Uvesa is Spain’s second largest broiler integration: a progressive company, with a commitment to quality from farm to table that has delivered sustained growth for more than 50 years. With direct control of the whole production chain, the business delivers poultry and meat products to retail, wholesale and catering customers, both in Spain and abroad.
Located in the Agrifood City of Tudela, in the Navarra region, Uvesa’s new 6,500 sq.m. hatchery has a capacity of 1.1 million day-old chicks per week and was designed and equipped to deliver total process control for maximum hatchability and the best chick quality.
Total hatchery solution: an integrated, data-rich environment
With the full integration of SmartPro™ single stage incubation, climate control (HVAC) and hatchery automation systems, this data-rich hatchery environment showcases every aspect of Pas Reform’s capability in a truly future-focused business committed to quality and growth.
Behind every aspect of the hatchery operations, advanced SmartCenterPro™ Hatchery Information technology integrates the control of incubation, HVAC and automation systems to a single user interface, recording key data and generating batch reports to assist the hatchery manager in the full optimization of hatchery performance.
Egg handling
Comprehensive automation in the egg handling area includes Pas Reform’s tray transfer system for the simultaneous transfer of 34 setter trays from farm- to setter trolley and an egg setting system that places hatching eggs point down onto setter trays, to maximize hatchability and day old chick uniformity.
Incubation
With 25 SmartSetPro™ setters, the use of 17 high setter trolleys, each containing 34 space saving honeycomb SmartTray™162’s, ensures that productivity is maximised by delivering the highest allocation of hatching eggs per m2. Each SmartSetPro™ setter incorporates four key features: modular incubator design, Vortex™-based airflow principle, Adaptive Metabolic Feedback (AMF™) and Energy Saving Module (ESM™).
The hatchery includes 24 SmartHatchPro™ hatchers, which by their modular design allows batches of eggs from varying flock ages to be hatched according to their own, very specific embryonic requirements and assuring a reduced hatch window. Each hatcher incorporates SurroundCooling™, a system of cooling circuits integrated into the smooth, anodized aluminium walls of the hatcher. Hatcher baskets incorporate Microban® antimicrobial technology.
Candling and transfer
A complete candling and transfer line has been incorporated for the automatic candling of hatching eggs and the removal of infertile eggs. The line includes automatic unloading, stacking and de-stacking, with an in-ovo vaccination unit to vaccinate the eggs in the process.
Chick handling
An automatic separator delivers hatched chicks, without remnants of shell, to the next stage of processing. A double SmartCount™ counting and boxing system, incorporating Pas Reform’s innovative Vision Technology, counts and boxes chicks after inline sexing. Before transfer to the dispatch area, boxes are automatically stacked.
Climate control
As part of this project, Pas Reform designed and installed a bespoke HVAC (climate control) system, including a hatchery-specific heat recovery system and air supply plenums for the uniform and optimal conditioning of air supplied to both setters and hatchers. The systems maximise efficiencies and reduce costs, while maintaining bio security throughout the facility and creating an optimised environment for producing high quality day old chicks.
Washing and waste handling
High pressure washing machines ensure the thorough cleaning of all trolleys, trays, baskets and boxes between hatch cycles and vacuum waste systems are used for the clean, hygienic and efficient collection and removal of waste from multiple locations in the hatchery.
Hatchery Manager Rodrigo Garcia says: “While we did look initially at working with separate suppliers for incubation, hatchery automation and climate control systems, we found that Pas Reform was very able to combine both and truly deliver a complete, integrated hatchery solution for Uvesa. We see many advantages to working with a single supplier for all systems. Aside from streamlining development by working with just one engineering team during the construction of the project, we are able to integrate incubation data with climate control data and hatchery automation data through SmartCenterPro’s™ hatchery information software”.
“This enables us to make well-informed decisions for the future refinement and development of incubation programming, hatchery management and maintenance schedules. With a full package of service, including training and ongoing access to Pas Reform Academy, this is a fully integrated hatchery solution, designed specifically to support Uvesa’s hatchery team and business goals for the future”.
