The Science Behind Turkey Day

Below you will find an appropriate article for Thanksgiving.  I thought I would share the "Penn State" science and technology that goes into raising that turkey you will be enjoying for dinner on Thursday.  Have a great holiday and a successful deer season to follow!

The science and technology behind the Thanksgiving turkey

Julie Eble

November 15, 2016

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and for many families, that means a turkey dinner with all the trimmings. 

But for Mike Hulet, associate professor of animal science, and others in Penn State's Poultry Education and Research Center (PERC), it's also the culmination of the science and technology that go into raising a better turkey.

Surrounded by a border of locust and Austrian pine trees, the PERC consists of six separate buildings that house turkeys and other poultry for education and research. The vegetative barrier is used to help filter any possible odor, dust, feathers and noise emitted from the poultry operations, and each house is fully computerized and environmentally controlled.

"We can maintain temperatures within a degree or two from the front to the back of the houses," Hulet said, noting that the PERC manager can monitor temperature changes through applications on his tablet or smartphone and make adjustments remotely when necessary. Even on Penn State's hottest summer or coldest winter days, the combination of computer-controlled, evaporative cooling (misting of air into the building) and perpetual air exchange keeps the temperature in the turkey houses within the optimum range: between 68 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Because the U.S. has developed birds that are very large — male turkeys can grow up to 70 pounds and females can grow up to 25 pounds — they can't efficiently mate naturally, according to Hulet. As a result, researchers at the PERC use sophisticated artificial insemination technologies to improve the turkey fertilization process and incubation environment that can enable year-round chick laying.

Once the turkey hens are inseminated, their eggs are placed in one of the PERC's four incubators, which can hold about 1,000 eggs each. While chicken hens are egg-laying dynamos, dropping one egg almost every day, a turkey hen produces only about four per week.

Systems for automatic measurement of carbon dioxide, weight loss from eggs and exact regulation of temperature are used in the PERC's incubation process. These data are used to control the necessary heating, cooling, humidification and ventilation of the incubation machines to maximize the environment for the development of the embryo.

"We try to mimic what old mother hen would do naturally and keep the shell temperature within the incubator at 100 degrees Fahrenheit," said Hulet.

Performing much like a brooding or sitting hen, the eggs in the incubator are turned automatically each hour to ensure that the embryo doesn't get stuck to the shell membrane, gases move around and the temperature is evenly distributed. Alarm systems on the incubators also alert for any problem in the machines and all necessary information is provided on a digital display. Everything is connected to the manager's office so it can be monitored and controlled through a central computer system.

To help enhance the welfare of the turkeys and provide uniform growth, the lighting in the turkey houses is also automated through a computer system with an optimized color spectrum and dimming capability.

"Lighting has been shown to be a key input in healthy poult (baby turkey) development," said Hulet.

As a result, the lights in the turkey houses at the PERC are initially set at a higher intensity when the birds are first placed in the pens so they can find where the water and feed are located. The light is later decreased as the turkeys get accustomed to their surroundings. Hulet says this low-light spectrum output helps to calm the turkeys and reduce injury.

For many families, having turkey at Thanksgiving is a tradition that has been part of the American culture for a long time.

In 2011, there were 248.5 million turkeys raised in the U.S., including 7.5 million in Pennsylvania, which made the Keystone State ninth out of the top 10 turkey-producing states, according to the National Turkey Federation.

"If you're feeding a large group of people, a nice 22-pound turkey is the one product you're able to share with everyone," said Hulet.

In the 1970s, only about half of turkey sales for the year were made during the Thanksgiving holiday. But throughout the last 35 years, the turkey industry has gone from mainly marketing a single-product consumed at holidays or special occasions, to offering a diverse array of food choices ranging from sausages and burgers to deli meats and more, according to the federation. In 2015, U.S. consumption of turkey was 16.1 pounds per person. Increasingly, consumers are including turkey in their daily diets because of its health benefits, versatility and taste. 

Regardless of all the technology that goes into raising turkeys these days, Hulet says he is looking forward to spending the Thanksgiving holiday with his adult children.

"They'll be cooking the turkey this year, but I always carve it to make sure I get my favorite part of the bird — the dark meat of the legs and thighs — because it has more flavor and tends to be moister as opposed to the white breast meat," said Hulet. "There's nothing better than a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce the day after Thanksgiving."

Society of American Foresters Announces New Forestry Coloring and Activity Book

Introduce Forestry to a New Generation with the SAF Coloring and Activity Book

Help an entire new generation appreciate the work that foresters do with this unique activity book entitled Future Foresters: Coloring and Activity Book. This 28-page book features scenes and situations common in today's world of forest management. It includes everything from planting trees and creating wildlife habitat to fire and timber production. This fun-filled book will help children better understand how a forester’s work helps forests. It is a perfect for classrooms, nature centers, and public outreach.

Order yours at www.safnetstore.org.

Governor Wolf Commends Task Force to Maximize Job Creation in Pennsylvania Forest Products Industry

Governor Tom Wolf applauded the work of a panel of forestry experts from private, public, and academic sectors that has been meeting regularly since January to analyze current limitations to forest conservation and job growth, and to develop an action plan to address both objectives.

 “Prioritizing conservation and job growth related to this field is vital to creating a sustainable, dynamic industry in this state where almost 60 percent is forested,” Governor Wolf told the group gathered at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg. “One of Pennsylvania’s greatest strengths is our natural resources, and this group’s strength is the expertise and commitment you folks have demonstrated the past nine months.”

