25 years of Innov'Space

Discover the selection of the most memorable innovations of the poultry sector from 2000 to 2004.

• BIG DUTCHMAN - NATURA NOVA

• CIDAPE - DWLS

MOBA - TRAY PALLETISER FOR EGGS (2000)

Eggs transport system

To transport eggs from the farmer to the egg grading station, eggs are packed into trays. Six trays with eggs make one stack of 180 eggs. The weight of one stock is approximately 12 kilogram. The stacks are transported on wooden pallets. The pallets are loaded manually because common palletising equipment is not able to handle these delicate products.

The TRAY-PALLETISER is able to load 72.000 eggs per hour on pallets fully automatic. The gripper is able to pick up four stocks per cycle. In the same movement the machine can also bring a cardboard layer pad to the pallet.

Point of view of the jury: the automation of this tedious task had permitted substantial time savings

ROXELL - SPARKCUP (2000)

Multi-poultry drinker

SPARKCUP can be used for broilers, medium turkeys, heavy turkeys, laying hens, breeders, ducks, etc... The high capacity valve (500mL/min) allows maximum water intake with a minimum effort from the birds.

They receive only fresh, clean water in a quantity comparable to that of bell drinkers.

During the start up period floating balls give a constant high water level to guarantee plenty of drinking water to the young bird.  

A new pressure regulator allows easy flushing of the drinking line. Between rounds, SPARKCUP can simply and thoroughly be cleaned with a high pressure cleaner.

The special formed tubes allow plenty of freedom of movement. The lines form no obstruction, neither for day-olds or older birds. The line height is adjustable according to the growth of the birds.

Point of view of the jury: versatile drinker

SYSTEL - GEOSS (2000)

Air heater type for the poultry farming

The air heater GEOSS is a progressive air heater type for the poultry farming. It gathers several techniques never gathered before, protected by a patent.

The heater is composed of:

- A flame caught burner, which enable o power variation from 15 to 85 kw (13 to 74 kcal) (52 000 to 296 000 BTU) without flame thrust in a air speed surrounding of 10 ms. 

- A ventilation of combustive air variable from 10 to 120 m³/h. Its aspiration has a venturi effect on the gas' aspiration which allows to operate on a gas pressure 0 mb. 

- A dilution ventilation of a flow of 2 000 m³/h.

- A hatch which allows to adjust the air admission of this last ventilator with adjustable recycling fron 0 to 100% on option. This hatch could be mechanized and leaded by a message 0 - 10 volt. 

Point of view of the jury: system reducing fire risk in the building 

TUFFIGO RAPIDEX - AVIPES (2000)

Automatic weighing system for poultry

AVIPES innovates and resolves the problem of lack of precision in weighing, in so far as the choice of the animals which are manually weighted is precise by the breeder.

The software which is specially studied analyses instantaneously the weight evolution and validates automatically the weight when the breeder presents a weigh, is very easy and quick to use.

It can be delivered with the hang up version or with a weighting tray. It can weight the chicken in group or one-to-one to a maximum weigh of 30 kilos.

One measuring apparatus can be used for 10 poultry houses, which is more economical than the older automatic system.

Point of view of the jury: precursor of the future fully automatic weighing systems 

ID'O CONCEPT (OCENE) - VAL'ID (2001)

Plateform for manure recycling

VAL'ID is a platform of stamping accelerated without admixture, odourless, without streaming.

Using the technique of the stamping in forced aeration, VAL'ID is a silo, in kit, consisted modular elements in reinforced concrete juxtaposed. Air injected regularly by a blower forces aeration of the compost and kills the admixture. Furthermore the air injected kills anaerobies bacteria, source of gas and smell and accelerates the degradation of the compost thanks to the aerobic bacteria. Probes (oxygen, temperature, pH) pilots the blower. A set of electrovannes regulates the pressure and the air debit, which avoids the creation of privileged air ways.

A cover isolating the system of the outside environment (middle) so avoids the streaming. The strict conditions of contract (Report carbon / nitrogen = 30, pH between 6 and 8, humidity = 45 %) should be respected by the breeder during the completion made with a simple expander in fertilizer. Technically, the stake of the system is a simple joining of the modular elements, which can be easily installed and moved. The use is simple: the breeder fills the silo, covers the whole and obtains within 6 to 8 weeks a quality compost, regular and normalized (NFU 44051). The system allows breeders to treat fertilizers as a product and not as a rubbish.

Point of view of the jury:  a solution to a major issue at this time

Award-winner testimony: VAL’ID brand of OCENE is glad that this technique of the stamping in forced aeration has been selected in the Top 100.
Originally dedicated to small poultry farms, it is now adapted to poultry, bovine and ovine farms. But also to solids resulting from the separation of manure and digestates, to institutional wastex (sludge from waste water treatment plants and green waste), and to waste arising from agro-food industries. More than 350 platforms have been installed, in a dozen of countries.
The aim is still the same : sanitize and standardize waste.

BIG DUTCHMAN - NATURA NOVA (2002)

New housing concept for alternative layer management

The new NATURA housing concepts for alternative layer management, especially those for free-range management, are characterized by the logically structured arrangement of the single activity zones, levels and components. This leads to the following advantages for the birds:

- More diverse ambient stimuli;

- Increased moving activity, especially by using the third dimension;

- More structural elements to practice multiple behavioural patterns.

In this system, we always have a functional division of the different activity zones of the birds: resting area at the top, eating and drinking zone at the levels below, cratch area, up to 100% of the house floor surface, and the laying area in the laying nests.

Each bird can and has to move within the system in order to reach these activity zones and levels. The different floors and the scratch area are always reached over the nest approach balconies, in a so-called 'zigzag course'.

Moreover, the raised passage between nest and system provides a much easier possibility to the farm staff to monitor the birds.

Point of view of the jury: one of the first alternative to cages

CIDAPE - DWLS (2002)

Dynamic Weight Loss System

The components are:

- Weighing unit (up to 2 units can be plugged into one AirStreamer setter). This is a load cell scale specifically engineered to weigh one PETERSIME setter tray loaded with eggs. The Weighing unit slides into the setter trolley and rests on a tray carrier. It plugs into a socket and is wired into the Weight Loss Module. Weighing occurs at regular intervals.

-  Weighing Tray (modified setter tray);

-  Weight Loss Module (printed circuit board).

When initiating the system, the hatchery manager programs the target weight loss (expressed as a percentage of the initial egg weight) at the transfer date into FOCUS. At regular intervals during incubation, the actual weight loss achieved is checked by the system in relation to a predetermined time based weight loss profile. The ventilation and/or humidity levels in the setter are adjusted accordingly. DWLS gives the hatchery manager the freedom to edit both a linear weight loss profile (straight line), or a non-linear profile whereby the egg weight loss can be accelerated, or slowed down for various phases in the incubation process.

Point of view of the jury: facilitates the monitoring of the eggs