PROJECT |
INCORPORATING COLD CHAIN |
|||||
Air-handling systems |
Poor ventilation, temperature swings |
Equally important, the facility has |
||
further stabilise the |
or oxygen shortages during transport |
dramatically reduced its dependence on |
||
environment. Fresh |
can undo the biological advantages |
imported electronics, lowering maintenance |
||
air units incorporate |
gained during incubation. The solution |
costs and improving operational resilience. |
||
pre-heating, pre- |
was to create mobile environmental |
Because the control panels are now |
||
cooling, filtration |
control systems that extend hatchery- |
assembled locally by Keystar Industries, |
||
and precision |
level precision into the transport fleet. |
spare parts and technical support are readily |
||
airflow control, |
Each delivery vehicle now functions |
available, a major advantage in a country |
||
maintaining positive |
as a mobile environmental chamber. |
where supply chains can be unpredictable. |
||
pressure inside the hatchery to prevent contamination from |
Temperature is controlled through gas heating and evaporative cooling systems, while oxygen levels are |
A MODEL FOR THE FUTURE OF POULTRY AUTOMATION |
||
dust or external |
maintained using motorised air dampers |
The Keystone Hatcheries project |
||
particles. |
and variable-speed ventilation fans. |
demonstrates how locally developed |
||
Perhaps the most |
Optional ammonia monitoring can detect |
engineering solutions can successfully |
||
innovative aspect |
waste-gas accumulation during transit. |
replace expensive imported systems in |
||
of the project came |
The system continuously balances |
highly specialised industrial environments. |
||
after the incubation |
airflow, oxygen concentration and |
By combining advanced PLC control, |
||
process. Once |
temperature, a complex task when |
adaptive environmental algorithms, |
||
chicks hatch, they |
external conditions may range from |
hydronic thermal management and mobile |
||
Environmental control systems assist in maintaining suitable conditions in chick holding areas. |
are inspected, vaccinated through automated spray |
midday heat to winter temperatures below-5 ° C in the Midlands.
To further enhance operational control,
|
monitoring technologies, the project
has created a resilient and scalable
automation platform tailored to South
|
|
systems, and |
each vehicle transmits live telemetry data |
African operating conditions. |
||
packed into crates |
back to the hatchery. Transport managers |
And perhaps most importantly, it proves |
||
for delivery to |
can monitor: |
that innovation in agriculture is no longer |
||
farms across the |
• Internal temperature conditions |
confined to genetics or feed efficiency. |
||
region. Traditionally, |
• Environmental trends |
Sometimes, it begins with one-tenth of a |
||
the precise |
• Door openings |
degree. |
CLA |
|
|
environmental control achieved during incubation ends at the loading bay.
Keystar’ s engineers saw this as a critical vulnerability. Day-old chicks
|
• Ventilation performance
Upon arrival at the destination farm, a complete environmental history can be presented, confirming that welfare conditions were maintained throughout the journey.
MEASURABLE RESULTS
The impact of the retrofit has been
|
In an operation of
this scale, even small
improvements in
environmental control
can translate into
significant annual
|
||
are extremely sensitive to environmental |
significant. Keystone Hatcheries has reported measurable improvements in hatchability, which at this scale represents a |
gains in hatchability
and profitability.
|
||
stress. |
substantial annual financial gain. |
|||
Chick grading line before being spray vaccinated, weighed and counted before being dispatched. |