Better Farming February 2017

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Better Farming February 2017 Dig Deeper: 29
Mark checks the status of the automated control system in the anteroom to the barn. The LCD
display shows the projected growth curve of chicks over their 32-day stay leading up to market.
The same readout is available on his smartphone and computers. The system sends alerts to
farmers if there is a disruption to food supplies or water pressure, or if the barn’s temperature or
humidity reach critical levels.
A 16,000 square foot, double-story barn stands vacant
and ready to accept 21,000 newly-hatched chicks in two
weeks. The break in occupancy is meant to allow any
pathogens left by the old flock to die off before they can
be transferred to the next batch of chicks.
20-year-old Jonathan Hermann, left, and his father, Mark, stand between
two poultry barns on their second property in Cambridge. Jonathan has just
completed an associate diploma in agriculture at the Ridgetown campus of
the University of Guelph and will work on the family farm full-time. He also
plans to study for his Class AZ driving licence which will allow him to take on
an even greater role in the family business.
Jonathan checks the automated feeder system in a freshly set-up
barn. In addition to dispensing measured amounts of food, the line
is attached to a winch system that automatically lifts feeders to
match the height of birds as they grow. The assembly can also be
raised to the ceiling so that it is out of the way when cleaning the
barn floor.