company says the move will help it stake a claim in the fresh packaged food category, which is growing at a faster clip than the broader packaged food market. Campbell Soup Co. currently has about 19,900 employees globally. The company said the California plant is expected to close by July 2013 and the New Jersey plant by March 2013. The company expects the closings to result in about $115 million in pre-tax costs. Its actions will also require approximately $27 million in capital spending. Annual savings are predicted to be about $30 million starting in fiscal 2016.

Cargill announces 4Q and FY results MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Cargill has reported $1.17 billion in earnings from continuing operations in the 2012 fiscal year, a 56 percent decrease from a record $2.69 billion in the prior year. Fourth-quarter earnings were $73 million, down 82 percent from $404 million in the same period a year ago. Consolidated revenues in fiscal 2012 were $133.9 billion, up 12 percent from $119.5 billion in the prior year. Fourth-quarter revenues were $34 billion, a 2 percent decrease from a year ago. Cash flow from operations for the full fiscal year was $3.51 billion, compared with last year’s $4.55 billion. “Cargill’s earnings performance was not up to our expectations, though with notable exceptions,” said Greg Page, Cargill chairman and CEO. “Our 26-unit food ingredients group delivered a third consecutive year of record earn-

ings. One-third of our businesses exceeded last year’s results, and nine achieved record profits. We invested more than $4 billion globally in acquisitions, new and expanded facilities and capital improvements that support both our customers’ and our company’s growth.” Page said two factors accounted for much of the change in company results. “Cargill’s global market analysis of supply and demand, and our trading expertise are long-standing strengths,” he said. “Even so, we did not trade as well in this year’s markets, which were driven as much by the economic and political environment as by the fundamentals. Cyclical trends in the global soybean processing and North American beef industries also were in play, decreasing margins in parts of Cargill’s oilseed processing and beef processing operations.” During the year, Cargill began realigning the company’s cost structure and simplifying its work processes. Expenses were cut by more than $400 million. Resources were focused on the activities that added the most value for customers. “Despite the challenging year, Cargill made good progress on our strategic intent to become the partner of choice to our customers,” said Page. “We invested a record amount — more than $4 billion — in acquisitions, joint ventures, new and expanded facilities and improvements to our more than 1,200 facilities worldwide. These investments significantly boost our ability to support customers with global sourcing, processing, distribution, risk management, product development and innovation services that are tailored to their needs.” The largest share of Cargill’s capital expenditures, about $2 billion, was directed to the acquisition of Provimi. The integration of this leading animal nutrition company into Cargill’s animal nutrition operations is proceeding smoothly, with the new business comprised of more than 16,000 people and 250 facilities in 38 countries and serving customers in 100 countries, the

company said. Other significant additions during the year were Cargill’s purchase of Central American poultry and meat processor Corporacion Pipasa, and German cocoa and chocolate company KVB. The company formed three joint ventures — in beef in Australia; in sugar, ethanol and bioelectricity in Brazil; and in biopolymers in Thailand and the United States. It opened innovation centers in Brazil’s Sao Paulo state and in Wichita, Kan. Among its greenfield investments, Cargill began building an integrated poultry business in China’s Anhui province and a corn processing complex in Brazil’s state of Parana. Among the five business segments, Cargill’s food ingredients and applications segment was the largest contributor to company results in both the fourth quarter and full year. The segment is comprised of two groups of businesses: food ingredients and animal protein. Fourthquarter food ingredients earnings were somewhat lower than last year’s level, but the group posted record earnings for the full year, with performance particularly strong in sweeteners, starches, specialty oils and cocoa worldwide, and in staple foods in several emerging markets. Earnings among the global group of animal protein businesses were well below last year’s record level due to the cyclical downturn in North American beef. The U.S.-based meat units were short of last year’s results, though several units were improved in the fourth quarter. Results in Central America were up strongly for the year, the company said. Segment results in origination and processing were down significantly from last year’s performance, due in part to losses in cotton and sugar. The segment also had lower earnings among the grain and oilseed processing businesses, though with positive exceptions in the Americas. The agriculture services seg-

Business ment posted improved results in the fourth quarter, boosted by the growth in Cargill’s global animal nutrition business. North American farm services were on par with the prior year’s fourth quarter. For the full year, the segment was down moderately from fiscal 2011. In looking ahead, Page said, “We are confident about Cargill’s ability to grow profitably, to help our customers to do the same and to help build a more food-secure world.”

Darling Int’l. buys Iowa facility IRVING, Texas — Darling International Inc. has announced that it has completed the purchase of a river terminal and storage facility located on the Mississippi River in Muscatine, Iowa, from CK Processing Co. and River Terminal Corp. Specific terms of the transaction were not disclosed. “The river terminal and storage facility will provide us the opportunity for future growth along with providing logistical support for our Midwest facilities to supply feedstock to our Diamond Green Diesel JV in Norco, La,” said Randall

Stuewe, Darling International chairman and CEO. Financial Advisory Partners LLC acted as financial advisors to CK Processing and River Terminal in the transaction. More information can be obtained at www.darlingii.com.

Hormel Foods notes quarterly dividend AUSTIN, Minn. — The board of directors of Hormel Foods Corp., a multinational marketer of consumer-branded food and meat products, has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 15 cents per share on the common stock of the corporation. The dividend will be paid Nov. 15, 2012, to stockholders of record at the close of business on Oct. 22, 2012. The Nov. 15 payment will be the 337th consecutive quarterly dividend paid by the company. Since becoming a public company in 1928, Hormel Foods Corp. has paid a regular quarterly dividend without interruption. More information can be obtained at www.hormelfoods.com.

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

•Inlets (Continued from page 2)

wood and on how you evaluate the cost/benefit considerations involved. There are fairly sophisticated actuated attic inlets systems currently available that we hear good reports on. On the other hand, manual gravity attic inlets, which do require more constant management attention, are doing a good job on many farms where growers have chosen quality hardware, gotten proper installation and are taking the time and effort needed to run them correctly. (5) Do all locations in the USA benefit equally from the installation of attic inlets? Answer: Not at all. Your location in the United States will determine the solar radiation available and therefore the amount of heat in the attic. Over the course of a year, the largest amounts of solar energy transmitted into a dropped ceiling poultry house will be in the Southeast broiler belt. Texas-Mississippi-AlabamaGeorgia-South Carolina-North Carolina-Virginia all link together to form a crescent, or sweet spot, for using attic inlets year round. Further north gets less sun, so a grower in Indiana versus a grower in Alabama won’t get the same bang for his buck with attic inlet technologies. See the solar availability charges from the USDA Poultry Laboratory in Starkville, Miss. (6) Can attic inlets damage my poultry house?

Answer: If warm moist air from the bird chamber is allowed to chimney into the cold attic of a broiler house and be chilled, sweating will occur. This definitely can happen if an attic inlet is hung open or if attic inlets are allowed to be open when fans are not running and/or attic temperature is much lower than the in-house temperature. There are more than 30,000 linear feet of non-treated lumber in the attic of a 40 x 500-foot broiler house, as well as 20,000 square feet of insulation that must remain dry. Allowing attic inlets to be open at the wrong time can cause serious structural damage to the house. (7) What should I do, should I act now, or should I wait to install attic inlets? Answer: Our estimate is that attic inlets can pay for themselves roughly over a period of 24 to 36 months, depending on the cost of installation and the type of system that is installed, and assuming proper management. But be very careful in making a purchase decision. We have seen both passive and actuated inlet systems that are not in use because growers have become frustrated or because the technology did not meet their expectations. This is very unfortunate. No grower can afford equipment they can’t use and won’t pay for itself. Also, realize that both actuated and passive gravity type attic inlet technologies will be refined again and again as time goes on. Getting your house tight, getting your insulation in order, and getting

the most efficient heating system in your house are all things that should be done before considering installation of attic inlets. Here are some thoughts to consider before you make an investment:  Be sure you want attic inlets and understand the payback and time involved in their operation and management. If you don’t have time to manage sidewall vent doors, don’t think about having time to manage any type of attic inlet.  Do as much pre-purchase investigation as possible, thoroughly checking out all the options.  Look at the solar availability charts to see what the potential for attic heating is where your houses are located. Limited sunshine in winter, spring and fall equals limited benefit. Talk with any neighbor growers who have installed or are considering installing attic inlets.  Get a quality installation, with special attention to make sure that all inlets seal tightly when not in use.  Study and learn how to manage what you bought.

Likely future trends For nearly 40 years we have been equipping broiler houses with sensors, controllers and actuators to manage feed flow, air flow, temperature and relative humidity. The goal has been to let these sensors send information to the controller (computer) and allow it to make the best decision for bird environment based on these conditions. We

don’t see any reason for that overall trend toward automation to stop. With the time demands that have been placed on the modern poultry grower, we feel the emerging trend will continue to be toward actuated inlets that are run from software parameters that have been set by the grower or company. Here are some of the examples of what we see emerging. Air temperature parameters It is possible that when attic temperatures drop below a certain level in very cold weather, attic inlets might cause drafts or cold spots. So a “don’t use below set point” setting might be included in the controller software. for example, don’t use attic inlets if the attic temperatures are below 20 degrees F. It is also possible that if the attic reaches a certain high temperature in extreme hot weather, you might want to stop the use of attic inlets. For example, a high limit set point of 110 degrees F might be set to discontinue use in the middle of the summer. Time of day Since little heat is available in the night time hours, a time of use clock might also be put in the software. Example: don’t use attic inlets before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., as there is not much heat available in the attic during those hours. Save the wear on the inlet machine and use perimeter inlets during this period. Maximum cfm allowable though the attic inlet We have seen or heard of many cases of operators trying to run far

Dunkin’ Donuts to start using cage-free eggs The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Dunkin’ Donuts says it will start using cage-free eggs in its breakfast sandwiches. The Canton, Mass.-based company said that it will transition 5 percent of its eggs to cage-free by the end of next year; it did not set a

timeline for completing the switch. The company also announced that it would eliminate “gestation crates” from its pork supply chain. To determine a timeline for eliminating gestation crates, or breeding cages for pigs, the company said it will start by requiring its U.S. pork

suppliers to outline their plans to achieve that goal. Other major fast-food chains that have committed to eliminating use of pig crates include McDonald’s Corp., Burger King Worldwide Inc., Wendy’s and Subway, as well as several supermarket chains such as Kroger Co. and Safeway Inc.

Several companies have also said they will start using cage-free eggs, although the commitment levels vary. Egg and pork producers have argued that easing confinement standards for animals raises production costs, making their businesses less competitive.

more air through the attic inlets than the inlets were designed to handle. For example, if a 40 x 500 house (20,000 square feet) has attic inlets installed, they are usually designed to handle about 20,000-30,000 cfm of air. The range is about 1.0 to 1.5 cfm per square foot of attic inlet capacity to be installed. This would allow about the equivalent of three 36inch fans to be run through the attic inlets before the perimeter inlets would need to be opened. If no perimeter inlets open and more air is turned on, the static pressure becomes very high and damage to the house can result. We have seen or heard of houses that had run as many as four tunnel fans through the attic due to mismanagement or misunderstanding. This is a very serious problem. We must education and warn of the consequences of trying to pull too much air through the attic. Blending software With two actuated inlet machines in a house (one for the perimeter inlets and one for attic inlets) we now have the possibility to develop software that would use attic inlets for the first stage of ventilation, use and coordinate both sets of inlets for the second stage of ventilation and then shift to perimeter inlets for the third stage. With sensors and software this can be done accurately. The sensors and software can also be used to lengthen run times when beneficial and minimize them when it could be detrimental.

