Throughout Winter, farmers often place their focus on heat, rather than ventilation. However, without a Winter maintenance review, systems can result in operational failure, leading to bird welfare issues and reduced returns when it comes to the peak ventilation seasons. John Lack, Business Development Manager at Hydor discusses tips to improve poultry health and increase efficiency during Winter.
As temperatures begin to plummet, for the majority of growers, gas consumption will be on the rise in order to keep optimum temperature in farmer’s sheds throughout the growing period. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that all sensors are in working condition and are also placed in the correct location to maximise efficiency. Even those with biomass heating, the same advice applies.
Another consideration is to ensure that all inlets are functioning and operating correctly. This is to make sure that there is adequate distribution of air movement throughout the poultry shed, allowing for new air to enter and old air to leave. Your controls play a big part in this, which should be tested regularly to provide you with the confidence that they are also in working condition. As an official UK distributor, you can order TPI inlets directly through Hydor.
Throughout the Winter season, Hydor’s Recirculation Fans see an increase of installations. This more gentle application is suitable for all year-round ventilation, providing constant airflow, and evenness of temperature and humidity. Destratification Fans are also another popular choice of ventilation throughout the colder months as they redistribute warm air towards floor level, where it’s needed most. From a study conducted on two identical poultry sheds, it was a clear result that the shed using Hydor’s Destratification Fans used less gas, and was much more efficient, paying for itself within just 6 months.
To prevent damage and ensure your ventilation systems are ready for peak usage, it’s crucial to keep them clean and well-maintained even during periods of inactivity. Dust and debris can accumulate in fan blades, motors, and vents, leading to reduced efficiency and potential breakdowns when they’re needed most. Regularly where possible, clean and inspect these systems, so your equipment stays in optimal condition to protect your investment.
By staying proactive with winter ventilation and regularly maintaining your ventilation systems, you can avoid unexpected issues and ensure that your equipment is ready to perform when it’s needed most. This preparation not only safeguards your investment but also supports bird welfare and optimises efficiency throughout the year.
With the fortitude of the UK’s food supply chain being challenged by climate change and the war in Ukraine, we have launched the Grain Pedestal Fan to minimise the risk of grain spoilage or mould growth, reducing waste caused by suboptimal storage conditions.
Grain pedestal fans are essential tools in the storage and preservation of harvested grain, helping maintain the quality and safety of the grain by regulating temperature and moisture levels.
The new Grain Pedestal Fan maintains uniform temperatures throughout the grain mass. It is estimated that around 30% of food waste in the UK occurs before the produce leaves the farm. Improved storage can help combat this issue by extending grain’s storage life while preserving its nutritional value and marketability.
The Grain Pedestal Fan is constructed with a robust 2mm mild steel plate, primed and painted for longevity. Built-in corner stiffening adds extra strength, allowing the fan to be easily carried and positioned in any setting including those with active machinery.
Available now, the fan is compatible with both 100mm and 200mm pedestals or spears, offering flexibility in its application. Its integral thermal contact ensures motor protection and the aluminium frame motors contribute to its durability while keeping the weight to a minimum. The fan is equipped with efficient IE2/IE3 motors that comply with (EU) 2019/1781 regulations, delivering high performance with reduced sound levels. Additionally, it comes with a 1-year warranty, providing peace of mind to the users.
Stuart Wilkieson, Technical Sales Engineer at Hydor, said: “We wanted to address the needs of grain storage facilities. Our goal was to create a reliable and efficient fan that enhances grain quality while extending its storage life. The result is a Grain Pedestal Fan that we are confident will exceed our customers’ expectations.”
With summer around the corner, Stuart Wilkieson, Technical Sales Engineer from Hydor, discusses why hanging fans are the answer to dairy farmers’ heat stress concerns.
Summer is a time that many look forward to. However, for dairy farmers, it can be one of the most challenging times of year, especially when it comes to managing the welfare of their herds.
