Already a leading producer of day-old chicks, Silverlands’ hatchery project involved the installation of 6 x SmartSetPro™4 setters and 4 x SmartHatchPro™ hatchers, together with a complete climate control system – with air handling units, air distribution and control, cold-process water chillers, heat pump and heat-recovery system and cold-water buffer tank. The hatchery also features SmartCenterPro™ for process control and data management.
Commenting on the installation, Adriaen Sligcher, Pas Reform’s Sales Director in Southern Africa, says: “We were very grateful for the guidance of Royal Pas Reform’s Stewart Bradnick and his team, which resulted in a first-class hatchery project. Without doubt, we will see a further extension in the near future.”
Silverlands was established in 2013 to service Tanzania’s growing demand for quality poultry products at a reasonable price. From its headquarters at Makota Farm, Ihemi Village in the Iringa region, the company operates two separate units: a poultry and feed business, and a cropping business. The poultry farm has a feed-mill, hatchery and poultry houses.
Silverlands is the only company in Tanzania that produces three different day-old-chick varieties for the commercial market. The Silverlands Broiler and Layer breeder stocks are imported from internationally recognized breeder supply companies to ensure that farmers receive day-old chicks with the latest genetics that will produce maximum results. Silverlands has also secured exclusive rights for the distribution of the SASSO bird in Tanzania, a dual-purpose, slower-maturing chicken.
With the distribution of SASSO day-old chicks, Silverlands provides improved genetics to the small-scale rural farmers, together with technical assistance and training, and offers them access to markets that may not have been possible before. This initiative aims to increase poultry production and productivity, improve rural household income and nutrition, and empower women.
Like Royal Pas Reform, Silverlands believes in developing long-term relationships with customers. In 2016 it established the Silverlands Poultry Training Centre at Makota Farm. The objective of the training courses offered is to provide attendees with the knowledge to successfully manage a poultry unit. It has proved to be a highly valued service and today the training centre has an active Facebook community of over 27,000 members.
Adriaen Sligcher says: “We are delighted to have partnered with Silverlands on this important new hatchery. It will help to bring new skills and prosperity to the region and support its commitment to being socially responsible to the communities it operates in.
“We also look forward to arranging a hatchery managers course with Silverlands in the near future in order to further extend the knowledge of potential hatchery managers in Tanzania.”