Innovation trail to feature at Pig & Poultry Fair
© Tim Scrivener Innovation and new thinking are driving forces within the poultry industry, both of which will be on show at this year’s British Pig & Poultry Fair in May. Poultry World reports.
Spotting new kit and discussing fresh ideas are two of the main reasons poultry producers attend the biennial Pig & Poultry Fair, which is why the organisers have created a special Innovation Trail for this year’s event.
“With producers’ time so precious, we decided to create the Innovation Trail to make it easier for visitors to plan their day and take home fresh ideas to benefit their businesses,” says fair organiser Alice Bell.
“All the innovations featured have been launched within the past year, so are truly new to the market.”
In a recent survey carried out by the Royal Agricultural Society of England, farmers placed networking and cutting-edge innovations as their top reasons for attending the event.
“In 2014, almost two-thirds of visitors came to see new products and nearly three-quarters planned to make changes to their business as a result,” says Kevin Sketcher, commercial director at ABN, which is partnering the event.
“With its theme of innovation and technology, there will be plenty of new ideas, products and advice on offer, helping poultry producers to harness the tools and knowledge required to drive their businesses forward.”
So what innovations will this year’s fair have on offer? Here is a selection to whet your appetite.
The British Pig & Poultry Fair
The British Pig & Poultry Fair, partnered by ABN, will be held at the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre at Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, on 10-11 May 2016. To find out more and register for free entry to the fair visit the Pig & Poultry Fair’s website.
Statistics from 2014 visitor survey:
62% cited seeing new products as one of their main reason for attending the fair.
72% of 2014 fair visitors planned to make changes to their business as a result of visiting the fair.
Mite Max (Bowden & Knights Livestock/Barrettine Group)
This is an innovative tool in the fight against poultry red mite, providing rapid knockdown of the pest.
Mite Max comprises a novel sticky trap that can be easily applied by spray applicators used for conventional chemical insecticides.
It is classified as a sticky trap, so is not subject to biocide regulations and can be sprayed with the birds present.
It is formulated to penetrate deep into dusty layers and crevices.
The advanced food grade cellulose polymer acts on contact with red mite resulting in rapid knockdown of red mite in poultry houses. It also works on flour mite in grain stores.
The manufacturer says it is effective within one minute, even against populations resistant to chemical insecticides.
More information can be found on the Barrettine Group’s website.
RoboSpin (Collinson)
A pioneering scratch feeding system, RoboSpin helps improve fertility rates and increase broiler breeder production.
The system moves feed almost silently down the house on a specialist overhead trackway, distributing a minimal amount of feed to entice birds down from nest boxes.
This encourages social interaction and positively influences egg fertility.
As infertile eggs cost the same as fertile eggs to produce, the introduction of the RoboSpin supplementary scratch feeder means flock fertility rates will see a significant increase, at relatively low cost, says the manufacturer.
For more information see manufacturer Collinson’s website.
Light Tracker and Air Quality Monitor (EPA Products)
The Light Tracker is designed for sheds with windows and will ramp lights up or down to maintain a preset lighting level within the building – essential for bird welfare.
The Air Quality Monitor will sample the air within the building every two minutes, displaying levels of carbon dioxide, ammonia, humidity and temperature – important to respect environmental regulations and help bird performance.
For more information see maker EPA Products’ website.
Omnia 700PX (Moba UK)
Moba developed the Omnia PX egg grading machine to increase the grading capacity from 190,000 eggs/hour to 252,000 eggs/hour.
Combined with individually controlled accumulator infeed channels, this gives the best fill rate and efficiency available today, claims the company. The first new Omnia 700PX grader is already installed in the UK.
For more information see the manufacturer Moba UK’s website.
FloraDox (Scotmas Group)
FloraDox provides a unique microflora enhancement programme, consisting of a blend of organic acids and supplements.
It is designed to stimulate nutrient uptake in targeted zones of the gastrointestinal tract. With its counterpart, chlorine dioxide, a total bacteria-free water supply is created, maximising nutrient absorption and inhibiting invasive bacterial colonisation.
FloraDox does not rely on pH adjustment, unlike conventional acid treatments, and leads to a significant reduction in antibiotic reliance. It continually suppresses salmonella, E coli and other micro-organisms. It is fully compatible with a powerful water sanitation package, without the need for multiple dosing equipment or programmes.
For more information see manufacturer Scotmas Group’s website.
Manure to Energy CHP (BHSL)
BHSL converts poultry manure to heat and power in a biosecure on-farm Energy Centre.
The process is remotely managed for customers and regular maintenance ensures stringent emissions standards are always met.
The system provides clean, indirect heat to support fresher ventilation and better conditions for birds. It has proven welfare benefits as well as 3.4 days faster growth in a recent third-party report.
See more information on BHSL’s website.
LED Lighting Chain (LSL Co UK)
A plug-and-play festoon LED lighting chain which is very durable and comes in varying lengths of 3m, 9m, 15m and 30m.
This low-cost system is simple to put together with its quick plug and socket arrangement.
The festoon cable is flat, making it easy to clip direct to any surface, or it can be cable tied or suspended.
Designed for 10W or 15W E27 LED lamps – equivalent to a 60W or 100W bulb with 40,000hrLL – it is waterproof to IP55.
For more information see LSL Co’s website.
Manitou TMT 27P (MEB Equipment)
The boom of the Manitransit requires less maintenance than a masted machine. It has no chains or bearings and only 11 grease nipples, making this machine a lot easier to clean than a masted machine.
It is also 600kg lighter for the same lift capacity.
For more information go to MEB Equipment’s website.
Flex-Auger High Capacity (Roxell)
The poultry industry is investing more and more in bigger housing or multiple houses per site and therefore needs a transport system with an increased feed capacity.
The Flex-Auger High Capacity with Densicor tube has a capacity of 10t/hour and a running time of 4 hours/day. It has a wear-resistant polyethylene tube to ensure optimal durability and is incredibly robust.
More informatipon can be found on Roxell’s website.
Twinjector syringe (Kaycee Veterinary Products)
The Kaycee Twinjector Syringe is specifically designed to deliver two vaccines of differing viscosity in the same dose.
The hand-operated repeater syringe, with a traditional feel, is able to be used with all oil and water-based vaccines. The addition of a magnetic counter makes it even easier to use.
For more information see Kaycee Veterinary Products’ website.
Eggbase (Eggbase)
This innovative, comprehensive, independent, cloud-based software provides data and crop performance management for broiler growers, broiler breeders and layer breeders.
It gives them visibility and control over their data for benchmarking and strategic planning. Easy to use on any device anywhere and with full support from the Eggbase team.
For more information see Eggbase’s website.