Cargill has opened a new HatchBrood facility in China’s Anhui province and the first round of production has commenced
Day-old chicks are being brooded in an optimally controlled environment, during the crucial four days post-hatch, said Cargill. The chicks have access to a generous living space, uniform laminar flow and direct access to light, feed and water, leading to a reduced mortality rate and use of antibiotics.
The facility has 10 HatchBrood units. The current total brooding capacity is 25mn chicks per year and the building is designed for a future expansion up to over 65mn chicks per year. A unique feature of this building is the two-storey design, which results in a 50 per cent footprint reduction.
Cargill China senior agricultural engineer Salomon Carias said, “I am convinced that providing the chicks with an optimal start will result in improved performance in the field. Additionally, it also allows us to reduce the cycle-time in our farms, enabling us to increase the number of cycles per year.”
