Duck producer, Cherry Valley, is not only renowned for looking after the welfare of its ducklings it also ensures the best possible working environment for its staff. When temperatures at one of the company’s hatcheries reached in excess of 35ºC during the peak summer months, the company looked for a cost effective and ecologically friendly way of providing the staff and chicks with a cooler environment. The solution came with the Breezair Evaporative Air Cooling system from Seeley International (Europe).
Deliveries of fertile ducks eggs from breeder farms are received in a reception area where the eggs are graded, checked for quality and then put on Setter trays before being put onto a trolley and stored in a chiller room until required. The eggs are then placed into a Setter to begin the incubation process. After 23 days the eggs are checked for condition and any infertile eggs removed. They are then transfered into Hatcher baskets and put into a Hatcher for three to four days. Finally the hatched chicks are taken into a Take-Off room where the chicks are removed from the shells.
Prior to the installation of the Breezair cooler, staff found working in the Take-Off room extremely uncomfortable in summer compounded by high temperatures caused by heat generated from the hatchery machinery.
Looking for a cooling system that would improve the working conditions of his staff without introducing dust and other air borne contaminants into the area from outside, Clive Brown, Chief Engineer at Cherry Valley decided to trial a single cooler to evaluate its effect. The Breezair unit was installed on the outside of the hatchery and ducted into the Take-Off room where vents were strategically placed to provide spot cooling.
“Our staff immediately commented on the improved conditions and we were also aware that the cooler temperatures were helping to stop the chicks from over heating”, says Clive Brown.
Such was the success of the trial installation that the hatchery has since installed two further Breezair coolers – a second in the Transfer room and a third in the reception area. The fitting of Breezair into the hatchery has reduced summer temperatures by between 8 degreesC and 10 degreesC.