In many countries around the world, environmental regulations are made in the poultry industry. According to The Poultry Site, poultry producers in Australia must offer environmental enrichment for meat chicken breeders. The guidelines also include changes to the minimum light intensity and required periods of darkness, ventilation, and temperature parameters for all species.
To ensure the required environmental enrichments, farmers and farm managers can take advantage of climate sensors for poultry. These are sensors that are specially designed to with-stand the harsh environment in livestock production, where dust, high humidity, temperature swings, as well as high levels of ammonia can harm the sensors and affect their performance.
Climate sensors for poultry comes in various versions, and can monitor the light intensity, level of humidity, CO2, and ammonia, and the temperature. In combination with a farm controller these climate sensors can help the farmer and farm manager controlling the ventilation system and the amount of light automatically. Furthermore, the data from the sensors can be shared with others for documentation purposes or for analysis.
The data from the sensors is vital to the production. By controlling the ventilation system and light intensity automatically, the farmer or farm manager has full control of the environment and thus the animals’ welfare. In poultry, the light intensity can have a huge impact on how the animals grow, the FCR (Feed Consumption Rate), and egg laying.
The temperature is also an important factor in poultry production. A too low temperature will increase the mortality and make the birds clutch together to keep warm. They will most likely start eating more without gaining any weight due to the energy they use to keep warm.
During their life cycle, chickens require different temperatures. This is why an automatic regulation of the temperature is crusial.
In addition to temperature and light intensity, humidity and air quality are also crucial factors that can affect the welfare of the animals. High levels of humidity can increase the risk of respiratory diseases, while high levels of ammonia can cause eye and respiratory irritation, leading to poor health conditions for the animals.
Climate sensors for poultry can help in monitoring these factors and ensuring that the environment is optimal for the animals to thrive. These sensors can measure the levels of humidity and ammonia in the air and provide real-time data to the farmer or farm manager, who can then take the necessary steps to improve the environment.
The use of climate sensors in poultry production is not new. In fact, it has been around for several years, and many farmers and farm managers have already started using them. However, as technology continues to advance, newer and more advanced sensors are being developed to provide even more accurate and reliable data.
One such technology is the use of Internet of Things (IoT) sensors. These sensors can be connected to a network, allowing data to be transmitted in real-time to a centralized system for analysis and monitoring. With IoT sensors, farmers and farm managers can remotely monitor and control the environment of their poultry houses from anywhere, using their smartphones or computers.
Another benefit of using climate sensors in poultry production is that it can help farmers and farm managers to reduce their environmental impact. By monitoring and controlling the environment, farmers can reduce the amount of energy and resources used in the production process, leading to a more sustainable and eco-friendly operation.
Moreover, climate sensors can help farmers to comply with environmental regulations, such as those related to air and water quality. By monitoring the levels of ammonia and other pollutants, farmers can take necessary steps to reduce emissions and prevent environmental contamination.
dol-sensors A/S
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