For Markets, see Page 22

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Loose curtains can affect costs and house temps By Michael Czarick

Special to Poultry Times

ATHENS, Ga. — One of the most common causes for fuel wastage, chilled chicks and damp litter near the brooding curtain during brooding is a loose fitting brooding curtain. Cold air entering the brooding end from the colder nonbrooding end around loose fitting brooding curtains tends to quickly drop to the floor creating a cool spot that can extend 40 or more feet into the brooding area. Since cold air can hold less moisture than warm air less moisture is removed from the litter in this area of the house leading to litter moisture problems. The problem typically goes unnoticed on most farms because of the fact that the cold air from the nonbrooding end tends to hang within a foot or so of the floor. For a good illustration of how a problem can go unnoticed, temperature recorders were placed next to a house controller’s three brooding end temperature sensors which were approximately 18 inches above the floor. A fourth temperature data logger was placed on the feed line just below the controller sensor 30 feet from the brooding curtain. There was a dramatic difference between what the controller was

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measuring and what was actually happening at chick level. In another house with a loose brooding curtain when the chicks were only a few days old, the sensor controlling the forced air furnace was approximately 15 feet from the brooding curtain and positioned approximately 18 inches above the floor. Though the floor was approximately 77 degrees F, the air temperature just 18 inches above the floor, as indicated by the temperature of the feed hopper, was 85 degrees F. The controller basically “thinks” it is doing a good job of maintaining an air temperature of 85 degrees F, which it is, 2 feet above the chicks head. Though the floor temperature looks reasonable in most of the house, the fact is that those chicks within 20 to 40 feet of the brooding curtain were being brooded 5 to 10 degrees cooler than the controller or the producer thinks. In yet another house with a loose brooding curtain, the situation was nearly identical to that seen in the previous example. The floor temperature was in the mid 70s where the air temperature, again as indicated by the temperature of the feed hopper, was in the mid 80s. The biggest difference between the two was the fact that the house

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was equipped with radiant brooders. The radiant heat produced by the brooder heated the floor in the center of the house which helped to reduce the problem in the center of the house. Though the curtain should have been made tighter, it could have been minimized had there been paired radiant brooders installed near the brooding curtain. Though it is true that if heating systems sensors/thermostats are placed within 12 inches of the floor that the conditions nearest the brooding curtain would have improved the conditions noted in the above houses, it could also result in excessive fuel usage and possibly even overheating of the center of the brooding area. As an example to demonstrate this point a sensor near a brooding curtain was lowered to a height of 12 inches. Though lowering the controller sensor dramatically improved floor temperatures the problem was that in order to get a floor temperature of 85 degrees F, air temperature a few feet above the floor was nearly 100 degrees F, and as you might suspect the furnace in this area of the house was operating nearly constantly. Furthermore, the hot air near the brooding curtain drifted slowly to-

looser the nonbrooding end of a house is, the easier it is for the wind to push air into the nonbrooding end, which then tends to move into the nonbrooding end. To minimize air leakage make sure inlets on the nonbrooding end are closed, plastic is placed over the shutters of exhaust fans that are not being used, end wall doors are tight, and sidewall curtains seal tightly against the sidewall.  Though many producers may want to use a 48-inch fan on the nonbrooding end for minimum ventilation and leave their brooding curtain loose this may not be the best option for cold weather. Producers may find that they will have more uniform conditions, and less condensation problems on the nonbrooding end if they tighten their brooding curtains and use one 36-inch fan on the brooding end and one on the nonbrooding end for minimum ventilation. During warmer times of the year, or a couple days prior to turning the birds into full house, brooding curtains can be loosed and a 48-inch fan used for minimum ventilation to help pull heat down the length of the nonbrooding end. Michael Czarick is an Extension engineer with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service. More information can be obtained at www.poultryventilation.com.

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Calendar Compiled by Barbara Olejnik, Associate Editor 770-718-3440 bolejnik@poultrytimes.net

OCT 9-12 — UEP ANNUAL BOARD MTNG. & EXECUTIVE CONF., Loews Coronado Bay, San Diego, Calif. Contact: United Egg Producers, 1720 Windward Concourse, Suite 230, Alpharetta, Ga. 30005. Ph: 770-360-9220; gene@ unitedegg.com; www.unitedegg.com. OCT 10-11 — NCC FALL BOARD MTNG., & ANNUAL CONF., The Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C. Contact: National Chicken Council, 1015 15th St., N.W., Suite 930, Washington, D.C. 20005. Ph: 202-296-2622; www.nationalchickencouncil.cm; www.eatchicken.com. OCT 16-18 — SUNBELT AG EXPO., Moultrie, Ga. Contact: Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition, 290-G Harper Blvd., Moultrie, Ga. 31788. Ph: 229-9851968, ext. 28; www.sunbeltexpo.com. OCT 12-13 — LOUISIANA POULTRY CONV., Shreveport Hilton, Shreveport, La. Contact: Louisiana Poultry Federation, 120 Ingram Hall, Louisiana State University, Poultry Science, Baton Rouge, La. 70803. Ph: 225-578-2473; tlavergne@ agcenter.lsu.edu; www.lapoultry.org. OCT 17-24 — USAHA ANNUAL MTNG., Greensboro, N.C. Contact: U.S. Animal Health Association, 4221 Mitchell Ave., St. Joseph, Mo. 64507. Ph: 816-671-1144; usaha@usaha.org; www.usaha.org. OCT 23-25 — NATIONAL POULTRY WASTE MANAGEMENT SYMPM., Sam’s Town, Shreveport, La. Contact: Dr. Theresia Lavergne, 120 Ingram Hall, Louisiana State University, Poultry Science, Baton Rouge, La. 70803. Ph: 225-5782473; tlavergne@agcenter.lsu.edu. OCT 31-Nov. 2 — ANIMAL FARMING International UKRAINE 2012, Exhibition Center, Kiev, Ukraine. Contact: www.animalfarmingexpo.com. NOV 7 — IOWA EGG INDUSTRY Scheman Building, SYMPSM., Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. Contact: Registration Services, 117 Printing and Publications Building, Ames, Iowa 50011-3171. Ph: 515294-6222; www.ucs.iastate.edu/ mnet/eggsymposium/home.html. NOV 7-9 — AEB MTNG., Austin, Texas. Contact: American Egg Board, 1460 Renaissance Drive, Park Ridge, Ill. 60068. Ph: 847-2967043; aeb@aeb.org; www.aeb.org. NOV 13-14 — NIAA ANTIMICROBIAL SYMPM., Hilton Polaris Hotel,

Columbus, Ohio. Contact: National Institute for Animal Agriculture, 13570 Meadowgrass Drive, Suite 201, Colorado Springs, Colo. 808921. Ph: 719-538-8843; NIAA@animalagriculture.org; www.animalagriculture.org. NOV 13-24 — CFIA FALL CONV., Sheraton Imperial Hotel, RaleighDurham, N.C. Contact: Carolina Feed Industry Association, P.O. Box 58220, Raleigh, N.C. 27658. Ph: 919607-1370; www.carolinafeed.com. NOV 26-28 — ITF WINTER CONV., Marriott Hotel, West Des Moines, Iowa. Contact: Iowa Turkey Federation, 535 E. Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010. Ph: 515-232-7492; info@ iowaturkey.org; www.iowaturkey.org. 2013 JAN 13-16 — AFBF ANNUAL MTNG., Nashville, Tenn. Contact: American Farm Bureau Federation, 600 Maryland Ave., S.W., Suite 1000 W, Washington, D.C. 20024. Ph: 202-406-3673; www.fb.org. JAN 25 — GEORGIA AG FORECAST, Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Athens, Ga. Contact: University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences; www.georgiaagforecast.com. JAN 28 — GEORGIA AG FORECAST, ECO Center, Rome, Ga. Contact: University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences; www.georgiaagforecast.com. JAN 28-29 — INT’L. POULTRY Atlanta, SCIENTIFIC FORUM, Ga. Contact: Southern Poultry Science Society, P.O. Box 1705, Clemson, S.C. 29633. Ph: 662325-3416; execsec@southernpoultrysciencesociety.org; www. southernpoultrysciencesociety.org. JAN 28-29 — UEP BOARD MTNG., Atlanta, Ga. Contact: United Egg Producers, 1720 Windward Concourse, Suite 230, Alpharetta, Ga. 30005. Ph: 770-360-9220; www.unitedegg.com. JAN 29 — GEORGIA AG FORECAST, Georgia Farm Bureau, Macon, Ga. Contact: University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences; www.georgiaagforecast.com. JAN 29 — NCC TECHNICAL & REGULATORY COMMITTEE, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Contact: National Chicken Council, 1052 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. Ph: 202-296-2622; ncc@ chickenusa.org; www.nationalchick-

encouncil.org; www.eatchicken.com. JAN 29-31 — INTERNATIONAL PRODUCTION & PROCESSING EXPO, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 30084-7303, Ph: 770-493-9401, seminar@uspoultry. org, www.poultryegginstitute.org; or American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 916, Arlington, Va. 22201, 703-524-0810, afia@ afia.org, www.afia.org; or American Meat Institute, 1150 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Wshington, D.C. 20036, 202-587-4200, www.meatami.com JAN 29-Feb. 1 — NPFDA ANNUAL CONV., Hyatt Regency, Atlanta, Ga. Contact: National Poultry & Food Distributors Assocatiion, 2014 Osborne Road, Saint Marys, Ga. 31558. Ph: 770-5359901; kkm@npfda.org; www.npfda.org. JAN 30 — GEORGIA AG FORECAST, UGA Tifton Conference Center, Tifton, Ga. Contact: University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences; www.georgiaagforecast.com. JAN 30 — CHICKEN SUMMIT 2013 ADVSORY GROUP, Atlanta, Ga. Contact: National Chicken Council, 1052 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. Ph: 202-296-2622; ncc@ chickenusa.org; www.nationalchickencouncil.org; www.eatchicken.com. JAN 30 — NCC MARKETING COMMITTEE, Atlanta, Ga. Contact: National Chicken Council, 1052 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. Ph: 202-296-2622; ncc@chickenusa.org; www.nationalchickencouncil.org; www.eatchicken.com. JAN 30 — NCC BOARD MTNG., Atlanta, Ga. Contact: National Chicken Council, 1052 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. Ph: 202-296-2622; ncc@ chickenusa.org; www.nationalchickencouncil.org; www.eatchicken.com. JAN 30 — NEQS ANNUAL STAKEHOLDERS MTNG., Atlanta, Ga. Contact: National Egg Quality School, Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Pkwy., Annapolis, Md. 21401. Ph: 410-841-5769; Deanna. Baldwin@maryland.gov; www.neqs.org.

& Suites, Divots Conference Center, Norfolk, Neb. Contact: Nebraska Poultry Industries Inc., University of Nebraska, 102 Mussehl Hall, P.O. Box 830721, Lincoln, Neb. 685830721; 402-472-2051; egg-turkey@uni.edu; www.nepoultry.org. FEB 21 — TPA POULTRY SCHOOL, Ellington Agricultural Center, Nashville, Tenn. Contact: Tennessee Poultry Association, P.O. Box 1525, Shelbyville, Tenn. 37162-1525. Ph: 931-225-1123; dbarnett@ tnpoultry.org; www.tnpoultry.org. FEB 25-27 — PEPA ANNUAL CONV., Intercontinental, Monterey, Calif. Contact: Pacific Egg & Poultry Association, 1521 I St., Sacramento, Calif. 95814. Ph: 916-441-0801; dmurdock@cgfa.org; www.pacificegg.org. FEB 25-March 17 — HOUSTON LIVESTOCK SHOW & RODEO, Houston, Texas. Contact: Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, P.O. Box 20070, Houston, Texas 77225-0070. Ph: 832-667-1000; questions@ rodeohouston.com; www.hlrs.com. MAR 11-15 — AFIA SPRING COMMITTEE MTNGS./PURCHASING & INGREDIENT SUPPLIERS CONF., Omni Fort Worth Hotel, Fort Worth, Texas. Contact: American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 916. Arlington, Va. 22201. Ph: 703524-0810; afia@afia.org; www.afia.org. MAR 12-13 — ENVIRONMENTAL MGMNT. SMNR., New Orleans, La. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 30084-7303, Ph: 770493-9401; seminar@uspoultry. org; www.poultryegginstitute.org. MAR 12-14 — MPF ANNUAL CONV., Saint Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul, Minn. Contact: Midwest Poultry Federation, 108 Marty Drive, Buffalo, Minn. 55313. Ph: 763-682-2171; info@midwestpoultry.com; www.midwestpoultry.com. MAR 13 — CEAM ANNUAL MTNG., Saint Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul, Minn. Contact: Chicken & Egg Association of Minnesota, 108 Marty Drive, Buffalo, Minn. 55313. Ph: 763-682-2171; info@ mnchicken.org; www.mnchicken.org.

JAN 31 — GEORGIA AG FORECAST, Decatur County Livestock Complex, Bainbridge, Ga. Contact: University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences; www.georgiaagforecast.com.

MAR 13 — MTGA ANNUAL MTNG., Saint Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul, Minn. Contact: Minnesota Turkey Growers Association, 108 Marty Drive, Buffalo, Minn. 55313. Ph: 763-682-2171; info@minnesotaturkey.com; www.minnesotaturkey.com.

FEB 1 — GEORGIA AG FORECAST, Toombs County Agri-Center, Lyons, Ga. Contact: University of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences; www.georgiaagforecast.com.

MAR 20-21 — FEED MILL MGMNT. SMNR., Nashville, Tenn. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 30084-7303, Ph: 770-493-9401, seminar@uspoultry. org, www.poultryegginstitute.org.

FEB 13-16 — NTF ANNUAL CONF., Coronado Bay Resort, San Diego, Calif. Contact: National Turkey Federation, 1225 New York Ave., N.W., Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20005. Ph: 202-898-0100; info@turkeyfed.org; www.eatturkey.com. FEB 20-21 — NPI CONV., Norfolk Lodge

APR 17 — DPI BOOSTER BANQUET, Salisbury, Md. Contact: Delmarva Poultry Industry Inc., 16686 County Seat Hwy., Georgetown, Del. 19947-4881; dpi@ dpichicken.com; www.dpichicken.com APR 19-21 — GPF ANNUAL MTNG., Lake Lanier Islands Resort, Buford, Ga.

