Development of an Intelligent Web-Based Application to Support Layer and hatchery Management.

In this research project a Web-Based Application (WBA) is developed to support layer, breeder and hatchery managers. The application consists of two modules. The first module enables early problem detection at the layer and breeder farm. For this problem detection daily data of the most important production parameters (feed consumption, water consumption, egg production, egg weight, hen weight and mortality) of a flock of hens are used to generate a flock-specific reference curve. New registrations that deviate from this estimated reference curve, give cause to the generation of an alarm. The alarms are generated by applying the concept of Statistical Process Control. This concept allows accumulating both small and large deviations and hence these are both signaled. In case of an alarm, the farm manager can explore his process to track the cause and take measures. In the second module, a model is developed to predict hatchability of the produced breeder eggs. Using the information of breeder line, breeder age, age of the eggs, season setting and historical hatchability, the model predicts the expected percentage of hatchability. In this way, the hatchery manager can tune the number of eggs he has to set to the quantity of chicks ordered by the customers. Moreover, this model can also be used to detect deviating hatchability rates as a result of both breeder farm or hatchery problems.

Keywords:Poultry management, Monitoring, Web-Based Application

Disciplines:Agriculture, land and farm management, Biotechnology for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and allied sciences, Fisheries sciences