A graduate of Harper Adams University but new to broilers, Harry Shepherd fed his first three flocks in the conventional ad-lib way, and then decided to installed the FLOCKMAN meal-time system. It receives feedback from the birds to decide automatically how much to feed them depending on their age, breed, sex and genetic potential.

He achieved a score of over 400 in EPEF (European Production Efficiency Factor) on his next crop and became a member of the prestigious Aviagen Ross 400 Club. Three crops later, all have exceeded 400 EPEF and the latest was 430, which is the third highest of any recorded in the Ross 400 Club.

Details are as follows (Ross 308, December 2014):

Harry Shepherd said: “It basically keeps an edge on the appetite and trains birds to eat when food appears, so feed intake is kept up closer to slaughter weight. There have probably been 60 per cent fewer heart attacks since we’ve begun using it. And there have been big reductions in feed consumption, combined with lower mortality and better feed conversion.”

David Filmer, former Agriculture Director to Dalgety Agriculture and developer of FLOCKMAN presents a paper at the Global Forum for Innovation in Agriculture in Abu Dhabi in March. All are welcome to Stand D 270, where Dr Filmer can discuss its principles and background R&D, and Mr Shepherd can talk about the practice of using the system.

For further details, contact [email protected] or David Filmer [email protected] or visit www.flockman.com.