Contact: Georgia Poultry Federation, P.O. Box 763, Gainesville, Ga. 30503. Ph: 770-532-0473; www.gapf.org. APR 22-24 — HUMAN RESOURCES SMNR., Destin, Fla. Mo. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 30084-7303, Ph: 770-493-9401, seminar@uspoultry.org, www.poultryegginstitute.org. MAY 2-3 — POULTRY BREEDERS ROUNDTABLE, St. Louis, Mo. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 30084-7303, Ph: 770-493-9401, seminar@uspoultry.org, www.poultryegginstitute.org. MAY 14-15 — AFIA BOARD MTNG., Arlington, Va. Contact: American Feed Industry Association, 2101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 916, Arlington, Va. 22201. Ph: 703524-0810; afia@afia.org, www.afia.org. MAY 15-16 — POULTRY PROCESSORS WKSHP., Atlanta, Ga. Contact: U.S. Poultry & Egg Association, 1530 Cooledge Road, Tucker, Ga. 30084-7303, Ph: 770-493-9401, seminar@uspoultry.org, www.poultryegginstitute.org. MAY 20-22 — UEP LEGISLATIVE BOARD MTNG., Washington, D.C. Contact: United Egg Producers, 1720 Windward Concourse, Suite 230, Alpharetta, Ga. 30005. Ph: 770360-9220; www.unitedegg.com. MAY 20-23 — NEQS, Harrisburg, Pa. Contact: National Egg Quality School, Maryland Department of Agriculture, 50 Harry S. Truman Pkwy., Annapolis, Md. 21401. Ph: 410-841-5769; Deanna. Baldwin@maryland.gov; www.neqs.org. JUN 7-8 — AP&EA GOLF TOURNAMENT and EVENING OF FUN, Birmingham, Ala. Contact: Alabama Poultry & Egg Association, P.O. Box 240, Montgomery, Ala. 36101. Ph: 334265-2732; www.alabamapoultry.org. JUN 11-13 — ITF SUMMER MTNG., Adventureland Inn, Altoona, Iowa. Contact: Iowa Turkey Federation, 535 E. Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa 50010. Ph: 51522-7492;gretta@iowaturkey.org; sheila@ iowaturkey.org; www.iowaturkey.org. JUN 14-15 — ANNUAL POULTRY FESTIVAL, Rogers, Ark. Contact: Poultry Federation, P.O. Box 1446, Little Rock, Ark. 72203. Ph: 501-3758131; www.thepoultryfederation.com. JUN 19-21 — GEA - GEC ANNUAL MTNGS., King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort, St. Simons Island, Ga. Contact: Jewell Hutto, Georgia Egg Assocation - Georgia Egg Commission, P.O. Box 2929, Suwanee, Ga. 30024. Ph: 770-932-4622; goodeggs@bellsouth.net; www.georgiaeggs.org. JUN 20-22 — NCC SUMMER BOARD MTNG., Newport Coast, Calif. Contact: National Chicken Council, 1052 15th St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. Ph: 202-296-2622; ncc@ chickenusa.org; www.nationalchickencouncil.org; www.eatchicken.com.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Converting to natural gas: A practical guide By Dennis Brothers, Jess Campbell, Gene Simpson & Jim Donald Special to Poultry Times

AUBURN, Ala. — Newer, more efficient methods of extracting natural gas (NG) are making it more abundant and less expensive. As a result, NG is fast becoming the fuel of choice for everything from electric power plants to poultry houses. NG utility companies are expanding their coverage regions and reaching out into rural areas seeking new customers, and poultry farms are prime targets. It is easy to understand why: in the southern region or broiler belt of the U.S., one poultry house, during a single winter flock can consume as much NG as the average dwelling house will for the entire year in the same area (“Trends in U.S. Residential Natural Gas Consumption,” Energy Information Administration, Office of Oil and Gas, June 2010.) Therefore, servicing one fourhouse poultry farm can be equivalent to servicing 15-20 residential houses. This makes good sense for the NG companies. It also makes good sense for the poultry grower. If natural gas is available, given current and projected price relationships between propane & natural gas, converting to natural gas offers an excellent opportunity to decrease annual energy costs for heating and brooding. SufDennis Brothers and Jess Campbell are housing specialists with the National Poultry Technology Center; Gene Simpson is an Extension economist, Auburn University; and Jim Donald is an Extension engineer, Auburn University, all with the Alabama Cooperative Extension Center. Contributing engineers Dan Fabry and Jim Itnyre provided technical assistance in preparation of the article. More information can be obtained at www.poultryhouse. com.

fice it to say that NG currently costs 31 percent less to produce the same BTUs (British thermal unit) as LP (liquid propane). Given the current economics favoring conversion to NG, the main purpose of this article is to provide a practical, nuts-and-bolts guide to converting from LP to NG. We’ll point out where cost factors need to be considered, but focus mainly on the how-to. The conversion process is not difficult, but it must be well thought out — and undertaken with the help of a qualified natural gas technician. This article will give you the information you need to work efficiently and effectively with that qualified technician to get the job done right.

Cost factors Conversion costs will typically include conversion kits, plumbing upgrades and labor. Be wary when a NG company offers to hook up a poultry farm and says “all we need to do is drill out the burner orifices.” While occasionally this may be true, more often than not, conversion is more complicated. Questions regarding the suitability of appliances for use with natural gas rather than propane should be answered by the manufacturer. There can also be “hidden costs” with either of these fuel choices. Some NG companies may charge a flexible rate varying seasonally or they may charge a minimum billing amount, regardless of usage. NG bills also may include additional service charges that may add 5 percent or more to the bill. With LP, growers may be charged an annual tank fee. The different delivery methods introduce pros and cons that may have cost consequences. With LP the grower may be able to shop competing suppliers for a lower price; but there is also the need to be constantly aware of LP fuel levels in the tanks and the risk of

running out. Oftentimes, when the LP companies are most busy and slow to deliver is when the grower is in the worst need of fast LP delivery. Conversely, NG is always there and available, but a grower no longer has the ability to shop competitors for lower priced fuel. All these points must be taken into consideration, but they are typically not overriding concerns.

Building new? If a grower is building a new poultry house, initial plumbing cost for NG should be close to the same as for LP with only marginal differences in pipe size. It may well be a good idea to plumb with NG sized pipe even when NG is currently unavailable, if there is a reasonable chance NG could become available in the future. Oversizing of pipe with LP is not considered to be a problem. Conversion checklist Successful conversion requires following a step-by-step process. All elements must work hand in hand for proper heater operation. In situations where growers have been unhappy with their conversion, it is often found that someone did not follow a step-by-step process like the one listed here.  Step 1: Determine total house BTU load (maximum heat needed) and Cubic Feet/Hour (CFH) flow rates needed per house and per chamber.  Step 2: Determine incoming NG gas pressure.  Step 3: Draw (or consult) a house plumbing layout plan, determining lengths of piping needed for all sectors.  Step 4: Install properly-sized gas lines to deliver cubic feet per hour (CFH) of NG needed, based on calculations including BTUs needed, incoming gas pressure, and piping line lengths. Refer to NFPA 54 – National Fuel Gas Code Hand-

book for proper pipe size guidelines.  Step 5: Install proper in-line regulators. Regulators will almost always need to be changed. NG regulators have larger orifices and different internal mechanisms to account for the lower pressure and different flow characteristics typical of NG.  Step 6: Convert heater/brooder appliances — including (a) Burner orifices; (b) Pilot orifices, if applicable; (c) Gas control valves; (d) Gas/air mixture control plates; and (e) Data plates – to ensure safety for future maintenance. Growers need to make sure a similar checklist is followed by the installer or the gas company.

Step-by-step example As an example, let’s assume a grower is undertaking a conversion to NG. He has already calculated the economics and contracted with the utility company. Now he must work out his checklist and start the conversion process. This grower has four 40 foot x 500 foot broiler houses in the Southeast U.S. He currently uses LP. Brood areas of the houses are heated with round radiant brooders and the nonbrood areas are heated with radiant tube heaters.  Step 1: Determine total house BTU load (maximum heat needed) and Cubic Feet/Hour flow rate needed. Brood Area = 14 radiant brooders @ 40,000 BTU each = 560,000 BTUs Non-Brood Area = 2 - 40 foot Tube heaters @ 125,000 BTUs each = 250,000 BTUs House Total = 560,000 + 250,000 = 810,000 BTUs/house Total Farm = 810,000 x 4 = 3,240,000 BTUs This calculation means the NG company will be supplying 3.24 million BTUs of natural gas to the farm. NG flow is commonly measured in Cubic Feet per Hour or CFH. BTUs

must be converted to CFH using an acceptable average of 1,000 BTUs of heat per CFH. 3,240,000 BTUs / 1,000 BTUs/ CFH = 3,240 CFH The NG utility must be able to supply at least 3,240 CFH of NG to his farm. Adding a small amount for error and possible other small appliances like small space heaters and possible future upgrades, 3,500 CFH will be the final total supply required. That should also be broken down by house, as NG is often supplied with a meter at each house. In this case, each house needs to be supplied with 875 CFH of NG. We also break down the supply requirement by brood and non-brood areas, since NG suppliers often use multiple entry points corresponding to brood/non-brood chambers. Now the grower has numbers he can use. Breakdown of CFH requirements for example farm: Total Farm – 3,500 CFH Total/House – 875 CFH Brood Area/House – 560 CFH Non-Brood Area/House – 250 CFH  Step 2: Determine incoming NG gas pressure. In this example, we assume incoming NG pressure is 5 psi. The grower must consult with the NG company to make sure what this number will be. It is generally accepted that the NG utility company is responsible for the correct plumbing required to get the appropriate CFH supply to the meter at each house at the pressure they are able to supply to a given farm. It is from this point beyond the meter or valve at each house that the grower must ensure his individual houses are properly plumbed. It is important to note that the incoming gas pressure specification at the meter is based on having all heaters and brooders in the house burning.

See Natural, Page 13

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

OSHA offers tips for cold environment protection WASHINGTON — For those working in cold environments, the Occupational Safety & Health Administration is reminding employers and employees to take necessary precautions, such as those listed on OSHA’s Cold Stress Card, to prevent and treat cold-related health problems.

Ag workers Workers in agriculture, construction, commercial fishing and maritime are among those who need to take precautions.

Prolonged exposure to freezing or cold temperatures may cause serious health problems such as trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia. In extreme cases, including cold water immersion, exposure can lead to death. Danger signs include uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy movements, fatigue and confused behavior. If these signs are observed, call for emergency help. OSHA Cold Stress Card provides a reference guide and recommendations to combat and prevent many illnesses and injuries.

Available in English and Spanish, this laminated fold-up card is free to employers, workers and the public.

ideas related to a variety of historical periods, fields and methodologies. The gift will have an inestimable impact on the museum’s mission of advancing knowledge of American art, officials noted. Tyson Scholars will examine established themes and explore new ideas resulting in innovative research in their areas of expertise. As Tyson scholars disseminate the results of their residencies — through nationally distributed, peer reviewed journals, monographs, catalogues, exhibitions and doctoral dissertations — the program will have a long-term impact on the field, officials said. A committee of Crystal Bridges’ staff and art historians from outside the institution will select each term’s

scholars through a competitive application process. Scholars will be selected based on their proposals’ potential contribution to the field of American art and will be scheduled on a rotating cycle that fits the needs of both independent study and scholarly collaboration. Each Tyson Scholar will receive a stipend competitive with other prominent residency programs and will be housed in Bentonville. Applicants may apply for multiple semester-length terms of residency with a stipend for research and travel expenses. “Residencies such as the Tyson Scholars program provide scholars a rich and immersive experience that is integral to their academic and professional work,” said Elizabeth

Glassman, president & CEO of the Terra Foundation for American Art, which orchestrates an eight-week residency program in Giverny, France, each summer. “Having sustained exposure to Crystal Bridges’ exemplary collection, its library and a distinguished community of scholars creates a trifecta of opportunity, affording participants a truly unparalleled experience for deepening insights. Congratulations to Crystal Bridges for establishing this rich mix in their community.”

Don Tyson Prize In conjunction with its endowment for the scholars program, the Tyson family and Tyson Foods have also funded the Don Tyson Prize: an

unprecedented award for lifetime achievement in American art. A jury of respected museum and academic art historians empanelled by the museum will recommend for recognition an individual whose work has significantly advanced knowledge in the field of American art through the course of a career. The honor carries a cash prize as well as recognition by Crystal Bridges during an event given in the recipient’s honor. Crystal Bridges has begun the selection process for the first winner, who will be announced once the nominating and vetting process has been completed. More information can be obtained at www.tysonfoods.com; and http:// crystalbridges.org.

(Degussa). The Pioneer award is given in recognition of outstanding dedication and contributions to the California poultry industry. Squab Producers, formed as an agricultural cooperative in 1943, is a company run by many farmers

and owned by their cooperative with processing in Modesto. CPF noted that the group has led in development of Meat Quality Assurance Plans for squab and game birds as well as animal welfare programs at both the farm and processing plant.

The Allied award is presented to a person for their exceptional service and outstanding contributions to California’s poultry industry. Allied member contributions go directly to the promotion and improvement of the state’s poultry

industry. Sneddon, who previously worked with GTA Feeds and Draper Valley Farms, has a bachelor of science degree in wildlife science from Oregon State University and a masters of science degree in animal science from the University of Idaho.

Protection tips Tips on how to protect workers include:  Recognize the environmental and workplace conditions that may be dangerous.  Learn the signs and symptoms of cold-induced illnesses and injuries and what to do to help workers.  Train workers about cold-induced illnesses and injuries.  Encourage workers to wear

proper clothing for cold, wet and windy conditions, including layers that can be adjusted to changing conditions.  Be sure workers in extreme conditions take a frequent short break in warm dry shelters to allow their bodies to warm up.  Avoid exhaustion or fatigue because energy is needed to keep muscles warm.  Use the buddy system; work in pairs so that one worker can recognize danger signs.  Drink warm, sweet beverages (sugar water, sports-type drinks)

and avoid drinks with caffeine (coffee, tea, sodas or hot chocolate).  Eat warm, high-calorie foods such as hot pasta dishes.  Remember, workers face increased risks when they take certain medications, are in poor physical condition or suffer from illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease.

