Misting methods have gotten more and more frequent in broiler homes because the business gears up for warmer summers and higher welfare scrutiny.
For many growers, they supply a helpful backup for these days when the mercury rises and shed temperatures turn out to be dangerously excessive.
See additionally: Meet the Farmers Weekly 2023 Poultry Farmer of the Year
But for Nigel Edwards of Whittal Poultry, the 2023 Farmers Weekly Poultry Farmer of the Year, misting the sheds has turn out to be a part of the day by day routine, delivering each bodily and monetary advantages for the business.
“We run the system every single day, at 8am sharp, giving each shed a 20-second blast to create a better atmosphere, and as a disease precaution,” he says.
The 4 sheds Nigel manages at Court Barns in Herefordshire had been put up in 2019 – a few of the final sheds to be constructed within the recent spate of poultry enlargement within the space.
“It was actually when Avara Foods requested a year or two later that its contracted growers install misting systems that we started looking at the options,” he says.
“While some producers went for cheaper designs, we went for a more robust system that would withstand the challenges of the environment.”
That was a Lubing system, which runs down the center and sides of every shed and is linked to the farm’s Dosatron pumps.
The system has been arrange in partnership with Independent Water Solutions and makes use of their patented Xziox disinfectant, which feeds each the consuming strains and the misting system.
Nigel Edwards © Richard Stanton
Farm details
Court Barns, Clehonger, Herefordshire
- Four broiler sheds in-built 2019
- 52,000 birds a shed
- Ground-source warmth pumps, photo voltaic panels and battery storage
- Contracted to Avara Foods
- Grass seed screenings used as bedding
- Home-grown wheat added to feed
Temperature management
The apparent profit is its impact on shed temperature, knocking it down by about 3C in the course of the summer season months, which is nice for hen consolation and efficiency.
“For the first year, we only ran it during the warmer weather,” says Nigel. “But the birds seemed to like it and I could see other advantages.”
The birds are significantly extra lively, getting up and transferring about when the unit switches on every morning, and there was a notable discount in toes and leg issues.
“Our last two flocks have had the lowest pododermatitis scores ever,” he says. “Avara pays a premium for anything below 20% and we are now down at 12%.”
Of course, the entire atmosphere needs to be watched carefully.
“If humidity levels got too high, it could lead to wet litter. If they got too low, it could become dusty and the birds might not perform,” says Nigel. “My target is 60% humidity.”
Bird mortality figures additionally appear to have benefited from the introduction of misting, with the inclusion of the disinfectant lowering airborne pathogens, although there has additionally been an enchancment in chick high quality from the hatchery.
The final flock recorded a mortality price of simply 2.35%, whereas the common slaughterweight was 2.52kg – 7% forward of the breed goal.
Running the misting system each day additionally avoids the build-up of stagnant water, which might improve the danger of legionella an infection.
Performance
Initial funding for the misting system got here to about £50,000, together with set up throughout all 4 sheds. It additionally makes use of extra product – each water and chemical – which provides up.
And there may be the additional electrical energy to contemplate – although with 450kW of photo voltaic panels on two of the sheds’ roofs, and 387kW of lithium battery storage just lately put in, it’s a cost that’s straightforward to bear.
Overall, Nigel is satisfied it has proved its price economically, and hen efficiency speaks for itself, with a European manufacturing effectivity issue rating of 457 from the final crop – the very best ever achieved by the unit.
As ever with Nigel, he’s seeking to take it ahead to extend the advantages.
“I’ll be going to the Pig and Poultry Fair in May to speak to a few of the different chemical producers, to see what else we might add to the water that might improve the disinfecting properties, however not have any detrimental impact on the tools or the birds.
“I look at the misting system as a link in the chain and, if every link is performing to its requirement, the chain will produce a profitable result.”
