GB2499568A

GB2499568A - Poultry enclosure

Info

Publication number: GB2499568A
Application number: GB1200992.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mike Rennie; Lionel Halls
Original assignee: VION FOOD GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: VION FOOD GROUP Ltd
Priority date: 2012-01-20
Filing date: 2012-01-20
Publication date: 2013-08-28
Also published as: GB201200992D0

Abstract

A poultry enclosure 1 comprising a night time housing enclosure 2, a day time housing enclosure 4, an access portal 6 for allowing poultry to pass between the two enclosure and portal control means 7 operable to allow poultry to pass between the housing enclosures during day time and to close the access portal during night time. The night time housing enclosure houses at least 500 poultry weighing at least 90% of their slaughter weight and with a stocking density at slaughter weight of at least 25kg m2. The night time housing enclosure includes environmental control means 3 operable to control the temperature and humidity within with respect to ambient atmospheric temperature and humidity so that the temperature remains in a range of 15Â°C to 35Â°C given an ambient atmospheric temperature of -20Â°C to +40Â°C. The day time housing enclosure provides an enclosure having at least 10% of the floor area of the night time enclosure, a light transmitting roof 10 and lateral venting 8 sufficient to ensure that ambient conditions in the day time area are substantially equivalent to ambient atmospheric conditions to within Â±10Â°C. The access portal provides a sufficient total width to enable at least 100 poultry weighing at least 90% of their slaughter weight to pass simultaneously between the two enclosures.

Description

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Livestock Enclosure

The present invention relates to enclosures for use in the farming of livestock and, more particularly to housing for poultry.

5 For commercial reasons it is advantageous to rear poultry in relatively high density flocks. However, in recent years animal welfare has become an increasing concern.

Stocking density is an accepted measure of the environment in which poultry are kept. Pecking is a natural behaviour which poultry use to investigate their surroundings, and 10 for social interaction in order to establish a social order, a pecking order. In some cases this behaviour can escalate into undesirable feather pecking of other birds. Commercially, and from the point of view of animal welfare, feather pecking is undesirable. One way to prevent feather pecking is beak trimming. However, this process is costly and considered to be inconsistent with the general aim of improving 15 welfare.

Feather pecking was first reported in high density indoor flocks but feather pecking also occurs in free range flocks. It is suggested that feather pecking in free range flocks may be greatest where the spatial distribution of the flock is heterogeneous (highly clustered).

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The inventors in the present case have appreciated that an effective decrease in actual stocking density can be achieved by reducing clustering and that this in turn improves bird welfare through allowing more natural behaviour. Aspects and examples of the invention, as set out in the claims, aim to reduce undesirable behaviours and to improve 25 standards of animal welfare.

In an aspect there is provided a night time housing enclosure for housing at least 500 poultry weighing at least 90% of their slaughter weight and with a stocking density at slaughter weight of at least 25kg m"2, the night time housing enclosure comprising 30 environmental control means operable to control temperature and humidity within the night time enclosure with respect to ambient atmospheric temperature and humidity so that the temperature remains in a range of 15°C to 35°C given an ambient atmospheric temperature range of -20°C to 40°C;

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a day time housing enclosure to provide an enclosure at least 10% of the size of the night time enclosure, wherein the day time enclosure comprises a light transmitting roof and venting sufficient to ensure that ambient conditions in the day time area are substantially equivalent to ambient atmospheric conditions, within ±10°C;

5 an access portal providing a plurality of access paths for poultry to pass between the night time housing enclosure and the day time housing enclosure, wherein the access paths provide a sufficient total width to enable at least 100 poultry weighing at least 90% of slaughter weight to pass simultaneously between the night time housing enclosure and the day time housing enclosure;

10 a portal control operable to control the access portal to enable poultry to pass between the housing enclosures during day time and to close the access portal during night time. The inventors in the present case have recognised that the movement of groups of birds between areas of different lighting and temperature conditions may be dependent on the nature of the access paths between those areas and where an access

15 portal is very wide with respect to the size of the bird, individual birds tend to wander more freely through the portal. Conversely, where an access path is relatively narrow (e.g. less than 5 or 6 times the size of the bird), birds may tend to move through it in clusters or groups. This in turn results in a higher degree of clustering and hence, a less efficient use of the available space.

20

As used herein the term stocking density refers to the density of poultry per unit area and is measured with reference to their slaughter weight. The typical slaughter weight of a chicken is between 1kg and 4kg.