Contact More information can be obtained from OSHA at its website, www. osha.gov.

•Tyson (Continued from page 6)

Jackson, Frank McCarthy, Charles M. Russell, Andy Warhol and Jack Woods.

Scholars program With its base in the nation’s geographical center, the Tyson Scholars program will serve museum and academic professionals from across the world as they pursue essential research on the history of American art, the company said. The fundamental on-site resources for the residential research program will be Crystal Bridges’ permanent collection and library. This program affords and nurtures professional development, mentorship and the exchange of

•CPF (Continued from page 1)

The CPF also presented its Pioneer Award to the Member Farmers of Squab Producers of California and its Allied Member of the Year Award to Don Sneddon of Evonik

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Plasson’s Water on Demand (WOD) allows you to easily control and manage the water pressure in all the drinker lines in your poultry house according to your birds’ changing demands. By changing only two parts of the Plasson Line Pressure Regulator, you can convert all the pressure regulators into pressure reducers, ensuring uniform pressure through all of the nipple lines (Plasson’s or its competitors’). Our tests have shown exciting results from this new product. The WOD increases the water pressure and availability at times of high consumption. During times of low consumption, the water pressure is reduced to a level below the average pressure to ensure drier floors. As a result of the higher water consumption, our tests have shown the birds were heavier when brought to the processing plant. Certain conditions in a chicken house have proven to grow a healthier chicken; the drier the floor is, the less ammonia there is. Chickens are then more likely to be healthy and have fewer bacteria when coming to market. Tests of the WOD have found that on average, the floor is drier, but the water consumption is higher than when using a regular water system. We have observed the drier floor in two ways. When the house is cleaned at the end of the flock, there is noticeably less wet litter removed in the WOD house than in the regular house. Also, if there are humidity sensors installed, and placed at the chicken’s level, the relative humidity is 10 to 20% lower in the WOD house than a regular house. The advantages of the WOD system are greater in the winter season, when moisture problems are more prominent. The percentage of grade A paws is significantly higher, which is a big economic advantage for the integrator. Also, drier floors mean less usage of electricity, especially in the winter months. There is less need to ventilate a drier house which converts to substantial savings. The WOD allows the grower greater control over water flow, resulting in heavier chickens and a drier floor. There is no question that this combination is economically beneficial to the integrator and the grower. The WOD is a simple product which could revolutionize the entire poultry industry and elevate it to a higher standard.

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Comparing costs: •Natural Natural gas vs. propane (Continued from page 11)

There is a misconception that natural gas does not burn as hot as propane. The truth is that the flame temperatures of NG and LP are both approximately 3,560 degrees F. However, it takes approximately 2.5 times the volume of NG as it does LP (as a gas, not the bottled liquid) to produce the same amount of heat from the same appliance. This is why NG requires larger piping and larger burner orifices.

Therm/gallon NG is typically sold by the therm and LP by the gallon: One therm of NG = 100,000 BTUs. One gallon of LP = 91,660 BTUs. This means an LP gallon is worth only about 91.7 percent of what an NG therm is worth. Even if the market prices per gallon and per therm were exactly the same, the NG would be a better deal. Putting that another way: To compare LP gallons to NG therms, sim-

ply divide the LP gallons by 1.09. Then apply the market prices per unit to get a true cost comparison.

Example Example based on current market prices:  Step 1: 20,000 gal LP divided by 1.09 = 18,349 therms NG  Step 2: 20,000 gal LP X $1.20 per gallon = $24,000  Step 3: 18,349 therms NG X $0.90 per therm = $16,614 At these market prices, going with NG would get you the same amount of heat as you would get from 20,000 gallons of LP, for $7,386 less — about a 30 percent savings! Note: If NG in your area is sold not by the therm but by the thousand cubic feet (MCF), just divide the MCF number by 10 to convert it to therms. (A therm is approximately 100 cubic feet.) For more details on NG/LP comparative cost analysis, see NPTC Newsletter #53, “Economics of Converting to Natural Gas” May 2008, www.poultryhouse.com.

Whatever pressure is registered at the meter with no appliances burning will drop as heaters are turned on. This is important because any change in the operating supply pressure will change the required size for pipe from the meter to regulators (which drop the pressure to 1/2 psi from that point on). It is not uncommon for NG meter actual operating pressures to be lower than a specified 5 psi, in which case the plumbing must be sized accordingly. Step 3: Draw (or consult) a house plumbing layout plan, determining lengths of piping needed. Step 4: Install properly-sized gas lines to deliver cubic feet per hour (CFH) of NG needed. To determine pipe sizes, we consult the National Fuel Gas Code Handbook NFPA 54 listing natural gas CFH capacity by pipe size and length, according to supply pressures of 0.5 psi and 5.0 psi. We can then enter the NG pipe sizes required, comparing those with the house’s existing LP piping, and replumb as needed. Step 5: Install proper in-line regulators. The main considerations for

regulators are location and the final appliance operating pressure. The plumbing installer or brooder dealer are also sources for NG regulators. Step 6: Convert heater/brooder appliances. It is highly recommended that a grower contact the manufacturer of the heating equipment installed in his houses before undertaking an LP to NG conversion. Most companies that manufacture poultry heating equipment have very detailed and specific guidelines for converting their appliances from one fuel type to another. Often it is best to purchase conversion kits specific to the heating equipment. These can be obtained either directly through the heating equipment manufacturer or their distributor. Final Check: Once all conversion work has been done and all new plumbing leak-tested under pressure, every heating unit on the farm needs to be turned on at once and every house systematically checked for proper operation at every appliance. With every unit burning, line pressures should be checked at the last brooder/heater on the line and at the incoming line. These pressures should meet the sizing criteria used for the conversion calculations. New

NG plumbing should be able to sustain full operation of every heating unit on the farm at once. The only way to ensure this is to test it. The job is not complete until the farm can pass this all-burners-on test.

The bottom line Generally speaking, if NG is available, given current and projected price relationships between LP & NG, converting to natural gas offers an excellent opportunity to greatly reduce annual heating energy costs. The conversion to natural gas is likely to pay off in the longer term even if the grower has to incur significant cost for conversion and/or a fee for connection. Growers also need to be aware of the pitfalls of a poor conversion and take steps to ensure that they do the job right the first time. It is vitally important for the grower considering an LP to NG conversion to understand that proper plumbing is of utmost importance if he expects to be satisfied with NG as a heating fuel. Proper plumbing will both maintain proper heating capabilities and ensure that the grower realizes the expected heating cost savings from NG conversion.

Immature switchgrass could help cellulosic ethanol industry By Ann Perry

Special to Poultry Times

BELTSVILLE, Md. — A gene that keeps switchgrass forever young could have far-reaching implications for the development of the plant as a biofuel crop, according to USDA scientists. Inserting a specific gene called “corngrass” from corn into switchgrass essentially keeps the perennial grass in its juvenile form — a plant that doesn’t flower, doesn’t produce seeds and doesn’t have a dormant growth phase. Because of these

changes, the sugars making up the plant starch are more readily available for conversion into cellulosic ethanol. According to USDA Agricultural Research Service geneticist Sarah Hake, the starch in these transgenic plants stays inside the stem because it isn’t needed elsewhere for nourishing flower buds and blossoms. As a result, starch levels can increase as much as 250 percent, which increases the sugars that can be fermented into ethanol. Hake, director of the ARS Plant Gene Expression Center in Albany,

Calif., teamed with University of California-Berkeley plant geneticist George Chuck to conduct this investigation. ARS is USDA’s chief intramural scientific research agency, and this work supports the USDA priority of developing new sources of bioenergy. The scientists observed that the leaves in the transgenic switchgrass are not nearly as stiff as leaves in switchgrass cultivars that haven’t been modified. In addition, they determined that leaf lignin is slightly different in the

transgenic switchgrass than leaf lignin in other plants. This could lead to new findings on how to break down the sturdy lignin and release sugars for fermentation, a development that will be essential to the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. The researchers are now introducing DNA segments called genetic promoters that would “turn on” the expression of the corngrass gene just in aboveground switchgrass shoots. This could help increase root mass development that otherwise

would be inhibited by the gene. Hake and Chuck also suggest that developing nonflowering switchgrass varieties would eliminate the possibility of cross-pollination between transgenic switchgrass cultivars and other switchgrass cultivars. Results from this work were published in 2011 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Ann Perry is a public affairs specialist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Md.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Humane Society pres. seeks Tyson board seat The Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The president of an organization leading the fight against cramped cages for pregnant pigs said on Oct. 2, he’s seeking a spot on Tyson Food Inc.’s board of directors to put more pressure on the nation’s second-largest pork processor to abandon the crates. Ending the use of so-called gestation crates has been a top priority for the Humane Society of the United States, which has helped convince companies including McDonald’s, Burger King and Safeway to pledge to move away from buying pork from farms that use the cages. Wayne Pacelle, the animal welfare organization’s president and

chief executive officer, acknowledged he has a remote chance of being elected to Tyson’s board, but he said he would add a valuable perspective to the Springdale, Ark.based company if his campaign was successful. “It’s one thing to be on the outside and asking for animal welfare concerns to be elevated within in the company,” Pacelle told the Associated Press. “It’s another thing to try to do it from the inside.” Tyson spokesman Gary Mickelson said the company is committed to humane animal treatment and expects the same from farmers who supply it with chickens, hogs and cattle. “We’re not surprised Wayne Pacelle wants to sit on our board,”

Mickelson said in an e-mail. Mickelson added that the company is handling its nomination process according to the law and the company’s bylaws. Voting documents will go out to shareholders, who can cast votes for the board of directors before or at the company’s annual meeting, Mickelson said. Election results will then be reported at the meeting in February, Mickelson said. There are nine board members, he said. The Humane Society of the United States owns stock in Tyson and dozens of other companies that use animal products so its representatives can attend shareholder meetings and submit proposals for improved animal welfare policies. Tyson has said it buys hogs from

thousands of family farms, many of which use gestation crates for mother pigs and some of which have group or pen housing. “Experts believe both housing systems are humane for mother pigs when managed properly,” Mickelson said in an e-mail. Gestation crates typically measure about 2 feet by 7 feet, holding a sow that might weigh 400 to 600 pounds in a space that’s too narrow to turn around or even sleep on its side. While animal welfare groups insist the stalls are cruel, the American Veterinary Medical Association and the American Association of Swine Veterinarians have said science does not provide a clear-cut answer and there are advantages and disadvan-

tages to both approaches. One major reason producers switched to gestation crates is that sows in group pens tend to fight, leading to injuries and submissive sows losing out on food to more dominant animals. Still, the Humane Society of the United States has pressured a number of companies, including the leading pork producer and one of Tyson’s main competitors, Smithfield Foods Inc., to move away from the crates. “Tyson Foods is a major outlier in this debate,” Pacelle said. Smithfield has said it will phase out the use of gestation crates at its facilities by 2017. Pacelle said it would be reasonable for Tyson to adopt the same timeframe.

New online tool makes reporting food safety concerns easier WASHINGTON — The USDA’s Food Safety & Inspection Service has unveiled a new online Electronic Consumer Complaint Form where consumers can report problems with meat, poultry and egg products. Consumers can use the form to report illnesses, allergic reactions, injuries, improper labeling and issues with foreign objects to the Consumer Complaint Monitoring System (CCMS). “Consumers are an important source of the information that FSIS needs to ensure that A m e r i c a ’s supply of meat, poultry and egg products is safe,” Hagen Undersecretary for Food Safety Dr. Elisabeth Hagen said. “This new tool empowers consumers to report problems directly to FSIS, enhancing our current sur-

veillance of the food supply and our ability to prevent foodborne illness.” Once an incident is reported to CCMS, the agency can determine what public health implications are associated with the incident, if other people are reporting similar issues, and if FSIS inspectors have identified problems in an establishment that could have caused the issue. On a case-by-case basis, FSIS may conduct additional follow up with complainants, especially if the problem indicates a potentially widespread or severe public health hazard. CCMS facilitates the detection of public health threats in the nation’s food supply and enables FSIS to respond rapidly to mitigate those threats. The system was created in 2001, and cases primarily have been reported to FSIS district offices, through state and local health departments, or through calls to the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline (888-MPHotline), which is open on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.

