Dutch hatchery expands with Pas Reform
Hatchery Broederij Munsterhuis BV in the Netherlands has expanded operations by more than 30%, to 1 mln day-old chicks per week, with Smart hatchery technologies from Pas Reform.
The family-owned Dutch hatchery recently celebrated with an Open Day for customers, employees and suppliers. “This expansion puts Munsterhuis well on its way to our target of 1.4 mln chicks each week,” said GM Bert Munsterhuis, who is the third generation of his family to take the reins of the business.
Munsterhuis BV has installed SmartSet™ setters, SmartHatch™ hatchers and chick counting and candling/transfer equipment, all controlled and monitored by a SmartCenter™ Hatchery Information System.
The new installation has fully automated the incubation process and all its controls in the hatchery. Multiple incubation programmes manage incubation for each of the various breeds simultaneously. Each supplier has a unique reference, enabling Munsterhuis to trace every hatching egg and manage the whole chain. Every group of day-old chicks has a so-called chicken passport, which carries this data for full traceability, including information on the breeding company and the age and breed of the parent hen, for example.
The hatchery, which is situated close to the German border, anticipates growth in Germany, where Munsterhuis says it is easier for broiler companies to expand. Sales are currently divided equally between the Netherlands and Germany (mainly North Rhine-Westphalia and Lower Saxony).
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