That’s because of heat stress. When temperatures start to climb, dairy cows will begin to lower their feed intake, their milk production goes down, and heat stress also affects their pregnancy rates too. Cows will also stand and huddle together too, introducing a further potential complication of lameness as they are not resting.
All of this can have a detrimental impact to a dairy farmer. A cow in heat stress can lose as much as 20% of its milk yield, according to the National Animal Disease Information Service, not to mention affecting the calving season in the following year.
So, what is the answer to these problems?
Cooling cows with correctly staged fans
One of the main methods of keeping cows cool and out of the heat stress zone (which is when air temperatures start to climb above 25°C) is to stage hanging fans down the length of the shed where the dairy cows reside.
Hanging fans, like Hydor’s HV Hanging Belt Drive Fans range that comes in 1250mm, 1,500mm, and 2,000mm, are an easy and efficient solution to moving hot, humid air out of a shed, and allow fresh, cooler air to be drawn in.
It is important farmers consult with agricultural ventilation specialists like Hydor to ensure that fans are specified correctly so that they perform effectively. Hanging fans will be able to move air a certain distance before needing another fan to then continue moving this air on and eventually out of the building.
Depending on the shed design and where the fans can be positioned, it may alter the amount of fans required. For instance, a bigger, 2,000mm fan may be able to do the same job as two smaller 1,250mm fans, thus saving farmers money in capital costs, as well as ongoing electricity costs.
Generally speaking, if using 1,250mm fans, then these would need to be hung on every second truss or bay along the length of the shed to ensure that air is moved out effectively.
Maintaining control
Besides staging fans so that they are efficient and not overspecifying/underspecifying the amount of fans required, farmers should also consider how the fans will be controlled. There are three main options – a simple on/off that switches all the fans, individual on/off switches for each individual fan, or a bespoke control system.
Bespoke control systems are ideal for farmers who may have six or more fans in their sheds. These units can control the fans based on a timeclock, as well as temperature and humidity using sensors. The key benefit is that farmers do not need to manually switch the fans on or off – as soon as the air or humidity reaches a pre-determined level, the fans will switch on and begin cooling the shed. The timeclock also means fans can be set to turn off when bedding goes down, so as to not draw dust into the air from the cows’ bedding material.
As well as taking the manual operation of fans out of the equation, bespoke control units also help farmers save money. The fans will automatically turn on and off, so they are not running unnecessarily and wasting electricity.
We were recently tasked with a project at Martin Hawkins’ farm in Somerset. Martin, a dedicated dairy farmer, asked us to design and supply a new ventilation system for his cow shed. The system was needed for the upcoming summer months to help improve animal welfare and tackle heat stress and milk reduction.
Managing a herd of around 900 dairy cows, Martin faced the imminent September heatwave with a degree of worry, remembering the productivity slump due to heat stress in the past.
Stuart Wilkieson, Technical Sales Engineer at Hydor, supplied 32 HV1250 Three-Phase Hanging Fans. Working alongside Martin’s preferred electrician, the fans were strategically arranged in a staggered pattern, providing the option to power down half of them when necessary, without compromising the ventilation in the entire shed. This was integrated into a new Hydor control panel with two separate zones.
Remarkably, within just two months, this investment has already proven its worth. A nearby farm adjacent to Martin’s, manages a herd of 280 dairy cows, and saw a sharp 15% reduction in milk production during the same heatwave. Martin experienced only a marginal 4% drop in production during the same period, thanks to the implementation of our Hydor fans.
Martin is pleased with his new system, and claims that not only has production been better, but he is relieved to see his cows are generally happier and there are fewer lame cows to treat, suggesting an overall improvement to animal welfare, as well as improved fertility.
This project was quoted for in mid-April this year, and the fans were fully operational by August. Impressed by the impact of the system, Martin is now considering extending this solution to his other cow sheds, hopefully in the coming year.
Here at Hydor we have over 60 years’ experience in the agriculture industry. Whether you need a ventilation solution or custom control panels. We are here to help with all your farm ventilation needs. Find out more at https://hydor.co.uk/
As the current economic challenges facing the UK are set to continue, many farmers have been left uncertain of how they will afford to run their businesses in coming months.
