Killing three birds with one module
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I. MODULAR collection system, which features significant ad antages in catching, translofting and off-loading live multry, has been developed by ;un Valley Poultry Ltd.
The Hereford-based company, rhich produces fresh, frozen nd cooked poultry products, as been aware of the need to nprove its bird-handling operaon.
The company says that it now as six per cent more A-grade irds as a result of the modules, nd the number of birds showlg damage directly due to andling and transportation has been reduced by between 40 and 50 per cent, it claims.
The Sun Valley system basically consists of a demountable bed-frame onto which eight modules fit. Each module holds 16 open-top steel drawers running on rollers, eight at each end of a lattice framework.
The complete 16-drawer unit is capable of holding up to 500 birds in the chicken version, while the turkey version holds less, depending on size.
The complete vehicle holds eight modules, which lock into position on the main frame. All the drawers are locked to prevent any movement when lifted onto the vehicle by a specially adapted lift truck. Sun Valley has developed its own purpose-built lift truck, which is cheaper than modifying the poultry houses, to accommodate a more standard vehicle. Conventional forks are not used on the truck.
The newly rebuilt Golden Produce factory at Lymington has recently taken delivery of one of the special lifting trucks, plus 72 modules — equating to nine vehicle loads.
The working environment of the catching teams is now improved and the company says that it is now able to optimise its use of vehicles further. The use of drawbar trailers equipped with identical modules results in considerable fuel savings.