text:
Organic Poultry Production: Providing Adequate Methionine
Anne Fanatico, Ph.D,
Research Associate, USDA ARS
Published 2010
Photo courtesy Alisha Staggs
Because synthetic amino acids are generally banned in organic livestock production, and animal slaughter by-products cannot be used in organic feed, nutrition can present challenges in organic poultry production. Providing the amino acid methionine (MET) is generally the most difficult one. Feed rations that are high in plant proteins, such as soybean meal, can be used instead of synthetic MET, but high-protein diets are not healthy for poultry or the environment. Diets containing fishmeal, milk products, and nonconventional sources of protein, such as earthworms or insects, can help provide MET, but the ingredients are expensive and, in most cases, not available in organic form. It is difficult to design diets with sufficient MET without oversupplying protein. For these reasons, development of a natural MET supplement is needed.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Synthetic methionine
- Natural methionine supplement
- Methionine requirements of poultry
- Methionine deficiency problems
- Methionine in feedstuffs
- Formulating diets and feeding strategies
- Conclusions
- References
- Appendices
The ban on synthetic amino acids in organic livestock production is similar to the ban on synthetic nitrogen in crop production. In both cases, protein/ nitrogen is closely related to the level of performance of the animal or crop (Sundrum, 2005), but synthetic sources are prohibited. Rather, organic production relies on natural cycles of nitrogen (i.e., nitrogen-fixing by plants and nutrient cycling via applications of animal manure on crops).
Under the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), poultry must be raised with outdoor access, fed certified organic feed and given no animal slaughter byproducts, antibiotics, drugs or synthetic parasiticides. Interestingly, poultry are omnivorous in nature but are often fed as vegetarians in commercial production. Under the European Union organic legislation, a greater amount of outdoor access is required for organic poultry than in the US. In Europe, organic poultry production is not expected to be as high-yield as conventional confinement systems, and slower-growing meat birds are used. According to Sundrum (2006), organic poultry production focuses on animal health and welfare, good environmental practices, and product quality, and less on economic measures such as reducing costs and maximizing production (weight gain, feed efficiency, etc.). However, economic returns are a concern for any commercial operation. For more information on organic poultry requirements, see ATTRAs Organic Poultry Production.
In the U.S., synthetic methionine (MET) has been the only synthetic amino acid allowed in organic livestock production, and only in poultry. It is allowed temporarily but is being phased out. When the NOP organic rule was first published in 2002, the MET allowance was to end in 2005. An extension was granted until 2008 and then again until October 2010. In the same vein, Europe has allowed a small amount of nonorganic feed ingredients to be used. From 2010 until the end of 2011, 5% nonorganic ingredients can be used. This small amount of nonorganic ingredients (i.e., potato protein and corn gluten meal) has the potential to supply the MET requirement. In the U.S., a Methionine Task Force made up mainly of organic poultry producers has been in contact with the National Organic Standards Board about the MET problem. The Task Force first began meeting in 2003 and was reorganized in 2006.
Proteins are made up of amino acids, and MET is an essential amino acid that is not synthesized in sufficient quantity by the animal and must, therefore, be supplied in the diet. Cysteine (CYS) is another amino acid related to MET metabolism, and together they are called the sulfur amino acids (see box below). Methionine can be provided as part of an intact protein or as a pure amino acid. It is the most limiting amino acid (or the most difficult one to supply) in a typical corn and soybean diet and is generally added in a pure form. The CYS requirement can be provided by MET. Most of the total sulfur amino acid requirement is met by the feedstuffs (about 75%), but the rest is normally supplemented by synthetic MET (about 25%). Synthetic MET is used in virtually all commercial poultry diets in the U.S., both conventional and organic.
|Methionine and Cysteine metabolism (Sulfur Amino Acids)
Methionine (MET) and cysteine (CYS) are collectively referred to as sulfur amino acids (SAA) and are involved in complex metabolic processes. Methionine is involved in the synthesis of body proteins and is a constituent of many body parts, including muscles, organs, and feathers. It is also involved in functions unrelated to protein synthesis, such as the synthesis of polyamines. In addition, MET is a methyl-group donor, helping to form dozens of compounds including epinephrine, choline, and DNA. After donation of a methyl group, through an irreversible process called transsulfuration, MET can form CYS, another amino acid needed for protein synthesis. (Two cysteines bonded together form cystine.) Although not technically an essential amino acid, CYS synthesis is inadequate when poultry diets are deficient in MET. The requirement for MET can be satisfied only by MET, whereas that for CYS can also be met with MET. Betaine and choline are nutrients that are involved with MET metabolism and save or spare some MET. See the Appendix for more information on MET metabolic pathways and functions.
|Related ATTRA Publications
Arsenic in Poultry Litter: Organic Regulations
Organic Poultry Production in the United States
Parasite Management for Natural and Organic Poultry: Coccidiosis
Synthetic methionine
Synthetic MET is manufactured as a pure amino acid. Common forms are DL-MET and 2-hydroxy-4(methylthio) butanoic acid (a.k.a. methionine hydroxyl analogue free acid). Raw materials for DL-Met include oil, natural gas, air, and water which are used to make propene, sulphuric acid (H2S), methanol (CH3OH), and ammonia (NH3) for manufacture of DL-MET (Binder, 2003). DL-Methionine (the DL refers to the racemic mixture), comes in a crystalline form and is 99% available MET. It is available from the companies Degussa and Adisseo. Methionine hydroxyl analogue comes in a liquid form and is 88% available MET. It is available from Novus International. Synthetic MET is inexpensive, but as the cost of oil goes up, other methods of manufacturing MET will be increasingly attractive. Synthetic MET is so pure that only about 5 lbs. of DL-MET are needed per U.S. ton of feed.
Products with zinc methionine available from Zinpro are listed by the Organic Material Review Institute (OMRI) as being permitted in organic livestock production. 4-Plex-E has 20% MET (directions for feeding poultry are 1.6 lbs. per U.S. ton). Zinpro-E has 40% MET (directions for feeding poultry are 0.4 lbs. per U.S. ton). Because feeding directions are just to satisfy zinc levels, only a small amount of MET is provided. Novus International has a zinc methionine product, Mintrex, that is not listed by OMRI but has 80% MET value and is fed at 0.25 to 0.50 lbs. per U.S. ton.
Natural methionine supplement
There is interest in developing a natural MET supplement by fermentation, extraction, or hydrolyzing protein.
Many amino acids are produced commercially by bacterial fermentation. Because genetically-modified organisms are not permitted in organic production, any MET-producing bacteria would need to be naturally selected. However, high levels of MET are toxic, so the yields from fermentation are very low and not cost effective. Therefore, production is limited, and it is possible that natural MET can not be produced this way.
MET can be extracted from intact proteins or proteins partially hydrolyzed to isolate it, but there are no such products on the market for livestock.
Methionine requirements of poultry
Poultry do not have specific requirements for crude protein levels, only amino acid levels. Amino acid requirements are usually presented as percentages of the diet. They may also be presented as a percentage of the protein requirement. The National Research Councils (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Poultry is commonly used in the U.S. The requirements of broilers are given for starter, grower, and finisher phases, because the requirements change as the bird grows (less amino acids and more energy are required with age). Overall crude protein levels of 23, 20, and 18% are used for starter, grower, and finisher phases, respectively. The MET and CYS requirements are listed in Table 1.
|Table 1: Sulfur amino acid requirements of broilers*
(fast-growing broilers raised in an environmentally controlled indoor environment)
|Methionine + cystine
|Source: NRC, 1994
|*"Broilers" are chickens that are young birds, tender enough to be prepared by fast cooking methods such as broiling.
The NRC lists the total amino acid requirement rather than digestible amino acid. Baker (1997) specifies digestible amino acid requirements for broilers. In the starter phase, they are 0.41% for MET and 0.41% for CYS.
Protein and amino acid requirements vary considerably according to the productive state of the bird, that is, the rate of growth or egg production. For example, a mature rooster is bigger than a hen; however, the laying hen has higher amino acid requirements due to egg production.
Factors affecting responses of poultry to amino acids include environmental temperature, dietary factors, immunological stress, age, species, genetics, and gender. These factors either influence feed intake or reduce the efficiency of use of an amino acid (DMello, 1994). For example, male meat birds need more essential amino acids as well as more feed than females.
