Why it is essential to use a poultry manure removal system?

When starting to build a chicken farm, chicken cages are a always priority to consider. Auxiliary equipment such as drinking systems and feeding systems may be a second thought. However, the manure removal equipment is sometimes not used. This little focus may result in a series of damages. It is not only the unpleasant odor problem but also the impact on chicken health and breeding benefits. In this article, we will see the consequences of failing to clean up in time, and reach out an ultimate solution.

The main hazard of manure accumulation

What seems like a minor fact can have a significant impact. The accumulated manure on chicken farms brings a series of troubles. These issues are the most easily overlooked which directly affect the breeding result.

Excessive ammonia leads to a high incidence of respiratory diseases in chickens

Chicken manure will quickly produce a large amount of ammonia during the accumulation and fermentation process. Once the ammonia concentration exceeds 20ppm, it will irritate the respiratory mucosa of chickens, induce respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia, and even affect the immunity and feed conversion rate of chickens. Long-term excessive ammonia will also cause symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, and eye inflammation in the chickens, affecting the healthy growth of chickens.

Bacteria grow, the disease spreads faster

Accumulated chicken manure is a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and parasites, such as Salmonella, E. coli, and coccidia oocysts. These pathogenic microorganisms are easily transmitted through air, drinking water, and contact, leading to an increase in the incidence of chickens. Especially in seasons of high temperature and high humidity, pathogenic microorganisms reproduce faster, causing large-scale disease spread, directly threatening the stable operation of the farm.

Poor chicken house environment leads to reduced egg production/growth rate

The sanitary condition of the chicken house is closely related to the production performance of the chickens. The accumulation of feces not only produces foul odors and a large number of harmful gases, affecting the appetite and daily activities of the chickens but also causes abnormal fluctuations in temperature and humidity in the chicken house, further reducing the egg production rate and growth rate. Studies have shown that a good sanitary environment can increase the egg production rate of laying hens by 5% to 10%, and broilers grow faster and have a higher market rate.

Environmental enforcement risks, fines, and closure hazards

As environmental protection requirements become increasingly stringent, the treatment of manure and sewage in livestock and poultry farms has become a regulatory focus. If the manure accumulation is not cleaned up in time, it is very easy to cause manure and sewage to overflow, pollute water or soil, trigger administrative penalties from environmental protection departments, or even be ordered to rectify or suspend production. Once a farm encounters environmental protection penalties, it will not only face economic losses but also affect the credibility of subsequent operations.

Limitations of manual manure cleaning

In many small and medium-sized farms, manual manure cleaning is still a common method. However, with the popularization of large-scale farming and the increase in labor costs, the disadvantages of manual manure cleaning are becoming increasingly apparent, which are specifically reflected in the following aspects:

Time-consuming and labor-intensive, inefficient

Manual manure cleaning requires a lot of labor, usually repeatedly scraping and loading in the chicken house. Especially for chicken houses with slightly larger scales, manure cleaning often takes several hours or even a whole day, and the labor intensity is extremely high. Even if a large amount of manure is invested, it is difficult to ensure that every manure ditch and corner can be thoroughly cleaned in place.

Difficult to clean thoroughly, and there are great hidden dangers of residual manure

Manual cleaning often relies on simple manure shoveling tools or wheelbarrows and other equipment, and the cleaning effect is uneven, which easily leaves residual manure in the dead corners of the chicken house and at the bottom of the manure ditch. These residues accumulate and ferment for a long time, becoming a hotbed for bacteria and parasites, increasing the risk of disease outbreaks in chicken flocks.

Labor costs are rising year by year, and economic pressure is increasing

In recent years, with the increase in labor wages, the cost of manual manure cleaning has become increasingly high. Hiring multiple workers to clean manure not only increases the daily expenses of the farm but also squeezes the profit margin and affects the economic benefits.

High labor intensity and high staff turnover rate

Manure cleaning is often dirty, tiring, and smelly. Many farms find it difficult to retain workers for a long time, with high staff turnover and rising management costs. Frequent replacement of manure cleaning personnel also means that the quality of manure cleaning is difficult to guarantee, and management blind spots and sanitary dead corners appear.

Impact on the overall environment and image of the farm

The efficiency and effect of manual manure cleaning are limited, resulting in the chicken house environment being damp and smelly for a long time, and the chickens living environment is poor. When customers or partners visit on-site, they are also likely to leave an impression of backward management, affecting subsequent cooperation or brand image.

One-time solution: Advantages of automatic manure removal system

To cope with the problems of low efficiency of manual manure cleaning and dirty and messy environments, more and more farms have begun to introduce automatic manure removal systems. Compared with traditional manual cleaning methods, automatic manure removal systems have the following significant advantages, helping farms achieve the goal of being "worry-free, labor-saving, and environmentally friendly".

Realize mechanized and intelligent operation to save labor costs

The automatic manure removal system consists of transmission devices (such as winches, and motors), conveyor belts or scrapers, etc., which can be flexibly customized and installed according to the length, width, and layout of the chicken house. With just one-button start or timed control, the system can automatically complete the manure cleaning work, liberate manual labor, save labor costs, and is especially suitable for large-scale farms with tight manpower.

Improve the environmental sanitation of the chicken house and reduce the spread of diseases

Automatic manure removal equipment can efficiently and thoroughly clean chicken manure, ensure that the chicken house is clean and hygienic, effectively reduce ammonia concentration and humidity, inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria and parasites, and reduce the probability of respiratory diseases and diarrhea in chickens.

Improve the growth performance and production efficiency of chickens

In a clean and refreshing chicken house environment, chickens have a stronger appetite and grow faster, and the egg production rate of laying hens and the market rate of broilers can be significantly improved. At the same time, the health of the chickens is stable, and the frequency of use of drugs and vaccines is reduced, which indirectly saves the cost of veterinary drug investment.

Centralized collection of feces, worry-free environmental protection

The automated manure cleaning system transports chicken manure to the manure storage tank or biogas tank outside the chicken house, avoiding environmental pollution caused by random stacking of manure. In conjunction with organic fertilizer processing or resource utilization solutions, chicken manure can also be turned into treasure, increasing the additional income of the farm, and helping environmental compliance and green farming.

Flexible adaptation to different sizes and types of chicken houses

Whether it is a small chicken house, a laying hen cage house, or a large broiler flat farm, the automated manure cleaning system can be designed and installed according to local conditions, flexibly meeting the manure ditch size and chicken house layout of different farms, and achieving "one-time investment, long-term benefits".

The introduction of an automated manure removal system is an inevitable choice for modern farming. It not only brings a more efficient and environmentally friendly chicken house management model but also an important measure to help farms improve quality, efficiency, and competitiveness.