The new hatchery, located at Kedah, is being developed in three phases to produce 1.1 million ParentStock chicks each year by 2013.
Mr Chuah, director of CAB Cakaran’s new GP farm project, explained that aside from cost savings of some 20 per cent and the ability to protect the Group’s poultry business from the risks of international embargoes on PS chick imports; PS quality, uniformity and bio-security were also key factors in CAB’s decision.
"Pas Reform’s Smart incubators deliver a short spread of hatch, which reduces time to the first intake of feed and water.” This", said Mr Chuah, "promotes excellent uniformity in the day olds, simplifying farm management and producing markedly better performance. “As an added bonus, because the chicks are of higher quality and in better condition, they are also better able to withstand the stress of vent sexing, vaccination, transport and so on, which means the PS chick arrives on the farm in very good condition.”
CAB employs the most rigorous bio-security measures and this too, said Mr Chuah, had been a deciding factor. “Bio security and food safety are central to CAB’s promise to its customers, and Smart incubation fully upholds that promise.”
Smart cabinets are constructed of smooth-walled, ‘food-safe’ anodized aluminium, stainless steel and polystyrene: highly durable and resistant to strong disinfectants and corrosion. The absence of closed air ducts improves hygiene and sanitation, as does the incorporation of cooling ducts into the walls of the cabinets – making short work of thorough cleaning between cycles.Dr. Tan Ee Seng, Pas Reform’s Sales Director in Asia, is leading the Dutch hatchery technology company’s delivery for CAB. “We never under-estimate the importance of people to the success of any hatchery operation” says Dr. Tan, “and with a tailor-made, onsite training programme in place, CAB’s hatchery professionals will have an excellent grounding in all aspects of single-stage incubation, to help them meet demanding targets on every level of the hatchery’s performance.”