Amino acid balance
Amino acids need an ideal balance in relation to each other. An undersupply of a single essential amino acid will inhibit the responses to those in adequate supply. In poultry, lysine is used as the reference amino acid, and amino acid requirements can be expressed as a percent of lysine (100%). For example, methionine plus cysteine should equal 77.5% of the lysine level for a chick at 0-3 weeks (Cole and Lunen, 1994). The ratio of MET to CYS should be about 60:40. Ideal proteins differ for broilers, layers, turkeys, and other types of birds.
Nutrient balance and feed intake
Photo courtesy Alisha Staggs
Energy-to-protein ratios are important. Energy is provided mainly by carbohydrates and fats in the diet. If the diet is well-balanced, the bird eats primarily to satisfy its energy requirements. If the diet is deficient in protein in relation to its energy content, the bird will overeat energy in an effort to obtain sufficient protein.
Dietary energy exerts its effect through variations in feed intake (Emmert, no date). As energy levels increase, feed intake decreases. A high-energy diet effectively limits feed intake, which also limits amino acid intake. Therefore, a high dietary concentration of amino acids (and other nutrients) is needed for high-energy diets. The NRC nutrient requirements are based on high-energy, high-protein (high amino acid level) diets. These high efficiency diets began to be fed in the 1950s, and genetic selection favored birds with voracious appetites.
In contrast, as energy decreases, feed intake increases, requiring a lower concentration of nutrients in the diet. If low concentrations of amino acids are used, diets should be low-energy so that feed intake will be increased.
Birds eat less when it is hot and more when it is cold (NRC, 1994). Therefore, diets usually need to be higher in amino acids during hot weather in order to make sure birds get enough.
Feeding diets deficient in essential amino acids can increase feed intake. Cherry & Siegel (1981) fed pullets diets that were equal in energy and contained 15% crude protein and only differed in levels of MET and SAA. The three diets contained 0.27, 0.32, and 0.37% MET, and 0.51, 0.56, and 0.61% SAA, respectively. Dietary effects on bodyweight, age at sexual maturity, egg production, egg size, and egg quality were not significant. They found that the pullets compensated for a marginal deficiency of SAA by increasing their feed consumption, and that the SAA requirement for maximum feed conversion efficiency was greater than the requirement for egg production.
Ewing (1963) noted that as energy in the diet increases, the requirement of MET increases in proportion. Forty years ago, at 1000 Cal/lb. of feed (2,222 kcal/kg), 0.50% MET was recommended in the diet. Ewing suggests formulating diets with amino acid requirements calculated as a percent of energy.
According to Larbier and Leclercq (1994), small birds such as leghorns are able to keep energy intake constant even with varying levels of dietary energy concentration, but heavy genotypes cannot (their feed intake is more constant).
Nutrient balance has an important impact on the carcass. In general, diets high in energy produce fat carcasses, and diets high in protein lead to lean carcasses. But again, the protein-to-energy balance is important. If a bird consumes excess energy compared to protein, a fatter bird develops (Leeson and Summers, 1991).
Methionine requirements of slow-growing meat chickens
In the U.S., the fast-growing Cornish Cross broiler is used in both conventional and organic production. In contrast, slow-growing meat chickens are used in the European Union organic program, as well as the French Label Rouge program, and have a growing period of about 12 weeks. Small growers in the U.S. often use standard-bred birds, such as Barred Rock or New Hampshire, which are very slow-growing.
In the U.S., maximum protein accretion is the goal both in conventional and most organic poultry production, and genotypes with a high growth capacity are raised with a high supply of amino acids in concentrated diets. In contrast, in Europe slower growth and lower protein accretion are expected in organic poultry production, and low-protein, low-energy diets are fed to maintain a slow growth curve.
According to Sundrum (2005), a slow growth curve is important in sensory qualities of the meat that consumers prefer. In the US, Fanatico et al. (2007) found that a trained sensory panel noted more intense flavors in the thigh meat of 12-week-old slow-growing birds compared to that of 8-week-old fast-growing birds; however, the consumer sensory panel could not distinguish a difference. U.S. consumers, accustomed to the sensory attributes of conventional poultry, may require additional experience and exposure to specialty poultry meats to recognize their qualities.
The nutrient requirements of high-yielding broilers raised in controlled indoor environments are well-known. In contrast, the nutrient requirements of lower-yielding meat chickens raised in less controlled housing with access to the outdoors and a high level of activity are not as well-known. Peter et al. (1997) found that a protein level of 20% is adequate as a starter for slow-growing birds. After six weeks, protein content can be reduced to 17.5%.
U.S. research was conducted to determine the MET requirements of slower-growing meat chickens. Fanatico et al. (2006) raised three genotypes with different growth rates (Fast, Medium, and Slow), using graded levels of MET, and found that, based on feed efficiency and weight gain responses, the MET and SAA requirements of the various genotypes are similar during the starter and grower phases. Breast yield response was not measured.
Fanatico et al. (2007) also compared these three genotypes when they were given a low-MET basal diet or diets containing intermediate or high MET levels that were formulated with or without synthetic MET. As expected, the Fast birds had higher weight gain, better feed efficiency, and greater carcass and parts yield than slower-growing birds. The level of MET had a significant impact on weight gain. There was no interaction between MET level and genotype, meaning that the slow- and medium-growing birds responded the same way that the fast-growing birds did (weight gain increased with increased level of MET). However, an interaction did occur when breast yield was measured. Breast yield of Fast birds increased with the level of MET; breast yield of Medium birds responded only to the Intermediate diet; and breast yield of Slow birds responded only to the High diet.
Han and Baker (1991) found that slow-growing meat chickens require the amino acid lysine at the same concentration as fast-growing broilers. However, the fast-growing broilers required more than twice as much daily lysine as the slow-growing meat birds; the increased need was supplied by greater daily feed intake.
The body composition of meat chickens may come into play when considering amino acid requirements. If the protein-to-fat ratio of the bird is greater in a fast-growing chick than in a slow-growing chick, then dietary amino acid requirements may be higher for the fast-growing chick.
Laying hens
The requirements for layers are given on the basis of feed intake. For example, 0.30% MET and 0.58% SAA are required for leghorn-type layers that consume 100 g (0.22 lb.) of feed per day. Brown-egg layers have 10% higher amino acid requirement values than white-egg layers because of their heavier weight. Laying hens have lower MET requirements than meat birds. But during weeks 22-34, layers are still growing and, at the same time, laying eggs. The amino acid requirements of low-yielding standard breed layers such as Rhode Island Reds or Brown Leghorns are not well-known.
Turkey poults have very high amino acid requirements to meet the demands of their rapid growth. It can be hard to get sufficient amino acids into poults in the starter phase because feed intake is low, and the poults need to accrete a lot of protein. This is especially difficult to do without synthetic MET. From 0 to 4 weeks, 0.55% MET and 1.05% SAA are required. Amino acid needs of turkeys differ substantially by gender. In Europe, slow-growing turkeys are used in the same vein as slow-growing meat chickens as discussed above.
Methionine deficiency problems
The protein and amino acid concentrations presented as requirement in the NRC are to support maximum growth and production. Achieving maximum growth and production, however, may not always ensure maximum economic returns, particularly when prices of protein sources are high (NRC, 1994). And maximum economic returns may not be the only goal.
According to Sundrum (2005), there are no effects on animal health from feeding a suboptimal diet or low-nutrient diet, but the birds may not be fully realizing their genetic potential. In fact, breeding companies that sell specialty birds usually show expected growth performance on a high-nutrient diet as well as a low-nutrient diet designed for conventional and specialty production, respectively. See Hubbard Breeders Website, for an example.
Low-nutrient diets or feed restrictions are often used in the starter phase to slow the growth of fast-growing birds in order to reduce metabolic disorders and lameness. Feed density can be increased later for compensatory gain (Sundrum, 2005). The ability to adapt to variations in feed supply as wild animals do still exists in domestic animals (Sundrum, 2005). However, high-yielding animals are more sensitive to suboptimal feed rations than low-yielding animals.
U.S. organic poultry companies are concerned that fast-growing birds with reduced MET levels in their diet will not only perform poorly, but will also suffer impaired immune function, resulting in poor feathering, feather pecking, cannibalism, and mortality.
The antioxidant mechanisms of sulphur amino acids and their compounds are important. Normally, cells are equipped with antioxidant mechanisms to deal with free radicals. If antioxidants are out of balance, problems can occur that cause decreased animal performance. Sulphur-containing compounds such as MET and CYS are powerful antioxidants that can prevent damage in cells (Anon, 2009).