Calf rearer Joanne Pile of Cats Hill Farm was joined by Ben Barber from Synergy Farm Vets, Paul Bartholomew from Bart Agri, and Robin Hibberd of Hydor at Cats Hill Farm to discuss the problems they are faced with and the help they are seeking out.
What areas of business have been the most affected by the current cost of living and energy crisis?
Joanne Pile: “Currently my job is a solo role, it’s all down to me as the farm doesn’t generate enough money to employ any other staff. With the cost of energy rising, it’s become impossible to even think about taking anyone on.”
Ben Barber: “Farming communities have this admirable ability to be able to work all hours of the day, but this leaves them with a lack of work life balance. It really isn’t sustainable, and more people need to be aware of this so they can give people the support they need.”
JP: “But also as we push towards the more frequent use of technology, which for the most part is good, it really eats into my energy costs. For example, I use a machine to feed milk to the calves, but as soon as a calf steps into the machine to take milk, water has to be heated quickly which uses a lot of electricity. I’ve got solar panels and while they do help, they can only do so much.”
Robin Hibberd: “From our side as manufacturers, we are trying to make everything as energy efficient as possible for farmers. This includes everything from our main fan solutions, but also ancillary products such as LED lights. However, if farmers can’t afford the capital to replace their lights, they’re losing money in an attempt to save money.”
Paul Bartholomew: “Joanne is the face of many heading into a challenging time, you need to be really invested to be farmer, it’s a full-time job and you can’t just ask the livestock to take a week off, they need 24-hour assistance.”
JP: We are also facing the threat of cheaper produce being shipped from abroad. It’s being farmed in ways that are regulated against over here, and of course given the current the climate people will choose to buy cheaper products against our higher quality meat.”
BB: “That’s another thing that consumers aren’t aware of. We have high standards when it comes to the welfare and ethics of our farming. So, to allow cheaper product to come in and undercut this just doesn’t seem right. But again, it brings it back to education.”
Raising the standards of livestock wellbeing on farms remains important during this time, what support or funding would you find useful?
PB: “Education and understanding are important factors that need improving. In particular, for those who grew up and work outside of the farming business. They need to understand the realities of farming and how much work farmers put into raising their livestock. But this is a two-way conversation and farmers need to start being more open.”
JP: “I think social media has really helped keep the conversation about the agricultural sector moving, but also helped highlight the importance of technology used in farming. More people are starting to understand the benefits it can bring to everyday farm life. All farmers want to do the best for their animals and at the end of the day if you don’t keep them healthy they aren’t going to pay you back in the long-run.”
BB: “Our culture has always been very much a step behind when it comes to technological advances, but it’s allowed us to pick up and prevent disease in livestock and improve their welfare. We need be able to show the benefit of this so that farmers will be more likely to invest in the technology.”
RH: “Funding could be the key to enabling farmers to afford extra equipment to assist in the running of their farm and raising the welfare of livestock. Mechanical advances like the tube ventilation system we provided on Jo’s farm have been around for many years now but just aren’t being utilised enough. Technology can make such a change to a farm’s welfare, but farmers just can’t afford it.”
As Joanne mentioned previously through lack of funding and interested parties farm life can be a solo role, what could be done to encourage more people to get involved and develop skills in the sector?
RH: “I see a lot of people on social media looking for apprenticeships in farming, but a lot of companies don’t want to invest in anyone with no previous skills. Finding employers who want to impart their knowledge on others is difficult.”
BB: “But there’s also a negative perception of farming amongst younger people. It’s not typically the sort of life choice encouraged in career advice meetings, from my experience. There’s also the perception that you don’t have to be very intelligent to get into agriculture, whereas it’s quite the opposite. You have to be intelligent and good at problem solving and making clinical decisions.”
PB: “You could be calving a cow at 2am and then the following day you can be making a five-year financial decision that could impact the future of your farm. You’re not just a farmer you’re an accountant, a vet, a builder – it’s such a varied role.”