The new online form, available at https://ccms.fsis.usda.gov, makes it possible for consumers to enter complaints after business hours and on weekends, and the predefined fields ensure that each incident report is thorough, accurate and in a format consistent with other entries. Consumers who want to submit an incident to CCMS by talking to a live representative or who have food safety questions are encouraged to call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline. Consumers also can “Ask Karen,” the virtual food safety representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. Ask Karen’s live chat services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The ECCF is part of FSIS’ efforts to implement value-added business processes, methodologies, or technologies that contribute to serving its mission, as outlined in Goal 8 of the agency’s Fiscal Year 2011-2016 Strategic Plan. The plan, which can be accessed at www.fsis.usda.gov/ About_FSIS/Strategic_Plan_2011-

2016_Summary, will guide the agency through September 2016 in ensuring that food produced under FSIS’ authority is safe for the American public. Its eight specific, measurable goals all support three interlocking strategic themes: Prevent Foodborne Illness, Understand and Influence the Farm-to-Table Continuum and Empower People and Strengthen Infrastructure. This latest action is in addition to other public health measures FSIS has put in place during President Barack Obama’s administration to date to safeguard the food supply, prevent foodborne illness and improve consumers’ knowledge about the food they eat. These initiatives support the three core principles developed by the President’s Food Safety Working Group: prioritizing prevention; strengthening surveillance and enforcement; and improving response and recovery. Some of these actions include:  Test and hold policy that will significantly reduce consumer exposure to unsafe meat products,

should the policy become final, because products cannot be released into commerce until agency test results for dangerous contaminants are known.  Labeling requirements that provide better information to consumers about their food by requiring nutrition information for singleingredient raw meat and poultry products and ground or chopped products.  Public Health Information System, a modernized, comprehensive database with information on public health trends and food safety violations at the nearly 6,300 plants FSIS regulates.  Performance standards for poultry establishments for continued reductions in the occurrence of pathogens. After two years of enforcing the new standards, FSIS estimates that approximately 5,000 illnesses will be prevented each year under the new campylobacter standards, and approximately 20,000 illnesses will be prevented under the revised salmonella standards each year.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Tips to minimize poultry house heating costs By Michael Czarick & Dr. Brian Fairchild Special to Poultry Times

ATHENS, Ga. — Keeping heating costs to a minimum has always been a goal for poultry producers during the winter months. Producers are working harder than ever to keep their heating bills manageable while at the same time trying to maximize bird performance.

Housing tips The following is a summary, taken from past housing tips articles, of a number of different aspects of minimizing fuel usage during cold weather:  Minimize air leakage The tighter a house the easier it is to keep a house warm and fuel costs down. A tight house enables the producer to control how much fresh air is brought into a house as well as where it comes in (i.e., inlets as compared to cracks in the sidewalls and endwalls). By bringing cold air in through planned sidewall inlets, temperature stratification, bird chilling and litter caking can be kept to a minimum. One way to gauge house tightness is to see how much static pressure can be obtained in the house by turning on one 48-inch fan, or two 36inch fans, with sidewall inlets and curtains closed. The higher the static pressure obtained the tighter the house is and the better able the producer is to control heating costs. To achieve maximum control over fuel usage, as well as environmental conditions, a producer must be able to obtain a static pressure of at least 0.13-inch. If a static pressure of 0.20-inch or better is achieved, this indicates that there is essentially no leakage, which is the ultimate goal.

 Install curtain pockets to increase curtain tightness. When exhaust fans are off, a significant amount of heat can be lost from the house if the sidewall curtains are not held tightly against the sidewall. A 12-inch to 18-inch, single hemmed curtain, attached to the sidewall above the sidewall curtain, will form a protective pocket for the curtain to slide into when the curtain is fully raised. Field studies have shown 10 percent to 15 percent fuel savings by installing such a curtain pocket.  Seal the bottom of your sidewall curtains. Stripping the bottom of sidewall curtains with a piece of 2-inch lumber has shown to be a relatively inexpensive method of increasing house tightness as well as reducing drafts at floor level. Another advantage of stripping the bottom of the curtain is the elimination of ice forming between the curtain and the sidewall which dramatically decreases house tightness on cold days.  Install curtain pockets on your tunnel curtains. Loose fitting tunnel curtains is a problem on many farms. Installing an inexpensive tunnel curtain pocket for the tunnel curtain to fall into has proven to lead to significantly warmer temperatures in the vicinity of the tunnel curtain as well reduced fuel usage and litter caking.  Take a look at installing tunnel doors on your totally-enclosed houses. For producers with totally-enclosed houses keeping the birds warm in the vicinity of the tunnel curtain can be a challenge. It is not uncommon on a cold morning to find the brooders/furnaces in the vicinity of the tunnel curtain operating nearly constantly while those in other areas of the

house are running only occasionally. Tunnel doors have proven to significantly reduce heat loss in the vicinity of the evaporative cooling pads leading to fuel savings of 10 percent or more as well as drier litter.  Use a 48-inch fan for minimum ventilation when half house brooding. In tight houses with sidewall inlets, 48-inch fans can be used instead of sidewall 36-inch fans for minimum ventilation. By using 48inch fans, heat can be drawn under the half house curtain into the nonbrooding end of the house during brooding. This eliminates problems with ammonia being drawn from the nonbrooding end into the brooding end and helps to preheat the nonbrooding end. When using a 48-inch fan for minimum ventilation it is important to keep in mind that if the nonbrooding end is cooler than 50 degrees F or the relative humidity of the air on the brooding end is more than 70 percent, significant condensation problems can occur on the non brooding end of the house.  If you are heating with natural gas check to see if switching to propane might reduce your heating costs. Producers using natural gas to heat their poultry houses have the option to switch to propane at a relatively minimum expense. With the deregulation of the natural gas industry in many states, it is important for producers heating with natural gas to evaluate if it would be less expensive to heat their houses using propane.  Use some emitters to evaluate house tightness and inlet performance. Smoke emitters are one of the best tools to determine where costly

air leakage is occurring in a poultry house. The process is quite simple. With a fan or two operating and inlets closed one person moves a smoke emitter over the outside surface of the sidewalls and endwalls while someone inside checks to see where most of the leakage is occurring. Smoke emitters can also be used to verify if the air entering the inlets during cold weather is making it to the ceiling at the center of the house.  Considering replacing your inlet cables with steel rod. In order to minimize fuel usage it is important that all the inlets in a poultry house open the same amount. Just a difference of one inch between inlets can lead to warm stuffy conditions on one end of a house and low temperatures on the other end. The use of steel rod has proven to dramatically reduce inlet opening variation by eliminating stretch and twist leading to much more consistent house air temperatures and quality.  Make sure your controller temperature sensors are in the proper location. Environmental controller’s temperature sensor placement can have a significant effect on both bird performance as well as energy usage. If placed too high or too close to a brooder, bird chilling can occur. If placed too close to a sidewall, brood curtain, endwall or in the vicinity of where the air entering through an inlet moves to the floor excessive fuel usage can occur.  Replace 10-minute-timers with 5-minute-timers. House temperature decreases half as much each time the minimum ventilation fans come on with 5-minute-timers as compared with 10-minute timers. If the house temperature drops

half as much, heaters are less likely to come on. Furthermore, moisture and ammonia levels are kept to a minimum because fans stay off half as long.  Make sure your controller is set to minimize fuel wastage. Environmental controller settings can have a significant effect on fuel usage during cold weather. Changing heating system and/or fan settings just a couple of degrees can reduce fuel usage significantly without adversely affecting bird performance.  Install 18-inch circulation fans to reduce temperature stratification. Hot air is lighter than cold air, and as a result, tends to accumulate near the ceiling. In houses with open ceilings the air near the ceiling can be 20 degrees or warmer than the air near the floor during brooding. Using small 18-inch 1/3 or 1/15 hp fans can help push the hot air off the ceiling down to the floor improving air temperatures at bird level, and increase litter drying while at the same time reducing heating costs 10 percent to 30 percent.  Use a relative humidity gauge/sensor to adjust minimum ventilation settings. Though there are general guidelines for minimum ventilation rates for different age birds to keep fuel costs to a minimum it is important that these rates are fine tuned for the conditions that exist in each house. Using a relative humidity gauge to maintain a relative humidity between 50 percent and 70 percent will help to insure that a house is not over or under-ventilated. Michael Czarick is an Extension engineer, and Dr. Brian Fairchild is an Extension poultry scientist, both with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service in Athens, Ga. More information can be obtained at www.poultryventilation.com.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

General housing operating tips for cold weather By Michael Czarick & Dr. Brian Fairchild Special to Poultry Times

ATHENS, Ga. — The following provides a list of general operating tips for a broiler house during cold weather:  On cold mornings, check floor temperature by using an infrared thermometer or by simply placing your hand on the litter. If you find a cool spot, examine the sidewalls for leakage or possibly sidewall inlets to see if they are set properly.  Consider placing a large dial thermometer at the ceiling to evaluate how good of a job you are doing at breaking up temperature stratification.  Watch your birds. Do they look cool? Are they bunched together? If so check for drafts due to air leakage or improperly set inlets.  As a general rule, it is better to run fewer exhaust fans on interval timers for minimum ventilation. This is because using a large number of minimum ventilation fans leads to wide variations in house temperature and air quality, thus leading to poor bird performance and excessive fuel usage. For instance, let’s say you had a choice of either three 36-inch fans two minutes out of five or six 36inch fans one minute out of five. In both instances you would bring in the same amount of air over the five-minute time period, namely 60,000 cube feet of air. But, by bringing in such a large amount of air over a relatively short time, house tem-

perature will decrease much more than if a smaller amount of air were introduced over a longer period of time, causing the furnaces/brooders to come on. Furthermore, since the exhaust fans are off for a longer period of time (four minutes versus three minutes) air quality will tend to vary more.  Do not use 10-minute interval timers to control minimum ventilation fans. A 10-minute timer works against you in two ways. To bring in the same amount of air the on time will be twice that of a five-minute timer, which means that every time the fans come on the house temperature will drop twice as much as it would in a house with a five-minute timer. This of course results in colder house temperatures and increased fuel usage. The off time of a 10minute timer is also twice that of a five-minute timer, which means ammonia, dust and moisture will build up twice as much as in a house using a five-minute timer.  Check your drinker line pressure. Too high of a water pressure not only can make it difficult for birds to drink but can lead to leaking and therefore litter caking. It is important to note that the minimum ventilation fans settings described assumes very little water is being added to the house due to improper line height or pressure. Did you know that if just an additional 5 gallons/hour ends up in the litter on the average winter day (40 degrees F, 40 percent relative

humidity), ventilation rates have to be increased by 1,000 cfm? In other words, it takes about 12,000 cubic feet of air to get rid of just 1 gallon of water. This additional air has to be heated of course to maintain the proper house temperature. This means if you were trying to maintain a house temperature of 75 degrees F, you would have to burn and additional half gallon of propane per hour because of the extra fresh air you are forced to bring in.  Do not decrease your house temperature in an effort to dry damp litter. The important point to keep in mind when you’re trying to dry damp litter is that warmer air holds more moisture than colder air. For instance, let’s say you had older birds and your house temperature was 70 degrees F and the relative humidity was 65 percent. You started noticing that your litter was starting to get a little damp and you wanted to dry it out before it slicked over. You turned down your timer fan thermostats to 65 degrees F to bring in more air. Since the temperature of the air is lower, the moisture holding ability of the air would decrease resulting in the relative humidity increasing to approximately 78 percent. This will make it more difficult to remove water from the litter. Yes, you would bring in more air, which would help to some extent, but the downside is that the higher relative humidity would make it more difficult to pull water from the litter. On the other hand, let’s say we

increased the house temperature just three degrees and left the timer fan settings the same. The relative humidity would decrease to approximately 58 percent, making it significantly easier to draw water out of the litter. Another option would have been to leave the house temperature the same and to turn up the timer fan settings. This also would have worked provided we did not let the house temperature fall. In some instances this would have meant adding heat to the house in order to maintain the desired house temperature.  Consider increasing your timer fan settings during the warmest periods of the day. As the outside temperature increases during the day, the relative humidity of the outside air decreases. In fact, on most days the outside relative humidity is half as much during the day as it is at night. Take advantage of this fact to help do a little extra drying during the day.  The benefits of using circulation fans generally decrease as the birds get older. With older birds minimum ventilation fans are generally operating enough that there is very little warm air remaining at the ceiling for the mixing fans to move down to bird level. As a result, many producers will turn off their mixing fans once the birds reach four weeks of age, especially during warmer weather. One case where operating circu-

lation fans with older birds can be of benefit is when additional litter drying is required. Litter drying can be significantly increased by using circulation fans during the warmer portions of the day to increase the amount of air movement in the house.  From time to time take a quick look at your timer fans to make sure that the belts are not worn or loose and that the shutters are clean. Fan maintenance issues have a way of sneaking up on you resulting in under-ventilated houses.  Make sure you check high/low temperature alarm settings weekly. Following these steps should help to control air quality, maintain environmental temperature, manage humidity and prevent the exposure of chicks to drafts at a minimal cost. The benefits of reducing house leakage, proper inlet management, and proper use of fans can not be over emphasized. It is important to keep in mind that houses will differ and the settings discussed may need to be modified slightly to obtain optimum performance. Michael Czarick is an Extension engineer; and Dr. Brian Fairchild is an Extension poultry scientist, both with the University of Georgia’s Cooperative Extension Service in Athens. More information can be obtained at www.poultryventilation.com.

Egg farmers offer educational grants to elementary schools PARK RIDGE, Ill. — America’s egg farmers are lending a helping hand to elementary schools nationwide with the “Be a Good Egg Contest” and a $5,000 grant top prize, the American Egg Board has announced.

