The investment comes after the company was sold by Marfrig to another Brazilian-based food company JBS in June. The investment will be welcome in Northern Ireland, where the company is a big employer.

The new incubators - which have increased capacity at the parent stock hatchery by 16 per cent - give Moy Park greater control over temperature, humidity and ventilation.

As well as improving hatchability, the state-of-the-art technology enhances the welfare of the chicks by monitoring and supplying precise levels of fresh air and oxygen for eggs and chicks at all times during incubation.

The incubators also consume 20 per cent less energy than previous machines.

Speaking about the new incubators, Stephen Bamford, Grandparent Manager, Moy Park, said: “The results we have witnessed so far from the new system have been fantastic.

"The sophisticated technology continually monitors the temperature of the eggs and adapts to fluctuations to ensure chicks are of a consistent, high quality.

"Moy Park is committed to delivering industry leading operating processes and facilities, and this is another example of our commitment to that goal.”

Moy Park recently announced it has increased its output to 5 million chickens per week for the first time in the company’s 72 year history. This represents an increase of 60 per cent in the past 6 years, growing from approximately 3.1 million birds per week in 2009.