JP: “It is such a varied role! I’m not from a farming background, I entered the industry as a 19-year-old. I learnt on the job, and it was a great opportunity, but with so many employers now demanding that workers have previous skill, the opportunity I was given won’t present itself anymore. If employers are open to training people with the willingness to learn, it would be worth it.”
Mental health must be a widely discussed topic in such an isolated role, is there any advice you have or anything that could be done to support the mental wellbeing of farmers?
JP: “We’ve had a really big push over the last two years to consider the importance of mental health. Like I mentioned, farming is such an isolating job. People often think it’s idyllic, imagining leaning on your fence with a cup of tea, looking over your cattle, but we are faced with so many challenges. It’s important to encourage people to talk to each other, the farming community can provide so many great opportunities to get people talking. But ultimately, we have to recognise that we don’t have a good work life balance and we need to learn to take a step back.”
BB: “Keeping the conversation judgement free is also important. Often you can keep a lot of it in your head which makes the situation worse. Just hearing someone else say that they understand can really lift some of the pressure off.”
Discover how we helped Joanne Prevent Calf Pnemonia at her farm; Cats Hill Farm, with our Tube Ventilation System.
This roundtable was set up and hosted by Hydor. For more about Hydor’s specialist agricultural ventilation solutions, click here!
As a poultry farmer, you may have experienced the challenges of intense heat waves, record-breaking temperatures, and large-scale outbreaks of avian influenza (AI) in 2022. To protect your livestock this year, we urge you to assess the airflow and install new efficient ventilation systems on your farm.
If you don’t adequately prepare your farm buildings in time, you may face difficulties in getting the necessary equipment to replace seized up fans. This could lead to dangerous conditions for your livestock on poultry and broiler farms, as well as affecting your bottom-line.
Fortunately, our specialist range of ventilation solutions are perfect for your needs. Many of these fans can be used as a direct replacement for any existing fan unit, making it easy for new and retrofit installations. We construct these fans from quality components with agriculture in mind, assemble them, balance them, and package them at our UK manufacturing facility to ensure the highest standards of quality. Additionally, we’re proud to offer next-day delivery on the majority of our products, making it easy to get the ventilation solution you need quickly.
Furthermore, you can now apply for the new farming and equipment technology fund (FETF) to help with the costs of purchasing our ventilation solutions. We are committed to helping farmers safeguard their livestock and improve the efficiency of their farms, and we believe our products can make a real difference.
Andy Mann, General Manager of the agricultural brands within Elta Group and parent company of Hydor, said: “Poultry farming was undoubtedly very challenging last year, but with good ventilation, risks to bird welfare and health, as well as farmers’ profitability, can be significantly lowered. That’s why we urge all farmers to look at their ventilation equipment ahead of the warm season and to replace any fans well ahead of time.
“Our team at Hydor can help with this, and our technical engineers can assess what fans farmers will need to provide enough airflow into buildings and constantly circulate fresh air for livestock. On top of this, they can also provide some advice on how to obtain funding under the FETF 2023 grant.”
Checkout out our specialist range of ventilation solutions including the Agri-Max Tube Fan!
For more information about the FETF Grant and how to apply, click here!
With effective ventilation being essential for healthy poultry, farmers must ensure these systems are consistently kept in working order.
Written by John Lack, Business Development Manager at Hydor
Handling the heat
Far too often, farmers are neglecting ventilation systems during the colder months as more emphasis is placed on heat. This can result in operational failure, which leads to bird welfare issues and reduced returns when it comes to the peak ventilation seasons of spring and summer.
Without adequate ventilation, poultry is put at increased risk of heat stress during these periods. According to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), an increase in body temperature of just 4°C can result in fatality, and it can take as long as five days for birds to acclimatise to high temperatures. Early warning signs of heat stress in poultry include avoidance of other birds, reduced feed intake and increased water consumption.
