Chapter 9
IT Applications in Poultry
Production
Shahid-ur-Rehman and Awais Ihsan†
Abstract
This chapter aims to introduce and use of information technology applications in
various poultry enterprises. Various inventory control systems, data management
systems and summarization systems. There are various software solutions for
poultry farming, hatchery, milling and delivery systems for poultry and poultry
products. Poultry performance prediction and evaluation systems and their types
are discussed. Expert systems and decision support systems solutions for poultry
enterprises and work done in Pakistan is discussed.
Keywords: Computer software in poultry operations, Inventory control, data
management, expert systems, decision support systems.
9.1 Introduction
Computer is being used in even sphere of life. Its uses are increasing day by day. It
seems that after a few years life style will be more dependent on use of computers.
There is not even a single field that is beyond computer grip. It is because of this
invention that world has become a global village. Wars are won and lost from
computer's keyboard. It is also used in manufacturing, welding and painting cars
and buses. This revolutionary development has decreased mental and physical
†
Shahid-ur-Rehman
UAF Sub-Campus Toba Tek Singh, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
For correspondance: shahidurrehman@[Link]
Awais Ihsan
COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Sahiwal, Pakistan.
Managing editors: Iqrar Ahmad Khan and Muhammad Farooq
Editors: Muhammad Yousaf, Ahsan ul Haq and Akram ul Haq
University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
192
9 IT Applications in Poultry Production 193
burden of mankind. Computers are everywhere in our lives nowadays including
poultry industry. From accounting to waste management and everything in-
between, there are many programs which helps in collection and store right
information, make calculations, summarize results, predict future needs and
schedule most efficient ways to get things done, all done to produce a better more
efficient product with minimum cost or maximum profit.
When size of a business increases, data on every aspect increases and requires a
system that can efficiently utilize that data and produce easy to understand and
summarized results for easy decision making. Computer is doing its job in every
business. Regardless of industry, some problems are universal; for example,
resource allocation, scheduling and routing, competition, inventory, searching for
requirements, replacement and maintenance. A manager in any field has a modern
"toolbox" of decision assisting programs at hand, including, for example, inventory
control software, statistical analysis, simulation models, forecasting, "genetic"
algorithms, and business analysis. Interactive models greatly enhance poultry
industry efficiency. They utilize a strategic module for long-term questions and to
answer "what if" situations. A tactical module contains all kinds of statistical soft
wares such as that for projecting egg production, assisting site planning, linear
programming, econometric models, and so on. An operational module provides
day-to-day advisement about hot day. It provides flock, processing plant and shift
planning for efficient business operations. Decision making software that can
project current production for future and assess profit or loss and in case of loss
steps to avoid that loss are the need of world of business. One thing for sure that
only properly interpreted data is of any benefit in these situations otherwise
"Garbage in Garbage out" would be true.
With technology advancements competition among poultry industry is increasing at
this time, future will be of that company that will be reducing losses from different
sources and producing poultry meat and eggs at minimum cost. It will be possible
when there will be well managed data management system for different enterprises
of poultry business, well manners data makes a very efficient decision making
system that can analyze even minute change in inputs of industry. Future planning
should include alternatives to linear programming for feed formulation, better
nutrient prediction, assisted disease diagnosis, more accurate price forecasting and
supply chain optimization. Topics such as simulation, artificial intelligence and
dealing with complexity will receive greater attention as technology advances.
9.2 Computerized Record Keeping of Various
Enterprises of Poultry
9.2.1 Data Collection and Management
Data collection and management systems are major infrastructure requirements for
any modern business, poultry producing enterprises also require data storage and
manipulation capabilities especially on computers. General accounting software
can be used for poultry business data however specialized computer software
developed for various poultry enterprises are available. Computer software used by
194 [Link] and A. Ihsan
most of poultry enterprises are normally ready made inventory control software.
Feed mills and breeder farms mostly use specialized software developed for their
specific data storage.
9.2.2 Poultry Farm Data Collection
Environment control house data collection can be linked with computer software
systems to maintain and monitor environment impact in layer and broiler houses.
Sensors can directly send data regarding temperature, ventilation, ammonia or
carbon dioxide levels and relative humidity in poultry farms. These controllers/soft
wares may also monitor function of environment systems i.e. air flow, water flow,
and electric flow leakages. Data regarding biological performance can also be
monitored in house parameters like egg count, live weight of birds and feed intake.
Such software can be operated and monitored through internet.
9.2.3 Feed Mills and Feed Delivery Software
Computer software are more extensively used in feed mills and feed delivery.
Mainly feed formulation software is used for feed formulation moreover feed
delivery is mainly handled by inventory control software. However, specialized
feed mill management software which can handle both feed formulation, batch
management, batch mixing and inventory control of input ingredients, storage bin
and mixer management and output management of various forms of feed (mash,
crumbs and pellets) along with tracking of various types of rations to different
consumers. In large integrations, these feed mill software can be linked to farms
and other operations.
9.2.4 Poultry Software
Various types of poultry software are used worldwide which can be categorized as
flock performance, single and multiple flock projections, economic analyses of
performance, replacement pullet costs, egg size distribution and egg value.
