Poultry Farming Technology Advancements Improve Productivity and Poultry Health in Mississippi
In partnership with: Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce
As the son and grandson of poultry farmers, Stan Norwood remembers when chickens were raised in structures without solid walls.
“We had curtains and we’d let them up or down to let the breeze go through,” says Norwood, owner of Stan Norwood Farms in Jones County. “To help keep the chickens cool, you hauled hoses in by hand and filled up water trays.”
The industry has evolved tremendously, as poultry farming technology advancements now allow electronic systems to manage all aspects of a poultry house, including climate, feed, weighing and ventilation, from a single controller.
Norwood manages his Rotem controller from his phone or laptop. A graduate of Mississippi State with a degree in poultry science, Norwood says the Rotem system makes it much easier to monitor the chickens and keep them comfortable.
Technology like the Rotem enhances productivity by freeing up some of a producer’s time. Norwood operates 10 poultry houses, raising chickens under contract for Amick Farms. Norwood says some of his larger houses hold more than 27,000 chickens each. That’s a lot of birds to monitor for feed, water and signs of illness.
“By utilizing technological advances, producers can enhance productivity and prioritize animal welfare.”
– Stan Norwood, poultry farmer in Jones County
“If I’m gone to town for an hour, I can pull it up on my phone, and see exactly what’s going on in my chicken houses,” says Norwood, who serves on the Mississippi Poultry Association’s Grower Advisory Committee. “It’s really nice to be able to see that. I like everything to be right.”
He says the system automatically turns on cooling fans when the houses reach a certain temperature, turns lights on and off, and even alerts him when feed is running low in the 14-ton bin.
“If I lose water pressure, it notifies me,” he says. “If I have a power outage, it automatically kicks on the generator and notifies me.”
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Producers like Norwood have always monitored bird health, but biosecurity measures do even more to keep chickens safe.
“We have a strict biosecurity program,” Norwood says. “No one can come on my farm without my permission.”
This lessens the chances of exposure to disease.
Additional biosecurity measures include footbaths and protective clothing for all those entering the chicken house.
“By utilizing technological advances, producers can enhance productivity and prioritize animal welfare,” Norwood says. “Technology has come a long way.”