The Green Ribbon Task Force was called together following extended discussion between Gov. Wolf and Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn on how Pennsylvania’s nearly 17 million acres of forestland could best play an active role in his call for statewide job creation.

The governor commended the panel for looking at ways to spur job growth while improving and conserving the state’s forest base.

Addressed specifically were:

·         A new conservation easement program for working forests that would keep forests as forest but provide increased opportunities for sustainable harvest of wood products;

·         Legislation to give loggers, on whose shoulders the entire forest products industry rests, more incentives and advantages to get into the logging business and to be able to make a good living, including better worker’s compensation options, more training, and more opportunities for worker recruitment;

·         Sustainable support for the Hardwoods Development Council to conduct research, marketing, training, and many other opportunities through a public-private partnership between the industry and state government;

·         Support and promotion of more maker’s spaces across Pennsylvania cities, where small manufacturing, wood crafters, artisans and others can share resources, networks and bring jobs back to forested Pennsylvania;

·         Raising the profile of forest-based jobs through forest tours, job mentoring, early recruitment, apprenticeships and similar workforce efforts.

“It’s great to see such interagency cooperation among three involved agencies -- DCNR, Ag, and DCED, “ Gov. Wolf said, “and to hear of positive and constructive interactions between different stakeholder interests -- industry, conservation and academia -- as well as the strong role state government can play in bringing it all together.

“To find consensus among the dozens of recommendations included here is exciting, and a great example of cross-cutting cooperation that we could use more of in Harrisburg, and statewide.”

”The panel’s report represents eight months of hard work by the 35 task force members and many agency staff and experts,” Dunn said. “It represents dozens of hours in all-day meetings, work group calls, field trips to see first-hand our forest products industry, lumber yards, manufacturing plants, our forests, and more. This collaborative effort among agencies and different stakeholder groups has taught us about each other’s work, problems, lives, and passions.

“It has also produced better and more workable recommendations. We have learned from each other, and are making plans to keep working together to address the many issues we’ve raised and to put our recommendations into action.”

Meeting at the governor’s invitation at his Harrisburg residence, at least 30 participants had been selected by DCNR and the state departments of Agriculture and Community and Economic Development. Today they were addressed by Gov. Wolf, Dunn and other key speakers, including: Daniel Devlin, state forester and director of DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry; Russell Redding, Secretary of Agriculture; Dr. Jim Finley, director of the Center for Private Forests and Pennsylvania Extension Forester; Paul Lyskava, executive director, Pennsylvania Forest Products Association; and Wayne Bender, acting executive director, Hardwoods Development Council.

Individual workgroups had been formed, introduced and assigned study and discussion areas that included: conservation; workforce development and jobs; economic development and products. Each workgroup’s responsibilities include: Address the current state of the forest and forest products industry; define the scope of the workgroup; identify issues to address; develop recommendations to bring to the larger group; and work with other workgroups to integrate and forge recommendations into a final set.

Since its formation Jan. 7, the task force has held monthly meetings, and individual work groups also met to discuss issues in greater detail and formulate recommended action items. Workgroup chairs then reported out on their groups’ progress to the larger task force, in order to stimulate broader discussion.

Details on the Green Ribbon Task Force can be found at: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/councils/Greenribbontaskforce/index.htm.

MEDIA CONTACT: Terry Brady, 717-772-9101

Proud of My Stumps

Oak stump sprouts

I recently came up on an account written by Bob Kintigh.  Bob was the 2005 Oregon Tree Farmer of the Year as well as the Western Region Tree Farmer of the Year in 2006.  He entitled it “Proud of My Stumps.”  I shared his insights with the National 4-H Forestry Invitational attendees and thought I would also share it with my readers here.    

 Proud of My Stumps

“Cartoonists love to draw pictures of stump covered hillsides and the radical environmentalists love to publish pictures of logged over areas with stumps as negative portrayals of the forest industry in their fundraising letters.  These people do not seem to realize that this is only a short period in the life of a forest.

Over the past 40 plus years I have made thousands of stumps on my forest land.  These stumps and the logging debris are now being recycled and the nutrients are being used by the fast-growing young trees I have planted on the land.  They also nourish a diversity of other plants on the land which provide food and cover for wildlife.

I am proud of these stumps.  The timber removed from them has provided enough lumber to build over 500 homes which means that approximately 2000 men, women, and children do not have to sleep under a bridge tonight.  That’s why I am proud of my stumps.”

By Bib Kintigh

2005 Oregon Tree Farmer of the Year

2006 Western Region Tree Farmer of the Year

Hmmm, interesting.  We all make stumps, at least indirectly.  Don’t we?  Even if you never actually cut a tree down, you indirectly make stumps.  How so you ask?  Well, through your demand for wood products.  Think about it for a minute.  Is there a day that goes by where you don’t use something that came from a tree that someone had to harvest, or turn into a stump?  No, it may be as simple as the lumber that holds the roof over your head or as complicated as the cellulose that went into your toothpaste. 

We all use products made from trees every day.  Bob talked about the number of homes built with the lumber sawn from his trees but there are many other products which trees are made into.  In fact, a recent count listed over 5,000 products made with wood, and the list keeps growing.  It is easy for us to connect lumber, veneer, paper, and firewood to trees.  But, many of the products made from trees do not look like wood at all.  In fact, we use numerous wood products without ever thinking of their connection to trees…… things like ice cream, salad dressing, shampoo, and many, many other products.

So, what is the moral of the story?  We should all be like Bob and be proud of our stumps!  Cutting trees is not bad.  When forests are managed properly, trees will keep producing more wood.  Wood is a truly a renewable natural resource.  So go ahead and use more wood.  We will make more!