1. Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture
David Filmer MA (Cantab)
March 2015

3. Executive Summary
 Population increase – more food needed
 Middle classes looking for a safe, healthy diet
 Chicken meat used more than ALL other meats
 60 billion chicken grown in 2014 – 8 per person
 FLOCKMAN uses precision livestock farming
 Produces more chicken meat from less feed
 Increases grower profit by 5 US cents per bird
 Potential: 5 cents x 60 billion = 3 billion US $
 Better lifestyle, health and welfare for the birds

4. 1989 1st European WPSA Symposium
EDP Applications in Poultry Management (Denmark)
Typical ‘Step Feeding’ of Protein
%ProteininDiet
Age
Diet
1
Diet
2
Diet
3
Diet
4
Periods of under feeding
Periods of over feeding

5. Ministry of Agriculture LINK Project (1998)
Integrated Management Systems for
Poultry Production
 Aim was to grow birds on a target growth curve
 Developed a ‘Real-time’ growth model
 Continuous ‘Feed-back’ loop
 Model changed daily to keep birds on target

6. Before Fitting Growth Model
Model results
x Actual
Model
Model protein
Model lipid
+ Plan
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x
x
x
x
x
+ + + ++ + ++ + + ++ + ++ + + ++ + +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Day
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Weight,g
0
500
1000
1500
2000

7. After Optimising Growth Model
Model results
x SRI00237
Model
Model protein
Model lipid
+ Plan
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x
x
x
x
x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x+
+ + + ++ + ++ + + ++ + ++ + + ++ + +
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
Day
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Weight,g
0
500
1000
1500
2000

8. Verification Trial – (8 houses)
Item Control FLOCKMAN Benefit
Weight sold (T) 335 344 9
Feed used (T) 667 636 -31
Weight value $251,250 $258,000 $6,750
Feed cost $132,000 $129,000 $3,000
Crop margin $119,250 $129,000 $9,750
House margin $29,813 $32,250 $2,437
Annual margin
6.5 crops/year
$193,782 $209,625
(35K birds/house)
$15,843

9. FLOCKMAN
 Simple retrofit to existing feed augers, lights
 No feed/bird weighers, computers, modems
 Feedback changes the birds daily intake
 Active crops: better digestion, so less feed
 Better lighting programs – dawn/dusk dimming
 Improves immune defence system and welfare
 Low cost – quick return on investment

10. The FLOCKMAN Box
 FLOCKMAN has 5 ON/OFF/AUTO switches. For FLOCKMAN
Control, ALL must be in ‘AUTO’, Green light ‘ON’. The Keypad
enters flock details. The LCD display shows data. Status bar LED
lights show what’s happening inside the house.

11. FLOCKMAN Trial- Liveweight per bird (grams)
Control (H 13, 12, 10, 4, 5, 8): FLOCKMAN (H 14, 7, 11, 3, 6, 9)
20952140
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
1 2 3 4 5
Grams
Weeks of Age
Control Liveweight
FLOCKMAN Liveweight

12. FLOCKMAN Trial - Feed Conversion Ratio
Control (H 13, 12, 10, 4, 5, 8): FLOCKMAN (H 14, 7, 11, 3, 6, 9)
1.596
1.554
0.80
0.90
1.00
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60
1.70
1 2 3 4 5
RatioFeed/LW
Weeks of Age
Control FCR
FLOCKMAN FCR

13. FLOCKMAN Trial - European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF)
Control (H 13, 12, 10, 4, 5, 8): FLOCKMAN (H 14, 7, 11, 3, 6, 9)
370
389
200
250
300
350
400
450
1 2 3 4 5
Weeks of Age
Control EPEF
FLOCKMAN EPEF

14. FLOCKMAN Trial – Margin (Bird value minus Feed costs) (per bird)
Control (H 13, 12, 10, 4, 5, 8): FLOCKMAN (H 14, 7, 11, 3, 6, 9)
-$0.01
$0.00
$0.01
$0.02
$0.03
$0.04
$0.05
$0.06
$0.07
$0.08
1 2 3 4 5
ExtraMargin$/bird
Weeks of Age
FLOCKMAN Target
FLOCKMAN minus Control

15. 9 FLOCKMAN Field Trials (minimum 8 houses per trial)
Statistical analysis of benefit in Feed Conversion Ratio
0.062
0.090
0.069
0.033
0.041
0.100
0.056 0.054 0.053
0.062
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
Average
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6 Trial 7 Trial 8 Trial 9 p value =
0.00001
FCR
FLOCKMAN Benefit

16. 9.7
21.6
3.7
15.4
13.3
35.0
18.7 20.2 20.5
17.6
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Average
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6 Trial 7 Trial 8 Trial 9 p value =
0.0002
EPEF
FLOCKMAN Benefit
9 FLOCKMAN Field Trials (minimum 8 houses per trial)
Statistical analysis of benefit in EPEF

17. 9 FLOCKMAN Field Trials (minimum 8 houses per trial)
Statistical analysis of benefit in margin over feed cost per bird
6.62
13.67
4.41
8.49
6.87 6.96
5.04
7.56
6.44
7.34
-2.00
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
Average
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4 Trial 5 Trial 6 Trial 7 Trial 8 Trial 9 p value =
0.00002
UScentsperbird
FLOCKMAN Benefit

18. 9 International Trials 2.2 Million Birds
Results 36-46 day old A/H flocks
ITEM Average
BENEFIT
Minimum
BENEFIT
Mortality 1.01% 0.28%
Liveweight (g) 40 10
FCR 0.062 0.046
EPEF 17.6 11.0
Margin/bird US cents 7.34 5.34
Margin/house US $ $2,569 $1,869
Margin/house/year
6.5 crop cycles/year
$16,698
(35K birds/house)
$12,148
(35K birds/house)

19. Latest UK Results: Harry Shepherd
Dec 2014
Age (days) Final Liveweight Ross Target % Target
33 (Females) 2.000kg (4.41lb) 1.838kg 108.8%
41 (Females) 2.668kg (5.88lb) 2.512kg 106.2%
47 (Males) 3.874kg (8.52lb) 3.546kg 109.2%
Average 42.46 3.134kg (6.91lb) 2.856kg 108.3%
Days Weight Dead FCR EPEF
42.46 3.134 kg 3.81% 1.651 430

20. FLOCKMAN Benefits
 Better results, profits and sustainability
 Better chicken lifestyle, health and welfare
 Return on investment in under 6 months
 Helps feed the world; low carbon footprint
Welcome to:
 Governments, integrators, investors
 Do visit us on stand D262 for business talks and to meet
Harry Shepherd, successful UK FLOCKMAN user and
FLOCKMAN client consultant