The contest is part of The Good Egg Project: Education Station program with Discovery Education, which provides digital resources to K-12 classrooms designed to teach children how eggs go from farm-totable, the benefits of high-quality

protein in a healthy diet and community service.Elementary school teachers, students and members of the community, including parents, are encouraged to participate by taking a short online “quiz.” The school with the most com-

pleted quizzes will receive a $5,000 grant to put toward a health or nutrition initiative along with a donation to a local food bank in their school’s name. Five runners-up will receive a $1,000 educational grant. The con-

test runs through Nov. 15.

More information The quiz and contest entry can be accessed at http://educationstation. discoveryeducation.com/homeSweepstakes.cfm.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Improve yield & lower salmonella without added expense By Dr. Scott M. Russell Special to Poultry Times

ATHENS, GA. — For years, poultry companies have known that they can significantly improve finished whole-ready-to-cook WOG (without giblets) yield by lowering scalier temperatures. However, every time companies attempt to lower scalder temperatures two problems routinely occur: (1) salmonella begins to multiply in the scalder and (2) carcasses do not pick well. This has led to repeated assistance to companies that were having difficulty meeting the USDA Food Safety & Inspection Service, HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points)/Salmonella pathogen reduction rule. After carefully assessing these plants, it was determined that the only mistake being made was that they were running the scalders at temperatures below 123 degrees F. This should not be done because excreta (which may contain salmonella), as it comes off of the surface of the birds, will sink to the bottom of the scalder tank. As the shift progresses, more and more excreta may build up in the bottom of the scalder. If the temperature of the scalder is 100 to 110 degrees F, and there are any salmonella in the excreta at the bottom of the tank, the salmonella will begin to multiply rapidly. Essentially, at 110 degrees F, the processor is operating the world’s most expensive salmonella incubator. In the scalder tank at low temperature, the salmonella cells have all of the components they need to multiply rapidly. They have the optimum growth temperature, moisture, nutrients, pH, etc.. Thus, it is recommended that poultry companies never run their scalders at a temperature lower than Dr. Scott M. Russell is an Extension poultry scientist with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service in Athens, Ga.

123 degrees F. What is magic about 123 degrees F? The maximum growth temperature for salmonella is 113 degrees F. The research literature indicates that, to preclude the growth of microorganisms, they should be kept at a temperature that is at least 10 degrees F above their maximum growth temperature. Thus, to prevent any multiplication of salmonella in scalders, the temperature should never be lower than 123 degrees F. I have evaluated scalders in processing plants that were running at 115 degrees F and found 100,000 salmonella cells/ml of scalder water. This means that every chicken that was being processed was being inoculated with hundreds of thousands of salmonella cells. Keep in mind that only one salmonella cell results in a positive carcass postchill and is a problem with regard to the FSIS. This makes the job of the intervention strategy that is employed downstream, such as the online reprocessing system (OLR) or the chiller, that much more difficult. How can this problem be overcome? This problem may be avoided by introducing a sanitizer into the scalder. It seems easy to put a chemical sanitizer into the scalder, but in actual practice it is very difficult. For this reason, very few poultry companies add anything to their scalders to disinfect them. The reasons are twofold: (1) they are not used to spending money on scalder disinfectants and thus are reticent to spend the extra money, and (2) very few chemicals have been shown to have any efficacy. Chlorine or other oxidant-based sanitizers should not be used in scalders because it is immediately deactivated by the organic load in the scalder and can gas off. Sodium hypochlorite (a basic compound that raises the pH dramatically) does not significantly im-

pact the bacterial levels on carcasses during scalding. A benefit to adding acidic disinfectant chemicals to the scalder is that the scalder temperature may then be lowered without the concern that salmonella will begin to grow. Likewise, acids greatly improve picking. In studies in very large scale processing plants, we lowered scalder pH to 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 in scald-tanks 3, 2, and 1, respectively. We could not detect any salmonella in any of the three scald tanks. Also, by doing this, we noted that all of the carcasses appeared to be completely picked upon exiting the first picker. Thus, we found that we could greatly reduce scalder temperature while avoiding the two problems with low scald temperature as noted at the beginning of the article. What is the logical reason why lowering scalder temperatures improve yield? Chicken fat is very unsaturated, which means that it becomes liquefied at lower temperatures than saturated fat like beef fat (tallow) or pork fat (lard). This means that even with only two minutes of exposure to a scalder at a temperature of 130 degrees F and above, the fat under the skin becomes liquefied and will drain out from under the skin as the carcasses move along the line suspended upside down and especially when the carcasses are placed into the chiller, where there is tremendous agitation. This results in yield loss in the form of fat loss. This is very different than yield loss or gain because of water pick-up. Many companies have noticed that when they switched from trisodium phosphate OLR applications, they encountered a significant yield loss, generally on the order of 1-2 percent. This is a huge loss and causes a great deal of consternation. However, the yield gain because of water

pick-up in the chiller is a problem. The trisodium phosphate shifts the pH upward, thus making the pH of the meat slightly higher and away from its isoelectric point. This makes the waterholding capacity of the meat increase greatly. This is why phosphate is almost always used in marinades to make the meat hold the marinade that is introduced. The problem is that the meat will eventually purge some of this water into the package later on and customers do not like liquids spilling out of their packages. Therefore, yield increase due to water-weight gain is not the best option. It is much more advisable to maintain the fat under the skin of the chicken. The benefits are as follows:  More subskin fat equates to

more WOG yield.  Less fat is expressed onto equipment, reducing the ability of salmonella to be encased in this fat and be protected from chemical sanitizers and contaminate carcasses as they touch the equipment.  Less fat comes out from under the skin in the chiller which reduces the organic load of the chiller, allowing chlorine and other oxidants to do a much better job.  Less fat must be removed from the overflow water of the chiller by the wastewater treatment system. How much yield can you gain by lowering scalder temperatures? We conducted a study in two very large poultry processing facilities. First, we had to determine the op-

See Processing, Page 18

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Whether you are just starting your career or you are an experienced professional, Rose Acre Farms offers possibilities for those looking to grow and develop. We offer competitive benefits. We also provide many training opportunities to help you achieve your career development goals. We are currently seeking candidates for the following management trainee programs:

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If you are looking for a company where you can truly make an impact and provide value-added work, explore the possibilities at Rose Acre Farms, Inc. Interested applicants may send a resume to Jeff Collins at jcollins@goodegg.com or apply online at roseacrefarms.com. Rose Acre Farms, Inc and its affiliated and subsidiary corporations refrain from discrimination and engage in affirmative steps to ensure that applicants and employees receive equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, religion, sex, and/or national origin.

•Processing (Continued from page 17)

timal scalder temperatures to use. We found that it is inadvisable to lower all three scalder tanks by 5 degrees. The carcasses will not pick well if this approach is taken. Instead, we found that by staggering the scald tanks, we were able to get very good picking while maintaining yield. In the first plant that processes over 320,000 carcasses per day, we were able to achieve an excellent pick while maintaining the three scald tanks at 110, 114, and 138 degrees F, for tanks 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The plant originally ran the scalder at 132, 134, and 136 degrees F, for tanks 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Plant managers have indicated that reducing the temperature of the scalders only a few degrees results in observable yield increases. We

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

were able to reduce the temperatures dramatically and observed unbelievable yield increases; however, we did not weigh the carcasses at the chiller exit. Thus, we conducted another study in a different processing plant which used only one long scalder. We had to adjust the three zones of the scalder to achieve our goal. We ran the scalders at normal temperatures for the control group at 132, 134, and 138 degrees F, for zone 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The carcasses were evaluated by counting feathers remaining after pick and found to be equivalent for the control and treated groups of chickens. We tagged live birds (50), weighed them, ran them through the entire process, collected them after chilling and re-weighed them for both the control and treated groups. This was conducted over three

days of processing. The results were staggering. During the three days of testing, the processing yield for the control group was 75.83 percent. However, for carcasses scalded at lower temperatures, the yield was 76.87 percent. This means that an average yield increase of 1.04 percent was achieved. I sincerely believe that much greater yield increases will be observed when a three-stage scalder is used instead of the one scalder used in this study because in threestage scalders, we are able to lower the temperatures to a much greater degree as described above. What conclusions can be made from this study? If an average poultry processor produces 200,000 to 250,000 chickens per day at an average weight of 3 pounds, this equates to 600,000 to 750,000 pounds of meat. If we use

USPOULTRY awards $160,000 in student recruiting grants TUCKER, Ga. — The USPOULTRY Foundation has approved student recruiting grants totaling approximately $160,000 to the six U.S. universities with poultry science departments and 15 other institutions with industry related programs. The foundation provides annual recruiting funds to colleges and universities to attract students to their poultry programs. The six poultry science departments receiving the grants are: Texas A&M University, $24,910; North Carolina State University, $18,279; University of Arkansas, $15,491; Auburn University, $13,632; Mississippi State University, $14,477; and University of Georgia, $13,210. The 15 other institutions with industry related programs receiving recruiting grants under the Foundation’s Industry Education Funding

Program are: California State University Fresno, Calif., $7,000; Clemson University, South Carolina, $2,500; Crowder College, Missouri, $2,500; Gainesville State College, Georgia, $2,000; Iowa State University, Iowa, $2,000; Jones Junior College, Mississippi, $2,400; Louisiana State University, Louisiana, $7,000; Modesto Junior College, California, $5,000; National Park Community College, Arkansas, $6,500; Penn State University, Pennsylvania, $7,000; Stephen F. Austin State University, Texas, $3,000; Tennessee Tech University, Tennessee, $2,500; University of Delaware, Delaware, $4,600; Wallace State Community College, Alabama, $2,000; West Virginia University, West Virginia, $4,000. “It is vital that we continue to draw sharp young people to study

for careers in the poultry industry,” said USPOULTRY Foundation chairman Gary Cooper, Cooper Farms, Oakwood, Ohio. “We need bright young managers to join our companies today, as they will eventually be the leaders of tomorrow. USPOULTRY Foundation recruiting grants play an important role in encouraging students to enroll in industry related studies and in becoming future industry leaders of tomorrow,” he said. In 2004, the Poultry Science Education Funding Program, now named the Industry Education Recruitment Funding Program, was added to the foundation’s umbrella so other colleges and universities that offer industry related studies are eligible to apply for recruiting grants. Applications must be submitted for these grants, which provide up to $7,000 each.

a figure of 70 cents/pound of meat, then the plant would be producing $420,000 to $525,000 worth of product a day. Thus, using these figures, a 1 percent yield increase equates to $4,200 to $5,250 a day in savings (or $1,092,000 to $1,365,000 per year) even when only adjusting the scalder temperatures down to a moderate degree. Also, a minimum of $500/day would be saved in energy costs resulting in a total cost savings of $4,700 to $5,750 per day. Therefore, using a proper acid sanitizer in the scalder has been demonstrated to:  Make carcasses much easier to pick.  Decrease bacterial growth and lower bacterial numbers on carcasses including salmonella.  Decrease cross-contamination of salmonella from carcass to

carcass.  Reduce overscald striping of breasts.  Reduce the cost of energy required to heat the scalder water.  Reduce the amount of subskin fat cook-off leading to higher yields.  Decrease the amount of fat on processing equipment.  Decrease the amount of fat in the chiller, allowing chlorine or other chemistries to do a much better job. What is the cost/benefit ratio? Assuming that an acid sanitizer costs a plant $2,500 per day to use (high estimate), the cost benefit would be approximately $2,200 to $3,250 per day (or $572,000 to $845,000 per year). Hopefully, companies will begin implementing measures to reduce pathogens and save a significant amount of money at the same time.

www.poultrytimes.net

•Minn. (Continued from page 1)

their speaking, interview and presentation skills through industry and publicity appearances during their year-long term and received royal portraits rendered by the official Minnesota State Fair artist, Joe Heffron. “Our hope is to continue a fantastic tradition that shines light on the vitality of our state’s poultry indus-

try and supports agricultural education,” said Rory Bidinger, brand advocacy and marketing manager for GNP Co., the company behind the Gold’n Plump brand. “It’s important that we create opportunities for young adults to lead and learn in our local communities,” said Brad Rugg, director of 4-H Fairs and Animal Science Programs, University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Graham wins Foster Farms ‘fresh’ cooking contest SAINT HELENA, Calif. — Merry Graham of Newhall, Calif., won the third annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest held Sept. 28 at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in California’s Napa Valley. Competing against five other finalists from California, Oregon and Washington, Graham’s LemonHoisin Glazed Chicken on Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Sesame Rice beat out nearly 1,200 West Coast recipes to win the $10,000 grand prize and a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken. In the spirit of the contest’s focus on fresh, local ingredients, Graham’s recipe featured locally grown ingredients including lemons, asparagus and Foster Farms fresh chicken. The six finalists prepared and presented their fresh chicken dishes to a panel of professional chefs and food savvy media judges. Judges made decisions based on taste, use of fresh, local ingredients, appearance and appeal, simplicity and ease of making and originality. A “People’s Choice” award was presented to Karen Bernards from McMinnville, Ore., for her Hoisin Chicken Thighs dish. She

was awarded a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken and a $1,000 shopping spree at the Spice Island® Marketplace at Greystone. A week before the contest, at 500 Foster Farms House Parties held in California, Oregon and Washington, thousands of home chefs and their guests prepared and tasted the six finalist dishes for themselves and voted for the “People’s Choice” winner, announced Sept. 28. “It was an honor to be a part of today’s contest and sample the finalist recipes competing,” said judge Ken Frank, chef/owner of Napa’s La Toque. “On behalf of all the judges, we were equally impressed with the creativity, use of local ingredients, and variety of fresh chicken dishes created, especially given the wide range of talents and experience among the finalists. It was a difficult decision, ultimately resulting in a win for Merry Graham’s Lemon-Hoisin Glazed Chicken on Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Sesame Rice dish because of her use of local ingredients, taste and presentation.” “We’ve seen the caliber of recipes rise to a higher level of quality and creativity each year through unique

pairings of Foster Farms fresh chicken with the rich agricultural bounty from California, Oregon and Washington,” said Ira Brill, director of marketing for Foster Farms. “We placed extra emphasis on using fresh, local ingredients in the judging criteria as Foster Farms is committed to delivering locally grown fresh chicken to the store in 48 hours or less.” As far as trend indicators, many of the recipes submitted this year were health-focused. Grains and legumes, such as quinoa, barley and lentils, were widely used to complement the fresh chicken. Many recipes also included rubs, several of which incorporated coffee or tea. The six finalists each won $1,000 in Regional Competitions held in Portland, San Diego, Calif., and Seattle, in the weeks leading up to today’s Final Competition. The Grand Prize winner and People’s Choice winner each receive 104 $10 vouchers good for Foster Farms fresh chicken. For complete recipes and information on the 2013 contest, visit: www.fosterfarms.com/cookingcontest.

