New research helps chicken farmers create more productive environments

A new research project is attempting to create an all-inone environmental indicator and animal welfare monitoring sensor system to improve quality and welfare standards on poultry farms.

This system will allow farmers to closely monitor changes in the flock remotely. The research will look at how various environmental and welfare indicators can be monitored, including fluctuations in temperature and atmospheric measurements, as well as chicken vocalisations and thermal images of chickens.

The system will make it easier for chicken farmers to meet industry regulation and also offers improvements in efficiency and potential cost and waste reductions. Pilot data from Newcastle University suggest that it’s possible to identify the level of feathering from a thermal image. The next step is to test this in a real farm situation.

Contact: Jeremy Davies
+44(0)1386 842255
jeremy.davies@campdenbri.co.uk