Cobb has opened a $14 million hatchery in Tennessee that uses state-of-the-art energy-saving technology.
The hatchery, which will be supplied with hatching eggs from 27 local breeder farms, will begin producing parent stock in January 2011. By the time the facility is at full capacity, it will have an output of more than 600,000 chicks per week.
The hatchery's design incorporates heat biosecurity and heat recovery systems to conserve energy and reduce the building's carbon footprint. The recovery system, one of the first in a U.S. hatchery, will save 35% to 40% on energy usage by recovering heat from developing embryos and recycling it to warm incoming hatchery air. “I would like to thank the state, county and city officials who were involved in bringing Cobb to Tennessee," said Cobb Vice President of Sales and Marketing Stan Reid. "This state-of-the-art facility will support our ongoing growth as we expand production to meet domestic and global demand.”