| Pig & Poultry
Arbor CHP Unit Open Day Cobb achieves approval
Renewable Energy Specialists, ESP Energy are hosting an
open day to showcase the Arbor ElectroGen combined
heat and power unit, one of the newest renewable
technologies on the market.
ombined heat and
power is simply
the simultaneous
generation of
usable heat and
electricity. This
heat can be used for agricultural
or industrial space heating.
Situated in the picturesque
market town of Knighton, Grove
Farm is home to the Powell’s, they
rear beef cattle and are free range
chicken farmers that have been in
the farming industry for many
generations.
They had previously invested in
biomass boilers to provide
renewable heat to the farm, but
with the expansion of their
business and increased costs of
energy they were looking for a
technology that provided both
renewable heat and power.
This site uses the heat from two
Arbor Electrogen 45 systems for
wood drying linked to a Pezzolato
EPG 50 wood drier that dries and
screens the woodchip. This
process allows the owners to buy
in wet, unscreened chip at a lower
cost to pre-screened, dry
C
for ‘Compartment’ Status
in UK
The UK farm and hatchery facilities which export Cobb
broiler breeding stock globally have been granted ‘GB
enhanced compartment’ status — the most stringent
requirements for any such operation.
woodchip and use the heat to do
this themselves in a fully
automated process.
The excess chip that is
unsuitable for gasification will be
used for either his existing
biomass boilers or as bedding for
the farm livestock – so nothing
goes to waste. The electricity is
used on the farm to reduce costs
and any surplus is exported to the
grid. This system will save the
owners thousands in fuel costs
whilst helping to reduce their
carbon footprint.
The open day will be on
Tuesday 12th April at Grove Farm,
Knighton, Powys, LD7 1LN where
hosts ESP Energy will be offering
free refreshments and advice on
these units throughout the day, for
more information please call ESP
Energy on 01743 718 003, or email
[email protected]
ith the agreement
of an importing
country, the high
standards of
biosecurity within
a compartment
allow breeding stock to be
supplied to customers when
outbreaks of avian influenza or
Newcastle disease in a particular
country would normally restrict
exports.
The approval by the UK Animal
and Plant Heath Agency (APHA)
covers the great grandparent and
grandparent stock farms of Cobb
Europe which extend across East
Anglia and the East Midlands and
the grandparent hatchery in
Norfolk. They supply breeding
stock not only across the Cobb
Europe region, which also serves
the Middle East and Africa, but to
customers worldwide.
W
“This significant achievement
has only been realised through
the dedication of all our
employees with continued
investment in education and
training. Our whole team are
justly proud of their joint efforts
to achieve this landmark status”
Lyndsey Cassidy, quality
assurance coordinator of Cobb
Europe, has worked on the project
since she joined the company five
years ago.
“In a world where there is a
real need to manage trade and
maintain a secure supply to all
customers, notifiable disease
outbreaks are becoming a
significant concern,” she said.
“Poultry breeding stock is now
shipped around the world from a
small number of primary breeding
companies. Outbreaks of both
avian influenza and Newcastle
disease can severely impact trade
as national governments can
choose to block imports from
affected countries for weeks or
even months. Maintaining country
freedom from notifiable diseases is
no longer a viable approach to
preserving open trade routes, and
this is why achieving the
compartment status is so
40 | Farming Monthly | April 2016
important not only to breeding
companies like Cobb but to
customers who rely on regular
imports to continue their own
production.”
In 2004, the World Health
Organisation for Animal Health
(OIE) introduced the concept of
'compartments’ to recognize
businesses which operate to such
a high standard of biosecurity that
they can ensure their facilities will
remain disease free even in the
event of a notifiable disease
outbreak in the country.
In 2009, the UK Government
introduced its own version of
compartmentalization. They
adopted all the rules of the EU
compartment standard, but
additionally required enhanced
serological testing and
biosecurity. This has resulted in
the 'GB enhanced' compartment
having the most stringent
requirements for any currently
operating compartment scheme in
the world.
“After comprehensive auditing
of procedures and facilities, the
APHA has recognised that Cobb
Europe operates to the high
standards required to be included
in the GB Enhanced
Compartmentalization Scheme,”
said Lyndsey Cassidy.
“Through comprehensive
company-wide operating
procedures and risk management
through strict Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Point, Cobb
facilities maintain separation and
prevent notifiable diseases from
infecting our livestock.
“This significant achievement
has only been realised through the
dedication of all our employees
with continued investment in
education and training. Our whole
team are justly proud of their joint
efforts to achieve this landmark
status.
“As the concept of
compartments is embraced by
governments worldwide, it will
mean our customers can rely on
Cobb to maintain product supply
and allow their own business to
operate predictably and securely.”
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