People in agriculture are hard-wired to get excited when the calendar page turns, and winter departs. But along with the arrival of spring is a not-so welcomed management challenge. It is the very product of those warmer temperatures and spring rains – mud.

Farmers know you can’t do the same thing and expect different results. Protein producers make adjustments in their operations frequently – managing uncertainty in things like the weather, regulations, market prices, etc. But sometimes, as protein producers know, you need to re-think an issue to take advantage of the opportunities at hand, keep up with new ideas offered in production methods, technology, science, etc.

Is the demand for cage-free eggs disrupting technology? Is it causing big producers to abandon technology they have been using for the last 40 years with caged hens?

During the past year alone, Summit Livestock has been the subject of a great deal of buzz in the protein industry, and a lot of that excitement has centered on new innovations in cage-free egg production facilities. Wrap-the-Equipment™ is innovation.

Timing is everything and it’s one year closer to 2025. That’s the deadline that McDonalds set for sourcing 100% cage-free eggs. As if egg production wasn’t challenging enough, the complication of new designs to assure bird health, sustainable practices, and production efficiencies could easily slow how quickly egg producers can meet demand of companies like McDonalds.

It’s not uncommon. Partners in livestock production are part of the way we get this work done. For some, it’s a spouse, a sibling, or a parent they partner with in the farm operation. Some might say they look at their banker as a partner. You work with a variety of partners to help you run your business, help you manage risk, do some of the work, and give you time to spend for yourself.

Those migratory birds up above just might be off course. According to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), severe weather in the upper eastern and western borders of the US and food sources depleted in the south by this last season’s hurricanes are causing migratory birds to veer off their normal routes. And because migratory birds carry diseases such as avian influenza (AI), now is the time to be even more diligent about protecting your flocks with biosecurity measures.

We’ve been talking about Summit Livestock’s sustainable approach to livestock buildings. It’s a three-pronged approach, protecting and supporting social, environmental and economic aspects of protein production.