Georgia Researchers Turn to Smart Tech to Improve Poultry House Conditions

The Farm Monitor takes us along to see how they’re leaning on technology to improve poultry production.

TIFTON, Ga. (Farm Monitor) — Keeping a poultry house comfortable is key to a happy flock.

Dr. Brian Fairchild, a professor with the University of Georgia’s Department of Poultry Science, says tools like thermal cameras, pressure gauges, and airflow monitors help producers keep conditions in check.

Fairchild says thermal cameras allow producers to quickly spot temperature differences inside a poultry house. Birds naturally give off heat, showing up brighter on the screen, while cooler areas appear darker. That can be especially important when birds are young and more sensitive to colder temperatures.

He says pressure gauges are another tool, helping producers identify potential air leaks inside the house.

Those measurements can be used with Poultry411, an app Fairchild developed to help producers calculate and manage different environmental factors.

“We developed the Poultry411 app about five or six years ago. It’s got five calculators in it. Probably the two that you use the most are the minimum ventilation calculator and the poultry house leakage calculator.”

The Poultry411 app is available on both iOS and Android and includes tools for English and Spanish users.

LEARN MORE: Poultry 411

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