Turkey
BY GINGER SECRIST MYERS
Staff Correspondent
GETTYSBURG - Penn
w sylvania’s turkey industry suf
fered Its worst Josses in six years
during 1981.
Some birds were marketed for as
much as 10 cents per pound below
production costs. According to
growers, the prices started down in
August, with the greatest losses
occuring in the final quarter.
Fred Jaindl, Jaindl Turkey
Farm, Allentown, Pa. blamed
higher feed costs and Swift &
Company.
“lliis. was the first year since
1930 that we’ve lost money,” said
Jaindl “We took a real bath. What'
happened was'that feed costs got
higher and Swift & Company didn’t
report their storage supplies
properly. “When Swift discovered
> their storage problems, they took
all the school lunch program
contracts and left the other large
processors without those markets.
These processors had to lower
A their prices to move their turkeys
and then the price really went
down. We all were affected.”
With these facts fresh in mind,
there was no blarney at the Penn
sylvania Turkey Conference held
St. Patrick’s Day at the Sheraton
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growers leave disastrous 1981 behind them
Inn, Gettysburg.
The meeting focused on the
factors affecting the competitive
position of Northeastern turkey
growers, plus feed qualities,
and housing innovations.
A. Kermit Birth, Professor of
Agricultural Economics Ex
tension, opened the morning
session reviewing and projecting
the turkey marketing situation of
the eastern seaboard represen
tation to turkey growers, breeders,
and processors.
He pointed out similar disaster
years occurred in 1961, 1967, and
1974 and attributed the poor years
to over optimism by major com
panies.
But despite early predictions
that turkeys were in the best shape
of any of the poultry commodities
in 1981, the market fell victim to
high interest rates, cheaper beef,
pork, and broiler prices, projected
high storage inventories, and the
weather.
Birth explained the danger
signals were there but went
unheeded. His figures revealed a 7
percent increase m tonnage tor
each quarter with a 4 percent in
crease m numbers last year, even
though pi ices tell.
Also, for the past four con-
Vicon Farm Machinery, Inc,
/l/rii«fn\ po Box 6 ?i3. ‘
I tHUUn' 1 Chesapeake,VA 23323
BO4/485-1600
secutive years there has been an'
increase in the deviation from the
intentions to produce "and that
> actually produced. Storage turkev
numbers reached a record high
with some sources estimating as
much as 525 million pounds. One
bright spot, he said, is that storage
■is now back down following a good
movement of birds after the price
broke.
He noted a reduction in the
number of pullets hatched since
September. But the reduction is
not significant when computed on
the same basis as the average
weight of last year’s turkeys.
Storage of heavy turkeys,
however, is not the concern that it
was earlier, Birth reported.
When projecting prices and
market trends, Birth listed
producer reaction as the most
difficult variable to predict in the
marketing equation. Producers no
longer react in set patterns as they
once did by Birth’s observations.
Factors Birth considers im
portant when looking ahead are
lower total red meat supplies m
1982, possibly as much as 5 percent
and an increase in per capita
consumption of poultry. A shift
away from the traditional
marketing season „of October
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The proof is cut and dried
through December to more birds
being sold during the second and
third quarters will have to be
considered as consumer buying
•patterns change.
A major factor Birth noted was
that since 1960 the per capita
consumption' of pork has risen
from 60.3 poounds annually to 68.3
pounds, the largest increase in
consumption of any of the protein
sources.
He cautioned the turkey
producers to keep their eyes open.
“What we’re overlooking is that
the hog industry is going through
tremendous expansion changes
just like the broilers and egg
business did. Much of this ex
pansion has not even been picked
up in the statistics yet. Pork gets 70
percent cuts from live weight and a
great deal of capital has been
poured into their industry,” Birth
said.
“Our competitive position lies in
the abilities of the industry to
combine inputs in the right com
binations to maximize profits, not
to come up with least costs,” he
added. “We must consider what is
the best alternatives from our own
records and then look at why we’re
not making a profit. Those who are
going to make it are those who
; >o<£3Hr*sCsr*
umcasur tanning, Saturday, March 27,1952—A17
maximize profits in both
production and processing.”
Highlighting the afternoon
session was a presentation on flex
housing for turkeys with insulated
curtains. A slide show featuring a
working model was presented by
Gerald Baugham, Department of
Biological and Agriculture
Engineering at North Carolina
State University. Baughman’s
research focused on evaluating the
total energy required to produce a
pound of turkey.
His working model was financed
by a grant from the North Carolina
State Energy Institite and private
contributions. The new design
utilizes the concept that heat rises
and the design features a four foot
continous ridge opening in the roof,
an insulated sidewall curtain with
an R value of 5.5 a seven-inch
slotted inlet at bird height, con
trollable light levels, and the
flexibility of switching from
natural to mechanical ventilation
whenever necessary.
The use of the insulated>curtain
has been found to be advantageous
since it can be raised or lowered to
maximize the use of natural
ventilation.' Also, its insulation
value ' and adaptability with
natural lighting helps to save
energy. Baughman’s research
(Turn to Page A 26)
OATS SEED CLEANING
AND TREATING DONE
ON YOUR FARM IN
SOUTHEASTERN PA.
- Send Postcard With The Following:
Name
Address '
Phone
Number of Bu
Directions
REIST SEED CO.
Box 155, Mt Joy, PA 17552
We will not be sending cards this year, so please
alert your neighbors Send cleaning requests as
early as possible.
EAR CORN
Paying Top Prices For
Good Quality Ear Corn
• Wet or Dry
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Manheim, Mt. Joy
exit
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A.M. to 5 P.M. - un
loading evenings &
Saturdays by appt.
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pick up at your farm.
■ ' Call Anytime For Price
717-665-4785
JAMES E. MLimiN