25 Preferably the light transmitting roof comprises a sheet of material which provides a neutral density light filter. In some possibilities the sheet provides at least 50% of the area of the roof of the day time enclosure, preferably the sheet provides at least 75% of the area of the roof, in some examples 100% or more of the area of the roof is provided by the sheet. These and other examples of the invention have the advantage that, whilst

30 flock birds may not feel safe in a non-roofed run area the inventors in the present case have realised that birds can be encouraged to spread out across a day time run where it is sheltered by a light transmitting roof which acts as a neutral density light filter. Preferably the material of the sheet is pliable. This has the advantage that the structure

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supporting the roof of the day time enclosure need not be precisely constructed and need not be a permanent structure. The inventors in the present case have found that an appropriate neutral density light filter may be provided by commercially available agricultural poly-tunnels.

5

In some examples the venting comprises lateral vents disposed on vertical walls of the day time enclosure. Preferably these vents are at least 4 m2, and in some cases the vents occupy at least 10%, (in some cases at least 20% or at least 40%) of the area of the vertical walls of the day time enclosure (not including those areas of the vertical wall 10 which abut the night time enclosure. This has the advantage that atmospheric ambient conditions, such as winds can pass unobstructed into the day time enclosure. In some possibilities at least a part of the vents have a component which is configured to enable direct sunlight to pass into the day time enclosure, for example the vents may be at least partially south facing. This has the advantage that, in addition to the partial shade 15 provided by the neutral density filter roof, direct sunlight strikes the floor of the day time enclosure in different areas at different time of day. The inventors in the present case have found that such temporal and spatial modulations of wind conditions and lighting modify the birds behaviour to reduce clustering and allow birds to present more natural behaviour.

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In some possibilities drinkers, e.g. water supply stations from which the birds can drink, such as bell drinkers or continuous troughs are positioned throughout the night time enclosure. Preferably the drinkers are maintained in such a way that spillage is minimised. Feed may be either continuously available or meal fed and preferably is not 25 withdrawn from chickens more than 12 hours before the expected slaughter time. The day time and/or the night time enclosures both comprise littered areas. Preferably the littered areas are kept dry and comprise a material arranged to be friable on its surface. The night time enclosure may also comprises lighting with an intensity of at least 20 lux during the lighting periods, measured at bird eye level (approximately 30 cm) and 30 illuminating at least 80 % of the useable area. In some possibilities the lighting in the night time enclosure follows a 24-hour rhythm and includes periods of darkness lasting at least six hours. Both the night and day time enclosure may include one or more items selected from the following list: feeders, drinkers, perches, ventilation units, a littered

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area, environmental enrichment such as straw bales and scratching posts, lighting units, windows, heaters and segregation fences to provide bio-security between separate groups of poultry and/or to separate poultry of different gender.

5 Aspects of the invention provide a poultry enclosure substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition there is provided a method of housing poultry substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10 Certain embodiments are described below by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 which shows a side view of a poultry enclosure according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a second side view of a poultry enclosure similar to that shown in Figure 1; and

15 Figure 3 provides construction details for a poultry enclosure.

Figure 1 shows a side view of a poultry enclosure 1. The poultry enclosure 1 includes a night time enclosure 2 having an environmental control means 3. The night time enclosure 2 is linked to a day time enclosure 4 by an access portal 6 which is closable 20 using a portal control 7. The day time enclosure 4 has a light transmitting roof 10 and two lateral vents 8, 8' arranged on those parts of the vertical walls of the day time enclosure which are not taken up by the night time enclosure 2 or the access portal 6.

The night time enclosure 2 provides an area for housing at least 500 poultry at a stocking 25 density of approximately 38 kg m"2. The environmental control means 3 is arranged in the night time enclosure to control the temperature and humidity therein. It comprises a number of controllable vents and/or a heater and/or a fan. The environmental control means is configured to maintain the temperature inside the night time enclosure within a temperature range of between 15°C and 35°C.

30

The access portal 6 provides a plurality of access paths to enable at least 100 birds to pass, at roughly the same time, unimpeded between the day time enclosure and the night time enclosure. The access portal 6 is at floor level and extends upwards at least

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30 cm from the floor of the enclosure. The portal control 7 provides a door type closure for securing the access portal 6 to prevent poultry from moving between the night time enclosure and the day time enclosure.

5 The vents 8, 8' are provided by open gaps closed with a coarse wire mesh so direct sunlight can pass through the vents 8, 8' to strike the floor of the day time enclosure 4. The vents are at least 4 m2, and occupy at least 10% of the area of the vertical walls of the day time enclosure 9 (not including those areas of the vertical wall which abut the night time enclosure) so that a breeze can pass unobstructed into the day time 10 enclosure.

