With rising costs, staff shortages, and growing demands for efficiency, producers are increasingly looking for ways to streamline operations without compromising animal welfare or productivity. The good news is that advances in management practices and technology are making it possible to reduce labour needs while maintaining—or even improving—flock performance.
Traditional poultry production requires a high level of manual work: feeding, monitoring climate conditions, checking water lines, collecting data, maintaining equipments, cleaning, and inspecting flock health. These repetitive and time-consuming tasks not only require manpower but also increase the risk of human error. By reducing the need for manual intervention, producers can save time, cut costs, and create a more consistent production flow.
Automatic feeding lines ensure that birds always have the right amount of feed available without requiring constant human supervision. Modern systems can be fine-tuned for feed distribution, reducing waste while ensuring consistent nutrition.
Manually adjusting fans, heaters, and vents is labour-intensive and often imprecise. Automated climate control systems regulate temperature, humidity, CO₂, and ammonia levels around the clock. This not only decreases labour requirements but also ensures stable conditions for flock health and performance.
Sensors for climate, light, and feed levels provide real-time data to farm managers, eliminating the need for constant manual checks. When connected to controllers or farm management software, these systems alert staff to issues before they become critical, reducing the need for routine inspections.
Lighting schedules can be programmed to support growth, welfare, and production cycles. Automated dimmable lighting reduces the need for manual adjustments while providing the optimal conditions for both broilers and layers.
Farm management software integrates data from multiple sources—feed, climate, health, and production performance—into a single platform. This saves time on record-keeping and analysis, allowing managers to focus on decision-making rather than administration.
Simple design choices can also reduce labour demands. Centralized control rooms, easy-to-clean surfaces, and well-planned layouts minimize the time needed for inspections, maintenance, and cleaning.
