Depopulation: Depletion
Published on : 10 Nov 2022
Since 1956, A.D. Harvey have been involved in the poultry sector. The family run business is, BRC accredited, and RSPCA assured for catching, transport and processing. With complete control over the depopulation process the Harvey family over the next few issues can offer some useful guidance in making your depopulation process run smoother. This month’s focus is depopulation.
Depopulation
Firstly, (and again) being prepared is of paramount importance. Arrange only a light feed 12 hours before depletion and make sure drinking water is available until the start of the process. Checking that drinkers and feed tracks can be retracted easily stops any mishaps on the day. Another thing to remember is if your shed has partitions then removing these before the arrival of depletion teams will also guarantee a smoother process.
Firstly, (and again) being prepared is of paramount importance. Arrange only a light feed 12 hours before depletion and make sure drinking water is available until the start of the process. Checking that drinkers and feed tracks can be retracted easily stops any mishaps on the day. Another thing to remember is if your shed has partitions then removing these before the arrival of depletion teams will also guarantee a smoother process.
At the time of depleting, opening your gates to potentially up to 25 depopulation team members can seem daunting. Communication and cooperation with the team is essential and will inevitably make the task in hand easier. Being present on their arrival and providing specific site knowledge can prevent many issues. For example; how do your lights work? What are your emergency procedures for fire? You will need to tell the team about your poultry house; Are your slats in good order? Are you concerned about the strength of your multi- tier system? Is there an area in the shed that is wet or potholed?
Bird welfare is of upmost importance during this process and limiting any stress is a must. Have a plan on how your birds will moved from the shed to the modules outside. Having modules as close as possible and with clear access means less time poultry are being handled. Climbing over egg belts and working around packaging delays the route required, as do extra doors and other obstacles.
It is not only the welfare of the poultry which needs to be considered. Depletion teams work very hard in extremely difficult conditions. By doing the above you are also ensuring their welfare and health and safety. Additionally, showing the Depletions Team Manager or team leader, where the first aid kit is, where they can wash their hands, the toilet facilities and where they can get a drink also maintains a better working relationship. This relationship should create a happier team and we all know a happier workforce is always a good one! The depletion team should do all the hard work for you. At A.D. Harvey we personally have team members with years of experience and expertise in how to complete the job safely and efficiently. Nevertheless, with your cooperation and communication a safer and more efficient process will undoubtedly occur.
Prices per Bird
8p per kg (1.80 kg bird = 14p)
18 p per bird average to catch
Total: £0.32 per bird