Elwinger and Tausen (2009) found that reduced MET levels reduce feather cover and egg weight, although the production of eggs was not affected. See Figure 1. They also found that feed intake increased as feather cover deteriorated, thus reducing feed efficiency.
Ambrosen and Petersen (1997) studied the impact of protein levels in feed (11% vs 19% crude protein) on cannibalism and plumage quality. The plumage improved with increased protein. Chickens supplemented with MET had better plumage quality and reduced feather pecking compared to the MET-deficient birds. However, Biedermann et al. (1993) did not show poor feathering with low protein levels. There are many factors involved in feather pecking beside the nutrient level, and it is common for feather pecking to occur on farms with high levels of MET in the diet.
Methionine in feedstuffs
Methionine and cysteine are present as intact proteins in various feedstuffs. (Methionine is expressed as a percent of the feed ingredient or as a percent of the protein in the feed ingredient.) The Degussa (Evonik) company has a database that lists amino acids, including MET and CYS, present in feedstuffs. It is updated every five years and will be online in the future. Corn is low in MET (0.17%), and soybean meal is moderate (0.64%). See Chart 1 for MET and CYS contents of various feedstuffs.
As mentioned earlier, the amount of total sulfur amino acids (MET + CYS) in feedstuffs should be considered instead of only MET. If CYS is inadequate, some of the MET will be used to satisfy that requirement.
Amino acids are more digestible in some ingredients than others. The Ajinomoto company has a table of digestibility of amino acids in various feed ingredients (available on its Website). Methionine in most ingredients, such as in corn and soybean meal, is highly digestible (91%), but in flaxmeal, MET digestibility is only 82%, and in sesame meal only 42%.
|Small- vs large-scale organic poultry production
Profit margins are usually thin in poultry production, including organic production. Therefore, feed efficiency and breast yield are important measurements for companies to determine profitability. These measurements may not be as important to small producers who may have wider profit margins or may manage their operations as hobbies rather than businesses. Small-scale producers generally use extensive free-range systems in which grassy areas provide additional nutrients, including live protein (insects, worms, etc.) and high-quality forages during warm months.
Plant protein
If only plant protein is used, more protein is required than when animal proteins are also used. However, high-protein diets are not good for the birds or the environment. Various types of plant protein are discussed below.
- Oilseed meals, such as soybean meal, are common poultry feeds after the oil has been extracted for the vegetable oil market, leaving a high-protein meal. However, the extraction process uses chemical solvents, and the remaining meal is not permitted in organic production. Organic soybeans are produced in full-fat (roasted or extruded) or meal (expelled) form.
- Many legumes and oil seeds such as field beans, field peas, lentils, etc. have antinutritional factors (ANF), including tannins and lectins; some ANF can be removed by processing or heat-treatment. For example, soybeans have a trypsin inhibitor and must be heat-treated to destroy it.
- Sesame meal has a high MET content (1.06%); however, the MET is not well-digested and is also low in lysine.
- Sunflower meal has a MET content similar to soybean meal. Chickens cannot remove the hull of whole sunflower seeds. A SARE producer project looked at providing MET through a combination of dehulled sunflowers, fishmeal, and crabmeal, in conjunction with small-scale methods of dehulling sunflowers, and found the approach questionable (FNE05- 54).
- Canola (a cultivar of rapeseed) meal is lower than soybean meal in MET.
- Flaxseeds have a MET content of 0.62% and should be limited because of a fishy flavor left in the meat or eggs.
- While corn is relatively low in MET, corn gluten meal is high (1.46% MET).
Unfortunately, there is none in organic form in the US.
- High-methionine corn has been naturally selected by the Michael Field Institute. Jacob et al. (2008) fed the variety 3 floury-2 MF hybrid, which averages 0.32% MET, compared to 0.18% in conventional corn. They found that synthetic MET was not needed when using high-MET corn for pullets. However, high-MET corn is also high in protein; therefore, the overall high protein content of the diet is still a problem. In addition, the high moisture and low yield of this corn variety make it unattractive to corn growers.
- Potato protein is high in MET (1.64%), and it is a conventional by-product that is currently used in Europe, where a small percentage of feed ingredients do not have to be organic in organic livestock production. There is very little if any organic potato protein in the U.S.
Animal protein
Animal protein is high quality and a good source of MET. In a natural setting, poultry consume many sources of animal protein, including insects and worms. In the past, animal slaughter by-products (i.e., meat and bone meal) were important ingredients in poultry diets (see box), but they are banned in organic livestock production. However, other animal products can be used, such as fishmeal and milk products, and are discussed below. Insects and worms on range provide high-quality protein.
- Fishmeal is a good source of MET (1.68%) in organic livestock production. However, there is little fishmeal available without the synthetic preservative ethoxyquine which is not permitted in organic production. Natural substances such as tocopherol can be used to prevent rancidity. Unfortunately, there is very little fishmeal available without ethoxyquinine. Fishmeal can be used only in small amounts because it taints the flavor of meat and eggs. Some companies market their products as veg-fed, and, therefore, fishmeal is not an option for them.
- Dairy by-products can be high in MET and highly digestible. Because liquid milk products are not concentrated due to the presence of water, powdered or concentrated products are particularly useful. Casein is the solid residue that remains after the acid or rennet coagulation of milk. It has a very high level of MET (2.56 %) and is very high in crude protein (80%). Organic casein is not available commercially for livestock feed. Whey powder, a by-product of cheese-making after most of the protein and fat are removed, is not particularly high in MET unless the protein is concentrated.
- Dried brewers yeast has a moderate level of MET (0.64%).
|In the past: How did we raise poultry before synthetic methionine was available?
Synthetic MET was not used in diets until the 1950s. In the past, poultry ate many animal products such as meat and bone meal; high-protein diets were common.
Additional proteins
Outdoor access is required in organic poultry production. Many operations only provide small areas (the NOP does not specify stocking density for outdoor areas); therefore, birds may not have significant access to grassy areas. Small poultry producers, however, usually provide extensive outdoor access by way of small portable houses moved regularly to fresh pasture. Forage is a source of MET. Although the MET level of forage is generally low to moderate, foraging should be encouraged. Birds can also obtain high-quality protein from insects and worms on pasture.
Moritz et al. (2005) found in the summer that forage (tall fescue, orchardgrass, red clover, and white clover) had higher MET levels than in the fall (0.31% vs. 0.17%, respectively). They compared broiler performance in diets with/without synthetic methionine and with/without feed restriction. They concluded that the ability of forage to meet the MET requirement depends on environmental conditions and subsequent feed intake. Horsted et al. (2006) found that chicory was an especially attractive forage to hens and had a moderate MET content (0.40%). The quality of forages needs to be maintained for good MET levels. In most parts of the country, forage growth slows or stops in the winter. Moritz found that the digestibility of forage varies over the seasons as well.
Earthworms and insects are high-quality proteins, similar to fishmeal, and high in MET. While there are few commercial products, Neptune Industries developed Ento-Protein, an insect meal, and worms and insects can also be produced on-farm. Worms and insects can convert wastes such as food scraps or animal manure to high-quality protein. The remains, especially worm castings, can also be very useful soil amendments. See ATTRAs Worms for Composting (Vermicomposting) and Baitworm Production. Additional unconventional proteins are discussed below.
- Black soldier flies lay eggs in waste, and when the larvae hatch, they consume the waste and develop into a source of high-quality protein. The larvae can self-harvest because they crawl upwards and will fall into collection tubes.
- Algae is high in MET (1.33%). Chlorella has potential as a feed supplement; however, production in ponds, harvesting, and drying are challenging.
- Worms, algae, and aquatic plants accumulate heavy metals at concentrations greater than in the surrounding environment, and these heavy metals could transfer to meat and eggs (DEFRA, 2006). Unconventional proteins may be too expensive because of the labor and processing required.
- Although some of the feedstuffs discussed above are high in MET, large amounts are required to meet SAA requirements compared to the very small amounts of a pure MET supplement. For instance, one pound of DL-MET replaces 50 pounds of fishmeal.