9.3 Enterprise Optimization
Computers have capabilities much more than just clerical work of data collection
and summarization various performance models are available and can be developed
for broiler growth and layer production for prediction, comparisons and use of this
software is growing in poultry operations. Various types of programming models
being used in poultry performance software are as under
1. Linear Programming Models
2. Stochastic Programming Models
3. Expert Systems
4. Decision Support Systems
9 IT Applications in Poultry Production 195
9.4 Poultry Management System
Numerous poultry management systems have been used in poultry operations
which range from just inventory control system to highly specialized expert
systems. Juliana (2009) defined expert system as a software computers that have
the knowledge base to solve problems and uses inference reasoning resembles an
expert or experts in a particular field to solve a problem. Developed application was
made aiming to assist patients in diagnosing disease earlier and to facilitate serving
our chicken breeders without leaving house which can help early treatment.
Schmisseur and Pankratz (1989) developed an expert system (Xlayer) to help layer
farmers in trouble shooting and assistance of managemental problems on economic
grounds. Analysis of commercial layer data provides decisions on 80
managemental problems based on size and scale of layer operations. Raju and Rao
(2006) developed poultry expert system which is less complex, provides greater
utility and moderate compatibility. It provides technical feasibility of various
parameters and is user friendly. Kalentzi1 (2003) used linear programming for
broiler farmers in development of a decision-making system. Rose (2003)
developed a decision-support system for assessment of the risk regarding
contamination of broiler flocks by Salmonella. Data for development of this system
was obtained from 85 broiler flocks in western France. Sensitivity was 97.8% and
specificity 64.3%.
9.5 Work done in Pakistan
First information management system for handling of poultry performance data was
introduced for [Link].(Hons.) Poultry Husbandry degree requirement at Poultry
Research Centre (PRC), Department of Poultry Science, University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad (Rehman, 2002). Three modules were developed under umbrella of one
main system modeling various types of data generated at PRC. First module deals
with government poultry farm model dealing with a fixed budget for inputs and
outputs were submitted in government account. Second module deals with
commercial project account which has revolving account i.e. inputs are purchased
from an account owned by the chairman, of the department and outputs’ generated
revenue is deposited in same account for reuse. Third module deals with student
research in which performance data generated by [Link].(Hons.) students can be
recorded (Rehman, 2002).
9.5.1 Poultry Management System
Poultry management system was developed under Pakistan Science Foundation
Project No. PSF/NSLP/P-AU(167) entitled “Development of Information
Management System for commercial broiler and layer farm data”. A computer
based management system is developed first time in Pakistan history in
Government Sector for broiler, layer and breeder farmers using information
communication technology. Poultry management system offers following flock
records;
196 [Link] and A. Ihsan
1. Financial record management (including purchases, sales and bank
account management)
2. Employee record management (salary, farm entry, exit and visitor records)
3. Farm building record management (poultry sheds, stores, offices and
labour colonies)
4. Farm stock record management (consumable, non-consumable and
repair/maintenance)
5. Flock performance record management (growth, feed, medicine,
vaccination and other expenses).
Poultry management system is also capable of providing daily tips, comparison of
flock performance with strain standards and future resource forecasting for
purchases and performance predictions based on Artificial Intelligence based
algorithms. Poultry management systems is available in following modules keeping
in view farmer types
1. Broiler flock control system
2. Layer flock control system
3. Breeder flock control system
4. Broiler and layer flock control system
5. Broiler and breeder flock control system
6. Layer and breeder flock control system
7. Broiler, layer and breeder flock control system
Conclusion
Poultry operations in modern day poultry units are mostly controlled by computers.
Software’s and related applications are helping hands nowadays requiring less
labour input and are more efficient and economical in long term production. These
systems play a vital role in successfully operating mechanized poultry units.
References
Juliana, S.H.S. (2009). Design expert system for diagnose chicken diseases using
PHP. Undergraduate Program, Information System, Gunadarma University,
[Link]
Kalentzi1, E.C. Batzios and M. Salampasis (2003). Better decision making in the
broiler industry by integrating linear programming into the brodessys decision
support system. EFITA Conference 5-9. July 2003, Debrecen, Hungary, 801-
809.
Raju, D.T. and B.S. Rao (2006). An information technology enabled Poultry Expert
System: Perceptions of veterinarians and veterinary students. International
Journal of Education and Development using Information and Communication
Technology (IJEDICT) 2(2): 100-107.
Rehman, S. (2002). Developing an information management system for handling
and processing poultry performance data. [Link]. (Hons.) Poultry Husbandry
9 IT Applications in Poultry Production 197
thesis, Department of Poultry science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad,
Pakistan.
Rose, N., J.P. Mariani, P. Drouin, J.Y. Toux, V. Rose and P. Colin. 2003. A
decision-support system for Salmonella in broiler-chicken flocks. Preventive
Veterinary Medicine 59: 27-42.
Schmisseur E.D. and J. Pankratz (1989). XLAYER: An expert system providing
management advice to commercial layer managers. Southern Journal of
Agricultural Economics 21:183-194.