Robotic technology on an overhead track in the poultry house helps gather data about the environment and animal welfare, which can be used to improve poultry performance.
“The animal welfare built into this technology allows us to document by creating an animal welfare score that we can provide to our customers to say, ‘Hey, this is what we’re doing every day, day in and out,'” Scott Becker, director of North American sales for Cumberland, said during a TECHTalk at the 2023 International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) on January 25.
The technology incorporates artificial intelligence and cameras to maximize efficiency in production and provide continuous monitoring and surveillance, detect what farmers can’t, identify potential issues early and gather information for more informed decisions.
Sensors on the robot regularly measure temperature, carbon dioxide, air speed, ammonia, relative humidity (RH), light intensity, audio levels and other factors in the environment.
On the animal welfare side, cameras monitor for mortality and analyze droppings and wet spots. This can help identify potential health issues in the flock before they become outbreaks.
Automation and robotics are typically touted as a solution to the poultry industry’s labor issues, but Becker was quick to caution that this technology won’t replace the need for farmers in the house. Instead, it will augment labor by directing workers towards areas of concern and freeing them up for other, more challenging tasks.
“We’re not advocating that this kind of technology is taking the person out of the house, but it’s letting them be more efficient with time and efforts with less time required to figure out what’s going on,” Becker said.
The poultry house robot, initially presented as an innovation at the 2019 Poultry Tech Summit, was acquired by AGCO, a division of Cumberland, in 2021.
Attend the 2023 Poultry Tech Summit
Join an exclusive international gathering of industry-changing innovators, researchers, entrepreneurs, technology experts, investors and leading poultry producers at the 2023 edition of Poultry Tech Summit on November 6-8 at the Hilton Atlanta Airport in Atlanta, Georgia.
Attendees can expect the same groundbreaking innovation and insightful presentations that made the previous events well-attended with deep dialogue on new prospective solutions and next-generation technologies. Poultry Tech Summit focuses on the transition of innovative technologies into commercial applications to advance the poultry industry.
Registration for this event will open in the spring of 2023.