Formulating diets and feeding strategies
It is difficult to meet SAA requirements in organic poultry production without also providing excessive protein. Supplying sufficient MET to birds with plant proteins, such as soybeans or sunflower meal, may result in diets with excessive protein levels, which can be harmful to both the birds and the environment. Birds excrete the nitrogen in protein as uric acid, which is broken down into water and ammonia. Extra water is needed to excrete excess protein, making litter wetter and promoting microbial growth. High-moisture litter creates an optimal environment for pathogens and can cause breast blisters. Excess ammonia can also cause respiratory problems, which increases the susceptibility of birds to other diseases, and ammonia emissions from poultry houses are a concern for air quality. Metabolizing excess protein can also be detrimental to the bird, stressing the kidneys, depending on the extent of the excess (Fanatico, et al. 2009). Evidence that excess protein causes stress in birds is also seen in the increased size of adrenals (Leeson and Summers, 1991). Feeding high levels of protein, particularly fishmeal, can predispose birds to necrotic enteritis (Dahiya and Drew, 2007).
In addition, plant proteins usually have antinutritional factors that require heat treatment or other processing to remove.
Many feeds have maximum inclusion rates beyond which feeds can not be used without detrimental effects. See Leeson and Summers (1991) for more information.
Broiler and layer diets without synthetic MET were formulated by the Methionine Task Force in 2003 and compared to a diet with synthetic MET (see Appendix). All the diets without synthetic MET are excessive in protein, with the exception of diets using potato protein and corn gluten meal, which are not available in organic form in the U.S. In addition, earthworm meal is not available. A chart accompanies the formulations and shows digestible or available MET in various feedstuffs.
There are strategies to conserve feedstuffs with high-quality protein. For example, the highest quality proteins (generally animal proteins) should be used in the starter phase when birds are young, their digestive systems are not developed, and their feed intake is low. Plant proteins can be used later during finishing (Sundrum, 2005). Multiple phase feeding (beyond the usual starter, grower, and finisher phases) can be useful to more closely match the diet with nutrient requirements. A broilers nutrient requirements change daily rather than only three times.
In choice feeding, a completely formulated feed is not provided but rather the separate ingredients. For example, corn may be offered separately from a protein concentrate mixed with vitamins and minerals. Choice feeding could help match nutrients even more closely to requirements that change daily according to temperature, stage of production, and gender. In choice feeding, homegrown organic feeds can be readily used. Many grains are provided in whole forms to reduce processing costs, improve gut health and maintain nutrient content.
Diet formulations
There are diet formulations available for feeding with synthetic MET, such as those at the Canadian Website. However, neither the MET levels nor protein levels of the diets are listed, so it is not known whether the target MET level is met without excessive protein.
Sample diet formulations for broilers, layers, and turkeys are provided in Possibilities and Limitations of Protein Supply in Organic Poultry and Pig Production (Sundrum, 2005). However, many of the ingredients are nonorganic, such as potato protein and corn gluten meal, and these cannot be used in the U.S.
See Table 2 for starter and grower organic meat-chicken diets from Europe using organic sunflower, sesame, and rapeseed, which can be difficult to obtain in the U.S. Note that the MET and MET+CYS levels are lower than those recommended by the NRC.
See Table 3 for fishmeal-based organic broiler diets designed by West Virginia University for research using both slow- and fast-growing broilers. No synthetic MET is used, and all the ingredients are available in the U.S.
The Methionine Task Force and its members have conducted feeding trials to test various diets. For example, Organic Valley did trials with high-MET corn and presented a poster at the 1st IFOAM International Conference on Animals in Organic Production (see Appendix). Some trials included additional betaine in an attempt to spare or reduce the need for some MET.
The Methionine Task Force has also sponsored research to develop a natural methionine product. In addition, the Task Force commissioned an 80-page literature review of methionine by researchers at California State Polytechnic University (Burns-Whitmore, 2007).
See Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Poultry (Blair, 2008) for general information on organic feedstuffs and feeding.
It is likely that organic poultry will not have enough methionine in the diet after synthetic methionine has been banned or that the diets will contain excessive protein. Animal proteins (dairy products, fishmeal, or insects/worms) and nonconventional proteins such as algae have an important role to play, but a natural methionine supplement would greatly reduce the problem.
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DEFRA. 2006. Organic egg production: A sustainable method for meeting the organic hens protein requirements. Project code OF0357. U.K.
DMello, J.P.F. 1994. Amino Acids in Farm Animal Nutrition. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, U.K.
Elwinger, K. and R. Tausen. 2009. Low-methionine diets are a potential health risk in organic egg production. European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition, Edinburgh, Scotland, August 23-27, 2009.
Emmert, J. L. No date. Sulfur Amino Acid Nutrition of Broilers.
Ewing, W. Ray. 1963. Poultry Nutrition. 5th Edition (revised). The Ray Ewing Company, Pasadena, California. Pp. 1475.
Fanatico, A.C., C.M. Owens, and J.L. Emmert. 2009. Organic Poultry Production in the U.S.: Broilers. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 18(2):355-366.
Fanatico, A.C., P. B. Pillai, J. L. Emmert, E. E. Gbur, J. F. Meullenet, and C. M. Owens. 2007. Sensory attributes of slow- and fast-growing chicken genotypes raised indoors or with outdoor access. Poultry Science 86:2441-2449.
Fanatico, A.C., T. OConnor-Dennie, C. M. Owens, and J. L. Emmert. 2007. Performance of alternative meat chickens for organic markets: impact of genotype, methionine level, and methionine source. Poultry Science 86 (Supplement 1). Abstract.
Fanatico, A.C., P. B. Pillai, T. OConnor-Dennie, J. L. Emmert. 2006. Methionine requirements of alternative slow-growing genotypes. Poultry Science 85 (Supplement 1). Abstract.
Han, Y. and D.H. Baker. 1991. Lysine requirements of fast- and slow-growing broiler chicks. Poultry Science 70(10):2108-2114.
Horsted, K., M. Hammershoj, and J.E. Hermansen. 2006. Short-term effects of productivity and egg quality in nutrient-restricted versus nonrestricted organic layers with access to different forage crops. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section A, Animal Science 56(1):42-54.
Jacob, J. P., N. Levendoski, and W. Goldstein 2008. Inclusion of high methionine corn in pullet diets. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 17(4):440.
Larbier, M. and B. Leclercq. 1994. Nutrition and Feed of Poultry. INRA, Paris, France.
Leeson, S. and J.D. Summers. 1991. Commercial Poultry Nutrition. University Books, Guelph, Ontario, Canada. P. 283.
National Research Council. 1994. Nutrient Requirements of Poultry. 9th rev. ed. National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.
Moritz, J.S., A.S. Parsons, N.P. Buchanan, N.J. Baker, J. Jaczynski, O.J. Gekara, and W. B. Bryan. 2005. Synthetic methionine and feed restriction effects on performance and meat quality of organically reared broiler chickens. Journal of Applied Poultry Research 14(3):521-535.
Peter, W., S. Danicke, H. Jeroch, M. Wicke, and G. von Lengerken. 1997. Influence of intensity of nutrition on selected parameters of carcass and meat quality of French Label type chickens. Archiv fur Geflugelkunde 61(3):110-116.
Sundrum, A. 2005. Possibilities and limitation of protein supply in organic poultry and pig production. Organic Revision: Research to support revision of the EU regulation on organic agriculture. Downloaded Jan. 2009. [PDF/2.1M]
Sundrum, A. 2006. Protein supply in organic poultry and pig production. Pp. 195-199 in Proceedings of the 1st IFOAM International Conference on Animals in Organic Production, St. Paul, Minnesota, Aug. 23-25.
Appendix A
Methionine Pathway
|Jason L. Emmert, Timothy A. Garrow and David H. Baker. 1996. Hepatic Betaine- Homocysteine Methyltransferase Activity in the Chicken is Influenced by Dietary Intake of Sulfur Amino Acids, Choline and Betaine. Journal of Nutrition, 126: 2050-2058. Figure 1. Metabolism of sulfur amino acids, choline and betaine. Page 2051.
Appendix B
Evaluation of Organic Broiler and Layer Ration Formulations
A series of ration formulations was developed to evaluate the viability of using alternative ingredients to replace the available methionine currently supplied by synthetic sources in poultry rations. The ingredients nutritional information came from several sources: Feedstuffs Reference Guide 2003-2004, National Research Councils Nutrient Requirements of Poultry (1994), Ajinomoto Heartland LLC, and information supplied by several ingredient producers. The nutritional profiles that served as the basis for the formulations were derived using several sources as well.