Unforeseen costs
As well as the detriment to yield, farms also face the further cost of unexpected maintenance and repairs. One of the key challenges broiler farms have is that later-staged fans can often seize up through underuse. These applications are less active all year round until a heat wave approaches, meaning they often haven’t been checked, maintained and operated. As a result, the fans fail to perform when called upon. This causes in emergency callouts, which is both stressful for the birds as well as all involved on the farm.
Staying on the front foot
There are several steps farmers can take to avoid being on the back foot and incurring further costs to operations:
- Farms should look to conduct a thorough review of all air movement systems ahead of the summer months. For a spring MOT, the first thing to confirm is that all of the fans are operating correctly. This includes checking motors, fan blades, fan belts and louvres. With the functionality of the fans confirmed, a thorough audit of the temperature, CO2 and humidity sensors, as well as all of the vents within a shed, can take place.
- Many will often choose to replace later-staged fans like-for-like, but it is in fact advised to take an alternative, staged approach. These fans should instead be replaced with already-working Stage One Fans. From here, farmers can look to retrofit the system with a more energy-efficient fan later down the line. Here, Hydor can provide applications with superior energy performance as part of its product range.
- If a particularly hot day is approaching, over-ventilating the night before to drop the temperature by 2-3°C can make it easier to maintain optimum temperatures for birds, from 21 days into the cycle, throughout the hottest parts of the day.
Moving forward
Increasingly sophisticated technologies are making it easier to understand and control the performance of a given crop. As well as avoiding an unexpected failure in key services when they’re needed most, a regular review of ventilation systems can help to optimise conditions to ensure maximum yield. This can all be achieved by taking simple steps and putting the right solutions in place.
Contact us today to find out more about how our ventilation solutions can help.
With vet bills as costly as ever, investing in a suitable method of ventilation can prove to have long term benefits for your cattle with far less impact on your yield and profits.
What’s the best option?
Having visited many barns across the country, I’ve seen a number of different ventilation systems tried and tested – but regardless of which might be the most popular, it’s important to find the most suitable system for the barn in question. Solutions such as a Tube Ventilation System offer a worthwhile investment as they can be tailored to suit all shed types, all whilst avoiding draughts and condensation problems thanks to their intuitive design.
By providing fresh air direct to the animals, this type of ventilation system can be linked to temperature and humidity sensors to adjust the volume of air accordingly through specially designed plastic or fabric ducting, to ensure a uniform air exchange.
One step ahead…
Investing in ventilation as a proactive measure in preventing infection doesn’t have to be expensive and doesn’t always require a complete refurb of a barn. Systems which are simple to install, such as a Tube Ventilation System, all help to limit the disruption caused to the shed keeping stress levels low for the animals and running costs low for you.
Fitted above animal height, the plastic ducting contains small openings which allow air to disperse evenly to deliver a constant, but gentle, supply of fresh air to the animal’s habitable location. The flexible nature of the materials used means holes can be positioned according to the stock positioning and the individual barn’s requirements.
Helping to provide better air circulation, dilute foul air and ensure even temperatures – no matter the outside weather conditions – these systems remove condensation and damp quickly and effectively, making it a cost-effective solution to preventing respiratory infection.
It will come as no surprise that ventilation plays an important role in ensuring healthy poultry – improving animal welfare and flock productivity. Here at Hydor we discuss 3 important steps to ensuring healthy and productive poultry.
For a ventilation system to be effective though, it must be maintained correctly, even in colder months. A 12 month proactive maintenance programme including the following three steps will help minimise the risk of bird welfare issues and reduced returns.
1. Undertake a spring MOT
Spring is an ideal time to undertake a thorough review of all air movement systems ahead of the summer. First things first, fans should be operating correctly. This includes checking motors, fan blades and belts, and louvres. Then a thorough audit of the temperature, CO2, humidity sensors and vents within a shed should take place. How has the system been working over the last crop? How is the lighting, ventilation, and heating performing? If improvements need to be made, spring is the time.
2. Tackle heat stress in summer
You’ll no doubt be familiar with the notion that summer marks the start of an ongoing battle against heat stress. Ventilation systems should be continuously monitored, optimised, and upgraded where needed to keep birds in ideal conditions.
