Smart Poultry Farm
Smart Poultry Management Systems
As the world’s population increases, demand for poultry products will continue to increase. To meet this demand, one candidate mechanism to increase production is to increase housing and manage more birds. However, this practice, along with labour shortages and increasing biosecurity practices will make it increasingly difficult for producers to monitor the production, health, and welfare status of all their birds.
Employing smart poultry management systems is necessary to increase production while minimizing costs and the use of resources. Smart poultry management systems include precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies such as smart sensors, automation of farm processes, and data driven decision making platforms. Many new technologies will have great implications for poultry production in the areas of the poultry house environment, bird welfare, precision feeding, and rapid detection of infectious disease. As smart sensors collect data in real-time on a variety of parameters from poultry operations, large amounts of data will be generated.
To make best use of this data, big data analytical tools must be employed to produce data driven decisions. Additionally, the devices that will be incorporated into smart poultry management systems will be connected to the Internet allowing for the formation of Internet of things (IoT) farm networks. IoT technologies allow for communication between farm sensors, devices, and equipment, and will lead to the automation of multiple farm procedures.
These projects will be established as part of the Solar Farms, in and around villages in the rural areas of the countries since these areas need job creation and food security more than the developed areas in most countries.
- Provide employment to the local community, both in the construction- and production phases.
- Provide training and educational upliftment to the community in the area where the project is located.
- Provide a small measure of food security in the area where the project is located.
- Provide cost effective supplies of chickens, eggs and maize to the area where the project is located.
The model also provides for the necessary finances, training and support needed to ensure that the project becomes self-sustaining and viable to continue in perpetuity. The model further aims to provide this assistance on a diminishing basis to ensure that the local community takes ownership and full responsibility for the project in their area.
All the resources required to ensure the above will be provided by experienced and motivated professionals in the various disciplines as required by the project.
As can be deduced from the above, the aim is for each project to become totally self-sufficient in most aspects of its production cycle from feed lots to the raising of chicks to slaughtering of broilers, as well as egg production, packaging and distribution of these.
As far as practical and feasible the local economy will be supported in the construction of these farms by utilising local suppliers and fabricators. Items sourced from external suppliers will be obtained at the best possible prices due to the bulk buying power of the main company, responsible for the various projects throughout Africa.
Local labour to be utilised in the construction phase as well as local community members to be trained and then employed in the running of the various components of each project to the benefit of the co-operative, community and ultimately the country. All persons will be employed on a salaried basis thus to ensure equitable distribution of income and since it is a community co-operative there is not a profit driven slant to these projects.
All produce to be marketed on a cost-plus basis to the local community, this will benefit the locals since there is not profit taking. It will also ensure the sustainability of each project since sufficient funds will still be generated to restock and grow the next cycle and so on and on…