December 16, 2008

New heating system for broiler houses cuts power usage

A new heating system for use in broiler houses can cut utility cost by 20 to 25 percent and keeps poultry warmer.

The system is invented by Jody Purswell, an agricultural engineer with US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service at Mississippi State University's Poultry Research Unit.

The trick was to install attic inlets, pulling out heat from the attic so that heat is circulated throughout the poultry house, keeping the birds warm without using more gas.

Purswell said the attic temperature of broiler houses remains at about 6 to 14 degrees warmer than the outside temperature.

Purswell plans to work with growers such as Hudson to compare poultry houses with the system and those without. Purswell and his team will install gas meters in poultry houses to better measure power usage.