By Matt Donald, pig & poultry farmer, north Yorkshire
The £358 million underspend by Defra across three years is just another blow to farmers. At a time where the industry as a whole has needed support, Defra has held onto it or made it too difficult to access. I have little hope this money will make its way into farming now.
Fortunately for poultry, unlike some other agri-sectors, we are less reliant on grant funding. Having attempted to apply for some small-scale grants for things like humidity sensors and automated bird weighing, the onerous paperwork and time delays just were not worth the hassle. By the time the grants would be approved, we would be waiting until another flock had passed to install them.
On breeders automatic weighing is trickier using platforms, due to the difference between male and female weight. Having trialled the Hotraco one for a year, it appears to work well and we are weighing far more birds than hand weighing. The system is also much better for both bird and human welfare. Therefore, as flocks deplete we intend to fully automate pullet weighing over the course of the next few months, without the use of Defra’s hard to get to funds.
A first for us, we have installed recirculation fans within the new breeder site, in an attempt to help keep litter quality better through the winter months. This is essential to allow pullets to bathe, therefore retain excellent feather condition, in order to make mating comfortable. Also to help look after the foot condition of the males, no one likes standing on cold damp surfaces, chicken or human. Fewer top up bales will reduce costs and save some time on bedding up too.
It will be interesting to see how these changes work, especially if the sudden deluge of wet weather we have seen at the end of September continues into winter. I pray it isn’t another one like last year!