NCC disputes Consumer Reports finding WASHINGTON — The National Chicken Council has taken issue with a Consumer Reports investigation which the council said “leaves the false impression that feed additives containing arsenic are fed to chickens in the United States.” NCC released the following statement strongly condemning these insinuations: “Chickens in the United States produced for meat are not given arsenic as an additive in chicken feed,”

said Tom Super, NCC vice president of communications. “Some flocks used to be given feed that contained a product called Roxarsone, which included safe levels of organic arsenic. Even though the science shows that such low levels of arsenic do not harm chickens or the people eating them, this product was removed from the market last year, it is no longer manufactured and it is no longer used in raising chickens in the United States. No other products

containing any amount of arsenic are used in chicken production.” For more information, the National Chicken Council can be reached at its new offices at 1152 15th St., N.W., Suite 430, Washington, D.C. 20005; Ph: 202-296-2622, Fax: 202-296-4005. NCC can also be reached on the Internet at www.nationalchickencouncil.com, or www.eatchicken. com.

Winning recipe Lemon-Hoisin Glazed Chicken on Roasted Asparagus and Cherry Sesame Rice: Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients: 6 Foster Farms chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into 1” chunks 2 1/4 tsp salt, divided 1 tbsp minced ginger root 4 cloves garlic, chopped, divided 3 tbsp peanut oil, divided 6 green onions, chopped, with whites and greens divided 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, rinse well and drained 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1/4 cup lemon juice, divided 2/3 cup dried cherries, chopped 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce 1 1/2 tbsp honey, divided 1 large lemon or two small, finely grate zest 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, divided 2 tsp black sesame seeds 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2” pieces 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, divided 1/3 cup roasted salted almonds, roughly chopped

Directions: Mix chicken, one teaspoon salt, ginger, and half of the garlic. Set aside. In medium saucepan over medium heat, warm one tablespoon peanut oil. Stir in onion whites, remaining garlic, and jasmine rice. Cook, stirring frequently, for 8 minutes or until beginning to toast. Add broth, half of the lemon juice and one teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 15 minutes. Uncover, fluff with fork, stir in dried cherries, sesame oil, and remaining green onions. Set aside. In large frying pan over medium high heat, warm one tablespoon peanut oil. Add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, for 6 minutes or until no longer pink on the outside. In small bowl, stir together vinegar, Hoisin, one tablespoon honey, remaining lemon juice, half of the lemon zest and 1/4-teaspoon red pepper flakes. Add sauce to chicken in pan and continue cooking for 10 additional minutes on medium. Raise heat to high and cook for 2-4 minutes until sauce on chicken is dark and has thickened. Sprinkle chicken with black sesame seeds. Remove pan from heat, set aside and keep warm. In second large frying pan, warm remaining peanut oil over high heat. Add asparagus, remaining honey, red pepper and remaining salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2-4 minutes, or until asparagus is tender. To serve, plate rice on serving platter. Top with half of the cilantro, almonds, and roasted asparagus, Top with chicken pieces. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro and lemon zest.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

U.S. corn and soybean stocks down from 2011 WASHINGTON â&#x20AC;&#x201D; As of Sept. 1, there were 988 million bushels of corn and 169 million bushels of soybeans in storage, according to the quarterly Grain Stocks report recently released by the USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s National Agricultural Statistics Service . By Sept. 1, there were 314 million bushels of corn stored on U.S. farms, down slightly from September 2011. There was a significant decrease in off-farm corn stock. On Sept. 1, off-farm storage facili-

ties held 675 million bushels of corn, down 17 percent from the prior year. The U.S. corn disappearance totaled 2.16 billion bushels during the summer of 2012, down from the disappearance of 2.54 billion bushels during the same time period last year. A similar situation is replicated in soybean stocks. As of Sept. 1, there were 169 million bushels in storage. Of these, 38.3 million bushels were stored

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on the farms, and 131 million bushels off the farms, a 21 percent decrease for both categories. Indicated soybean disappearance during the June-August period totaled 498 million bushels, compared to 404 million bushels disappearance during the same time frame last year. To collect these statistics, NASS surveyed 66,500 grain farm operators during the first two weeks of September. The agency also surveyed nearly 9,000 off-

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Ranchers see increase in grass thefts amid drought The Associated Press

VAUGHN, N.M. — Petty crime and burglaries aren’t unusual in New Mexico’s isolated Guadalupe County, but lately Sheriff Michael Lucero has seen thieves steal something a bit unexpected: grass. With drought drying out grazing land and driving up hay prices, some ranchers in New Mexico have started cutting neighbors’ fences or leaving gates open so their cattle can graze on greener pastures. Authorities in other droughtstricken states say they’ve seen similar fence cuttings, along with thefts of livestock and other materials as ranchers struggle to stay in business. In some cases, stealing a neighbor’s grass may be the only way for a rancher to feed his livestock, but victims say their livelihood is being threatened too. “We’ve had around five cases in the past few weeks where someone

says his cattle just happened to walk through a gate that just happened to be open or an instance where a fence was clearly cut,” Lucero said. “And I suspect there are more cases, but they aren’t being reported.” Ranchers from Missouri to Texas and west into New Mexico have sold off huge portions of their herds this year because the worst drought in decades dried up their pastures and they couldn’t afford to buy food for their animals. While grass thefts might seem relatively harmless, ranchers say they threaten the businesses and animals that are left. “If they don’t have enough grass on the ranch, they have to sell their cattle,” said Leon Porter, a rancher in Corona, N.M., who sold half his herd this year to keep going. It’s not clear just how many grass thefts have happened since most aren’t reported, and even when they are, most don’t result in arrests, said Myles Culbertson, executive direc-

tor of the New Mexico Livestock Board. “It’s extremely hard to make a case. You almost have to have an eyewitness,” he said. But reports from individual counties show an increase. In Colorado, for example, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office has received four reports of hay thefts in two months, the most it has seen in years, spokesman John Schulz said. “We typically see an isolated case here and there, but nothing like this,” Schulz said. In one case, Wellington, Colo., rancher Ted Swanson said $5,000 worth of hay was taken from a field over the Labor Day weekend. Swanson said the thieves knew what they were doing because they stole high quality alfalfa from storage and ruined lower quality to get it. “I felt sort of astounded,” said Swanson, who never had been

robbed of hay in 20 years of owning his ranch. “I couldn’t believe it happened.” The drought hurt hay production at the same time it damaged grazing land, and in some cases, ranchers can’t find or afford hay to replace bales that are stolen. In Texas, for example, an 800pound bale of hay costs about $150, roughly twice as much as it did at this time last year. “We sell small, 2-by-3 bales of hay now for around $20,” said Tom Schacht, manager of Parker Feed and Western Supply in Parker, Colo. “Last year, the same bale was around $14. It’s because of the shortage.” Some farmers in Missouri have tried to deter thieves by painting bales of hay bold colors to help identify stolen bales sitting on others’ property. In Texas and New Mexico, local authorities have asked the U.S. Border Patrol and other federal agencies

to help watch for suspicious behavior around ranches, including cattle rustling and grass theft. “We are seeing a pattern. It’s hard to monitor since we are busy trying to catch DUIs and other crimes, so we need more eyes and ears,” said Luna County Sheriff Raymond Cobos, whose New Mexico county borders Mexico and sits just west of El Paso, Texas. Cobos recently unveiled a plan involving a number of local and federal law enforcement agencies in the fight against ranch-related property crimes. His deputies also are taking classes on cattle branding to help identify stolen livestock. “We see people with cowboy hats transporting cattle and hay all of the time, and we think nothing of it,” Cobos said. “But now if we see them at 3 a.m. in the morning . . . we have to stop and think: Is there something wrong?”

USDA announces new opportunities for small meat & poultry processors WASHINGTON — U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan announced recently that Ohio will be the first state to participate in USDA’s Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program. Under this program, Ohio’s small, state-inspected meat processors will be able to ship their products across state lines. The cooperative interstate shipment program will expand economic opportunities for America’s small meat and poultry processors, strengthen state and local economies, and increase consumer access to safe, locally-produced food, the department said. “This agreement allows a small processor in Ohio to sell products to neighbors in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana and beyond,”

Merrigan said. “Expanding market opportunities for meat from local processors makes these small businesses more viable, while also ensuring that participating establishments have robust food safety systems in place to produce safe food for consumers.” Under the cooperative agreement, small, state-inspected businesses with 25 or fewer employees will be allowed to sell meat products across state lines. Meat products produced in selected establishments will be subject to the same regulatory sampling programs as those established in the federal inspection program. The Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program was established by the 2008 Farm Bill. In 2011, USDA finalized regulations to allow state

employees to administer federal regulations and use federal marks of inspection at selected establishments. Prior to the establishment of this program, state-inspected businesses could only sell products within their state. State-inspected establishments interested in shipping interstate should contact their state’s meat inspection program. In addition, USDA will soon pub-

lish a directive detailing how states and small businesses can join the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program. The USDA’s Small Plant Help Desk is also available to help small meat businesses understand regulatory requirements. The help desk can be reached between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. (EST), Monday through Friday, 877-3747435. This announcement is reflective of USDA’s ongoing focus on strengthening the critical connection between farmers and consumers and supporting local and regional food systems, the department added. USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, launched in September 2009, coordinates USDA resources and expertise on

local and regional food systems. Through this initiative, USDA integrates programs and policies that:  Stimulate food- and agriculturally-based community economic development.  Foster new opportunities for farmers and ranchers.  Promote locally and regionally produced and processed foods.  Cultivate healthy eating habits and educated, empowered consumers.  Expand access to affordable fresh and local food.  Demonstrate the connection between food, agriculture, community and the environment. More information can be obtained at the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food website at www.usda. gov/knowyourfarmer.

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Markets

week business. Prices were steady for wings and tenders, steady to weak for dark meat items and breast cuts. Offerings of wings were light to moderate, tenders were moderate, dark meat cuts were moderate to heavy with drumsticks in the weakest position. Market activity for parts was slow to moderate. In production areas, live supplies were moderate at mostly desirable weights.

Compiled by David B. Strickland, Editor 770-718-3442 dstrickland@poultrytimes.net

Nat’l. Broiler Market:

F owl: Sept. 28: Live spent heavy fowl

was light to good, mostly moderate. Foodservice demand was light to moderate with best movement on features and promotional items. Market activity was slow to moderate. In the parts structure, movement was light to moderate for early

(Oct. 2): Whole broiler/fryer prices were trending steady in all areas. Offerings of all sizes were moderate for trade needs. Retail demand

Final prices at Farm Buyer Loading (per pound): range 9½-21¢

P arts: Georgia:

The f.o.b. dock quoted prices on ice-pack parts based on

truckload and pool truckload lots for the week of Oct. 1: line run tenders $2.04; skinless/boneless breasts $1.63½; whole breasts $1.03; boneless/skinless thigh meat $1.31½; thighs 73½¢; drumsticks 69½¢; leg quarters 53¢; wings $1.82½.

is 1,627,000. Actual slaughter for the week ending Sept. 22 was 1,467,000. Total: Week of Sept. 29: 160,796,000. Week of Sept. 22: 160,340,000.

N ational Slaughter: Broiler: Estimated slaugh-

Estimates: The estimated number of broiler-fryers available for slaughter the week ending Sept. 29 was 152.9 million head, compared to 161.5 million head slaughtered the same week last year. The estimated slaughter for the week of Sept. 29 was 157.7 million head or 4.8 million more than estimated available. For the week of Oct. 6, the estimated available is 152.9 million head, notes the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, Poultry Programs.

ter for week ending Sept. 29 is 157,410,000. Actual slaughter for the week ending Sept. 22 was 156,904,000. Heavy-type hen: Estimated slaughter for the week ending Sept. 29 is 1,759,000. Actual slaughter for the week ending Sept. 22 was 1,969,000. Light-type hen: Estimated slaughter for the week ending Sept. 29

Broiler/Fryer Markets

Industry Stock Report The following chart provides an annual high and a comparison of recent activity of major poultry company stocks.

