Bird is the word.

Following Islamic dietary laws, a Brazilian poultry worker preparing to slaughter a chicken first says a prayer then turns the bird toward Mecca. Onlythen can he take the bird's life, a rapid but respectful ritual that is helping turn the South American giant into the world's largest exporter of poultry. Fed by demand from the Middle East and Asia, Brazil's poultry shipments have taken wing. In 2004, the world's biggest beef exporter surpassed the United States as the world's largest chicken exporter, capturing 40% of the global market. Last year, it shipped US$3.50 billion worth of poultry abroad. The country expects chicken exports to climb another 6% in Part of the rise has come on falling trade 2006. Part of the rise has come on falling trade barriers but also on low-cost production: Chicken feed made from corn and soy is grown not far from many poultry farms, cutting freight costs. Brazil's warm climate also keeps heating bills down. Low costs give Brazil an advantage in Asian markets, mainly in China and South Korea, says Claudia Martins, president of the country's poultry exporters' association. Just shy of a third of Brazil's chicken exports went to the Middle East (a quarter goes to Asia). Niche industrial customers also work well for companies like Seara Alimentos, a subsidiary of U.S. food giant Cargill. The company sells not only to traditional customers such as supermarkets but also to fast-food companies. "By selling fewer whole chickens but higher value-added, special-cut and de-boned chicken, which are even more custom-tailored products, we boosted export revenues," says Pedro Bohrer, Seara's director of operations. "We are the biggest supplier of chicken nuggets for McDonalds in Europe."