In operation, during the day the portal control 7 is set to an open state to enable poultry to pass from the night time enclosure 2 to the day time enclosure 4. The light transmitting roof 10 has a degree of opacity so it acts as a (roughly) neutral density light filter so that 15 a diffuse light reaches the floor of the day time enclosure. Light also passes through the lateral vents 8, 8' so that direct sunlight strikes at least a part of the floor of the day time enclosure during at least part of the day. As a result the floor of the day time enclosure comprises a first region 12 having a first light intensity corresponding to direct sunlight. The floor of the day time enclosure 4 also comprises a second region 14 having a 20 second light intensity corresponding to direct sunlight filtered by the neutral density filter provided by the light transmitting roof. In the example of Figure 1 the light transmitting roof provides a substantially spatially homogeneous and spectrally neutral reduction in the light intensity of at least 5% but not more than a 70%.

25 Throughout the day, as the sun moves through the sky and clouds pass over head, the spatial distributions of the first region 12 and the second region 14 move across the floor. It has been found that this variation in light intensities across the floor modulates the behaviour of the poultry.

30 Drinkers are positioned throughout the night time enclosure and maintained in such a way that spillage is minimised. Feed is either continuously available or meal fed and is not withdrawn from chickens more than 12 hours before the expected slaughter time. The day time and night time enclosures both comprise litter which is dry and friable on

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the surface. The night time enclosure also comprises lighting with an intensity of at least 20 lux during the lighting periods, measured at bird eye level (approximately 30 cm) and illuminating at least 80 % of the useable area. The lighting in the night time enclosure follows a 24-hour rhythm and includes periods of darkness lasting at least six hours. Both 5 the night and day time enclosure may include feeders, drinkers, perches, ventilation units, a littered area, environmental enrichment such as straw bales and scratching posts, lighting units, windows, heaters and segregation fences to provide bio-security between separate groups of poultry and/or to separate poultry of different gender.

10 The night time enclosure in Figure 1 is at least 21.3 metres (70 feet) in length. The access portals comprise a plurality of doors each at least 40 cm in height and about 2 metres wide. The environmental control means 3 of the night time enclosure comprises an extractor fan which draws air out of the night time enclosure and vents it to the atmosphere. The extractor fan and the doors of the access portals are arranged so that,

15 when the extractor fan is operating a negative pressure draws air into the night time enclosure from the day time enclosure. This can encourage birds to move through the access portals between the night time enclosure and the day time enclosure, thus encouraging the birds to spread out.

20 To test improvements in welfare a veterinary practitioner may examine poultry and test for signs of wellbeing, illness, lesions or signs of natural behaviour or feather pecking. Other measures of poultry welfare are known to those skilled in the art.

Example 1

25 A flock of 600 birds were housed in an enclosure having a night time enclosure with a floor surface area of 31.6 m2. The floor of the day time enclosure had an area of approximately 25% of the area of the night time enclosure. A light transmitting roof provided by a contiguous sheet of polythene covered 70% of the area of the roof. Venting of the day time enclosure was provided by a vertical gap between the light

30 transmitting roof and the wall between the day and night time enclosures. The gap was closed by mesh. The size of the gap was sufficient to ensure that ambient conditions in the day time area were substantially equivalent to ambient atmospheric conditions (to within ±10°C). The light transmitting roof was constructed using an agricultural polythene

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tunnel. The access paths between the night and day time enclosures were provided by a set of hatches, the total length of the hatches was 30 metres so at least 100 chickens could pass unimpeded through the hatches at roughly the same time.

5 At the beginning of the trial the welfare of the poultry is checked. Each day at 7 am the hatches are opened to enable the flock to spread between the night time enclosure and the day time enclosure. Movement and behaviour of the birds is observed throughout the trial. At dusk each day, after the flock return indoors, the hatches are closed. At the end of two week trial the poultry are checked again, increased natural behaviour and 10 improved welfare are observed.