USDA Shell Eggs AMS weekly combined region shell egg prices Average prices on sales to volume buyers, Grade A or better, White eggs in cartons, delivered warehouse, cents per dozen.

Company

Annual High

Cal-Maine 47.00 Campbell Soup 36.28 ConAgra 27.81 Hormel 30.70 Pilgrim’s Pride 8.68 Sanderson Farms 55.87 Seaboard 2349.99 Tyson 21.06

Sept. 25

Oct. 2

44.54 46.16 34.83 35.18 27.39 27.79 29.03 29.75 5.00 5.25 43.61 45.24 2199.19 2293.41 15.92 16.54

Sept. 28

Extra Large Regions: Northeast 145.00 Southeast 147.50 Midwest 139.50 South Central 152.50 Combined 146.42

Large

Medium

141.00 145.50 137.50 149.50 143.66

117.00 116.00 113.50 118.50 116.34

Computed from simple weekly averages weighted by regional area populations

USDA Composite Weighted Average For week of: Oct. 1 82.56¢ For week of: Sept. 24 82.74¢ Chi.-Del.-Ga.-L.A.-Miss.-N.Y.--S.F.-South. States Sept. 17 Oct. 1 For delivery week of: Chicago majority 66--78¢ 67--78¢ Mississippi majority 84--87¢ 82--86¢ New York majority 80--83¢ 80--83¢ For delivery week of: Sept. 18 Oct. 2 Delmarva weighted average 70¢--$1.02 76¢--$1.04 Georgia f.o.b. dock offering 95¾¢ 95¾¢ Los Angeles majority price $1.05 $1.05 San Francisco majority price $1.05½ $1.05½ Southern States f.o.b. average 63.83¢ 64.40¢

Grain Prices

Turkey Markets

OHIO COUNTRY ELEV. Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 No. 2 Yellow Corn/bu. $7.53 $7.50 $7.62 Soybeans/bu. $16.34 $15.75 $15.25 (Courtesy: Prospect Farmers Exchange, Prospect, Ohio)

(Courtesy: A.G. Edwards & Sons Inc.)

Weighted avg. prices for frozen whole young turkeys Weighted average (cents/lb.) F.O.B. shipper dock

Broiler Eggs Set/Chicks Placed in 19 States Ala Ark

Ca,Tn,Wv

Del Fla Ga Ky La Md Miss Mo. N.C. Okla Pa S.C. Tex Va

19 States Total Prev. year % Prev. yr.

EGGS SET (Thousands)

CHICKS PLACED (Thousands)

Sept. 1

Sept. 8

Sept. 15

Sept. 22

Sept. 1

Sept. 8

Sept. 15

Sept. 22

27,312 20,757 10,521 3,259 1,347 31,606 7,697 3,211 6,944 16,386 8,019 19,445 6,693 3,584 4,721 12,784 5,985

26,639 19,074 10,110 3,143 1,353 30,962 7,249 3,285 6,932 16,740 8,037 18,217 6,539 3,505 5,402 13,495 5,798

26,841 19,420 9,531 3,155 1,088 30,475 6,980 3,272 7,182 16,489 7,366 18,394 6,459 3,473 5,513 12,533 5,500

27,468 20,859 10,460 3,153 1,353 31,914 7,430 3,008 7,119 15,600 7,252 19,206 6,736 3,562 4,855 12,786 6,032

20,056 19,027 11,021 4,947 1,186 26,271 6,404 2,871 5,738 14,397 5,854 15,827 4,437 2,838 3,847 11,439 3,877

19,993 20,937 9,684 4,023 1,105 25,810 6,403 2,857 6,350 14,411 4,937 15,780 3,843 3,040 5,263 10,614 4,503

19,801 20,760 10,378 4,033 1,300 27,497 5,812 2,847 5,620 13,447 5,032 16,165 4,202 3,140 3,871 11,183 5,424

19,617 19,973 10,701 3,907 972 26,332 6,138 2,818 5,924 14,178 5,513 15,602 4,247 3,022 4,417 10,801 4,889

190,271 189,258

186,480 185,218

183,671 179,528

188,793 187,841

160,037 160,923

159,553 160,203

160,512 160,820

159,051 157,901

101

102

101

100

101

1/Current week as percent of same week last year.

National Week ending Sept. 28 Hens (8-16 lbs.) 110.86 Toms (16-24 lbs.) 112.56

Last year 112.20 109.90

Week ending Sept. 21 Hens (8-16 lbs.) Toms (16-24 lbs.)

Sept. avg. 110.54 110.70

110.00 110.50

Egg Markets USDA quotations New York cartoned del. store-door: Sept. 25 Extra large, down 20¢ $1.48--$1.52 Large, down 20¢ $1.46--$1.50 Medium, down 22¢ $1.23--$1.27 Southeast Regional del. warehouse: Sept. 25 Extra large, down 7½¢ $1.39½--$1.57 Large, down 4½¢ $1.35½--$1.56 Medium, down 11¢ $1.12--$1.31

Oct. 2 $1.28--$1.32 $1.26--$1.30 $1.01--$1.05 Oct. 2 $1.32--$1.61 $1.31--$1.60 $1.01--$1.31

POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

AMERICAN EGG BOARD HOTLINE AEB Hotline appears regularly in Poultry Times and provides an update on programs and services provided for egg producers by the American Egg Board. Details on any item mentioned may be obtained by contacting AEB at 1460 Renaissance Dr., Park Ridge, Ill. 60068. Phone: 847296-7043.  Datassentials is an AEB research partner that analyzes trends based upon a data base of menus from more than 6,000 U.S. restaurants. Following are mid-year 2012 highlights from their recently released “Egg Menuing: Breakfast and Beyond Volume 9” report.  Breakfast item penetration growth rate, the percent change in restaurants that offer breakfast, has increased across all restaurant segments during the past five years. In the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) segment, the 5-Year Penetration Growth Rate has increased by 8 percent from 2007 to 2012.  With consideration for the number of units in chain restaurants, breakfast penetration in the QSR segment has increased by 45 percent from 2007 to 2012.  The QSR segment maintains the largest share of breakfast overall and this segment has shown a growth of 8 percent during the past five years from 76 percent in 2007 to 82 percent in 2012.  Among QSRs with new breakfast items, the percent that feature eggs has increased considerably over the last five years.

Egg incidence among newly added breakfast items at QSRs was 28 percent in 2007 and increased to 39 percent in 2012, a 39 percent increase.  During the past five years, the incidence of hot Breakfast Sandwiches at QSRs has increased by 13 percent from 16 percent in 2007 to 18 percent in 2012.  Hot Breakfast Sandwiches continue to be the top breakfast item menued at QSRs, comprising an 18 percent share of breakfast items in this segment.  These insights continue to demonstrate the great opportunities for eggs at QSR breakfast, AEB’s primary target.  In August, Mary Donkersloot, one of the Egg Nutrition Center’s Health Professional Advisors, was featured on the Oldways/MedAlliance website discussing her professional outlook about eggs. Her post titled, “All About Eggs A Q&A with Mary Donkersloot” included pictures from AEB. View it here: http://tinyurl.com/encmary.  Using U.S. dried egg products, USAPEEC Japan will conduct a bakery seminar at Iwase Esta, a leading company of ingredients for confections and bakeries, on Oct. 31 in Tokyo for more than 100 professionals from bakeries and confectioneries as well as the press to attend. Audience members will learn about the benefits and quality of processed egg products and see a product demo.

Sorghum eyed as bioenergy crop By Jan Suszkiw

Special to Poultry Times

BELTSVILLE, Md. — Sweet sorghum is primarily grown in the United States as a source of sugar for syrup and molasses. But the sturdy grass has other attributes that could make it uniquely suited to production as a bioenergy crop, USDA studies suggest. Sorghum is an ideal candidate because of its drought tolerance, adaptability to diverse growing conditions, low nitrogen fertilizer requirements and high biomass (plant material) content, according to molecular biologist Scott Sattler and collaborator Jeff Pedersen with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service. It also produces soluble sugar that can be converted to biofuel. Residual fibers left over from the juice extraction process also can be

burned to generate electricity. Sattler and Pedersen’s studies of sorghum are part of a larger effort by ARS-USDA’s principal intramural scientific research agency-to answer a government mandate calling for the production of up to 36 billion gallons of biofuel by 2022. Approximately 15 billion gallons of that total will come from grain ethanol, with the remaining 21 billion gallons to come from other sources, or “feedstocks,” including sorghum, sugarcane, other grasses like switchgrass and oilseed crops like rapeseed and soybean. Sorghum and sugarcane are top candidates for production in the southeastern U.S. because they are complementary crops that can extend the biofuel production season and utilize the same equipment, note Sattler and Pedersen, who work at

the ARS Grain, Forage and Bioenergy Research Unit in Lincoln, Neb. However, they are not the only team examining sweet sorghum’s energy potential. At the ARS Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit in Tifton, Ga., geneticist William Anderson and his colleagues are working to identify desirable sweet sorghum genes and their functions so improved varieties can be developed. In studies, they selected 117 genotypes from the ARS sorghum germplasm collection at Griffin, Ga., and evaluated them for their ability to mature quickly and resist fall armyworms and the fungal disease anthracnose. Jan Suszkiw is a public affairs specialist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Md.

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POULTRY TIMES, October 8, 2012

Napiergrass: Potential biofuel crop for the southeast By Dennis O’Brien

Special to Poultry Times

BELTSVILLE, Md. — A grass fed to cattle throughout much of the tropics may become a biofuel crop that helps the nation meet its future energy needs, according to a USDA scientist. Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum) is fairly drought-tolerant, grows well on marginal lands and filters nutrients out of runoff in riparian areas, according to William Anderson, a geneticist in the Agricultural Research Service Crop Genetics and Breeding Research Unit in Tifton, Ga. Government mandates call for production of up to 36 billion gallons of biofuel by 2022. While much of that will come from grain ethanol, 21 billion gallons is expected to be derived from other crop-based feedstocks. As part of a nationwide search for alternatives, Anderson and his colleagues compared napiergrass with several other candidate feedstocks in a study to see how they would fare in head-to-head competition. The researchers grew energy cane, napiergrass, switchgrass and giant reed for four years and compared biomass yields and soil nutrient requirements. Joseph Knoll, a post-doctoral researcher in Anderson’s laboratory, led the research effort. The team included Timothy Strickland and

Robert Hubbard, ARS scientists with the agency’s Southeast Watershed Research Unit in Tifton, and Ravindra Malik of Albany State University in Albany, Ga. With sunny skies and long growing seasons, farms and forests in the Southeastern United States are expected to play a major role in providing biofuel crops. The researchers’ findings, along with others, show that napiergrass could be a viable biofuel crop in the Southeast’s southern tier. It is not as cold-tolerant as switchgrass, but does offer advantages, such as continuing to produce biomass until the first frost. The research results have been published in BioEnergy Research. The researchers are continuing to study napiergrass with an eye toward improving yields, usable fiber content, and disease resistance. They are also evaluating production systems that use chicken litter, synthetic fertilizer and winter cover crops, as well as different irrigation levels, harvest times and planting dates. Preliminary findings in those studies show yields are sufficient without irrigation, and that there is little difference in yield when poultry litter is used instead of synthetic fertilizers. Dennis O’Brien is a public affairs specialist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Beltsville, Md.

www.poultrytimes.net

USDA Agricultural Research Service

Napiergrass: In research plots in Shellman, Ga., USDA geneticist Bill Anderson measures the height of napiergrass, one of the prime candidates for biofuels production in the southeastern U.S. Anderson and his team are working toward developing biomass crops for producing biofuels in this region of the country.

NCFC recognizes National Co-op Month WASHINGTON — The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) joins cooperatives across the nation to recognize October as National Co-op Month and celebrate the important role farmer-owned cooperatives play in strengthening the economy, providing jobs and improving life in local communities, the group noted. This year, National Co-op Month joins NCFC’s Year of Farmer Coops, which is part of the wider effort to recognize year 2012 as the International Year of the Cooperative. The Year of the Farmer Co-op and Co-op Month showcase how America’s farmer-owned businesses allow individual farmers

across the country the opportunity to truly participate in the food and agriculture system, NCFC said. “For more than 100 years, farmerowned co-ops have given individual farmers a fair chance to compete and succeed in the global marketplace,” said NCFC President and CEO Chuck Conner. “I’m excited to dedicate this month to co-ops, and showcase how farmer co-ops directly support rural America and help connect consumers with the farmers who provide them a safe, affordable and abundant food, fiber and fuel supply.” According to the USDA, 2.2 million farmers own the nearly 2,300 farmer cooperatives in the nation.

The farmer-owned cooperatives generate $213 billion annually in economic activity and generate 184,000 full-time, part-time and seasonal jobs. Throughout the month, NCFC plans to highlight the role that farmer-owned co-ops play in improving economic opportunity and the quality of life in rural America. These efforts include representing farmer cooperatives during USDA’s Co-op Day on Oct. 16. For more information about farmer cooperatives, NCFC has made a Year of the Farmer Co-op video, which can be seen on the Internet at www. youtube.com/watch?v=6My7l_ 4OwWA&feature=youtu.be.

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