The basis for feed formulation is developing the nutritional matrix that is the backbone for each ingredient. For each ingredient, a complete nutritional profile must be established for each of the nutritional constraints of the ration. The values shown in the attached chart, Available Methionine Content of Ingredients for Poultry, were developed using the previously identified sources of information. Typically, many evaluations have used total methionine levels rather than the available methionine values shown on this chart. This was done because many of the ingredients contain significant total methionine levels, but due to many factors, only a fraction of this methionine is available to poultry. Using the available methionine values for both the ingredients and the nutritional requirements results in the most valid ration formulations. It must be noted that both the nutritional content of ingredients and the nutritional requirements for ration formulations will vary among nutritionists and feed manufacturers. The values presented here are an attempt to establish acceptable averages for each bird type.
Available Methionine Content of Ingredients for Poultry
The range of available methionine values in ingredients that could possibly meet organic production standards (no animal by-products) is significant, from a low of 0.08% of the ingredient (as fed) for dried kelp meal to a high of 0.93% for Menhaden fishmeal. For the purposes of this evaluation, fishmeal will be considered an acceptable ingredient under the organic standards. The primary ingredients in current poultry rations are corn and soybean meal. Corn (0.16% available methionine) is extremely low in available methionine and soybean meal (0.61% available methionine) can be considered as moderate in its available methionine content. For these reasons, it is the standard in poultry rations that supplemental synthetic methionine is added. These synthetic sources typically are DLmethionine (99% available methionine) and HMB (Alimet, 88% available methionine). Due to the available methionine potencies of the supplements, the typical inclusion rate is three to six pounds per ton of the ration (0.15 to 0.3% of the ration). For the rations in this example, organic soybean oil was also used when necessary to allow more formulation freedom, even though many organic feed producers do not use soybean oil (the oil is usually supplied to the ration in the form of full-fat soybean meal).
Broiler Ration Formulation
The attached sheet summarizes a series of broiler rations that were formulated to meet a common nutrient profile. The nutrients of interest in this comparison are shown in the Nutritional Comparison section below each ration. The alternative ingredients chosen for these formulations were restricted to those with the greatest available methionine content. The Other portion of the diet is comprised of all other required ingredients: limestone, phosphate, salt, trace minerals, and vitamins.
Ration A represents what could be considered a current ration. Ration B is the resulting formulation after removing the DL methionine. In this case, several compromises had to be made to achieve a feasible solution. These compromises result in a ration that would be unsuitable for broiler production. The energy of Ration B had to be reduced by 100 kcals and the available methionine reduced by 0.04%. At the same time, the protein of the rations increased from 21 to 38% (a level which could be physiologically harmful to the birds) and the available lysine (the second essential amino acid after methionine) was increased by 102%. Ration C was formulated without DL methionine but with fishmeal allowed up to a limit of 2.5% of the ration. In this ration, the target available methionine level of 0.49% was achievable, but (as in Ration B) an energy level reduction was required, and the protein and available lysine were excessive. Therefore, Ration C should be considered unacceptable due to these surpluses. Rations D was formulated with fishmeal and corn gluten meal, while Ration E used fishmeal, corn gluten meal, potato protein, earthworm meal, and sesame meal. In Rations D and E, the target values were achievable for energy and available methionine, and the excesses in available lysine were at an acceptable level. The main concern with Rations D and E is the increase in protein of about 7 to 8%. Several nutritionists contacted were uncomfortable with protein levels that exceeded the requirements by more than 5%. It might be possible to reduce this protein excess if more alternative ingredients were available and used in the ration.
These formulations simulated a broiler ration. Turkey rations are more nutrient dense than broiler rations, but the amino acid balance is proportionally similar. It can be assumed that in attempting to formulate turkey rations with these same constraints and ingredients, there would be similar deficiencies and excesses, and most likely to a greater magnitude.
Layer Ration Formulation
The same ingredient restrictions were used for both the layer rations and the broiler rations. As with the broiler rations, Rations B and C are unacceptable due to deficiencies in energy and excesses in protein and available lysine. For the layer rations, Rations D and E, with the expanded use of alternative ingredients, proved to be feasible solutions, without the energy deficiencies and the protein and available lysine excesses seen in the broiler rations. This can be explained by the fact that layer rations are less nutrient dense than rations for broilers or turkeys.
This series of formulations demonstrates that synthetic methionine supplements cannot simply be removed from the rations and the remaining ingredients reformulated. The resulting imbalances would be detrimental to the birds health. It appears that the use of fishmeal alone as an alternative ingredient is not sufficient to replace the synthetic methionine. It did appear that potentially feasible rations could be developed with the use of alternative ingredients. The primary constraint of this last conclusion is that these ingredients are either non-existent or of extremely limited availability when they are forced to fully comply with the organic ingredients standards. And again it must be noted that these conclusion were reached using only two average rations. Other nutritionists will likely experience additional deficiencies/excesses when formulating specific rations.
Source: from the Methionine Alternative Task Force 2003
Appendix C
Available Methionine Content of Ingredients for Poultry (%)
Appendix D
|Broiler Ration Formulation Evaluation
Ration (lbs. per ton)
|Soybean Meal
|Soybean Oil
|DL Methionine
|Corn Gluten Meal
|Potato Protein
|Earthworm Meal
|Sesame Meal
|Nutritional Comparison
|Metabolizable Energy (kcal/lb)
|Protein, %
|Available Methionine, %
|Excess Available Lysine, %
|Italicized values indicate imbalances of nutritional concern
Appendix E
|Layer Ration Formulation Evaluation
Ration (lbs. per ton)
|Soybean Meal
|Soybean Oil
|DL Methionine
|Corn Gluten Meal
|Potato Protein
|Earthworm Meal
|Sesame Meal
|Nutritional Comparison
|Metabolizable Energy (kcal/lb)
|Protein, %
|Available Methionine, %
|Excess Available Lysine, %
|Italicized values indicate imbalances of nutritional concern
Appendix F
Alternatives to Synthetic Methionine Feed Trial
To find a natural alternative to synthetic DL-Methionine in organic poultry rations.
(25 chicks)
(26 chicks)
(25 chicks)
|239 lbs
0 lbs
128 lbs
13 lbs
13 lbs
50 lbs
50 lbs
6 lbs
1 lbs
0 lbs
|organic shell corn
organic hi methionine corn
organic soymeal
organic flaxmeal
organic poultry builder
organic oats
organic barley
dical phos
potato starch
|0 lbs
240 lbs
140 lbs
0 lbs
12 lbs
50 lbs
50 lbs
5 lbs
3 lbs
0 lbs
|organic shell corn
organic hi methionine corn
organic soymeal
organic flaxmeal
organic poultry builder
organic oats
organic barley
dical phos
potato starch
|275 lbs
0 lbs
0 lbs
0 lbs
12 lbs
50 lbs
50 lbs
5 lbs
3 lbs
105 lbs
|organic shell corn
organic hi methionine corn
organic soymeal
organic flaxmeal
organic poultry builder
organic oats
organic barley
dical phos
potato starch
Three groups of cornish cross broiler cockerels are being given different rations.
Each group is receiving the same amount of feed each day.
Growing conditions are similar, all three groups are being raised on the same organic farm,
in separate adjoining pens.
Each batch is being weighed twice/week to measure growth patterns.
Chicks arrived on 5/10 as day-olds from Sunny Hatchery in Beaver Dam, WI.
Changed/refilled waterers twice daily.
Feed was given twice a day (splitting the total grams/day) except for the week of
June 9th through 17th, 1 X/day.
1Test conducted at Appley Ever After Farm, Viroqua, WI
Good energy level, but not as high as the Hi Meth Corn group.
Very good appetites—always rushed the feeder and waterer.
Initially, noticed a few birds with fecal matter covering vent as chicks.
(After we physically removed the matter it did not reappear.)
Abscesses in wings from banding problems developed.
(May have had something to do with some of the birds' eventual total growth? )
0% Mortality (no birds lost).
Feed Conversion Ratio: 2.77 lbs feed/1 lb gain.
Highest energy level.
(Initial feeding frenzies lessened when feed was increased above recommended levels.)
Initially, noticed a few birds with fecal matter covering vent as chicks.
(After we physically removed the matter it did not reappear.)
