| Pig & Poultry
State of the nation:
2018 poultry trends
The UK poultry industry is constantly growing and
adapting, and with continued development in the sector
it’s important to keep up-to-date with where the industry is
headed. Melanie Jenkins finds out what’s in store for 2018.
rowth in the
poultry sector has
soared in recent
years, with UK
poultry meat
slaughterings
increasing by 4.63% between 2015
and 2016, to 1.08bn head.
Consumption of eggs has also
continued to rise, up 2% in the
year to August 2017 to 12.8bn
eggs, according to Defra statistics.
In total, the UK produced 10.6bn
eggs, with the retail value rising by
7% in the year to September 2017,
to £972m.
With all this recorded growth,
the industry is expanding to meet
demand and producers need to
keep ahead – which is where the
2018 British Pig and Poultry Fair
can help. With exhibitors from
across the industry showcasing
the very latest technology,
products, buildings and systems,
producers have all the information
they need at their fingertips.
After the avian influenza
outbreak, biosecurity measur es
are on the increase – especially on
free range units, while producers
from across the egg and broiler
industries are implementing more
measures to reduce antibiotic
usage. So what are people
investing in right now? Some of
this year’s Pig and Poultry Fair
exhibitors offer their insights.
Overview
Broiler production is flying
ahead, with domestic and
overseas demand increasing.
January 2018 has been the busiest
G
start to any year in terms of
enquiries for equipment supplier,
LA Systems, in the past 10 years,
according to managing director
Andy Done.
For the past three to four years,
LA Systems’ sales to the egg
industry have been quiet, says Mr
Done. “Now, for the first time we
are getting very serious enquiries
from egg producers who are
moving into alternative systems
such as flat deck and multi-tier.”
With the ban on enriched cage
systems due to come into place in
2025, a number of producers,
especially the larger ones, are
looking at adapting their systems
in preparation.
Buildings
Construction of new poultry
buildings seems buoyant
compared to last year, with
enquiries coming in from both
broiler and egg producers – but
free-range units are in particular
demand.
The current work is both healthy
and manageable, says Paul
Clarke, director at Clarke Group
Construction. “We are seeing a
steady flow of enquiries for the
coming year, which is encouraging
and a clear indicator that the
industry is continuing with its
sustainable economic growth.”
Paul Draper, managing director
at DraperVent, has noticed
increased investment in poultry
sites over the past two years. “Not
from owner growers but from
investors who put up buildings
and then rent them out to
32 | Farming Monthly | April 2018
operators. These are not your
traditional chicken farmers and a
lot more sites are being rented.”
The past 12 months have seen
predominantly new builds,
according to Mr Done. “Quotations
for new sheds have slowed down
now but coming in behind that are
orders for replacements or
refurbishments, feeding systems
and climate control.”
Knights Construction Group are
also very busy and are set to get
more so, especially across Wales,
Kent and Lincolnshire, according
to director, Doug Wellington. “It is
swings and roundabouts for the
busiest sector; last year it was free
range, this year it is more broiler.
“There are a lot of new sheds
planned: We have 416 enquiries at
the moment from broilers to
breeders, free range and
brooders. Last year we put up
about 80-90 sheds and it looks to
be a bit more this year,” he adds.
Location is still playing a
significant part in construction,
with Welsh hill farms looking to
diversify into rearing or free range,
while in Wrexham there is major
broiler expansion anticipated, says
Mr Wellington.
A lot of producers are looking
into new systems, such as multi-
tier, according to Tom Simpson,
manufactured products manager
at Harlow Bros. “The majority are
enquiring for cage free or free
range as producers are starting to
think about replacing caged units.
There is a lot of expansion going
on and confidence in the market,
with free range picking up and
catching up with broilers.”
With confirmation from Red
Tractor that all broiler units now
need natural daylight, there have
been a lot of enquiries to install
windows into existing buildings,
adds Mr Simpson.
Planning and environmental
stumbling blocks are among the
chief concerns from construction
and installation companies, which
perceive measures around both of
these to be tightening up. “I think
planning permission will be a lot
harder to get with social media
playing a big part (in driving
opinion),” warns Mr Wellington.
Mr Done agrees that planning
permission and environmental
hurdles are becoming a major
obstacle for the industry, with
controls on ventilation becoming
very precise. “This could cause
some problems for expansion but
we do have to look after the
environment and I think
technology and equipment which
reduces emissions from poultry
units are needed.”
With ever greater emphasis on
optimal health and welfare,
keeping sheds and systems clean
is vital and companies are seeing
an increase in the measures being
implemented in both new builds
and refurbishments. “There are a
lot more bio-security measures
being put in place,” says Mr
Wellington. “Before avian
influenza, free range units did not
worry as much but now there are
wheel washers and separated car
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