Single point load cells help poultry farmers optimise growth weight of birds

A UK-based provider of control and instrumentation systems for poultry farmers is using single point load cells on portable bird weighing systems and feed hopper systems to help farmers optimise the growth weight of birds with the food they are being fed.

Supermarkets now specify that poultry farmers supply fixed weight-priced birds. If, for example, a poultry farmer is supplying 4-pound oven-ready chickens with a tolerance range of 3.9 to 4.1 pounds to a supermarket, for birds that weight less than 3.9 pounds, the supermarket will deduct monies from the final payment. If the birds are overweight and exceed 4.1 pounds, the farmer is giving away product since there is no extra payment for this additional weight because payment is based on the number of birds supplied.

This means that the load cells used on weighing systems are important in ensuring that accurate weight measurements are made and that bird weight and feed can be optimised accordingly. The load cells often also need to operate in dusty and wet conditions.