Gained weight fastest, but Control Group caught up towards the end and surpassed
the High Methionine Group at the last weighing. Although they were so close,
this might have been insignificant.
3.85% Mortality—lost one bird due to neck/leg problems at the end of the trial (week 6)
Feed Conversion Ratio: 2.78 lbs feed/1 lb gain.
Grew the slowest and never caught up with the Control or Hi Meth Corn groups,
leading one to believe that it would take longer to grow out a broiler,
or raise a layer to begin laying eggs.
Feed seemed to cake up more both towards the bottom of the bags and in the feeder.
Birds initially seemed to take more water than the Control or Hi Meth Corn groups,
but eventually it was the same as the others.
VERY calm, in comparison to the others groups.
12% Mortality: lost 3 birds due to leg/neck problems early on.
Feed Conversion Ratio: 3.28 lbs feed/1 lb gain.
High-Methionine Corn is a potential alternative to synthetic methionine in organic poultry rations.
Organic Poultry Production: Providing Adequate Methionine
By Anne Fanatico, Ph.D
Research Associate, USDA ARS
Paul Williams, Editor
Sherry Vogel, HTML Production
Slot 363
Version 050610
This page was last updated on: August 28, 2014


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Sarah Whyte Google+
Sarah Whyte is a political reporter in the Canberra bureau, covering health and Indigenous affairs. Previously, Sarah was the consumer affairs reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald, and covered immigration, customs and the High Court from Fairfax Media's Canberra bureau.
Children in detention report not a political exercise: Human Rights Commission
Rachel Browne, Sarah Whyte The president of the Australian Human Rights Commission Gillian Triggs has angrily rejected Tony Abbott's assertion that the organisation should be ashamed of itself for politicising the welfare of...
New migration visa is not a 'charade', inquiry hears
Sarah Whyte The Immigration Department has assured federal Senators that a new visa sold to Clive Palmer by Minister Scott Morrison is not a "charade", an inquiry has heard.
Surf Life Saving Australia leaves Bondi office space empty for four years while regional clubs struggle
Sarah Whyte Local clubs struggle for space and upgrades while their parent body neglects a premium office space it pays peanuts for.
Water, water, everywhere for senior rowers
Sarah Whyte With hearing aids, long socks and sensible shoes, there's something different about the men's eight rowing crew on the water at dawn in Drummoyne.
Regis Towers' tough security regime leaves tenants locked out
Jimmy Thomson, Sarah Whyte Apartment owners in a large Sydney block say a growing culture of prostitution, drug-dealing and illegal immigrants in inner-city apartments is behind their adoption of strict security measures that...
Chemical spill at Australia Post centre
Sarah Whyte At least one person has been taken to hospital and three others have been treated by paramedics after a chemical spill at the Australian Post International mail centre in Sydney.
Alcohol companies support binge education campaign
Sarah Whyte Big alcohol companies will support Premier Barry O'Farrell's multimillion-dollar education campaign to address binge drinking, but will not formally commit money until they see the proposal.
Safer Sydney: more than one way to send a message
Sarah Whyte Adam Horrock was experiencing drunken violence in Sydney's roughest areas so often, it compelled him to do something about it. He created a poster.
Road safety ad shows size does matter when engaging young male egos
Sarah Whyte With a brief to reduce speeding among young men who were desperate to show off their burgeoning masculinity, a Sydney advertising agency took a daring angle: mock their penis size.
Ad brakes: Sending a message to stop young men's drunken violence
Sarah Whyte In the delicate advertising art of persuasion and manipulation, experts say perpetrators of alcohol-fuelled violence are not a problem to be tackled directly.
Indian, Muslim communities tried to help homeless burns victim Monika Chetty
Sarah Whyte For months, members of the Indian and Muslim communities in Sydney tried to help a homeless Fijian Indian woman, Monika Chetty, who was found severely burnt on Friday night in Hoxton Park and is in...
Come the raw prawn: fishing for compliments after a festive feed
Sarah Whyte As the sun rays creep across the Hawkesbury river shrouded in light mist, Gary Howard pulls in his third catch of the day on board his prawn trawler.
State Mine fire: captain would have authorised more detonations
Sarah Whyte The Defence captain who authorised the detonation of explosives that led to the massive state mine fire in October has told an inquiry he would have approved more.
Farmers offered help to combat disease threat to eggs
Sarah Whyte The peak national egg body has launched a website called "Hen Support" to help farmers reduce the risk of an outbreak of disease, after 450,000 hens that contracted bird flu were destroyed in NSW.
Drink companies intensify lobbying of NSW MPs over cash-for-cans deposit scheme
Sarah Whyte, Hugh Robertson Alcohol and soft-drink companies have been aggressively lobbying state MPs over the cash-for-cans scheme up to twice a week, concerned NSW and Victoria are considering joining forces to introduce a...
From goats to drones: Public offers NSW's Rural Fire Service advice on fighting fires
Sarah Whyte After a major disaster, the Rural Fire Service becomes the beneficiary of unsolicited advice about how it should really fight fires, including making use of thousands of goats, unmanned...
Freecycle changes the adage: Just as good to give as to receive
Sarah Whyte ''I only own four items in this whole apartment,'' Galina Globug said.
Police seek help to find a missing man and toddler and man
Sarah Whyte Police are urgently seeking public assistance to find a two-year-old girl and a man who have gone missing from a home in Sydney's western suburbs.
Adam Goodes named NSW Australian of the Year
Sarah Whyte Sydney Swans star recognised for his commitment to community programs and for establishing and co-chairing the Goodes-O'Loughlin (GO) Foundation, which works with indigenous communities.
Brewer offends Hindus with Ganesh, Lakshmi labels
Sarah Whyte A small northern beaches brewery has found itself at the centre of a religious row after depicting Hindu deities on the labels of its alcoholic ginger beer.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 8/7/2014 (722 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
"Silly is our game." That is an accurate sum-up of this 60-minute two-hander presented by Winnipeg's Sydney Hayduk and Christy Taronno. But it is also charming and downright funny in its own convoluted way.
There's just a faint whisper of French clowns in the atmosphere of this quest story with its performers clad in black and white stripes. Armed with a red accordion (trés Gallic), a guitar and some magic glasses, Janis (Hayduk) and Jujube (Taronno) are sent on a slightly musical quest to help a 10-year-old boy named Daniel. Along the way they encounter a hilarious bearded lady and a Teutonic DJ named Mimi.
For all its silliness, including an unnamed movie reference, there is something about these performances that is just so disarmingly feminine and appealing. This show gets an E for Everybody.
— Wendy King


text:
Chance Pop Session: Love Song
Love Song
Akari now knows for certain that she loves Kaito. Kisaragi brings Yuuki to Class S. While they are walking home, Yuuki sings a nostalgic song, which is the one and only memory that Akari has of her childhood.
Other Chance Pop Session videos


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Are you downsizing? Thinking about what to do now that the children have gone away? Or are they adults? Is this a good time to reevaluate your lifestyle and surroundings? Do you need some much needed advice about what to do with all "your stuff"? Today we have as guest editor, Melissa Arnold, founder of Succor Estate Sales (pronounced Soo-KER) Melissa is especially savvy about what it takes to answer all your pressing questions about this issue. Enjoy the following from our special guest:
Stop for a second and take a look around your home. Meaningful and beautiful things that you love surround you: a wedding Ketubah, the pillar candle holders from the first Thanksgiving you hosted, the chess set you bought abroad–things big and small that remind you of a special time in your personal history. We all have them, so many things that begin to take on meaning.
Now, think about what happens to all of those things when you're no longer around to care for them. Maybe your children have moved out of the house and you're ready to start fresh. Perhaps these things are left to your children or maybe you're the one they are left to. Whatever the case, it often becomes very hard to part with these sentimental possessions, be it yours, your parents or even a friend's. Many people become overwhelmed and they simply continue to put off dealing with the inevitable. Sometimes, everything winds up in a storage unit that can cost a small fortune over time and is hard to sell later. Other times these items get donated to a charity or the family tries to host their own house sale of the items.
" ...it often becomes very hard to part with these sentimental possessions ..."
The smart thing to do, which is what most people end up doing, is to hire an estate sale company. These companies will come into your home and organize all possessions up for sale. What is typically a three-day sale will take place inside the seller's home. Estate resale agents have the experience and expertise to price possessions without the emotional or sentimental attachment. They will market your sale to their roster of clients, their online community, and the majority of the time, if the budget provides through local print media. Services will cost a percentage of total sales, typically 25-40%.
