FACTORS INFLUENCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND COSTS IN BROILER PROCESSING PLANTS IN THE SOUTH

In the United States, 146.5 trillion Btu's' of plants in Georgia and Alabama in the spring energy were used in the production and and summer of 1976. Information was commarketing of poultry products in 1974, at a piled from plant records and interviews with cost of $550 million 14, p. 26]. Processing plant management and engineering personnel. The operations accounted for about $130 million or plants contacted represented 50 percent of the 24 percent of these costs. Because of increased plants operating in these two states, and they mechanization and higher sanitation stan- processed 54 percent of the volume. Detailed dards, the poultry processing industry has monthly data on electricity and fuel usage plus become more energy intensive over time. monthly costs and volume of poultry processed Expanding volume and increased emphasis on were obtained for 11 of these plants for 12 to 24 further processed products also have month periods from 1974 to 1976. Certain contributed to greater energy use. results of this study are presented in another Fuel oil, natural gas, and electricity are the report 121. The phase of the study reported primary sources of energy used in broiler pro- herein is concerned with a statistical analysis cessing plants. The type of fuel used varies of specific factors affecting energy consumpwith plant location, but most plants in the tion and costs. South use natural gas with fuel oil as a secon- Theoretical models are developed to explain darv source. Fuel is used for heating broilers energy consumption levels for fuel, electricity, for steam and hot water and for heating and and total energy. The three models are the singeing operations. Electricity is used in a same in theoretical basis and similar indepenvariety of ways for ventilation and cooling, dent variables are used. Statistically, the operating machinery, refrigeration and freez- models are formulated as linear equations with ing facilities, ice making, lighting, and supple- parameter estimates based on multiple regresmental heat. sion techniques. Use of logarithmic forms of As a result of the energy crisis stemming certain variables does not improve the correlafrom the 1973 oil embargo, there has been re- tion coefficients significantly. Stepwise regresnewed interest in energy use and conservation. sion procedures are used to help test variables Natural gas and fuel oil are subject to supply and structure the models. shortages and increasing price levels. Also electricity requirements of processors often Specification of Models peak during the summer months when power supplies are most critical. Processing plants Energy consumption in broiler processing have wide variations in energy use and costs plants is determined by a variety of factors rebecause of differences in technology and lated to plant location and climatic conditions, operating practices which should provide the technical and engineering characteristics of opportunities for energy savings and reduced the plant, and operating procedures and praccosts. The purpose of this study is to identify tices. Most processing plants are large operasome important factors influencing energy tions and many individual functions are perconsumption rates in broiler processing plants formed as the birds are slaughtered, scalded, and to determine their quantitative impact on defeathered, eviscerated, and then chilled, consumption and cost levels. graded, and packaged for shipment. Each