Leading Thai broiler company, Betagro, is increasing hatching capacity with an investment in SmartPro single stage incubation technologies from Pas Reform, to deliver greater efficiencies and reduced rejection rates as the company targets ambitious growth to 2017.

The new facility at Betagro’s Lopburi site, north of Bangkok in one of Thailand’s major poultry producing areas, has been built as an extension to the company’s existing hatchery, to allow for the full utilisation of the chick processing area to accommodate increased capacity. The company currently produces around 40 per cent of its total weekly demand, up to 1.8 million broiler chicks per week, between its Lopburi and Pak Chong sites.

In addition to SmartPro setters and SmartPro hatchers, Pas Reform has supplied ventilation systems, chiller and heat recovery units, as well as providing intensive hatchery management training at its Zeddam headquarters in The Netherlands and a comprehensive onsite training programme for Thai hatchery staff, during the installation and commissioning of the new facility.

Betagro likes the advanced technology that runs and supports SmartPro incubation, with a particular focus on improved chick quality and hatchability results, a reduced hatch window and improved standards of hygiene and biosecurity, which are important features in Betagro’s exports for European and Japanese customers.

These factors, together with the availability of a trusted local agent, ready access to technical and service support and spare parts and Pas Reform’s ability to deliver in line with required timescales, were central to Betagro’s decision in commissioning the project, which is already realising improved performance.

Betagro Foods hatchery management team