When interviewing estate sale agencies, consider the following:
1. Are they experienced hosting estate sales in your area? How estate sales perform can vary from one part of the city to another. If your estate sale planner knows how your area performs, they can take advantage of that knowledge when pricing your items and market the sale accordingly.
2. How do they advertise? Because of the huge variation in estate sale demographics and social habits, it's important that your sale planner utilizes multiple platforms to advertise your sale. It's great if they've been in business for thirty years and have a good following, but there are multiple estate sales happening every weekend and you want to make sure that your estate sale is advertised in every way possible to bring in shoppers. Providing photos that depict the general idea of the sale will also ensure you're targeting the correct shopper.
Cost-effective alternatives to high priced advertising include the following: estatesales.net, estatesales.org, craigslist.org, sending an e-newsletter to their subscriber base, the classified section of your local newspaper, and extra bonus if they utilize social media through the weekend to promote items.
3. Do they offer additional services? Yes, you're hiring an estate sale company to sell your items because they'll be able to make more money then if you were to do it on your own. Additional services to maximize your agent can also include; organization and donation of what's left over, the removal of anything the donation company won't take and the cleaning of the house.
4. If it's important to you, ask if they are conscientious about how things are disposed–do they recycle? It's shocking how much trash we collect over our lives. Even though you're benefiting the environment by selling your stuff instead of letting what a donation company won't take (and that can be a lot!) go into our landfills, you're still going to have more trash than you believe is possible, and most of it is recyclable. So make sure to ask if your estate sale company separate trash from recycling and if so, how do they dispose of it?
5. Use your gut when making the decision about whom you want to sell your stuff. Trust is the #1 thing to look for when choosing your estate sale planner. The most important thing you can do when choosing an estate sale company is to pay attention to who they are and ignore the lines they feed you. This is a sales business, and while you want the company you choose to be good at selling, it is more important that you trust who they are as people. They will have access to all of your possessions, they will uncover things you never knew existed, and you need to feel confident that they will have your best interests at heart. People hide valuables in the funniest places, and if your estate sale planner comes across a fanny pack full of cash (this has happened before) you want to be sure they will give it to you. You want to be sure that when they come across hidden jewelry they'll tell you about it rather than just put it out for sale–what if you would've kept that?
Maybe you're not at a point where you need to host an estate sale–good for you. Keep surrounding yourself with things you love. Try shopping at an estate sale: you'll find the most unique conversation pieces, you'll find stuff you were planning to buy for a fraction of retail, and you'll find the "thrill of the hunt" so many people already know about. And don't forget, you'll be helping the environment: reuse, it's one of the three R's!
- Melissa Arnold, founder of Succor Estate Sales.


text: Mar 31, 2013 22:09 Thibodaux eyes retirement changes Thibodaux eyes retirement changes St. Joseph's, Glasgow rule at statewide science fair The Associated Press Comments THIBODAUX — Changes could be coming for the city of Thibodaux's retirement system, the cost of which has ballooned in recent years. The Thibodaux City Council signed onto a letter with other municipalities asking the retirement system's state overseers to investigate cost-saving measures for the programs that account for more than $1.6 million of the city's budget. "People who are in there now have a right and deserve what they have earned," Eschete said. "At some point we may have to draw a line in the sand for new employees." The city participates in two programs to provide retirement for employees — one for police and one for other employees, Eschete said. In both systems, the employer and employee contribute a percentage of the worker's salary. The percentage is set by the boards of elected members and appointees. Eschete said the percentage the city contributes has increased in recent years. "When I started in 1983, the employee contribution rate was 9.25 percent, and the employer was about 5.5 percent," Eschete said. "Today the employer pays 18.75 percent, and the employee pays the same rate (as it has been)." Since 1996, retirement expenses for the city have gone from about $200,000 to its current $1.6 million for both programs combined. The police program saw a sharp upward swing from 2009 at $200,000 cost to the city to its current amount of about $850,000. Eschete emphasized he will seek no action that would change the system for current employees. He noted he might have to consider doing something different for new hires although the current system is a good recruiting tool for prospective employees. Get The Advocate in your inbox Subscribe


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Jul 18, 2011 10:51 AM
Yep, we're telling you right now: we don't do bottled water. We drink straight from the tap, baby! (Well, occasionally we filter, but you get out point--no wasted plastic here!) Inspire the rest of your Pilates group to go earth-friendly by carrying the H2OMG Bottle in Indoor ($16) to class. For every H2OMG bottle sold, 100 liters of undrinkable water will be purified for safe consumption in rural India. Beat that, Evian!
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Kartik Krishnaiyer is joined by Alexander Caulfied to discuss his recent trip to Leeds and Manchester to watch two league cup matches.
Caulfield, a Merseyside native has much of his family who support Leeds. Hear about the supporters of Leeds at Elland Road even in the bad time, their views on Ken Bates, and on former players Alan Smith and Rio Ferdinand.
We also discuss the demographic hcnages to the Leeds/Bradford area and how that affects football support especially for United in the area.
Also discussed are the lack of a Maine Road like atmosphere at Eastlands, and George Gillet's recent statements about Rafa Benetiz.


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Honorary Degree Recipients
- William Martin Joel,better known as Billy Joel, is an American pianist, singer-songwriter, and composer
who has received 23 GRAMMY® Award nominations, six GRAMMY® Awards and the prestigious GRAMMY® Legend
Award and is one of most popular recording artists and respected entertainers in history.
Throughout the years, Joel's songs have acted as personal and cultural
- Ben Shneiderman , a two-time Stony Brook University alumnus and Distinguished University Professor
of computer science at the University of Maryland, is a world renowned computer scientist
who has transformed the computer science field. He is a member of the University of
Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) and Founding Director of
the Human Computer Interaction Lab
- Charles B. Wang is co-founder of Computer Associates International (now CA, Inc.), and owner of the
New York Islanders ice hockey team. Born in Shanghai, he moved to Queens, New York
when he was eight-years-old, and attended Brooklyn Technical High School in Fort Greene,
Brooklyn. Mr. Wang (pronounced "Wong") founded CA in 1976 with three associates and
served as Chairman since the company's inception. He has since authored two books
to help business executives master technology: Techno Vision (1994, McGraw-Hill)
Dorothy Lichtenstein: Doctor of Humane Letters
Honorary Degree Conferred at the Main Commencement Ceremony
Dorothy Lichtenstein is famous for the extraordinary passion, wisdom and generous commitment she brings to the arts. She is president of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, through which she encourages a broad understanding of contemporary art and culture. As a member of the Stony Brook Foundation Board of Trustees since 2008, she has been an important patron of the University's arts programs on the East End of Long Island, in particular the graduate programs in the arts at Stony Brook Southampton and the Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center. Her dedication doesn't stop there. Lichtenstein's leadership and generosity extend to the University as a whole — from scholarships to students on campus to research about human evolution at the Turkana Basin Institute in Kenya. An active participant of the contemporary art scene since the early 1960s, Lichtenstein worked at the pioneering Bianchini Art Gallery in New York City after attending Beaver College. The Gallery, which specialized in emerging pop art, made a splash with its 1964 "American Supermarket" exposition, in which works of then little-known young artists — such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and James Rosenquist — were offered for sale in bins. The following year, she edited Pop Art One, which documented the early New York Pop Art Movement in an innovative portfolio design. It was through the "American Supermarket" that she met artist Roy Lichtenstein, whom she married in 1968. After Roy's death in 1997, she established the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation, which currently has 5,200 Roy Lichtenstein works in its catalogue. In recognition of her work supporting the arts, Dorothy Lichtenstein was awarded an Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication in 2001. In addition to her commitment to Stony Brook, she has been a trustee of the Parrish Art Museum since 2000, has served on the Leadership Council of the New York Stem Cell Council Foundation and on the Board of Studio in a School, an organization that provides students with a meaningful visual arts experience through partnerships between artists and educators in New York City Schools. Most recently, she curated the first Roy Lichtenstein retrospective in two decades. Because of her contributions to the arts, her commitment to science and stem cell research, her unwavering support of the Long Island arts community, her careful stewardship of the artistic legacy of her husband, Roy Lichtenstein, and her continuing commitment to Stony Brook University, we are honored to bestow upon Dorothy Lichtenstein the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.