Ultimately though, the answer lies in making sure sheds can draw through as much air as possible. Faults with fans, inlets, control systems and sensors can reduce airflow and lead to heat stress. If you can see that a hot day is approaching, it could be worth over-ventilating the night before to drop the temperature by 2-3°C to help maintain optimum temperatures for birds, from 21 days into the cycle and throughout the hottest parts of the day.
If you have the capital to invest, you could even consider a summer ventilation system where the shed has summer inlets at the front and additional fans at the rear. With the side vents closed and the roof fans shut down, a tunnel ventilation effect is created for increased air speed and thermal comfort.
3. Avoid wet bedding in Autumn and Winter
Rapidly falling cold air can cause wet/sticky bedding during colder months, which can lead to red marks or hock burns on the feet and legs of chickens. To avoid cold air reaching the ground, you should make sure side inlets are closing correctly and increase the air pressure intake to direct cold air to the roof of a shed. This can be done by calibrating the air vents to provide narrower openings.
Ventilation often falls by the wayside in winter with the number of fans reduced and a big focus on heating and lighting. As well as checking that heaters are functioning, it’s important to check and replace fluorescent tubing on an annual basis to ensure the correct lux level on the floor for the birds. Heat exchangers are a good option too as they warm the incoming air with the stale air leaving the shed to reduce energy costs and avoid wet bedding.
For help forming a year-round ventilation plan, get in touch with us via our contact page.
Rhys Lewis, BBC Young Farmer of the Year 2012, sat down with Hydor to discuss the importance of agriculture ventilation…
As an experienced calf rearer at my family-run farm in West Glamorgan, South Wales, I’ve dealt with a fair few cases of pneumonia over the years – so it seems only right that I share the story of how I went about resolving those issues once and for all. As most dairy farmers will know, pneumonia can have serious implications on a calf’s welfare, causing loss of form and stunted growth, which both contribute to poorer yields and productivity. These conditions can then lead to lower food conversion rates, laboured breathing and stress, all of which are major issues for any farm.
Identifying The Problem
On a three week turnaround I have an average of 70 to 80 calves in my sheds. However, it was when I came to move one lot of 50 young stock into another shed that I noticed something was seriously wrong. The condition of the calves was so severe that I was forced to call on my local vet, who immediately concluded that my stock had contracted pneumonia.
Naturally, I wasted no time in having every calf vaccinated and given a dose of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories – all of which came at significant expense. With a large herd though, another serious outbreak of pneumonia could be catastrophic for both the cows and my livelihood, so I simply couldn’t allow the same thing to happen again.
Putting Ventilation To The Test
Having heard that cattle housed in badly ventilated sheds are at higher risk of contracting infections, I decided to test the air movement in the building by using smoke pellets to see how quickly smoke left the building. By carrying out this simple test, it clearly identified that the air was being ineffectively filtered out – making me well aware that I had a ventilation problem.
The health of my cattle was my biggest priority, so I went in search of a solution that would allow the built-up, warm, stale air to escape from the building, while allowing fresh air to be introduced in a controlled manner. It was then that I sought the expertise of the agricultural ventilation specialists at Hydor.
A Draught-Free Solution
Before long, I was investing in a Tube Ventilation System. Fitted above animal height, the plastic ducting contains small openings which allows air to disperse evenly to deliver a constant supply of fresh air without a draught. The system ensures even temperatures, regardless of outside weather temperatures. By providing fresh air direct to the calves, I can link the system to temperature and humidity sensors, which adjust the volume of air accordingly through the ducting.
The Outcome
With limited disruption to the livestock, the easy to install, low running cost system has drastically cut the risk of pneumonia. As a result, I’ve seen a significant reduction in vet bills, and now only have to vaccinate 1 in every 70 calves, compared to 1 in 10 previously.
I’m currently in the process of looking to build a new calving shed, as I look to grow the farm. Having prevented significant outbreaks of pneumonia in my original shed, I have no doubt that I’ll be using the same ventilation fans in the next one too.