Most food is a GMO…

There is more to this than a Label...

There has been a lot of debate regarding genetically modified organisms in the world.  I

Source: Wilson's Page

would suggest that unless you catch it wild that what you are eating is genetically modified.  So technically (in my opinion), in essence you can put a GMO tag on just about any food you can think of…

If we use corn for example, wild corn looks nothing like the corn we eat today.  Ever since Gregor Mendel, Luther Burbank and Barbara McClintock (a corn geneticist) we have been manipulating animal and plant genomes for years.  This has allowed man to keep producing more food on the same footprint of land.  It also has allowed more people to work elsewhere and spend a smaller portion of their time and money on food.

Well, what about buying “vintage” breeds of chicken?  Yes, unless kept in a random bred flock they too are modified in some way, and look nothing like their ancestors.  Poultry breeding companies adopted the same genetic tools to poultry breeding and selection and made todays birds more productive in the same environment of old.  Even organic raised birds are using the identical genetics of conventional birds.

And, for that matter, man is also a genetically manipulated species as well.  While we could argue that we are randomly selected, I would suggest that environmental influences and social customs, taste & preferences are still at play in forming the next generation.   I would also suggest that we look at the good that science has given to man, even in the food we eat.  I believe it does outweigh the bad.

Dropping Weight in a Storm

Rake to reduce roof weight

Source: avalanche-snow.com

Snow, Ice and wind loads can cause roof system failures in older poultry housing.  To combat heavy snows, the use of a roof rake to pull down snow off a roof can be employed.  In my Feb. 11, 2010 post, I discussed the use of a home-made rake.  While watching one of my favorite home improvement shows, I saw another design that cuts the snow making it easier to move than a plowing rake.  For examples take a look at:

http://www.minnsnowta.com/index.html

http://www.avalanche-snow.com/index.asp

After a heavy snow, you should check roofing systems for any breaks in support bracing and rafters.  Why you may have survived this storm the next one may finish off your your roof.  Be Safe and check your housing.

Where trade names appear, no discrimination is intended, and no endorsement by the author & Penn State Cooperative Extension is implied.

Staying Dry in Cold Weather

It is all in the air.

Picture: allaboutdamp.com

One of the myths I run into is that is it is very hard to keep a poultry house dry in cold weather.  What could be said is that is it is hard to keep a house dry and warm in the winter.  The core problem is that you fight water all winter long if you do not understand what is in the air.

As air cools, it loses its ability to hold water.  Hot air on the other hand, will hold a large volume of water as vapor or if it gets hot enough - steam.  This is why a dehumidifier will collect water as it removes water from the air by cooling.  Knowing this, a farmer can dry his litter enough to control wet spots and therefore insect levels during the winter before they become a problem in the spring.

Water is being created in a poultry house every day.  For each pound of feed, two pounds of water is consumed.  Some of this will pass as liquid water in the manure, but other is given off as vapor from the respiratory system. Therefore, to best use this principle, the farmer should vent his house to remove the hot moist air and bring in cool air to mix with the hotter room air.  Circulation fans within the house can help with mixing the air, as well as attic ventilators and inlet baffles that helps pre-heat the air before dumping into the room.  As the outside air warms up it will remove water out of the surrounding area and begin to dry the manure.  A constant amount of room air needs to be vented in order to help dry the house.  If condensation is seen in the house, it is under ventilated or the air is not mixing properly.  The use of hand held wind meters, surveyors tape and other aids could help determine where air is flowing in the house.

Smaller flocks also need to ventilate in winter to keep bedding dry.  If necessary, a heat lamp will provide the additional heat to help the cool air absorb the needed moisture that is to be removed from the house.  Watch the litter conditions to determine if further venting is needed.