Today we made an unannounced visit to Clazing poultry slaughterhouse in Breukelen, the Netherlands. Our aim was to see what measures had been put in place to reduce heat stress in the broilers arriving and lairaged at the plant.
We were openly welcomed by the plant manager, who appreciated that we approached the conversation respectfully and constructively. He gave us permission to inspect the broilers in the lairage and even take some photos.
We were pleasantly surprised to see that, unlike in previous years, no chickens were waiting outside in the sun or under the temporary tent anymore. The lairage had been expanded, and one truck was waiting for space inside the lairage, in order for the containers to be offloaded. Next to the truck was a large, professional ventilation wall generating a strong airflow. The air moved well through the transport containers, providing welcome cooling for the chickens that had just arrived.
Inside the holding area, the temperature was approximately 4°C lower than outside in direct sunlight (31.7°C versus 35.6°C). The relative humidity was slightly higher (42% versus 34%).
One side of the holding area was equipped with fans combined with a misting system.
We observed differences in the level of heat stress. Several chickens showed mild to moderate signs of heat stress (panting and extending their necks), particularly those deeper inside the transport containers. At these temperatures this is, unfortunately, difficult to avoid completely, unless air-conditioning is used. Fortunately, during our short visit, we did not observe birds showing alarming signals of heat stress. The measures that had been implemented were therefore clearly helping to reduce some of the impact of the heat.
It was noticeable that fewer chickens were panting near the ventilation fans than further away in the holding area. This clearly demonstrated that the fans were effective, although the airflow did not yet reach far enough to benefit all of the birds equally. We also observed slightly more heat stress in containers that appeared to be stocked a little more densely. The more chickens in a container, the more difficult it becomes for air to circulate between them.
The plant manager explained that additional ventilation fans will soon be installed, including along the opposite wall of the holding area, and that the company is continuing to invest in further improvements. We see this as a positive development.
The company also plans to switch to a new gas stunning system that will allow the chickens to remain in their transport drawers from arrival until stunning. As a result, the birds will no longer need to be tipped out of the drawers while still conscious. We encourage this development.
We are pleased to see that, since the change of ownership, Clazing has invested substantially in measures to reduce heat stress. Such investments are becoming increasingly important as hot summer days become more frequent. We hope Clazing will also consider airconditioning to be able to cool down the lairage to temperatures that are more comfortable to the birds.
Finally, we would like to thank the manager of Clazing in Breukelen for his warm welcome, his openness, and the trust he placed in us by allowing us to observe the operation.
