Energy conservation in poultry farming
Dr. Hina Ashraf Waiz
Assistant Professor , Livestock Production Management, College of veterinary & Animal Science, Udaipur, Rajasthan University of Veterinary & Animal Science, Bikaner, 334001, India
*Corresponding Author: drhinavet@gmail.com
Abstract
The thermoregulation of the birds, the ventilation of the house, and the quality of the air are all directly impacted by energy in poultry production systems. Therefore, by using energy savings in poultry production in a sensible and well-planned manner, greenhouse gas emissions are reduced and production costs are decreased.
Introduction
These days, we have intense production poultry farms where we can find concentrations of tens of thousands of meat or egg-producing birds in secure, climate-controlled buildings. Heating, ventilation, lighting, and cooling equipment are just a few of the devices that control and support this type of environmental system. The automatic egg collection process and the use of fans to maintain the correct temperature and humidity in the shed are two additional activities of considerable importance where technology is being used to improve efficiency. The earlier technique streamlines and secures egg collection. The second is crucial to ensuring proper thermoregulation in the birds and preventing stress brought on by fluctuations in temperature and humidity, which can be seen in a slump in posture or daily weight gain in the birds. As a result, even though these technologies consume a lot of energy to run, they also allow for process optimization. Significant energy savings result from avoiding feed and water waste, lowering egg losses, and ensuring the birds have a stable and controlled habitat.
Energy use will entirely depend on the type of production, including, for instance, whether we specialize in producing eggs or meat, the characteristics and ages of the birds, as well as the geographic location and atmospheric conditions where the farm is situated. As a result, whenever we evaluate a facility, we can always identify key areas where energy savings are possible.
Recommendations for conserving energy
Irrespective of the method of production, poultry houses can conserve energy by taking simple measures like:
- Modify the warehouses’ interior and exterior lights. Specifically, switch out incandescent bulbs for fluorescent or energy-efficient ones.
- Cleaning and routine mechanical maintenance of ventilation systems should be performed to prevent these from being subjected to forced labor, which would require more energy for proper operation.
- Maintain the building’s thermal insulation with care to prevent temperature swings that require a lot of energy to restore the environment.
- Reduce the ammonia levels in the waste and try to prevent water leaks from broken pipes, which raise relative humidity and affect the stability of the environment.
Things to keep in mind about farm lighting
- Poultry houses utilize a lot of electricity to ensure that light remains available for the birds during various growth stages. Light is typically used at maximum intensity in poultry houses for up to 23 hours. Therefore, in a meat production cycle that lasts, on average, 42 days, 900 hours of power would be consumed; if incandescent bulbs are utilized, the consumption is between 2,600 and 3,000 kWh.
- It is evident that purchasing energy-efficient and high-efficiency bulbs helps to reduce energy use in the production of poultry. Remembering that incandescent lighting only uses 20% of electricity and emits the remaining 80% in the form of heat makes it even more necessary to install ventilation and cooling system within buildings to counteract this effect. Similar levels of light are produced with less energy and higher durability by fluorescent or high-pressure sodium bulbs.
- Depending on the local weather, poultry houses must have the best possible insulation. In terms of the installation, we know that buildings with fixed, solid side walls will always be better at regulating temperature than those with open, draped windows.
- It has been proven that sheds with a wide width (between 15 and 20 meters) use 15% less fuel. The optimum thermal insulation for the shed can be achieved by investing in new materials, nevertheless, if you lack this type of facility. The insulation materials in ceilings, walls, and draperies need to be properly maintained and examined because they could eventually become worn out or damaged.
- Alternative energies like solar energy are worth noting in this context. Utilizing heating and ventilation at a lesser cost is made possible by the installation of a solar panel system. The same solar energy can be used to create electricity. Despite being expensive at the time of installation, they may subsequently prove to be economically feasible and recoup their initial cost through reduced energy use and associated expenditures.
Conclusion
We must examine all the factors listed here to obtain significant energy savings in our poultry production. Additionally, the efficient administration and upkeep of our facilities will result in improved production parameters, improved animal welfare, and optimum working conditions for our team, all of which will contribute to energy savings in chicken farming.
References
- Ahmed, S.F, El-Hammady, H, Farghly, M.F.A, Madian, AH. (2015). Impact of some light sources on growth performances and sexual maturity of Japanese quail. Assiut Journal of Agricultural Sciences.2015; 46:135-147.
- Aldridge, D.J, Owens, C.M, Maynard C, Kidd, M.T, Scanes, C.G. (2022). Impact of light intensity or choice of intensity on broiler performance and behavior Journal of Applied Poultry Research; 31:100216https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japr.2022.100216.
- Parvin, R, Mushtaq M.M.H, Kim, M.J,Choi, H.C. (2014).Light emitting diode (LED) as a source of monochromatic light: a novel lighting approach for behaviour, physiology and welfare of poultry. Worlds Poultry Science Journal; 70: 543-556.
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