Computers Another Tool In Fine-Tuning Poultry House Operations
ANDY ANDREWS
Lancaster Fanning Staff
MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.)
Poultry house computers won’t fix
watering systems, replace tom
belts, or care for sick chickens.
But as a tool, they can be used
successfully to make the minor,
labor-saving adjustments to the
house environment to provide a
‘ ‘better bottom line because of bet
ter bird comfort,*’ according to
David Graybill, broiler flock
supervisor, Pennfield Corporation.
Graybill spoke on Monday to
about 30 poultry producers and
industry representatives at the
Penn State-sponsored Poultry
Management and Health Seminar
at Kreider’s Restaurant
For the past five years, Pen
nfield has been using computer
ized house environmental controll
ers in the company’s broiler opera
tions. If installed and programmed
correctly, according to Graybill,
computers can be a vital resource
in managing time and improving
growout efficiency.
Graybill asked those attending if
they made use of a computer
today. While many own and oper
ate a computer of some sort, either
a PC or a laptop, many indicated
they hadn’t used one that day.
Graybill showed them a digital
watch, which makes use of compu
ter technology. Automobiles and
other equipment that contain elec
tronic components make extensive
use of computer “chips” just like
the desktop PC.
“I think we’ve all put our trust
in computers,” he said. “We are
inundated with computers, and we
need to be aware of that We trust
them. Why wouldn’t you trust
them in die broiler house?"
Graybill noted that certain farm
industries, including poultry com
panies. are reluctant to use compu
ters because of the lack of know-
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“Here in the broiler industry, it
seems like we haven’t picked up
using computers as quickly as the
swine industry. I hear of swine
houses that are highly
computerized.”
Pennfield makes use of a variety
of computerized controllers to
monitor and adjust house tempera
ture and other factors related to
environmental quality. Graybill
examined the features on many of
them that do a highly accurate job
of fine-tuning factors such as
temperature and humidity. Also,
computers can be used to time
fans, adjust lighting, and control
curtains.
“The dependability part of the
computer is something that we can
never overlook, because it’s there
and is available 24 hours a day,”
said Graybill
Customizing the computer con
trols is vital. The controllers must
fit into the particulars of the
operation.
“The ‘customizing’ part is
probably the one where we fall
down the quickest, because it’s the
human side of the computer,” he
said.
When using computers, the fol
lowing guidelines are essential for
optimum effectiveness:
• Surge and lightning protec
tion. Graybill indicated a service
representative once told him that
lightning causes most computer
problems. “Lightning can knock
computers out or severely hurt per
formance,” said Graybill. Infor
mation on housing type and how
prone the building is to lightning
strike is critical when installing the
systems. Installing surge and light
ning protection is critical.
• Backup controls. When com
puterized, the house environmen
tal control system is centralized. If
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something detrimental occurs and
the computers ate down, make
sure preparations are made to
ensure the smooth operation of the
facilities.
• Hard wiring. Nearly five years
ago, while first sys
tems atPennfield, unybill discov
ered that “we were doing our hard
wiring in such a way that we
locked two, and maybe three, fans
into one output off of the compu
ter.” GraybiU said, as a result, “if
we wanted one of those fans to run,
we had to unplug the other two.
Any time you do that, you limit the
efficiency of your system and you
set yourself up for possible disas
ter.” Each component should be
wired so that there is a multitude of
ways you can have the outputs go
to components in the house and
create the exact conditions you
want at different sections of the
house. Also, conduit wiring (all
wires through a pipe) is generally
more reliable than plastic-Covered
wire, because poultry house fires
often start after rodents chew on
wires.
• Maintenance. A reliable tech
nician is needed to make sure that
covers are installed on the elec
tronic equipment “Spiders and
their cobwebs can do a number”
on electronic equipment accord
ing to Graybill. Using a
“common-sense” approach to
maintenance and keeping units
tightly closed is important Also,
Pennf&ld recently upgraded all the
batteries (which normally last S-7
years) in one system, and also
updated the software on the com
puter chip to ensure the efficient
operation of the units.
• Training. “Training is impor
tant and probably one of the things
that we fail to do the most often,”
said Graybill. Personnel must be
trained and adequately retrained
on a regular basis “to get the most
As a tool, computers can be used successfully to make
minor, labor-saving adjustments to the house environment
to provide a “better bottom line because of better bird com
fort,” according to David Grayblll, broiler flock supervisor,
Peimfleld Corporation, right. Grayblll discusses environ
mental controllers with Richard Landis, layer and pullet ser
viceman, Melhorn Sales Service and Trucking, Mount Joy.
tools that are available to make the
work more efficient However,
they can’t do everything.
“Ifind that growers are going to
spend the amount of time in there
that they have to spend, whether
they have computerized controls
or not,” he said.
out of the computer system.”
• Technical support. Support is
necessary at the end of the phone
line or die technician nearby when
operational problems occur.
Growers should realize that a
computer is simply one of many
FFA Presents Awards
(Continued from Pago Ai)
rset County, western region vice
president; Marjorie Erway,
Coudcrsport, north central region
vice president; Mark Heeter. Cen
tral High School in Blair County;
south central region vice president;
Tonya Anthony, Marion Center
Area High School in Indiana
County, treasurer; Jennifer
Grimes, Tulpehocken High School
in Berks County, secretary; Lloyd
Bier, Big Spring High School in
Cumberland County, state sen
tinel; D. Joshua Troxcll, state
reporter, and Shannon Horst, chap
lain. both of Garden Spot High
School in Lancaster County.
Dwight Woelkers said that in his
four years as Foundation presi-
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dent, he learned lhatFFA is one of
the greatest opportunities for
young people. He presented a
check for $63,117 compiled from
businesses, chapters, and individu
als across the state who offer finan
cial support.
Keynote speaker at the Tuesday
evening session was Travis Hagen,
national FFA secretary from Cali
fornia. In a stirring message.
Hagen challenged members to be
effective in today’s society by
making things happen, by giving
100 percent effort, and by learning
from experiences.
Members competed in numer
ous judging, speaking, and skill
events throughout the annual
convention.
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