"I can only think of the benefits"
Bocholt • Belgium
Pieter-Jan van Dijk, poultry farmer in Hamont and Bocholt, Belgium
500,000 broilers
Pieter-Jan van Dijk runs with his family a poultry farm with 3 different locations, 2 locations in Hamont with 80,000 and 170,000 broilers capacity and recently they opened a new location in Bocholt with 250,000 broilers capacity. All broiler houses in Bocholt are identical and measure 120 x 25 meters.
Watch the movie here.
The van Dijk family was already familiar with the VDL Agrotech feeding system. To their full satisfaction, the Valenta feed pans are used to feed the chicks in the houses in Hamont. For the new location in Bocholt they have chosen for the Valenta Flow Slider feed pans. Pieter-Jan explains why.
“We chose the Valenta Flow Slider because of the labour savings. We reduced the use of chick paper under the drinking lines which saves us 1.5 hours of work per poultry house. This is an extra benefit in the already busy start-up phase. In addition, the chicks have easier access to the feed during the first days.
The Valenta Flow Slider works very easily. It is labour-saving and the feed is easier accessible for the chicks. We are very satisfied so far.”
"Feeding in the start-up phase takes less time"
Bergeijk • The Netherlands
Kees Koolen, poultry farmer Bergeijk, the Netherlands
Farm with 175,000 broilers
Kees Koolen has been working to his full satisfaction with the Valenta Flow Slider since September 2018. Kees has a system that allows him to hatch the eggs in the broiler house, so day old chicks are born in the broiler house thus eliminating transport from hatchery to broiler farm. The day old chicks have direct access to feed and water, which stimulates the organ development and the immune system. The Valenta Flow Slider simplifies the access to the feed for the chicks.
“The Valenta Flow Slider offers me enormous benefits on labour. We no longer need to use chick paper. This saves us almost a day’s work, one hour per house. We save on hiring extra staff in the already busy start-up phase. In addition, the day old chicks are immediately able to find the feeding line,” according Kees Koolen.
The Valenta Flow Slider is, just like the "regular" Valenta, a pan without grill. The birds cannot get stuck. The feed overflow system is designed to dose approximately one and a half kilograms of extra fresh feed into the open feed pans, shortly before the day-old broilers arrive or hatch in the broiler house. The odour, palatability and moisture content of the feed is preserved better. Since half a kilo of feed flows over the edge on the litter, feed intake is stimulated without additional labour costs or the use of chick paper. To open and close the Flow Slider, a central control handle is mounted on each feeding line.
Kees says: “We use the Valenta Flow Slider for a year now and after the seventh flock I dare say that the broilers find the feed instantly. I am just as enthusiastic about the Valenta Flow Slider as I was when I first started using it.”
Turnkey prestige project
Azerbaijan
The demand for poultry meat has increased substantially in Azerbaijan, thanks to the economic goal for self-sufficiency. As a result, a large poultry farm in the north-eastern part of Azerbaijan decided in 2018 to expand the production capacity. This company has its own incubators and controls the entire process from the hatching of eggs to the slaughter of the broilers. High demands are made on equipment, welfare and hygiene. The meat produced meets the international food safety standards.
38 New houses are built and these are fully designed by VDL Agrotech. The engineers from VDL Agrotech have developed a plan in accordance with the vision of VDL Agrotech and the needs of the customer. For example, the broiler houses are equipped with Valènta feeding lines and drinking nipple systems.
The ventilation system is adapted to the warm climate of Azerbaijan. A combination of 11 tunnel fans, pad cooling and nozzle cooling ensure a comfortable climate in the house in the summer season.
The silos of the houses are mounted on load cells, so that the filling of the silos and the feed consumption of the animals can be registered at all time.
Furthermore, the houses are illuminated with a fully dimmable LED light system to maintain a desired light intensity during every stage of the cycle. All houses are linked to a central network so all management data can be collected and monitored from a central computer.
Wilco Verhoijsen, Area Manager of VDL Agrotech, visited the project in June to discuss the progress of this prestigious project. Most houses are completed and the customer is very satisfied with the equipment and services of VDL Agrotech. The supervisor of VDL Agrotech is on site to supervise the correct erection and installation of delivered equipment.
The opening of the new broiler houses will take place in September 2019.
Broiler project in Zimbabwe
Location: Harare
Capacity: 35.000 broilers
Broiler house 15x123 meters, 5 houses in total.
Broiler project in Armenia
Location: Yerevan Region
Capacity: 8 Broiler Houses.
Total capacity: 230.000.
Yerevan Region, west Armenia. VDL Agrotech supplied 8 broiler houses with equipment. At the current company site, all existing old buildings are going to be renovated and made ready for boilers.
Broiler project in Uzbekistan
Location: Namangan
Owner: Ummon SBK
Capacity: 155.000 broilers in 5 broiler houses and 7.500 broiler breeders in 1 broiler breeder house.
Namangan, west Uzbekistan. VDL Agrotech supplied 5 broiler houses and 1 broiler breeder house with equipment. At the current company site, all existing old buildings are going to be renovated and made ready for boilers and breeders.
Broiler project in Kazakhstan
Location: Regio Almaty
Owner: OJSC Alatau Kus
Capacity:
- 60 broiler houses, total capacity 1.731.000 broilers
- 9 layer houses, total capacity 54.500 layers
- 4 breeder houses, total capacity 28.300 breeders
Broiler project Jordan
Location: Amman
Owner: Tamam Foods
Capacity: 6 complete broiler houses
The supplied project comprises 6 houses, each fully equipped with automatic feeding, drinking and climate equipment, including padcooling and combi tunnel ventilation.
Broiler project Windstreek
Sustainable chicken takes flight
Windstreek presents a major leap forward from existing farming systems. This is achieved through the application of natural principles in ventilation and air filtration, through extra space for natural chick behaviour, through maximum transparency for the public and through agreeable working conditions for the farmer. All this in an economically competitive set-up, even when utilisation rates are relatively low and organic broilers grow slowly.
Technical innovations
The open facade lets the chicks experience a pleasant sense of open space and provides the public with a view into the barn. Windbreak mesh keeps out birds and other animals that might carry disease. When the weather is bad, there is the protection of curtains. The concave shape of the roof provides a natural system of air circulation. At the low end, outside air is drawn in via an earthen wall and adjustable openings. At the high end, the outgoing air is filtered by the row of trees. The brooding hood is a unique feature of Windstreek. It provides shelter to the chicks in their first weeks. With only a little additional heating at the initial stage, the shape of the brooding hood makes it possible to use the chicks’ own body heat to retain a comfortable temperature and at the same time ensures an ample supply of fresh air. With the automatic controlled microclimate the energy usage compared with traditional houses can be reduced up to 80%. Another unique feature is that the feeding-, drinking- and light systems are integrated in the brooder hood. This guarantees direct access to all elementary requirements of the day old chicks. The brooder simulates the natural behaviour under the wings of a mother hen. The broilers can leave the brooder to discover their new world and move to their own comfort zone.
Resume
Integral sustainability means that considerations of animal welfare are equally important as the environmental health and landscape integration. The integration of all these is what makes Windstreek unique
For more information, please visit: https://www.windstreek.org/