David Walt: Doctor of Science
Honorary Degree Conferred at the Doctoral Ceremony
David Walt '79, the Robinson Professor of Chemistry and Biomedical Engineering at Tufts University, has been a leader in the application of micro- and nano-technologies to urgent biological problems. His laboratory at Tufts is world-renowned for its pioneering work in fiber-optic microarray technology, which is used in the detection of infectious diseases, diagnostics for cancer biomarkers and answering fundamental questions on basic biological processes. Walt has received numerous national and international awards and honors for his fundamental and applied work in the field of optical sensors and arrays. Walt's scientific career began after he graduated from Stony Brook University with his PhD in Chemistry in 1979. After two years as a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he became an assistant professor at Tufts University in 1981, where he has worked ever since, serving for eight years as chair of the Department of Chemistry. He has published more than 250 scientific articles and holds more than 60 patents. Outside his lab, Walt and his organic chemistry and biochemistry students are devoted to bringing the excitement of science to the public through an active program with local schools in which Tufts students help integrate new science into the K–12 curriculum. In 2012 he received a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Institutes of Health. This grant will allow Walt to establish a core sequencing facility for educational purposes, create an entry-level, research-based course for high school students, and continue his longtime focus on outreach to local K–12 students and teachers in the area of science education. In addition to his academic accomplishments, Walt is the scientific founder and director of Illumina Inc., a San Diego-based company and leader in genetic analysis, as well as scientific founder and director of Quanterix Corporation, based in Massachusetts, which is developing a next-generation platform for early disease diagnosis, with particular emphasis on early detection of cancers and neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's. Walt's contributions to the fields of micro- and nano-technology with biological applications have been truly groundbreaking. The companies that he helped found continue to lead in the practical application of scientific ideas to real-world problems. David Walt is among our most distinguished alumni, and the University is proud to grant him the honorary degree of Doctor of Science.
Terence Netter: Doctor of Fine Arts
Nora D. Vokow: Doctor of Science
Glenn Dubin
Richard J. Gambino
Sister Margaret Ann Landry
James Salter
Henry Laufer
Marsha Laufer
Hyun-Soon Lee
Jane Lubchenco
Gregg Smith
Eugene V. Thaw
Elwyn L. Simons
Carolyn Porco
Charles Wurster
Liu Yangdong
Norman F. Ramsey
Marilyn Hawrys Simons
James D. Wolfensohn
Russell Mittermeier-Conservation Biology
Christopher Pendergast-Founder, Ride for Life and Medical Research Campaigner
W. Burghardt Turber-Civil Rights and Diversity
Bernard A. Harris, Jr.-Astronaut
Christopher Reeve–Actor and Activist (posthumously)
Charles A. Gargano–Business and Engineering
Richard L. Gelfond–Business
Matthew J. Cody–Philanthropist for Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Robert Shaler–Forensic Biologist
David E. Acker–Scientist and Inventor
George Booth–Cartoonist
Barry Spencer Coller–Medical Researcher and Inventor
Bruce Stillman—Medical Research and Academics
Loni Ding—Filmmaker and Educator
Robert L. Gallucci—Foreign Service
Meave Leaky—Human Evolution
John H. Marburger—Physics
John Hennessy—Electrical Engineering, Business, and Academics
Susan Solomon—Atmospheric Sciences
Erwin Staller—Philanthropist for the Arts
John Belle—Architect
James A. Hayward—Scientist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist
Albert Murray—Author and Cultural Critic
George Williams—Biologist
Bruce Alberts—Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
John H. Coleman—Engineering and Business
Charles Johnson—Author
June E. Osborn—Medicine and Research
Chen Ning Yang—Theoretical Physics
Hayward Cirker—Publishing
E. Virgil Conway—Business and Public Service
Richard E.F. Leakey—Anthropology
T. Alexander Pond—Physics
Chang-Lin Tien—Engineering
Norman Mercer—Artist
Myung Oh—Business
Suzie Orbach—Psychotherapist
Kenneth Chenault—Community Service/Business
Gerald Leeds Community Service
Lilo Leeds—Community Service
Sheldon Weinig—Scientist/Teacher
Robert Blackburn—Artist/Teacher
Dennis Puleston—Scientist/Teacher Conservationist
Kwon-Ting Li—Physics/Economic Development
P. Roy Vagelos—Biomedical
Akito Arima—Physics
Joycelyn Elders—Surgeon General
Robert Paxton—Historian
Howard Green—Medicine
Gertrude Elion—Scientist
Nina Totenberg—Broadcaster, National Public Radio
James Simons—Services to Higher Education/Philanthropy
Isabel Allende—Writer
Mathilde Krim—Aids Research/Education
Paul Lauterbur—Chemistry
John Toll—Services to Higher Education
Gary Becker—Economics
Dalai Lama—Services to Humanity and Promotion of World Peace
Joan Wallach Scott—History
Karl Turekian—Geochemistry
Martinus Veltman—Physics
Sir Run Run Shaw—Philanthropy
Lin Ma—Development of Higher Education in Hong Kong and Education Exchange
Richard Doll—Medicine
Bernard Greenhouse—Music
Barrett Hazeltine—Engineering
Theodore Lowi—Political Science
Frederick Morgan—Poet-Editor
Carl Schorske—History
Robert Weinberg—Medicine
Albert Banduar—Psychology
Wayne Clayson Booth—English
Umberto Eco—Semiotics
Donald Ervin Knuth—Computer Science
Richard Garwin—Physics
Eric Kandel—Neurobiology
William Riker—Political Science
Salo Baron—History of Judaism
Margaret Burbidge—Astrophysics
S.S. Chern—Mathematics
Betty Friedan—Writer-Feminist
Henry Taube—Chemistry
Lipman Bers—Mathematics
Lee Krasner—Artist
Henri Peyre—French Literature
Sarah Ratner—Biology
Sewall Wright—Biology
Maurice Goldhaber—Physics
Barbara McClintock—Biology
Bayard Rustin—Public Service
Lewis Thomas—Medicine


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Myopic, partisan and unsustainable government-mandated greenhouse gas controls for questionable climate threats inflate consumer costs and cause electric power shortfalls, and always have unintended pollution. The California Energy Commission mandates "green/renewable energy" of California's electric utility companies to produce 33 percent of their electric power by 2020. Green/renewables would include solar, wind, small hydropower and biofuels.
Solar thermal reactor electric power plants were all the rage of renewable power enthusiasts in the 1980's. Today in California's Mojave Desert, the Ivanpah solar reactor plant -- which focuses sunlight from thousands of curved mirrors onto massive boilers 339 feet in the air to make steam that drives turbines to produce electricity – would have an advantage over conventional photovoltaic solar panels, wind and conventional carbonaceous coal or gas-fired electricity.
This 3,000-acre solar reactor electric plant would be the world's largest using mirrors to focus the power of the sun on solar boilers atop three towers. The electricity generated by all three tower reactors is enough to serve more than 140,000 homes – approximately the size of Pasadena. The complex is advertised to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by more than 400,000 tons per year.
Ironically, each of Ivanpah's three steam turbines requires auxiliary boilers that pre-heat fluid in the early morning to keep fluid warm over night, and to boost production especially during cloudy days or when there are desert dust storms. Carbonaceous natural gas is burned to heat the auxiliary boilers when the sun is down or covered by clouds. Burning this natural gas to pre-heat the boilers will emit 383.7 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) per operating day at Ivanpah. CO2 is classified as a polluting greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming.
Cynically in October 4, 2011, California Gov. Brown (D) signed Senate Bill 226 amending the California Environmental Quality Act so that "cumulative impacts" from some "green" public projects do not disqualify a project from fast-tracking via "categorical exemptions." (CalWatchDog.com, April 25, 2014)
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Spring has sprung... or have we skipped to summer with these temperatures?
There are plenty of events this weekend to start the running season:
- Face Forward Gift Fund Fun Run and Walk 5K - April 10 in Druid Hill Park at 9 am
- Springburst 8 K - April 10, Greenbelt National Park, 8 am
- North County Preservation 5K - April 10, NCR Trail at Paper Mill, 8:30 am
- Cherry Pit 10-MIle - Aprill 11, Edgewater, 8 am
If speedwork or formal training hasn't been a part of your snowy winter, run one of these races casually to begin your climb back into shape.
Run, Baltimore!