Example 2

As a second example the same test is performed using identical circumstances as in Example 1 but a neutral density light filter was held on a frame adjacent the vents in the 15 vertical walls of the day time enclosure. The result is that the light intensity on the floor of the day time enclosure is substantially uniform across the entire area of the floor. In this example the poultry still use the day time enclosure but, once they are within the day time enclosure, tend to move around less and some clustering builds up through the day. At the end of the two week trial there is still an improvement in welfare but the effect is less 20 pronounced than in Example 1

Comparative Example

As a comparative example the same test is performed using identical circumstances to Example 1 but, during the day only half of the hatches are opened. The result is that, 25 although the flock still passed into the day time enclosure they tend to do so in groups, or clusters, and to some degree they remain clustered throughout the day. The improvements in welfare achieved in examples 1 and 2 are not observed.

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Claims

1. A poultry enclosure comprising a night time housing enclosure for housing at least 500 poultry weighing at least 90% of their slaughter weight and with a stocking density at slaughter weight of at least 5 25kg m"2, the night time housing enclosure comprising environmental control means operable to control temperature and humidity within the night time enclosure with respect to ambient atmospheric temperature and humidity so that the temperature remains in a range of 15°C to 35°C given an ambient atmospheric temperature of -20°C to +40°C;

a day time housing enclosure to provide an enclosure having at least 10% of the 10 floor area of the night time enclosure, a light transmitting roof and lateral venting sufficient to ensure that ambient conditions in the day time area are substantially equivalent to ambient atmospheric conditions to within ±10°C;

an access portal providing a plurality of access paths for poultry to pass between the night time housing enclosure and the day time housing enclosure, wherein the 15 access paths provide a sufficient total width to enable at least 100 poultry weighing at least 90% of slaughter weight to pass simultaneously between the night time housing enclosure and the day time housing enclosure;

a portal control operable to control the access portal to enable poultry to pass between the housing enclosures during day time and to close the access portal during 20 nighttime.

2. The poultry enclosure of claim 1 in which the area of the floor of the day time housing enclosure comprises at least 10% of the area of the floor of the night time housing enclosure.

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3. The poultry enclosure of claim 1 or 2 in which the floor area of the day time housing enclosure is less than twice the area of the night time enclosure.

4. The poultry enclosure of claim 3 in which the floor area of the day time enclosure 30 is at least 10%, preferably at least 20%, for example less than 40%, preferably less than

30% of the area of the night time enclosure.

5. The poultry enclosure of any preceding claim in which the day time enclosure is

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arranged such that, at the farthest point, the boundary of the day time enclosure is less than 100 metres from the access portal.

6. The poultry enclosure of any preceding claim in which the portal control is 5 operable in response to a control signal.

7. The poultry enclosure of claim 1 in which the light transmitting roof consists essentially of a pliable light transmitting sheet supported by a plurality of support beams distributed along the length of the roof.

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8. The poultry enclosure of any of claims 1 to 7 in which the light transmitting roof and/or the vents of the daytime enclosure are arranged so that, during at least part of the day direct sunlight is able to reach at least a part of the floor of the daytime enclosure to provide a first region having a first light intensity and a second region having a second

15 light intensity, lower than the first light intensity.

9. The poultry enclosure of any preceding claim in which the environmental control means comprises an extractor fan arranged to extract air from the night time enclosure and vent it to atmosphere so that an air pressure difference is provided across the

20 access portals to draw air into the night time enclosure from the daytime enclosure.

10. A method of rearing poultry comprising housing at least 500 poultry in a night time enclosure with a stocking density of at least 25kg m"2, the night time housing enclosure and controlling the temperature within the night time enclosure with respect to ambient

25 atmospheric temperature so that the temperature remains in a range of 15°C to 35°C given an ambient atmospheric temperature of -20°C to +40°C;

wherein a day time housing enclosure is arranged adjacent to the night time enclosure and joined to the night time enclosure by an access portal providing a plurality of access paths for poultry to pass between the night time housing enclosure and the day 30 time housing enclosure and the access paths have a sufficient total width to enable at least 100 poultry weighing at least 90% of slaughter weight to pass simultaneously between the night time housing enclosure and the day time housing enclosure,

wherein the daytime enclosure has at least 10% of the floor area of the night time

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enclosure, and the day time enclosure comprises a light transmitting roof and venting sufficient to ensure that ambient conditions in the day time area are substantially equivalent to ambient atmospheric conditions,

the method comprising, controlling the access portal to enable poultry to pass 5 between the housing enclosures during day time, wherein during the day time the floor of the daytime enclosure comprises a first region having a first light intensity and a second region having a second light intensity, lower than the first light intensity.

11. A method of rearing poultry according to claim 10 further comprising providing the 10 apparatus features of any of claims 1 to 9.

12. A method of rearing poultry substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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13. A poultry enclosure substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.